Douglas Carswell quitting UKIP

dowie · 25 Mar 2017 at 16:15

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39393213

UKIP's Douglas Carswell is quitting the party to become an independent MP and says he is doing so "amicably".

The party's only MP defected from the Conservatives in 2014.

Former leader Nigel Farage recently called on Mr Carswell to quit, accusing him of "actively working against UKIP".

Party leader Paul Nuttall said Mr Carswell was "committed to Brexit, but was never a comfortable Ukipper". There are now calls within UKIP for the Clacton MP to call a by-election.

UKIP donor Arron Banks had previously indicated he could stand against Mr Carswell at the next election amid a long-running feud over UKIP's future direction and strategy.

I think I've got a bit more respect for him now, he always seemed a bit more reasonable than the rest of that political party. He was a more moderate voice and lost the battle to try and shape the party's future, frankly I don't see why they need to exist once brexit is over anyway. Quite glad he's just going to keep his seat and not trigger a by-election.

Sliver · 25 Mar 2017 at 16:24

Never heard of him, but then again, every time I see a UKIP member on TV I just change the channel.

Greebo · 25 Mar 2017 at 17:43

dowie said:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39393213

I think I've got a bit more respect for him now, he always seemed a bit more reasonable than the rest of that political party. He was a more moderate voice and lost the battle to try and shape the party's future, frankly I don't see why they need to exist once brexit is over anyway. Quite glad he's just going to keep his seat and not trigger a by-election.

Well he has said there isn't any need for a bye election. I suspect the UKIP party might see it differently and demand one

dowie · 25 Mar 2017 at 17:45

Greebo said:
Well he has said there isn't any need for a bye election. I suspect the UKIP party might see it differently and demand one

AFAIK they can demand one all they like and he's within his rights to tell them to go **** themselves

Greebo · 25 Mar 2017 at 17:47

dowie said:
AFAIK they can demand one all they like and he's within his rights to tell them to go **** themselves

True. Legally he can stand his ground and remain.

StriderX · 25 Mar 2017 at 18:08

He never seemed to like Farage anyway, good that he's gone indie.

semi-pro waster · 25 Mar 2017 at 18:21

This has been on the cards for a long time so it's not a great surprise. He did call a by-election when he left the Conservatives for UKIP and won it fairly comfortably if memory serves so it might be a case of voting for the man rather than the party, it's quite possible that a re-run would turn up the same result for Mr Carswell.

Caged · 25 Mar 2017 at 18:22

lol. A party of clowns, for clowns.

Hades · 25 Mar 2017 at 18:25

Caged said:
lol. A party of clowns, for clowns.

...that have been highly influential in the direction the UK has taken over the last few years. Like UKIP or hate them, they have certainly changed the UK.

Feek · 25 Mar 2017 at 19:27

semi-pro waster said:
This has been on the cards for a long time so it's not a great surprise. He did call a by-election when he left the Conservatives for UKIP and won it fairly comfortably if memory serves so it might be a case of voting for the man rather than the party, it's quite possible that a re-run would turn up the same result for Mr Carswell.

It's my constituency and I agree with this - People voted for him, not specifically his policies. The locals generally like him but I don't, I'd never vote for him and in fact in the by-election where he got in, I voted tactically for the first time in my life.

dowie · 25 Mar 2017 at 19:30

Feek said:
It's my constituency and I agree with this - People voted for him, not specifically his policies. The locals generally like him but I don't, I'd never vote for him and in fact in the by-election where he got in, I voted tactically for the first time in my life.

would you tactically vote for him now if he was standing as an independent against a UKIP candidate?

Efour · 25 Mar 2017 at 20:29

Hades said:
...that have been highly influential in the direction the UK has taken over the last few years. Like UKIP or hate them, they have certainly changed the UK.

I'd say wrecked....

Sankari · 25 Mar 2017 at 20:38

Another rat flees the sinking ship! Now UKIP has no MPs left at all.

seaviewuk · 25 Mar 2017 at 20:42

I believe that if an elected MP defects then a by election should be automatically triggered. Yes previous voters may have voted for the man/woman but equally voters may have voted for the party.

Tunney · 25 Mar 2017 at 20:57

As much as I dislike UKIP, it's an affront to democracy that a party with so much support has zero representation at parliament.

Pawnless Endgame · 25 Mar 2017 at 21:00

UKIP are pretty irrelevant now. They were a 1-policy party and they achieved that policy last year.

Feek · 25 Mar 2017 at 21:20

dowie said:
would you tactically vote for him now if he was standing as an independent against a UKIP candidate?

I wouldn't need to, I'm pretty sure he'd get elected no matter what party he stands for.

robfosters · 25 Mar 2017 at 21:28

Feek said:
I wouldn't need to, I'm pretty sure he'd get elected no matter what party he stands for.

Yeah, thats what I think. He is safe in that seat even if he ran for the Monster Raving Loony Party. Contrary to Mark Reckless, who won his first by-election but swiftly lost his seat to tory candidate Kelly Tolhurst.

UKIP didn't win Clacton, Douglas did. It wouldn't surprise me if he had given serious thought about crossing the floor back to the Tories, but decided that the loss of face was too much.

UKIP now have no serious politicians left. He was the only one who you would class as a serious politician with reasoned views and arguments. The rest are just an unorganised, thick as mince and often bigoted, rabble.

Destination · 25 Mar 2017 at 21:37

dowie said:
AFAIK they can demand one all they like and he's within his rights to tell them to go **** themselves

and one would

a1ex2001 · 25 Mar 2017 at 21:55

Horrible little man interested in nobody but himself I can't believe anyone votes for him.