Libertas are now filing a complaint with the Metropolitan Police over UKIP's attempt to try to get them to part with £10,000 in exchange for the right to use the name.
I can exclusively reveal the correspondence from UKIP's solicitors to Libertas in which they make the offer.
In some ways it is quite astonishing it has taken Libertas until now to get this sorted.
It never rains but it pours.
ReplyDeleteTalk about sour grapes, of wrath.
If it's anything like domain names, you wait for them to make an offer to sell as this shows bad faith. Certainly, wait for them to show they're grubby money grabbing hands and it changes the dynamics of the whole name-stealing argument.
ReplyDeleteI'm no fan of Libertas and share the UKIP view on the EU but I think UKIP's behaviour here has been petty and childish. Like Farage in that tank, this is why I can't take them seriously.
ReplyDeleteWell the solution's obvious - Libertas should simply call themselves LibertasX
ReplyDeleteI thought this practice had been outlawed anyway. So we have a very expensive electoral commission, that is incapable of stopping electoral bullying.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Libertas should come up with a better name then.
ReplyDeleteWho are they anyway? Why do we need them?
If Libertas have to change their name my suggestion is to imply they are Number One or Ace by calling themselves LiberAce
ReplyDeleteI think UKIP has been very stupid, petty and immature.
ReplyDeleteCan they be done for "passing off"?
And they want to run the country?
Badly done, UKIP, badly done.
p.s. I think Libertas are misguided, to say the least. They risk being infested with Fabian fifth-columnists and lose their way. Don't sit down with Statists to reform them - they will talk you to death, making you concede everything while they concede nothing.
A squabble by kiddies over a toy.
ReplyDeleteSounds like the Tories are getting desperate about voters following Sir Norman Tebbit's advice and voting UKIP, if this is the sort of dirt they are trying to dig up.
ReplyDeleteIt won't work though. Cameron's failure to expel just 1 MP over dodgy expenses shows where his heart really is.
Has Dave explained why he got the Taxpayer to pay for the removal of his rampant Wisteria yet?
Tut, tut! "Libertas is now filing a complaint . . "
ReplyDeleteOne of our members came up with this 'wheeze' while it was still available, the NCC of the Libertarian Party vetoed the idea
ReplyDeleteVery interesting Iain. We shall have to watch how it progresses.
ReplyDeleteHave posted an article on this at Independence Home
The Tories do not need to dig up this bit of dirt - UKIP went over and rolled in it themselves.
ReplyDeleteParhaps this lapse speaks to the quality of the party.
ReplyDeleteAs somebody said "why do we need them?"
The answer is "We don't", they are Declan Ganley's new toy.
Abramovich bought chelsea instead of a playstation - Declan Ganley is aiming at having a political party.
It's shabby behaviour on UKIP's part but it doesn't say much about Libertas that they allowed this to happen.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't news. The story broke in the Irish press in January.
ReplyDeleteIf UKIP demanded 10k, but admit that they will not be putting up any candidates, that should be enough for the EC to strike their name off the register.
Political scandal to end all scandals
ReplyDeleteShock, Horror where will it end, a new scandal to end all scandals.
Libertas EU have threatened to stop the troughing and sleaze in Europe.
Libertas have threatened the whole of EU's institutions, stating that they intend to bring Democracy, accountability and transparency to the EU.
Is this the end of politics as we know it?
Are their demands unreasonable?
How will Europe cope with real democracy?
Just how will the citizens of Europe react to a Europe that works for them.
find answers at www.libertas.eu
Astonishing? It's all about timing as you well know Iain. Publicity is everything.
ReplyDeleteWhat can one say. I would suspect the police will just tell Libertas to go away. It is not illegal to register a name and then sell it on.
ReplyDeleteI am not suggesting I necessarily agree with what the party did, in registering the name but this announcement is clearly timed to disrupt UKIP's campaign, from frightened opponents. Ganley is spending a fortune on advertising on blogs etc. One hopes the Electoral Commission is keeping a close eye on them.
Let us not forget that Ganley has been in discussions with the Tories, about forming an alliance in the EU, if the rumours are to be believed.
This will just be one of a number of hot air stories.
you use the phrase"too clever by half"This was said years ago about my Father,Iain Macleod!!I am standing as a Libertas candidate on June 4th-having stood at the General Election for UKIP!Sadly Libertas was not around.What UKIP has done is mean spitited and goes against all principles of fairplay-even in Politics!They should look to their principles,before seeking out others.Is there such a word as whitemail?
ReplyDeleteSpeculation, but I think one of our guys may have shoved this idea to UKIP after we rejected it.
ReplyDeleteFor the Libertarian Party of the UK to register Libertas UK would hardly seem strange, even if intended only as a meanie spoiler; for UKIP to register and then attempt to obtain a payout smacks of an implicit fraud/blackmail threat.
This is just sour grapes and jealousy. Libertas is run by incompetent and inexperienced amateurs.
ReplyDeleteGanley has had months to make official complaints but failed to do so.
Libertas's application to become a registered pan-European party was turned down.
1.11 pm - Bob Feal-Martinez
ReplyDeleteBob are you the UKIP candidate for Swindon who was recently banned from the Democracy Fourm website for lying?
The same Bob who is mocked by fellow UKIP members for talking 'Manglish' and the same UKIP members also cruelly compare you to a Sontarian from Dr Who?
Personally, I thought it rather funny... Gave me a chuckle anyway.
ReplyDeleteWell, they are called Libertas.eu so they had better stick to that. After all, they see further European integration as the way forward. So they wouldn't want to mess around with silly things like UK in their name. Would they?
ReplyDeleteAs anyone who has been burgled, or been the victim of car crime, can tell you making a complaint to the Police is a very long way indeed from them actually doing anything at all about it. I don't think that UKIP will be too worried by that one.
ReplyDeleteAs for UKIP having registered Libertas' name first well in my game there's a saying; "You snooze, you lose"!
At May 18, 2009 2:43 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...
ReplyDelete1.11 pm - Bob Feal-Martinez
Bob are you the UKIP candidate for Swindon who was recently banned from the Democracy Fourm website for lying?
The same Bob who is mocked by fellow UKIP members for talking 'Manglish' and the same UKIP members also cruelly compare you to a Sontarian from Dr Who
I am who I am which is not a coward, who post behind anonymity. Given this is an identical comment that has been posted elsewhere, I guess the ant UKIP are struggling to find anything substantive to harm the party.
This whole incident is simply a non event and the Me Police will say so. But of course I doubt Iain will post that. His party of choice is as much in the mire as the other two main parties. SKY revealed today that if a snap election was called, UKIP would be the official opposition and that would be the end of Britain in the EU thank God.