“UKIP is back!” Neil Hamilton has told VoteWatch, following the news that outspoken Katie Hopkins has officially joined its ranks.
“Our membership is growing and we are rising in the polls” the affable and experienced politician said. “UKIP is the only UK party to confront the Marxist Black Lives Matter movement, the only party to oppose multi-millionaire footballers ‘bending the knee’ in solidarity with drug-dealing career criminal, George Floyd, and the only party seeking to repeal of the Welsh Government’s policy of making Wales a ‘Nation of Sanctuary’ for illegal migrants and bogus asylum-seekers”.
“Katie is an outspoken champion of free expression and British values. I am thrilled to have her on board. Decent, hard-working and normal Britons appreciate straight-talking, no-nonsense campaigners who fight for them against the weak-kneed and ‘woke’ Establishment. Katie passionately believes in putting British people first. Together we will make Britain Great Again.”
UKIP – which long struggled to promote its policies to the general public after being mistakingly labelled as a ‘one issue party’ by the mainstream media – appears keen to put its ideas forward, with a wealth of policies ranging from education and the environment, to immigration and defence.
The party had declined following the 2016 referendum – partly a victim of its own success, and partly owing to bitter infighting as a flurry of underwhelming leaders followed in quick succession to fill the large shoes left behind by Nigel Farage.
In recent times, however, a sense of stability and focus appears to have reemerged under the leadership of high profile Neil Hamilton.
Hamilton left the Conservative Party in 2002, joining UKIP and becoming a stalwart of the party before being elected to its National Executive Committee in 2011. He has been Leader of UKIP Wales since September 2016 and took over as interim Party Leader late last year.
The timing of Katie Hopkins’ ‘initiation’ into the party seems unlikely to be a mere coincidence – coming on the eve of UKIP’s scheduled leadership race.
While under UKIP’s rules, new members are not allowed to stand for leadership, the move is expected to give Hopkins some influence over those standing. It has also been rumoured that the party’s rules may yet be amended to allow her to run.
“People always ask me when am I going to get into politics, when am I going to do something smarter than just gob off on social media,” she said in a video shared on Facebook.
“But I do see that the time for just being on social media and just having opinions is wearing thin and is probably time for somebody like myself, who is at the pointy end of the spear most of the time, to make more of a formalised stand.
“And I am tired of seeing my fellow countrymen knocked down for going for a walk or trying to have a cup of tea. And I am not happy about people being imprisoned in their own homes.
“And I will certainly will no longer tolerate the fact that so many people can’t say what they think, even stopping themselves saying stuff when they think it because they know they will be found to be wrong or someone will try to take something for us.”
Meanwhile, Party Chairman Ben Walker told VoteWatch: “I’m hugely excited about Katie joining UKIP and look forward to working with her on campaigns which matter to the British Public yet they feel constrained to even mention for fear of woke reprisal.
“In today’s Britain, ordinary people feel powerless and oppressed when it comes to just speaking their minds. UKIP are the only party who are here to represent the average working man and women in this country”.
