Jumping Ship

The BBC and Independent both carried reports about the remarkable defection of the former chairperson of Labour's National Executive Committee, Harriet Yeo, who says that she's going to vote UKIP at the general election on 7th May.

Now I wouldn't vote for UKIP under any circumstances, but I do think that Labour is wrong to deny the voters a proper say about our continued membership of the European Union (EU) and if you ask me, this 'denial of democracy' has helped create a running sore which the fruitcakes and loonies in UKIP have been able to exploit to their advantage.

Speaking personally, I would definitely vote to remain within the EU because a close working relationship with with our nearest neighbours makes absolute economic sense and while it's obvious the EU has helped its member states to become much more prosperous, there's no doubt that the Euro project has also made a significant contribution to peace and stability on the European continent over the past 50 years.

But what Harriet's decision to jump ship also shows is that lots of Labour Party members and union members must share similar views because Harriey's a past President of the transport union, TSSA, and has been sitting on Labour's ruling executive body for the past eight years.

So she exactly can't be a 'cuckoo' in the nest or be unrepresentative of other views within the Labour Party or her own trade union, TSSA, which just goes to prove that the general election in May will be more exciting than usual.

Harriet Yeo, former Labour NEC chairwoman, backs UKIP



A former chairwoman of Labour's ruling National Executive Committee says she has left the party to support UKIP at the general election.

Harriet Yeo, a councillor in Kent, said she had become "disillusioned" with Labour's stance on Europe.

She said she only trusted UKIP to offer a choice on the UK's membership of the EU. But she will not join the party.

Labour said it was united on Europe and that an EU exit would "cost British jobs and influence".

Ms Yeo claimed the majority of Labour's shadow cabinet wanted a referendum on the EU, but "are being told to keep quiet", adding: "I cannot support this approach."

"It is time to decide whether we remain in the EU. The only party I trust to offer us that choice is UKIP," she writes on the Telegraph website.

'Not a swipe'

A Labour source said Ms Yeo had been removed as group leader on Ashford Borough Council last week after being accused of non-attendance at meetings and a failure to undertake casework, and had just been deselected as a local election candidate.

Asked about this, Ms Yeo told the BBC she had struggled to make some council meetings because of working full-time, while others were at "more awkward times".

She also said she had found campaigning difficult due to recent operations that left her struggling to walk long distances.

"There have been a couple of slip-ups but I have just had another operation", she said, adding: "I have been talking to UKIP way before this."

Ms Yeo believes a debate over Britain's future in Europe will be "healthy for democracy"

Ms Yeo, who chaired the NEC in 2012-13 and is a former president of the TSSA transport union, was Labour's candidate to be police and crime commissioner in Kent in 2012.

She will now sit as an independent councillor.

Ms Yeo said she would not become a UKIP member because she wanted to judge things from a voter's perspective.

She made clear that her decision was not a "swipe" at Labour leader Ed Miliband, whom she described as a "principled leader".

But she said she did not share his view that a referendum "is not the right step for our country".

A referendum, she said, would pave the way for an "exciting and meaningful debate" about Britain's future.Party 'united'

On Twitter, UKIP leader Nigel Farage said he was "delighted" to have Ms Yeo's support, and a party spokesman said she would be "very publicly and loudly" supporting the party.

Ms Yeo said she had not been asked to campaign for UKIP, and had not decided what to do, saying it would be "very difficult" for her to knock on doors due to her recent operations.

Mr Farage's party wants Britain to leave the European Union
A Labour spokesman said the "vast majority" of the party were united behind its position on Europe.

He added: "The truth is UKIP are a party of Tory people, Tory policies and Tory money - they are more Tory than the Tories."

Labour has resisted calling for an in/out referendum on Britain's membership of the EU, arguing that an EU exit would be disastrous and cause uncertainty for business.

David Cameron has pledged to hold such a vote in 2017, following a period of EU renegotiation, if the Conservatives win a majority at May's general election.

Labour's Harriet Yeo leaves party to support Ukip in general election


Yeo resigned because Ed Miliband had refused to offer a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU

By ANDREW WOODCOCK - The Independent

A former chair of Labour's ruling National Executive Committee has left the party in order to support Ukip in the coming general election, Nigel Farage has announced.


Harriet Yeo, a former president of the TSSA transport union, an NEC member for eight years and chair in 2012/13, is the most senior Labour figure to quit the party in favour of Ukip, in what will be seen as a blow to leader Ed Miliband.

She has resigned from the party because of Mr Miliband's refusal to offer a referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Formerly the leader of the Labour group on Ashford Council in Kent, it is understood Ms Yeo will now sit as an independent.

A Ukip spokesman made clear that Ms Yeo was not joining the eurosceptic party, but said she was expected to give her “wholehearted support for Ukip” during the election campaign.

Ukip leader Mr Farage said: “I'm delighted that Ukip can now count upon the support of such respected figure as Harriet Yeo.

“A life-long trade unionist and Labour Party member who served as chair of Ed Miliband's NEC, she is yet another voice calling for Britain to have a choice about its future. We are welcoming support from across the board and Harriet's support is evidence of this”.

It is understood that Ms Yeo was removed as Labour group leader on Ashford Council last week after being accused of non-attendance at meetings and a failure to undertake casework, and was deselected last night as a candidate for the 2015 local elections.

A Labour Party spokesman said: “The vast majority of the Labour Party are united behind our position on Europe, believing Britain's best interests are served by staying in a reformed EU and not sleepwalking towards an exit which would cost British jobs and influence.

“The truth is Ukip are a party of Tory people, Tory policies and Tory money: they are more Tory than the Tories.”

PA