Bob, 20 votes were cast and a third were discounted. That's an indictment on either the management of the election, which I happen to know was conducted properly by an experienced and ethical branch chairman, or on the aging membership's ability to follow simple instructions.
If a third of all votes were discounted in an election monitored by one of the international groups, such as the OSCE, there would be condemnation. If one candidate's supporters campaigned illegally and spread damaging lies in an election monitored by the OSCE, there would be condemnation. If Cameron lost a leadership election because a third of votes were discounted, there would be hell to pay. If Brown won a leadership election because a third of votes were discounted, there would be condemnation.
Aardvark is one the UK's most experienced international election monitors, having monitored 16 elections' processes in countries as far flung as Kazakhstan, Belarus, Albania and Georgia, as well as those closer to home. He's got 34 years experience of political process at local, national and international level.
It seems that there's one rule for UKIP processes, despite the determined efforts of the decent grassroots activists, and one rule for everybody else. I'm sure the UKIP hierarchy is well aware by now of where you stand on the issue, Bob.
|