Pontypridd General Election Candidate Switches to Labour (Good or Bad?)

Wales Online has an intriguing story that the Pontypridd's Ukip general election candidate switches to Labour ahead of Assembly election

We are even provided with Photo's of the current AM Mick Antoniw

Andrew Tomkinson joins Mick Antoniw on the campaign trail

The story claims Ukip ’s general election candidate for Pontypridd has switched allegiances to Labour ahead of the National Assembly election next May. 


Andrew Tomkinson won more than 5,000 votes in the general election earlier this year – with Ukip’s 13.4% share of Pontypridd’s vote a significant 10.1% increase from its performance in 2011. 

 
The ex-serviceman from Graigwen has now resigned from Ukip to join the Labour Party, and has been on the campaign trail with current Pontypridd AM Mick Antoniw .

Mr Tomkinson, who has served in Afghanistan, said he originally “fell into” becoming a Ukip member.
He said: 

“I’m interested in getting things done locally.

  “Labour’s successes such as forcing the Tories’ U-turn on tax credits, taking action on fracking, generating more jobs in Wales and making significant infrastructure investments across Taff Ely, shows that they are the only party who are able to get things done for local, working people.”

“I just sort of fell into Ukip membership. At the time it seemed new and exciting, but I quickly discovered that many of Ukip’s policies conflicted with my own beliefs particularly on climate change, fracking and social issues.
“I’ve never been anti-European and want to see a fairer, more equal society, not more tax cuts for the rich.”

 This News appears to be a direct copy of a Labour Party leaflet with the words

"Andrew’s switch to Labour was welcomed" by Mr Antoniw, who added:

 “More and more people are recognising that it is only Labour and a Labour Government in Wales who will stand up against the Tories austerity programme.We want to see a fairer and more prosperous Wales and will always defend the poorest in society, who are being targeted so viciously by the Tories.I welcome Andrew’s support and would say to anyone who has supported other parties to come home to Labour and help us to take on the Tories and create a better, more equal society.”

Considering being  Anti-European is one of the major causes for  Ukip existence not being so seems a bit odd to someone who was not only a member but a candidate

Interestingly there does not seem  to be any mention by Mt Tomlinson on Ukip other main platform " Immigration" and since I did not I have a Ukip leaflet and Mr T Tomkinson did not turn up to the Hustings I attended . I have no real Idea what Mr Tomkinson actual thoughts   were during the May election or whether he agreed with the UKip Manifesto .

He might well have been deluded at like many people who backed Ukip in May did so because they  seemed to be outside the political bubble.

Labour appear to be worried about Labour in the forthcoming Assembly Elections and its no wonder they are pushing this helped with a compliant Wales Online .

But one wonder,s how comfortable  Mick Antoniw, who is the most prominent backer of Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn in Welsh Labour feels tramping the Streets with someone who less than year ago was associating with views that were an anathema to the AM.