The saddening case of Nikki Sinclaire

It really saddens me to have to write this blog post but the whole corporate media has the story so it would be pathetically obvious if I were to simply ignore it.

In the words of the (very typical) coverage at The Guardian: "A former UK Independence party MEP has won her claim that the party discriminated against her because she was a lesbian."

The MEP concerned is Nikki Sinclaire.

The BBC reports that: "A default judgement was made in her favour by Exeter Employment Tribunal after UKIP, which denies the allegations, failed to lodge a defence. The party blamed an administrative error and said it had filed an application for the judgement to be set aside."

Due to the latter, it would be inappropriate to discuss the specifics too much.

I will say that if there was even the slightest hint of UKIP being homophobic, then I would not support the party. How could I? It would be like a turkey voting for Christmas.

On the same token, I see lots of comments on neighbouring blogs which could be received by some as grossly offensive towards the LGBT community.

Do I fall out with those bloggers? Do I sit in a corner and cry? Do I go running to Harriet Harman looking for protection? No... because most of the time, it's never more than thoughtless banter that the author might have thought light-hearted but hadn't appreciated the the target recipient group might be regularly reading.

But what do I know? I can still watch Alf Garnett and find him incredibly funny.

There are other issues besides this.

UKIP failed to lodge a defence and blamed an administrative error?

Hmmm...

A good few months ago, UKIP had an event that I sent off money for tickets for. The tickets never arrived and the attitude of the organiser was one of the least apologetic, least helpful that I have ever encountered in my life.

The result was that I was expected to travel all the way around the country to attend an event in the trusted hope that my name was on the door.

Having witnessed what I had, I didn't hold out much hope.

So, I didn't bother going and I didn't pursue a refund. The latter, given the attitude, seemed like too much bother.

Did I leave UKIP over it? Nope.

And a few months later, every single UKIP leadership candidate treated this blogger with incredible kindness and generosity when we interviewed them for this blog.

So, there are pluses and minuses.

Some people in UKIP are incredibly efficient and professional, others are far less so. And personalities differ from person to person, irrespective of political differences or similarities.

UKIP is a constantly improving young party and, from what I see of Young Independence, things are going to get very, very good indeed. Young Independence is proving to be relentlessly impressive. They are most certainly a very impressive future.

But UKIP failed to lodge an appeal due to an administrative error? Eeek.

And one more thing...

I do hope, truly and sincerely, that this episode with Nikki Sinclaire is the end of it.

By 'it', I mean the incredibly divisive factions and in-fighting.

A LOT of what you see on this score is cannon fodder being made around the UKIP name by people who are not even UKIP members.

Yet there were other internal factions that made themselves known during the leadership contest too.

My position is this...

Do I consider myself a UKIP activist? Yes, but not in a traditional way. Do I work incredibly hard for the party? Yes, but not in a traditional way.

Does this story about Nikki Sinclaire sadden me and zap me of energy and motivation? Sadly, yes.

Does the factional internal bickering which has gone on before sadden me and demoralise me more? Unquestionably.

Only one agenda should be on the mind of those who are part of UKIP - the restoration of our sovereignty and independence.

Anything else is a distraction.

And I would also say that, if those who should have wisdom and maturity behind them are incapable of demonstrating it, they should move aside and let the brilliant minds of Young Independence through.

Faces of the latter are more than capable from what I've seen and - on merit alone - should be promoted through the ranks of the main party anyway.

I trust that those with more maturity behind them will work relentlessly to pass to the great passions, energies and great minds of Young Independence a party called UKIP of which we are all proud.