Politics

UKIP dispute over ‘altercation’

Published

8 years ago

October 14, 2016

ONCE again, the UK Independence Party finds itself living in interesting times after an MEP, considered to be one of the favourites to replace short-lived Nigel Farage replacement Diane James, was hospitalised following an ‘altercation’ between UKIP MEPs at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

Steven Woolfe, a 49-year-old barrister and Aberystwyth University graduate, apparently collapsed after suffering two ‘epilepsy-style’ fits following a heated meeting in which he asked fellow UKIP AM and armed forces veteran Mike Hookem to ‘take it outside’.

Mr Hookem has denied punching Mr Woolfe and, in an interview with the national press, accused his fellow party member of exaggerating the extent of his injuries.

One of the first to comment on the matter was the leader of UKIP in Wales, Neil Hamilton, who told the BBC he had heard that, following an argument, Mr Woolfe had ‘picked a fight with someone and came off worst’.

This was swiftly attacked by Nigel Farage, among others, and Mr Hamilton initially denied making the statement in an episode of Question Time filmed on the night of the incident (Thursday, October 6) until being forced into a somewhat embarrassing climb-down by host David Dimbleby.

Mr Woolfe was widely viewed as the favourite to succeed Nigel Farage, until he was disqualified from the leadership race for submitting his application 17 minutes late – something that was blamed on a ‘server error’. However, after Diane James quit the top job, to be replaced on an interim basis by Nigel Farage (again), his name came back into contention.

His candidacy, should it happen, was endorsed by multi-millionaire Conservative-turned-UKIP backer Arron Banks, who writing for the Daily Express on the weekend said that: “We just need a capable leader like Steven in charge, and the hopeless amateurs on its National Executive Committee cleaned out – along with Douglas Carswell, Neil Hamilton and the rest of the slimy, Tory turncoats pulling their strings.

“If that can’t be done, I’m afraid that myself and a number of other senior figures backing the party will have to move on to bigger and better things,” he added.

While questions could be raised about whether a man who gave more than £300,000 in donations to the Conservatives can legitimately describe anyone else as a ‘Tory turncoat’, these remarks hint at another divide within an already-divided party.

Former leader, interim leader, and easily UKIP’s most recognisable figure Nigel Farage is also no fan of the aforementioned Carswell, and he recently described the prospect of Neil Hamilton leading the party as ‘a horror story’. Mr Hamilton had already ruled himself out of the leadership contest at this point, suggesting that ‘my wife would kill me’.

The leader of UKIP in Wales hit back at Mr Banks’ remarks: “For months now I’ve been on the receiving end of a tirade of vilification from Arron Banks and his followers,” Mr Hamilton told the media.

“A lot of it is appalling abuse; he has emailed my wife and insulted her and this is the sort of thing that simply cannot be tolerated.

“Arron Banks has said Douglas Carswell, our only MP, is semi-autistic and he has referred disparagingly to his wonky chin and so on.

“What are we doing permitting people like this to run amok inside our party?”

The idea of expelling Mr Hamilton from the party could be problematic, especially given that he is the second person to lead UKIP in Wales this year, and will be serving as AM in the Senedd until 2021. UKIP’s Senedd presence has already decreased by a seventh as a result of their former leader in Wales, Nathan Gill, leaving the Whip and remaining in y Siambr as an Independent, in spite of still being a UKIP MEP.

It is also worth noting that Mr Hamilton leads the largest UKIP group in any British parliament. If UKIP enjoyed similar representation in Westminster, they would have around 75 MPs – or 65 and 10 independents. It is, therefore, rather difficult to argue that Wales has not been a success story for UKIP. However, this failed to stop Nathan Gill being overlooked for the role of Senedd leader and apparently dismissed from his position as Leader in Wales by the NEC.

Given that the British public has now voted to leave the EU, UKIP must, by definition, undergo a process of reinvention or face irrelevance. However, the direction this will take is not necessarily clear. Attempts to target working class voters in Labour strongholds have, in spite of an improved showing in the 2015 elections, not translated into Westminster seats, and as the Labour party is has found out, widespread media coverage of internal rifts do not inspire the electorate with confidence.

Whoever wins the next leadership contest will have to reunite a divided party and lead it into the mainstream if UKIP are to avoid becoming a historical footnote, and it has been queried whether someone willing to resort to fisticuffs with one of their colleagues would be the best person for the job. The Conservative Party’s move into UKIP territory on certain policies, including Brexit strategy and education, will also make it more difficult to pick up votes on the Right. However, with both of the largest parties currently embroiled in internal squabbles of their own, this could be far from the worst time for UKIP to start building for the next general election.

Community

Pembrokeshire town 4G phone mast plans withdrawn

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

PLANS for a replacement 20-metre-high 4G phone mast tower in north Pembrokeshire, which the local town council says would have “an unacceptable adverse impact” on the national park’s beauty have been withdrawn.

In an application before Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Cellnex, through agent Telent, sought permission to replace an existing 10m high mast with a new 20m 4G tower with three Vodafone antennae and nine mast head amplifiers, and associated works, on land at Dwr-y-Felin Farm, Fford Bedd Morris, Newport.

The application for a 4G mobile base station for the mobile network operator(s) (MNOs) Vodafone Ltd in conjunction with Cornerstone. The application site is owned / operated by Cellnex UK, a radio site infrastructure provider.

A supporting statement accompanying the application said: “The proposed antenna height of 20m is essential to provide new 4G coverage and replacement 2G and 3G service provision to the surrounding area. 4G radio signals are more sensitive to physical obstructions than older technologies.

“This is because the higher the frequency band the greater the reduction in signal strength, increasing the likelihood of dropped calls and reduced data rates for internet browsing,” adding: “Generally, the higher the signal frequency the more it will be impacted by clutter. It is for this reason that there is the height of 20m is required.”

It went on to say it “should be noted that a radio base station within this location has already been considered acceptable and has become an established feature within the area and the proposed upgrade albeit different in design to support the latest equipment will not be of substantial or detrimental harm to the national park, conservation area or heritage assets”.

Newport Town Council had objected to the application, saying: “The proposed development (if approved in its current form) will have an unacceptable adverse impact on the qualities and special landscape and seascape character of the National Park and also on the special qualities of natural beauty and tranquillity.”

The application has now been withdrawn.

Charity

Flats for veterans to be built at VC Gallery, Pembroke Dock

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to build flats for armed forces veterans on a former Pembrokeshire school yard/playing field next to veterans’ charity the VC Gallery has been approved by county planners.

In an application before Pembrokeshire County Council, veterans’ charity The VC Gallery sought permission for eight flats in two blocks of two-storey buildings, including wheelchair accessible flats, for Armed Forces veterans on land to the east of the former St Marys Catholic School site, Britannia Road, Pembroke Dock.

The former school, which closed in 2019, is currently used as the VC Gallery, itself an expansion of veterans’ charity the VC Gallery’s home in Haverfordwest, set up by Barry John MBE.

Documentation, through agent Pembroke Design Limited included a supporting statement by Barry John MBE, which it says “explains the issues that veterans face after leaving the services, the need for dedicated housing provision, the support that VC Gallery’s staff and volunteers provide and the gaps in current provision which the proposed development will help address”.

It added: “Although the development will provide and encourage independent living for its tenants, essential physical and mental support will be provided by the staff and volunteers in the VC Gallery as required, in accordance with individual veterans’ needs. Many will need a high level of support and the close proximity of the flats to the facilities and people on hand in the adjacent VC Gallery is therefore critical to the proposal’s purpose.”

Mr John’s statement said: “We want to create a unique offer to Armed Forces veterans in Pembrokeshire by offering up not just quality accommodation in a gated and safe environment but to also have a bespoke peer mentoring service.”

He added: “Working alongside our stakeholders The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust and the OVA (Office of Veterans Affairs) we have secured a grant to draw up plans and to look at how the secured land at the VC Gallery Pembroke Dock can be turned into a bespoke housing solution for Armed Forces Veterans.

“We have Service level agreements with the local authority for specifically supporting tenancy in veterans which will also extend to giving vital counselling services. Our work with the health board and provision for peer mentorship also gives us great grounding for effective help on a practical level for the veterans’ village but we will need a more designated package around the housing we provide to include both mental health and also maintenance (something we don’t have at present).”

His statement finished: “We think the need is great, we have the land, we have the skills for care and the ambition to help. It would be a project above all social housing enterprises, and we want to make a go of it.”

Politics

Call to stop councillors being employed by MPs and MSs

Published

3 days ago

December 20, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to stop senior Pembrokeshire county councillors being employed by MPs or Senedd members is to come under greater scrutiny at a special council committee.

In a Notice of Motion submitted to the December meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, Independent Group leader Cllr Huw Murphy said: “While it is acceptable for Cabinet members to hold other employments, no serving county councillor should hold a Cabinet position within Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC) while simultaneously being employed by a sitting Member of Parliament (MP) or Member of the Senedd (MS).

“Cabinet members hold executive responsibilities, and such dual roles risk potential conflicts of interest, particularly if Cabinet decisions conflict with the policies of their employer, often a political party. This concern is heightened in a council where most members are Independents.”

Cllr Murphy’s notice of motion was heard at the December meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council where it was agreed the matter be referred to a future constitutional review committee.

In the registration of interests for the eight members of Leader Cllr Jon Harvey’s Cabinet, only Cllr Joshua Beynon, deputy leader of the Labour Group and Cabinet Member for Corporate Finance and Efficiencies, lists a politician as an employer, in his case newly-elected Mid and South Pembrokeshire MP Henry Tufnell.

Responding to the notice of motion, Cllr Beynon has previously said: “This motion, which appears to target my unique position as a Cabinet Member for Finance and part-time parliamentary employee, raises serious questions about its fairness, legality, and intent.

“At its core, this is a politically motivated motion that seeks to undermine the principles of fairness and freedom. It attempts to dictate lawful employment choices of councillors, disregarding the importance of balancing public service with individual rights. Such an approach risks creating a chilling effect, discouraging capable individuals from serving in public office in the future.”