Nigel Farage has been formally selected as UKIP candidate for South Thanet in the 2015 General Election. The appointment ends months of waiting, which was caused because UKIP insisted on selecting after they knew who the Conservative candidate was, and the Tory selection was put back.
Although there was an open process with three other candidates applying, there was never much doubt Farage would win. The selection itself had to be moved as it was so oversubscribed, in the end it took place at OddFellow’s Hall in Ramsgate.
The Daily Mirror reports that he told the audience: “We can’t for one moment afford to be complacent because we swept the board in 2013 and we swept the board here in 2014.
“We did and that was magnificent. But don’t think that the heavy artillery from the Conservative and Labour parties will not be fired on this constituency.
“They will, they will, they will try very, very hard. They don’t want Ukip breaking through into Parliament and they most certainly do not want me breaking through into Parliament.
“Somebody said I’m David Cameron’s worst nightmare. Well, that’s not good enough. I want to be Ed Miliband’s worst nightmare, too.” After the speech the “Thanet Army” chanted “Nigel, Nigel, Nigel”.
UKIP did well in the European Elections earlier this year in South Thanet and now hope to take the seat next year. Farage’s position has been bolstered by the Conservative MP Laura Sandys decision to stand down.
Despite recent successes UKIP did not come close to winning the seat in 2010, polling just 2,500 votes. The Conservatives hope to retain the seat by running Craig Mackinlay, the former UKIP deputy leader.
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