Michael Holmes (politician)

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This Parliament does not appear to be very democratic... To get a democratic structure, we have to change over the years so that Parliament is not the servant of the Commission but the Commission is the servant of the elected representatives of the electorate of Europe. It would be better if the future of Europe was entrusted to elected representatives who can be dismissed from office at elections and not to nominated bureaucrats in the form of Commissioners... If Mr Prodi and his colleagues wish to remedy Euro-scepticism and Euro-apathy, I am calling for true democracy and for the elected representatives to have much more authority over the programme and policies of this institution. [2]

After the European Parliament election, UKIP suffered from rivalry between groups supporting Holmes, the leader, and Nigel Farage, the party chairman, both now MEPs. [3] At a National Executive Committee meeting later that year, Holmes dismissed Craig Mackinlay as his deputy and Tony Scholefield as Party Secretary. This prompted an immediate vote of no confidence in Holmes, who the following month agreed to resign. [4] A party conference also voted no confidence in him, and in January 2020 he resigned as leader. [3] Jeffrey Titford was then elected as the new leader. [4]

Holmes left the party, but continued to sit as an independent MEP until 2002, when he resigned his seat and was replaced by Graham Booth, who had been the next candidate on the UKIP party list for South West England.

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References

  1. "Former UKIP leader quits party". BBC News. 21 March 2000. Archived from the original on 16 November 2006.
  2. 1 2 Maiden speech in the European Parliament 21 July 1999.
  3. 1 2 "UKIP votes leaders out". BBC News. 22 January 2000. Archived from the original on 16 November 2006.
  4. 1 2 Mark Daniel, Cranks and Gadflies: The Story of UKIP (Oxford: Timewell Press, 2005, ISBN   1-85-725209-8), pp. 48–51
Michael Holmes
Leader of the UK Independence Party
In office
September 1997 22 January 2000
Party political offices
Preceded by Leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party
1997–2000
Succeeded by