KENT BY-ELECTION TEAM PULL OFF STUNNING VICTORY IN ASHFORD
Ryan Macpherson UKIP Councillor
The recently formed Kent By-Election Team set up by Piers Wauchope and Colin Nicholson have just returned a massive result in the Beaver ward By-Election in Ashford on 4th August winning the seat with 42% of the vote.
Labour had held the seat but were pushed into 2nd with 27%.
Conservatives three votes behind 27% and Greens 4%.
Turnout was 21.3%.
This result not only showed that we can eat into the Labour vote here in the south but we now are level with Labour with two seats each on Ashford Borough Council. Considering only eighteen months ago we had no seats in Ashford this proves that UKIP are gaining support following the referendum.
Colin Nicholson who led the campaign said there was a combination of factors that pulled off the result. Ryan Macpherson was an excellent candidate that fought hard full time as a candidate should do with solid support from his wife Liah, friend Serge Goldenberg and Ashford UKIP Chairman Eddy Barrows. But crucially it was the support network and co-ordination of a professionally run campaign that made all the difference. In all seven Kent branches supported Ashford with 25 people involved putting in 115 attendances over the campaign. On top of that three polling stations were fully manned and knocking up went like clockwork.
Colin said it was a four week campaign that was run exactly how it should be. We canvassed the postal voters twice engaging with 80% and picked up another 10% of those during the main canvass. The ward was fully leafleted with a letter handed out during the second canvass. By the end of the campaign we had spoken to 70% of the ward. On polling day we engaged with 83% of our pledges after reminding them to vote the previous Monday as well as a letter the night before and knocking their door twice on the day. It was canvassing the postals fully twice as well as successfully getting our vote out that really pushed up our score. At 9pm an hour before the count I knew that we were polling 32% without the postals. Even if it was close we only needed 38% to win but the postal vote eventually pushed us up to 42%.
The Kent By-Election team moves on to Maidstone now with a fight for the Shepway seat. Following that is a monumental test with a By-Election for a Kent County Council seat on Sevenoaks Council. The seat is Swanley, this is a prime target area for us and for anyone who is wishing to stand for County Council next May if they were to get involved in this it not only would put you in good stead ahead of your own campaign but if we can pull it off it will give all of us confidence.
Lastly. this campaign team has been set up from the grassroots. We know that with a ‘team’ effort we can win. This is about solidarity. It does not matter whether the seat is in Tunbridge Wells or Thanet or Dover or Dartford. We are the ‘peoples army’ so never leave a man down. If there is a contest on anywhere in Kent then please get involved and join the ever growing UKIP army called the Kent By-Election Team.
To get involved please contact
Colin Nicholson by email:Click Here:
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