UKIP MEETING

Last night, Tuesday, I attended, by invitation, a UKIP meeting........................................
That’s it; I cannot tell you anything about the actual meeting because I was thrown out!
I attended the meeting in Old Colwyn and at the start attendees introduce themselves, I did, as the others and gave my name but then their Political Officer asked “Ex-Councillor John Oddy, ex-BNP Councillor?” I replied, quite honestly “ I sit as an Independent Councillor and yes I am ex-BNP, I resigned from the BNP prior to taking my seat on the Council”.
Their Political Officer then informed the meeting that their NEC had indicated that no BNP members or ex-members were allowed to attend their meetings and that I would have to leave; he then continued to describe the BNP as an odious and racist party and that I had been a major factor in it, he described my writings on here as “Racist ranting”, using his fingers to count with he reeled of a list of known BNP activists who, in the past, had committed crimes and then, mistakenly, linked me to them saying that in my position as NW Wales Organiser I must have associated with them. He continued by saying that the members should read what I write to establish for themselves what a racist I am.
The Chairman said that following the PO’s comment he had no alternative than to follow the NEC directive although because it had been a personal attack on my character he gave me the right of reply; I went through the normal denials of knowing the people he had mentioned, explained that to question open-door immigration was not racism but realism, yes I did and do believe that Islam is a dangerous and archaic religion that presents a threat to our stability, I am a firm believer in the return of the death-penalty, corporal punishment and national service. I concluded by asking had I been an ex-Labour or Conservative member would I have received the same welcome?.
Now to be fair to the UKIP members the majority of them wanted me to stay, there were comments such as “No wonder UKIP never gets anywhere”, “We have a UKIP Councillor in mid-Wales who crossed the floor from the BNP” and one that I had to answer “We want to vote to allow him to stay”, I explained that if it was a NEC directive then the Chairman had no other option than to ask me to leave. The last question was aimed at the PO “Show us where this directive is or tell us what it says” the PO could not answer that and, for once, only mumbled a reply.
As I put my coat on to leave apologies were sent my way and a comment of “How undemocratic” floated across, as I walked out nods and sympathetic smiles followed me, I liked the UKIP members, they were honest, down to earth people. Their PO, however, is a different kettle of fish, I believe he has a deep-rooted hatred of the BNP, his brother, apparently, is a member of the West Wales BNP, only he knows if there is a UKIP NEC directive, only he knows if this was personal, I certainly believe it was, and only he knows whether his attitude was wrong, personal feelings should not stand in the way of a party’s progress. With people like him holding office within UKIP one has to have serious doubts about the party’s future in Wales, truthfully I hope not because UKIP have the ability to be a major challenger to the mainstream parties.