The UK Independence Party, the right-wing party formerly fronted by the outspoken Nigel Farage, stands for British independence and withdrawal from the European Union, but it had egg on its face this week as it was forced to withdraw a parliamentary candidate who was not born in the UK thus ineligible to vote, let alone stand for election…The party’s candidate for the south-western constituency of Weston-super-Mare, Steven Pearse-Danker (pictured left), has had to stand down at the eleventh hour as he is a Danish citizen.
Stating his evident disappointment, he said he was vetted by UKIP HQ and thought there'd be no problem as he's stood in local elections in the past.
"I am disappointed," he said. "I would have liked to have got elected and help the country where I've lived since my teenage years."
The guidance from the Electoral Commision, however, is quite clear on this issue:
While there is “no requirement for you to be a registered elector in the UK”, point 2.3 of its brochure: “Guidance for candidates and agents” states that in order to stand for election you must meet the required qualifications: "i.e. be at least 18 years old and be either:
• a British citizen
• a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, or
• a citizen of a Commonwealth country who does not require leave to enter or remain in the UK, or who has indefinite leave to remain in the UK."
Since Denmark is not a member country of the Commonwealth, he does not fulfil any of these three bullet-point requirements so is not eligible to stand for election.
Nonetheless, he maintains there's no double-irony in a Dane standing for UKIP saying “not if you understand UKIP's position. We stand for self-determination in UK and we also support this in all European countries.”
You have to wonder how it was that he was vetted by the party – did they perhaps consider Denmark to be part of the Commonwealth?
Paul Spencer will instead be the UKIP candidate for Weston-super-Mare on May 6th. (Hat-tip Paul Barltrop)
