B@Y LIFE COVERAGE:
THE GREAT BREXIT ELECTION 2017
In a statement posted on 24 April, Bexhill and Battle UKIP suggested that the coming election is going to be about a lot more than just Brexit. Some of the evidence presented in this statement is open to question. It would appear that the vote for UKIP has all but collapsed here in Pevensey Bay for example. In both the General Election campaign of 2015 and the Brexit Campaign of 2016 we saw stickers all over windows in flats in the Bay, and even stickers on cars. In the 2017 General Election, there appear to be none.In the General Election of 2015 Huw Merriman, the Conservative candidate polled 30,245, UKIP with Geoffrey Bastin came second with 10,170 votes. —Bay Life, 30 April 2017
Bexhill and Battle UKIP, statement posted to social media, 24 April 2017
The forthcoming general Election is going to be about a lot more than just Brexit. Already the signs are there that people see issues such as the economy and the NHS as more important than just Brexit.
More to the point we are hearing some people say it is not worth voting UKIP because it is necessary to support the Tories to ensure we get a proper Brexit.
Let us not forget that a large number of Tory MPs were in favour of Remain at the last election including the Bexhill & Battle MP Huw Merriman. How do we know that he has changed his mind of even if we can trust him to support Brexit when he failed to say which way he intended to vote and then supported the Remain camp at the last moment.
To abandom UKIP for the Tories would be a grave betrayal and could lead to many honourable candidates losing their deposits.
Of course we will need to decide which constituencies are worth challenging and which to neglect and that will be for individual branches to decide. It will depend on the state of branch funds although we must ensure that all those that voted UKIP last itme know where to put their X this time.
This is an unnecessary election that is being held on spurious grounds. Parliament has alreday given the government resounding majorities in both Houses to pursue our leaving the EU.
Whatever Brexit terms are achieved will not be the end of the matter although for UKIP to submit to false claims that voting Conservative on 8th June will improve these chances is the surest way to drive the final nail into what has become probably the most influential political party of a generation.
Two years ago 10,170 people voted UKIP in Bexhill & Battle. Let’s hope we retain and build on that success this time around.
