Sarah asked in the comments to this post if UKIP’s MP, Bob Spink, had voted against UKIP party policy and what UKIP members think about it.
Well, the answer is yes, he voted against UKIP policy and what do members think about it? Well, I for one am not happy that he voted for 42 days internment, not because it’s against UKIP policy but because I disagree with internment.
Obviously I can’t speak for all members but I know that the ginger one was generally pissed off with the whole thing and will be less than pleased with Bob voting for it. Someone I spoke to today was of the same opinion as me – he voted the wrong way, he voted against party policy but we’d rather he voted with his conscience and how he believed his constituents would want him to vote than how his party told him to. I detest the whip system no matter which party is operating it. That said, I don’t think his constituents would want him to vote for it so he was still wrong.
I don’t know if Nigel knew that he was going to vote in favour or not (I don’t have a direct line to him!) but I don’t think it would have made any difference.
Technorati Tags: Internment, Police State, Bob Spink
Since Spink is new to Ukip, he’s still his own man, and I suppose if he’d voted before for 90 days or 28, he’s hardly going to switch now. Good news that UKIP aren’t standing against David Davis, mind.
I was there in the press office when the news came through of the way he was going to vote. Nigel was either on his way to or in Brussels at the time, so I don’t know what his reaction was. But let’s say there was not a general outbreak of cheering at his decision.