Winston McKenzie: disowned by UKIP just days before the election
Less than two days before voting begins in the Croydon North by-election, Winston McKenzie has been disowned by his own party’s local chairman who told Inside Croydon that he and other local UKIP members are “appalled” by their candidate’s homophobic views.
Peter Staveley, the chairman of UKIP Croydon, spoke of how he and others have long-held “misgivings” about McKenzie as a high-profile parliamentary candidate for their party.
McKenzie’s selection for the Croydon North by-election had already split the local UKIP party in two.
This week’s row erupted when McKenzie said that he opposed children being fostered by gay couples, and suggested that being fostered by a gay couple could affect the child’s sexuality.
Not all news is good news as far as wayward Winston McKenzie is concerned
The comments made the front page of today’s Metro newspaper and the local BBC evening news, and seem certain to signal the end of McKenzie’s faltering political ambition – at least with UKIP in Croydon. McKenzie had stood for UKIP in the London Assembly elections earlier this year.
Peter Staveley, the chairman of UKIP Croydon, said today, “For the last year or so, many of us in UKIP expressed frequent misgivings about Winston.
“I hope that readers of Inside Croydon will understand that we, UKIP members, did not want Winston in UKIP and that he does not reflect the views of most UKIP Croydon members.
“Myself and most members of UKIP in Croydon are appalled at the way Winston said it. This is especially true after the issue of the Rotherham fostering issue last Saturday,” Staveley said.
“I hope that residents of Croydon will forgive UKIP for allowing this to happen and will be willing to vote for UKIP candidates in the Croydon local elections plus the European elections in 2014.”
Click on any of the links below to read responses to questionnaires sent to candidates in the by-election:
- Ben Stevenson, Communist party
- Marisha Ray, Liberal Democrats
- John Loony, OMRLP
- Andy Stranack, Conservative
- Steve Reed, Labour
- Shasha Khan, Green
- Lee Jasper, Respect
- Inside Croydon: For comment and analysis about Croydon, from inside Croydon
- Post your comments on this article below. If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, a residents’ or business association or local event, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com
Related articles
- UKIP’s Farage to campaign in Croydon against gay marriage (insidecroydon.com)
- UKIP candidate McKenzie fails to deliver his own brothers (insidecroydon.com)
- Ukip byelection candidate calls gay adoption ‘child abuse’ (guardian.co.uk)
- Croydon North’s sense of neglect holds key to byelection (guardian.co.uk)
I never thought that I could with impressed with anything coming out of UKIP.
I applaud Peter Staveley for telling the truth. Such a breath of fresh air.
Racism, homophobia and xenophobia stem from ignorance and intolerance.
Perhaps now voters can focus on real problems in Croydon.
After the fiasco in Rotherham, UKIP might have gained a lot of sympathy over adoption.,
McKenzie’s moronic homophobic ignorance will do a lot to strip that away.
Prick.
It’s interesting that UKIP are only now distancing themselves from Mr McKenzie. Surely he was selected as their candidate at some point, thus was given the party endorsement? I am however glad that the truth behind this candidates agenda has surfaced.
Just to confirm. The UKIP branch (which I am the Chairman of) in Croydon Central and Croydon South were not involved in the selection of Winston as the candidate. I honestly do not know what will happen after Friday to UKIP organisation in Croydon.
I love the line
“Myself and most members of UKIP in Croydon are appalled at the WAY Winston said it”
Yes, indeed, if only he’d SAID it differently all that confusion would have been avoided.
Let’s be honest, Mr Staveley – is not the substance of what Mr McKenzie says actually the view of many UKIP members…?
Also is it true that almost uniquely among political parties UKIP has Manifestos but no whipping system?
http://iaindale.blogspot.co.uk/2009/04/has-bob-spink-left-ukip.html
Or is this an urban myth?
If it’s true no wonder so many people want to join it.
I mean the Monster Raving Loony Party has more doctrinal unity than that but then the OMRLP expects candidates to pay their own desposits?
Well, you’ve thrown him out I presume so you must have some whipping system. Weird.
Does this mean he’s taken all you mugs for the desposit simply to rant and rave?
What gives?
mraemiller, as I said in another comment on a related blog on this site “just to be clear I am sorry for both WHAT Winston said and the way that Winston said it.” Many of UKIP members are Gay including David Coburn, Chairman of the UKIP London Region. So most UKIP members will be against the substance of Winston’s comments.
Just to confirm Winston is still a member of UKIP and is still the Party candidate for Croydon North. What happens after tomorrow will be up to the UKIP National Executive Committee to decide, I have no say in what they decide. However, Croydon North is a different branch to Croydon Central and South so he has nothing to do with myself or my branch.
Regarding the party whip. At European and Parliamentary level (we do have Peers) there is a party whip. This is to ensure that our MEPs vote correctly to oppose further EU regulations (so votes are positive so MEPs have to ensure they vote FOR those votes in order to be against the EU. The party whip will apply when UKIP gets MPs.
However, at a local level UKIP Councillors do not have a whip because we prefer to fully involve the voters in each ward in the decision of their (UKIP) councillors rather than force councillors to follow the Party line, if there is one.
You are welcome to contact me offline at Peter@UKIPAddiscombe.org.uk