“Only UKIP is providing the political Viagra needed to revitalise British democracy”

UKIP is providing the political viagra to boost the country’s flagging party system, supporters were told at UKIP’s first public meeting in Marlborough last night (Thursday).

Nevertheless, the party’s objective was to wipe out the current system “in a purple conflagration that will consume the tired old parties.”

This was the defiant message that came from former Tory MP Neil Hamilton, chairman of Wiltshire UKIP, to more than 20 members and supporters at the meeting held in the Bear Hotel.

“UKIP nationally has been transforming the political landscape,” said Mr Hamilton, whose wife Chrisitne was also present.  “What we are about is restoring democracy to this country.  That is UKIP’s key policy.  That is our unique selling point.”

And he added:  “The old left, right and centre spectrum of what politics is all about is now redundant.”

“It’s UKIP against the rest, which are just a muddle in the middle.  UKIP is the only party that is presenting the country with a serious choice.”

“It is scandalous that all three main parties have embarked on a deliberated policy of deceit.  The whole thing is a shambles.”

Former Tory Wiltshire county coucillor Tony Molland, who came within 127 votes of winning a UKIP seat on the unitry authority at the council elections in May, reported extraordinary support for the new party despite it eventually winning just one seat.

“In 24 of those seats we came second and on the voting figures alone we should have eight or 10 councillors,” he said.  “The thing to remember is that in this council alone 18,101 people voted UKIP.  And that was in only 54 seats where we had candidates.”

“There are 98 seats.  And if you extrapolate those figures I can confidently predict that over 30,000 people in this county wanted UKIP.  They are the people we have got to get to.”

Nigel Linacre, a former Tory parliamentary candidate in North Cornwall, told the meeting at that time, in the 1990’s, the Tories had no idea where they were going or what they stood for.

“That is pretty much the case for the Conservatives, Liberals and Labour now.” he said.

“There is nothing left now in British politics except for UKIP, as far as I can see.  This is why I believe we are pushing at an open door.”

Pat Bryant, who has stood down as the Devizes branch chair and other speakers pointed out that immigration was not a problem in Wiltshire.  Helping farmers when the UK left Europe was much more important.

Jim Carver, the South West UKIP regional organiser, replied that new policies were being developed, including one for agriculture and another for welfare.

He said UKIP’s opposition to gay marriage has received a significant response from traditional Tories opposed to David Cameron’s legislation.

A formal AGM is now to be held to relaunch the Devizes branch – and possibly a separate one in Marlborough – after UKIP’s  national conference in September.

Nineteen-year-old Hannah steps forward for UKIP The youngest person at the meeting was Hannah Joyce, who lives in Rowde, outside Devizes, and was 19 last week.  She is a student doing an Open University chiropody course. “With my godfather, my family has always helped out with the Conservatives and spent time handing out leaflets at elections.”  she told Marlborough News Online. “But just recently we have drifted quite rapidly from the Conservative Party. Some of their recent endeavours haven’t been so good.” ” We think UKIP is the most appealing party.  So we decided to come come to this meeting in Marlborough to hear what UKIP has to say.” “I am certain now I will become a member especially as it costs only £2 for a student to join.  That’s good.” Hannah said that her fellow students had become more political because tuition fees had “gone through the sky.” And she added: “A lot of young people will agree with me that joining UKIP is a positive step forward –  definitely.”