2019 UK Independence Party leadership election
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Turnout | 19.1% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2019 UK Independence Party leadership election took place following the departure on 2 June of Gerard Batten from the leadership of the UK Independence Party. The result was announced on 10 August 2019,[1] with Richard Braine being elected to lead the party. This was the party's fifth leadership election in three years. Braine resigned just two months later, triggering a sixth leadership election.
Background
On 6 May 2019, and following media reports that Batten was to step down as leader on 2 June, he said that his election in April 2018 was for a twelve-month period, and that the party's National Executive Committee had asked him to remain in office until after the European elections in May 2019.[2]
Former leader
Candidates
Freddy Vachha, UKIP London Regional chairman and present General Secretary, announced his intention to run on 6 May.[6]
Walker, a former Parliamentary candidate, member of the UKIP NEC and branch chairman, announced his candidacy on 6 June.[11]
Richard Braine, chairman of UKIP West London, and formerly a UKIP Parliamentary candidate for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner (2017), and EU Parliamentary candidate for the London Region (2019),[citation needed] also stood.
Helena Windsor, the chairman of the UKIP Surrey Branch and county councillor for Godstone from 2013 to 2017,[12] was a candidate,[13] but withdrew on 17 July, and publicly backed Mike Hookem.[14][15]
Applications for the party leadership closed on 27 June. Despite having previously said his position as leader "would be untenable" if he lost his seat in the European Parliament,[16][17] Gerard Batten announced that he would stand in the leadership election, claiming he had "overwhelming support from UKIP members".[18] The party's National Executive Committee blocked him from standing, leaving five candidates up for election.[19] Batten supported Braine instead.
Candidate | Past and present political roles | Endorsements |
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Mike Hookem |
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Helena Windsor |
Freddy Vachha |
|
Stuart Agnew[citation needed] |
Ben Walker |
|
Gareth Bennett |
Richard Braine |
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Gerard Batten[24] |
Result
Candidate | Votes | % | ||
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2,935 | 52.9 | ||
Freddy Vachha | 1,134 | 20.5 | ||
Ben Walker | 753 | 13.6 | ||
Mike Hookem | 717 | 13.0 | ||
Spoilt ballots | 194 | 3.5 | ||
Total | 5,539 | Turnout | 19.1% |
References
- ^ "Ex-Ukip leader Gerard Batten to stand again just weeks after quitting". Evening Standard. 27 June 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
- ^ Dalton, Jane (6 May 2019). "Ukip to hold leadership contest after European Parliament elections". The Independent. ESI Media. Archived from the original on 6 May 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- ^ Duffy, Nick (19 May 2019). "Ukip leader Gerard Batten says his position is 'untenable' if he loses MEP seat". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
- ^ "Nigel Farage: No more Mr Nice Guy". BBC News. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
- ^ "BREAKING: Batten To Stand Down On June 2nd | Kipper Central". Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
- ^ "Hookem quits as deputy UKIP leader". 24 May 2019. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
- ^ a b "UKIP Welsh Assembly member Gareth Bennett in leadership bid". 3 June 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
- ^ Mosalski, Ruth (4 June 2019). "Gareth Bennett wants to be leader of Ukip and bring back the death penalty". walesonline. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
- ^ "Gareth Bennett abandons UKIP leadership bid". 11 July 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ Walker, Ben (6 June 2019). "I am announcing my intention to stand for UKIP leader. My Grassroots manifesto was written by branch officers, for the members. Now is the time for a grassroots revolution". Twitter. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ Chapple, James (5 May 2017). "'Standing up for Surrey' pledge as council leader retains seat". getsurrey. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ "helena4leader". votepurple.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ "UKIP LEADERSHIP: Agnew Endorses Vachha As Windsor Withdraws To Back Hookem | Kipper Central". Archived from the original on 2 August 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
- ^ Windsor 💜, Helena (1 August 2019). "Time to vote No I'm not showing my number 2, you'll have to guess pic.twitter.com/onDOqN88kj". @helena4leader. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
- ^ "UKIP leader Gerard Batten: My position 'untenable' if I lose seat". Sky News. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ Duffy, Nick (19 May 2019). "Ukip leader Gerard Batten says his position is 'untenable' if he loses MEP seat". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ Batten, Gerard (27 June 2019). "Because of overwhelming support from UKIP members I have decided to stand in the Leadership contest. My platform will include: * National Democracy * Economic Democracy * Political Democracy * Freedom of Speech * No backtracking or surrender to political correctness". @GerardBattenMEP. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ "Gerard Batten banned from standing again for UKIP leader". Evening Standard. 9 July 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
- ^ "Town Council Confirms Youngest Mayor". bradleystoke.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ "Bradley Stoke Mayor hit by smear campaign". Bradley Stoke Journal. 14 May 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ "UKIP Bristol & South Gloucestershire". UKIP in the South West. Archived from the original on 2 July 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ "NEC Results Announced". ukip.org. Archived from the original on 16 January 2020. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ "Richard Braine elected as UKIP leader". 10 August 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.