UKIP has confirmed that it will not field a candidate for Wokingham in the forthcoming General Election, citing Brexit as the reason – but it vowed to return next year for the council elections.
Had the party stood in Wokingham, it would have been against staunch Eurosceptic John Redwood, who campaigned for Vote Leave in last year’s referendum.
A party spokesperson said: “It is UKIP’s stated position that it will not stand candidates in areas where a proven Brexiteer MP seeks to regain their seat and their majority is marginal.
Wokingham does not fall into this category.
“However, for the sake of Brexit alone, UKIP Wokingham have decided that we will field no UKIP candidate in this general election in the Wokingham constituency.”
Although the party is not standing in Wokingham, it said that it will continue to stand up against the Conservative ruling party on Wokingham Borough Council.
The spokesperson added: “UKIP Wokingham will continue to fight the local Conservative council, its damaging and naïve attempts to be business-like, and its immoral stranglehold on the borough (and its companies) using the cabinet system. Therefore, we will concentrate our efforts on preparing for the Borough Council elections in 2018 and continue to support local people and communities.”
Candidates announced in Wokingham so far are: Andy Croy, Labour; Clive Jones, Liberal Democrats; John Redwood, Conservatives and Russell Seymour, Green Party.
UKIP’s statement in full:
For UKIP, a general election is about a lot more than our EU membership. It is about all the elements that constitutes UKIP’s comprehensive manifesto.
Not only that but we have a credible, competent, passionate approved candidate capable of representing the people of Wokingham very well.
When calling this general election, Theresa May said ‘it is all about Brexit’.
We have no option but to believe what she says, as successful Brexit negotiations are essential to delivering what we have been passionate about since our formation, the UK fully rescinding its EU membership.
We do not accept that the outcome of this general election is assured and believe that a strong Brexit voice is important in Westminster and within the Conservative party.
It is UKIP’s stated position that it will not stand candidates in areas where a proven Brexiteer MP seeks to regain their seat AND their majority is marginal.
Wokingham does not fall into this category.
However, for the sake of Brexit alone, UKIP Wokingham have decided that we will field no UKIP candidate in this general election in the Wokingham constituency.
UKIP fundamentally disagree with the Conservative party’s policies on:
- the structure, funding, and treatment of, the NHS and its employees;
- attacking the disabled in order to slash public spending on benefits that support their attempts to live as normally as possible;
- housing policy which runs roughshod over local communities, destroying green belt land forever;
- continuing the arbitrary 0.7% commitment on foreign aid;
- wasting money on the HS2 vanity project
and will continue to challenge the government of the day on these and other many other policy matters.
UKIP Wokingham will continue to fight the local Conservative council, its damaging and naïve attempts to be business-like, and its immoral stranglehold on the Borough (and its companies) using the cabinet system.
Therefore, we will concentrate our efforts on preparing for the Borough Council elections in 2018 and continue to support local people and communities.
