We don’t often run UKIP press releases on here, but in this case it is justified to prove a point. Apparently Zac Goldsmith doesn’t much like being described as UKIP-backed.
Goldsmith very cross last night that we are telling people he is endorsed by UKIP. Here is their official statement backing him . Please R/T pic.twitter.com/PXG6oVWja1
— Lib Dem Life (@libdemlife) November 24, 2016
Just a reminder of the UKIP statement just after Goldsmith resigned.
UKIP Chairman Paul Oakden said “On Tuesday 25th October Zac Goldsmith MP announced that he was resigning as the Conservative MP for Richmond Park, in light of the Government’s announcement on a third runway at Heathrow.
Zac Goldsmith has resigned on a matter of principle and UKIP admire him for having the courage to do so. UKIP have always believed that Gatwick was a preferred option to Heathrow.
Recognising Zac as a principled man, who was fully committed to helping get Britain out of the European Union, UKIP Leader Nigel Farage, in conjunction with our National Executive Committee have agreed that we will not be fielding a candidate in the upcoming by-election for Richmond Park.
The Liberal Democrats are committed to overturning the result of the 2016 Referendum and ignoring the will of the British people. This must not be allowed to happen.
UKIP are encouraging all of our supporters and voters to support Zac Goldsmith in his bid to become an independent MP.”
That definitely counts as backing in anybody’s books.
Goldsmith’s unsuccessful London mayoral campaign, full of horribly divisive rhetoric, could easily have come out of UKIP’s playbook.
Liberal Democrat Sarah Olney certainly seems to have captured the anti-Brexit public mood in Richmond Park. In a by-election where Brexit is the main issue of concern to Richmond Park voters, who voted heavily to Remain, she could enjoy a remarkable victory. However, that will only happen if Liberal Democrat members and activists do as much as possible for her over the next 36 hours. What will you be doing to help?
* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social
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5 Comments
Thanks Caron – this has had more than 500 re tweets so the more people can do to get it known that he is UKIP supported the better. When you tell people in Richmond Park that Goldsmith is backed by UKIP/Farage they are surprised – and very unhappy.
(I am @libdemlife)
Good for you Caron!
This helps to close the gap, now that the Autumn Statement has revealed what Brexit (the one big project, and the one big success of UKIP; otherwise it is just a feuding boxing club) will mean for the average British consumer and citizen.
Being backed by Farage means being backed by that exemplary British patriot, Mr. Donald Trump, who is absolutely not concerned about Climate Change, hates environmental restrictions on expanding big corporations (in this case; Heathrow), and loves digging big pipelines through people’s back gardens and centuries old tribal holy sites…
Both your leader and candidate have fought a good campaign and everything is going well, why oh why would you then bring in Bob Geldof on the final day? All the attention will be on him and he’s about as popular as UKIP – I think you’ve just blown it.
I agree with Malc so let’s hope that not too many voters noticed!
Quite extraordinary – Goldsmith doesn’t want people to know he’s endorsed by UKIP or virtually by the Conservatives but wants people to think he’s endorsed by the greens.