A long-running public spat between leading UKIP members in Wales has taken a dramatic new turn, after the party’s Assembly group leader, Neil Hamilton, threatened to lodge a disciplinary complaint against its Caerphilly Chairman Sam Gould.
The latest row exploded when Ex-Tory MP Hamilton, now a Regional Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales, turned up at a local branch meeting with other senior party figures.
Mr Hamilton, his wife Christine, Assembly Members Caroline Jones and Michelle Brown – representing South West Wales and North Wales respectively – and an assortment of other colleagues, arrived in Caerphilly town ahead of an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) held by the branch at the Twyn Community Centre on Tuesday, August 30.
The meeting had been called to garner interest in requesting UKIP hold a national EGM to discuss constitutional reform – including the future of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
Branch members in attendance voted unanimously in favour.
Mr Gould, who was UKIP’s Caerphilly candidate for the Assembly elections in May, said: “Neil and his entourage turned up uninvited to the EGM, and as party rules stipulate, only branch members are allowed in. It was a surprise when they arrived.
“They attended the branch meeting which followed the EGM, and Neil and Caroline Jones spoke in front of members, who were very unhappy that he had turned up at a branch that has no affiliation to him and had never had any engagement with him.”
Mr Hamilton had taken issue with comments made by Mr Gould to Caerphilly Observer recently over his protracted public spat with former UKIP AM Nathan Gill, and referenced the online article at the branch meeting.
That row centres on Mr Gill’s refusal to step down as a Member of European Parliament and his non-attendance at Senedd meetings.
Mr Gould, who works as an advisor for Mr Gill, suggested that Mr Hamilton had a “vendetta” against Mr Gill – something the AM refutes.
Mr Hamilton said: “I have no vendetta against Nathan Gill whatsoever. He’s the one who has taken his bat home. He has been sniping from the sidelines all the time.
“My objection to Nathan Gill is that he won’t keep his promise to give up one of his jobs upon his election as an AM. He can’t be in two places at once as his obligations as an MEP take him to Brussels and Strasbourg for two or three months of the year.
“This whole thing is a tissue of lies, and I’m going to make a disciplinary complaint against Sam Gould for misrepresenting the facts of the case and bringing UKIP into disrepute as a result of his conduct.
“Nathan is not the leader of UKIP in Wales, and Sam Gould is pulling the wool over the eyes of the people of Caerphilly.
“He says there’s been a surge in membership over the last year in Caerphilly, but based on the turnout of eight on Tuesday night, how big is that surge? It was an eye-opener for me. I was assuming there would be a huge number of people there at this EGM, and that I would have the opportunity to set out the facts about Nathan Gill.
“I don’t know how many people there are in the branch in Caerphilly, but the turnout of eight can hardly be representative.”
Mr Gould, who said nine members were at the meeting, called on Mr Hamilton to apologise over his remarks, saying: “I think that’s an absolute insult to the party’s membership and he should apologise for that.
“I maintain my position from before. I believe he has a vendetta.
“Just because he doesn’t agree with the democratic vote of members of the party in Caerphilly, doesn’t mean he can throw his toys out of the pram.
“This single-handedly proves that Neil Hamilton has a vendetta against anyone who opposes him, or in my case, has a position which disagrees with him.
“This is the bully-boy tactics of Neil and the NEC he supports which the grassroots members such as myself are fighting to oppose.”
Lol …..
“Banks and Farage are taking us all for mugs .. vote to remain in and save our NHS for our childrens sake” Do you remember saying this during the EU in out campaign?. you lost the argument then, but now Brexit Means Brexit,when do you predict the end of the NHS? or are you on the wrong track again, you should really give up making predictions, but, as a bystander you are entitled to find the antics of UKIP amusing. but as for political predictions, give it up..
I think that Neil Hamilton needs to recognise that though he finds the feud going on between him and Nathan Gill absorbing and worthy of a special journey to attend a branch meeting, most party members are not particularly interested. Mr. Gill has left the party group in the Asembly and therefore Mr. Hamilton has no juristiction over him.
Mr. Gill has two political jobs – personally I don’t agree with being allowed to do this, because of possible conflict of interest – but the practise is legal and quite common. Hefin David, Caerffili’s AM, is also a councillor as was Lindsay Whittle AM before him. I can’t remember anybody from their parties making a fuss over this.
Our seven AMs need to knuckle down to the real business in hand, preventing Carwen Jones doing anything that is harmful to Wales and ensuring that Wales leaves the EU, as voted for by the majority of Welsh people. I have no personal animosity to Gill or Hamilton and support neither but this ridiculous spat does prove to me that we need a more professional and representative body to replace the NEC.
I say our AMs need to start listening to the membership and stop acting as if they have any sort of authority to tell local branches what they can or cannot do. The AMs work for us, the members, and we are voting for a new party leader who has promised to rectify these sort of schoolyard behaviours – …. who knows where that might end?
Personally I am getting fed up with these ostracizing , mafia-like tactics that are going on. I voted for Michelle Brown and Caroline Jones ( not Neil Hamilton) but would never do so again. Membership must be shown respect and listened to..
The NEC and troublemakers need sorting out. Seems Neil Hamilton is now making a disciplinary complaint against Sam Gould.
Since the Hamiltons have arrived this party is becoming a shambles. the atmosphere has become poisonous.
Michelle Brown lied on the ballot paper, she is not a Lawyer, a Liar yes, but a Lawyer, no.
I also heard about that from a reliable source . Feel I want to challenge Michelle Brown as she had my vote on false information…. my area seems under the influence of this group.. and won’t vote to hold an EGM.. but I posted my ballot paper yesterday for the new leader and I have voted for Diane James.. I’d like to see her sort this stuff out..so we can move on..there are doubts about Lisa Duffy too..
I too voted for Diane James, she is strong enough to get this lot sorted out, I can’t wait for them to be legally removed 🙂
We’re not the only ones.. 🙂 Bill Etheridge just posted a video clip saying the same one hour ago on his site..
Bill Etheridge Barbara, lol, what did he say?
Did you read what they did in the Caerphilly Observer at Sam Goulds meeting?
Oh sorry have amended his name..:-) I do know it but was a bit tired ! Here is the link, scroll down to the correct video..( making a stand).. and listen for yourself..
Yes I did see that they were going to bring disciplinary proceedings against Sam Gould. They seem to want to control everything..
https://twitter.com/billdudleynorth
Read what Hamilton, Brown and Stevens did in the Caerphilly Observer, no doubt they will also do this in other branches too, they need removing!