Thursday, April 09, 2009

Has Bob Spink Left UKIP?

It seems that Bob Spink no longer describes himself as a UKIP MP. Indeed, he says he has never been a member of the party, according to THIS article in his local Essex newspaper. How very strange. Do you think anyone has told UKIP? They list him on their website as a UKIP MP.

21 comments:

jailhouselawyer said...

Your old girl friend, Ann Widdicombe, almost left the Radio 5 Live interview this morning during the discussion on prisoners votes. She's says she is simple. I would agree with her. Fancy believing that prisoners leave society when they go into prison! She won't be going up against me again in a hurry...

JuliaM said...

They don't leave society, and that's not at all what she was implying.

Break the rules of society, forfeit some of the benefits of it, such as the freedom to go where you want, buy what you want, associate with who you want, and vote for the party you want.

Don't like that? You know what not to do, then. Don't you?

Back on topic, Bob Spink is clearly cuckoo-bananas, and UKIP should take the opprtuity offered to say 'Yipppeee!!!'...

Victor, NW Kent said...

Spink would not even be missed by UKIP and that is saying a lot.

Simon Gardner said...

Snigger

Plato said...

Mr Lawyer - she was not impressed with your constant interruptions.

I wasn't either. Ron the ex-prisoner who almost took over hosting the phone-in was however excellent.

Bearded Socialist said...

As an Essex boy born and bred, I can say with certainty that I love UKIP, I think they're wonderful and anything I can do to help them get votes would be a pleasure.

Anonymous said...

Spink votes against UKIP policy where it exists - he voted with the gov on detentions for instance.

He says he wanted to be listed as independant by the commons as UKIP has no proper whip but then he didn't give us the clearest picture when he left the conservatives so who knows whats going on.

Curbishly said...

Apparently "Bandwagon Bob", as he is known around here, made a statement that he would lie down in front of the diggers to stop a local development.

I understand there was a concerted rush to the HoP fees office to see if digger driving lessons could be claimed for.

Ed said...

Bob did provide some clarifying remarks on this back in November.

"Friday, 21st November 2008

UKIP MP Dr Bob Spink has asked to be redesignated in the House of Commons as Independent, but he he stresses that he remains "UKIP's MP".

Dr Spink said: "I joined UKIP because it alone respects Britain's independence and this 'single issue' determines our economic performance and policy is almost all areas of our life."

In a letter to the Clerk of the House of Commons, Dr Spink wrote: "May I be designated simply as 'Independent'? I remain an enthusiastic UKIP member and supporter, but UKIP have never had a whip at Westminster and I have been acting, effectively, as an Independent in the house, so this adjustment of my designation should add clarity to my position.

"In short, I remain 'UKIP's MP', but I am independent of any Party Political Whip, as I have stressed many times."

So that is all clear then! NOT

JuliaM said...

*shakes head*

See? Cuckoo-bananas.

Anonymous said...

This is old news. See my post on it here : http://warelane.wordpress.com/2009/03/09/the-flip-flopping-stance-of-dr-spink/

Conand said...

There are various electoral laws and parliamentary rules which help define what party you are in, I think.
Nutbob Spink can't really defy the UKIP whip can he? Or can he?

:D <-- Laughing Boy Bob

Simon Gardner said...

Right so - to my surprise - it now appears everyone hates UKIP. (To paraphrase Tom Lehrer.)

Simon Gardner said...

“Oh the Protestants hate the Catholics
And the Catholics hate the Protestants
And the Muslims hate the Hindus
And everyone hates the Jews
But when it's National Brotherhood week....”

Yes I know I’m showing my age.

Unknown said...

Very very old news Iain.

He wrote to the HOC clerk back last November and asked to be described as an "independent".

The UKIP website even covered it here: http://www.ukip.org/content/latest-news/847-bob-spink-mp

JuliaM said...

How you get 'everyone hates UKIP' out of this blogthread, I cannot imagine...

Unsworth said...

"Yes I know I’m showing my age."

And a lot more besides.

Gregg said...

The news about Bob Spink is weeks/months old. Is this really the cutting edge of blogging? I think not.

The below is from March 9th.

http://ukipwatch.org/2009/03/bob-spink-ukip-mp-me-no-i-never-even.html

UKIP said...

Ian getting rattled ?

Anonymous said...

I cite some articles on my blog, Iain, to the contrary of the statement 'Bob Spink has never been a member of UKIP'. He said to the echo newspaper in Essex - which I suspect has a thing for him - that the only reason he defected from UKIP to independent status was because UKIP had no parliamentary whip, and that he was as good as an independent anyway.

Anonymous said...

I cite some articles on my blog suggesting that Bob Spink has been a UKIP MP and the only reason he defected to independent status was because UKIP has no whip, and that he was basically independent anyway.