Just 18 days ago the Waverley Web joined the national media in announcing that Ewhurst’s local girl had made good.Ewhurst girl becomes the new Leader of UKIP
Now she it is believed she has resigned – is that the shortest Leadership in political history?
Diane James beat other UKIP hopeful’s to take over as Leader of UKIP from Nigel Farrage.
The former Waverley Borough councillor for Ewhurst stunned us here at the Waverley Web when she refused any media interviews immediately following her election success. Very unlike the outspoken Dianne who has held her own against “Your Waverley”s bully boys who gave her a good grounding for the treatment she went on to receive in the European Parliament. Whilst no shrinking violet, Dianne had decided not to join the group UKIP hustings but to go it alone, but she sometimes appeared uncharacteristically tired and short tempered during her meetings around the country. And…
Whilst all the unsuccessful candidates had pledged to give interviews to the BBC – Diane James quite simply “refused.”
Bad move we thought here at the Web, getting off on the wrong foot by snubbing the BBC and the rest of the media circus. It did not bode well for feisty Dianne’s future.
The silence that followed, except for a very forthright piece in last Sunday’s Telegraph, was not exactly golden – it was unprecedented for the new leader of any political party not to provide the oxygen of publicity to her new role! Now she says “she will not be formalising my recent nomination.”
However, those close to the MEP for the South East, were aware how bruised she was by the brutal adverse personal publicity she received at the hands of the media, just a few weeks earlier. However, everyone at UKIP believed that once she had taken firm control of UKIP’s the reins and put her stamp on the party, this would concentrate the minds of supporters and opponents alike.
It is believed she has resigned for “personal reasons?” Does that mean another comeback for the Comeback Kid?
Ms James succeeded Nigel Farage on 16 September after he quit in the wake of the UK’s vote to leave the EU.
The MEP for South East England won with 8,451 votes, ahead of Lisa Duffy.
A former businesswoman and healthcare professional, Ms James saw off four other contenders: Ms Duffy – who received 4,591 votes – Bill Etheridge, Liz Jones and Phillip Broughton.But the race to replace Mr Farage exposed bitter divisions within the party.
One-time frontrunner Steven Woolfe was barred from standing after submitting his nomination papers too late, while Suzanne Evans was unable to take part as she was suspended.