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Independent councillors join UKIP

Monday, 7th March 2011

Three Councillors representing Ramsey & Parkeston in Essex have announced their intention to join UKIP. 

Tendring District Councillor John Brown and Parish Councillors Martyn and Lesley Donn are all independents who have decided that they will throw in their lot with the anti-EU political party, which is making serious inroads into the support of the three traditional political parties.
 
Cllr Brown, 58, who is a retired crane driver, said:  “The Tories have been trying to recruit me for years but I couldn’t do it because I believed that their top down control freakish party structure would have heavily compromised my ability to represent the people who elected me. 

"I am by nature an independent who believes in putting the needs of the people ahead of party politics.  I have been a strong supporter of many of UKIP’s policies and have been voting for them at General Elections. 

"I believe that they are my natural home because they allow free thinking in their Party and their whole cause is about independence. I look forward to working with them locally and nationally.”
 
Cllr Donn 52, who is a textile retailer with premises in Dovercourt High Street said:  “My wife, Lesley and I, are very pleased to be joining UKIP. 

"They have the sort of policies that the country badly needs.  It is a great shame to see local public services being hit hard by cutbacks while Britain’s contributions to the EU are not only ring-fenced by the Government but massively increased. 

"We should be putting local people’s needs first, not Brussels!”
 
UKIP’s MEP for the East of England, Stuart Agnew said: “It is very good news that they are joining us, particularly as there are many more councillors doing the same thing. 

"I think people are beginning to recognise just how badly the three traditional parties have been letting the voters down, not only at national level but at local level as well. 

"We are a Party which strongly supports local government in every sense.  Micro-management of local government both by the EU and central government doesn’t work.  Local councils need their independence too.”

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