UKIP
Thanet chair Trevor Shonk has defended his party’s controversial adoption of an
ex-member of the far-right National Front as their candidate for Ramsgate in the
Kent County Council elections in May.
The
candidate, ex-NF man Martyn Heale was also previously chair of the Conservative
Party in Thanet South and more recently election agent of UKIP’s national leader
Nigel Farage.
Mr
Shonk was filmed by Thanet Watch magazine during canvassing in
Ramsgate.
The
elections are on May 2.
Thanet
Watch is an investigative monthly magazine which covers everything that’s
happening – and shouldn’t be happening on the Isle of Thanet, East Kent.
Reports
in its print publication are supplemented by films on its website.
For
more information ring Norman Thomas on 01843 604 253 or 07989 070843 The film
can be watched on www.thanetwatch.wordpress.com.
I tend to agree with Lyndon on this matter for should people be for ever condemned for what they once did or belonged to in the political party sense. After all, Cllr Ian Driver once belonged to Militant and then Scargill's party, which many would find as extremist and anti-democratic as the parties of the far right, but he has made no secret of this membership and states he saw through Scargill's dictatorial approach. He has since gone on to Labour and now Independent. Is he to be reviled for his past associations or applauded for being his own man.
ReplyDeleteIn the forthcoming county council elections there are several candidates standing who once belonged to other parties. As long as this is not for electorial expediency, I am pleased to see that some are capable of examining their political alleguiances and not simply becoming bigotted diehards. After all, if the electorate always voted for the same party we would never have change of governance at any level, which would not good for democracy.
So Martyn Heale was once a member of the NF; once and a long time ago. I suppose that he once also believed in Father Christmas. His beliefs have changed, which I accept.
ReplyDeleteI have copied this from Thanet Watch
ReplyDeleteI can confirm that I was an active member of the National Front over 34 years ago in London. I have said on many occasions that I regret that youthful, and as it turned out unwise decision to join. After I left the NF I had a short daliance with New Britain before becoming a candidate in a by election in Fulham in 1979 for the multi-racial Progress Party which my wife and I had joined. I was after that a member of the Conservative Party in West Ham, Fulham and finally South Thanet for over 15 years. While in the Conservative Party I was Chairman of Northwood Ward for seven years and Chairman of Ramsgate Conservtives for one year, at the same time Major John Thomas was Chairman of the Association. I stood for them in Northwood Ward in the local elections, twice, and also in the Northwood and Eastcliff KCC Division. I confirmed my previous NF membership to the selection committee and was endorsed by both local Party and Jonathan Aitken.
I left the Tory Party in 2000 to develop my business, and in 2003 stood with my good friend Bernie Baldwin in Ramsgate as an Independent Candidate after disagreeing with the replacement candidate for Aitken, Mark Mcgregor and John Kirby’s view of Ramsgate’s future, particularly the sea front. I met UKIP members at the count and then in August 2003 joined UKIP declaring my past history as an activist with the NF on my application form
I categorically state that my NF membership was a bad decision,, and one that I sincerely regret. I denounce racism in any form, which is evidenced by me marrying the woman I loved, who is Egyptian. We were married for 15 years and have a family, my 30-year old son from that marriage also lives in Broadstairs.
I am standing in the Ramsgate Division for Kent County Council with the full support of my branch. I stood down as Chairman of the local branch for the duration of the election to enable me to concentrate on the campaign in which I am not only a candidate, but the Agent for five others standing in both County and a TDC by election.
I will not be giving any interviews, or making further comment.
Kindest regards
Martyn Heale
Good to see Mr Heale rejecting the NF etc. But valid points given the racist nature of the NF and the almost far right nature of UKIP. To compare them with Scargill and Marxists is absurd. The latter don't discriminate on race, the NF etc do and the UKIP is the elderly-white-blazer slightly more acceptable version.
ReplyDeleteMr Heale is hardly the future of Thanet, nor UKIP and certainly not NF, BNP, EDL etc etc.
The comparison was over the general lack of respect for democracy and, has as recently been demonstrated the SWP, who seemigly have little regard for female equality. Accept the fact that extremists on both sides, as amply demonstrated in Nazi Germany and Communist Soviet Union, are no respectors of rights or lives regardless of colour.
DeleteUKIP has no racial bars, but genuine concerns, now shared by all major parties, on immigration control.
No Tom, the far right specifically target race and the far left do not. The NF etc and UKIP to a slightly lesser extent are race-based. Not many black faces in UKIP and they don't urge immigration controls on say Canadians.
DeleteYou invariably pop up as a Conservative/UKIP activist to try and blur these distinctions and praise all things rightwing at TDC.
Wrong, Anon, like you I make a contribution offering my view. It is called democracy which is precisely why I revile those on the far left who use that right to promote their cause yet, in power, invariably deny it to all others. All extremist parties are cause for concern, but, whereas UKIP may appeal in the main to a right of centre predominantly middle class white group, disillusioned with Cameron's form of conservatism, they are not racists. Also, since you evidently missed the point, immigration control at the moment is largely targetted at Europeans who, in the main, are white.
DeleteWell said Tom. To critisise a man for being a member of a far right party in his lost lost youth, yet ignore the same extreme affiliations towards the other side of the political spectrum is laughably blinkered.
DeleteI would certainly suggest that ALL immigration from EVERYWHERE not based on industrial/buisness need needs to be looked at very closely.
This attempt to slur a candidate by dredging up irrelevant and ancient happenings mark out beautifully that Thanet Watch is no more that a political propaganda pamphlet, and why Christine Tongue is no more a journalist that my dog.
Martyn Heale was previously a member of the Conservative Party. Why was there no fuss then? I was caught shoplifting sweets when I was 12! Am I to be barred? Frankly I find alot of Labour immigration policy of the past 'racist' against British people. Why are they not condemned? Good luck Martyn.
ReplyDeleteUKIP itself rejects far right candidates - several were dismissed last week over Zionist/Holocaust and EDL remarks. In joining the Conservatives then UKIP Mr Heale is clearly lurching to the right as in his younger days. Anti-EU and anti-foreigners are the only policies.
ReplyDeleteDon't you mean *openly* far right candidates?
DeleteIt may be that UKIP have some economically grounded points to make about immigration and Europe but it would be naive to suggest that none of their support came from pandering to xenophobes who have been misled by scapegoating. It would be interesting to see the same people's reactions were they prevented from resettling in a richer European country for hopes of providing a better standard of living for their own families.
When "the immigration issue" is framed by so many Britons in terms of loss of jobs (presumably just the jobs which are suitable for people illiterate in English?) it says a whole lot about us and possibly the failings of our education system.
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DeleteNot an NUT activist by any chance Joe?
Delete