We don't tolerate this kind
of attitude to race here. If this is you, you should get out of UKIP. (I should
point out that whilst the Twitter account purports to be UKIP, I have no
evidence they're actually a member and I have passed this on to the national
Party for any action necessary)
Greater Manchester UKIP have
selected Shneur Odze as their candidate for Mayor of Manchester. You know, on
merit. Because they thought he was the best person for the job. Not on a quota
system. Not because he's an Orthodox Jew. Not despite the fact that he's an
Orthodox Jew. But because we in UKIP believe that your race, ethnicity and
religion are nothing to do with your ability to do a job. In UKIP we believe in
selecting the best person for the job. End of.
Yet on my Twitter timeline we
have someone who purports to be a member of the Party asking 'Haven't we got any
English members who could stand? We are getting as daft as Labour with their
Muslim Mayor." - Really? To suggest that Shneur can't be English because he's
Jewish? Utter nonsense. I didn't hear anyone complain when Michael Zuckerman was
Party Secretary. We have UKIP members in the North East who are Jewish, and my
old branch Treasurer from my Yorkshire days is also an Orthodox Jew. I've never
once, in my 15 years in UKIP, heard anyone say a word against them because of
their religion, or to suggest that they should be somehow treated as
second-class members, allowed to stand if nobody 'English' is prepared to do the
job. Can someone not love our country, and our Party, if they happen to follow a
different religion?
Then apparently we're 'just like
Labour' who choose to select Muslim candidates. Perhaps it's escaped your
attention, but UKIP regularly selects Muslim candidates. I'm told we had 13 at
the last General Election. Nobody complained about that at the time. You see
it's been going on for years and it's okay for us to have Jewish, Muslim, Sikh
and Hindu candidates as well as Christians and atheists because WE'RE NOT
RACIST!
In fact, if anyone checks the
Party Constitution you'll find non-discrimination on grounds of race or religion
(or a whole host of other grounds) is fundamental to our DNA. If you want us to
pander to your principles to cater to your prejudices, you're in the wrong
party. If there's anyone left in the knuckle-dragging BNP, go pester them with
your poisonous views. Or if you prefer, I hear anti-semitism is all the rage in
Labour at the moment.
If you want to bring racism and
prejudice to UKIP, my message to you is the same as Cromwell's to the rump
Parliament: "In the name of God, go!"
Don't let
the door hit you on the way out.
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