Ukip hypocricy over Assembly election rules.

The Wasting Mule  joins in the media love affair with Ukip gives publicity to Ukip tells us "that Strong support for keeping the ban on Assembly candidates standing both on a regional list and in a constituency has come from Ukip".

The UK Government plans to scrap the ban – a move supported by the Electoral Reform Society but opposed by the Welsh Government.

It would place Wales in the same position Scotland where no such ban exist

In written evidence to the Welsh Affairs committee, Ukip attacks the proposals to axe the ban introduced ahead of the 2007 Assembly elections as going against a “fundamental principle of democracy”.

The party argues that a system that allowed people to stand on a list and also “campaign freely within a local constituency” would send “an unpalatable message to the people of Wales.”
It states: “People should feel that their vote makes a difference. The potential for candidates to be named twice goes against this fundamental principle of democracy as it allows politicians to insure themselves against the will of the people.

“It is conceivable that a local population have actively voted against a candidate for extremely strong reasons en masse, but have failed to remove them/prevent their re-election because of the list system.”

Now I would accept that Ukip have an argument even though I disagree

But in the 2011 Ukip did not fight a single constituency seat in the Welsh Assembly Elections!

The list system is supposed to be a  top on the constituency vote.

But how can a party which does not fight any constituency seat and  which may benefit from the Additional member rule talk about the "fundamental principle of democracy as it allows politicians to insure themselves against the will of the people"

It is sheer hypocrisy on Ukip part in that that they can benefit from a system designed to see that party votes are equalised .from the top up system to talk about democracy. when they are exploiting this by only standing in the list.

Should not Parties that only put up in the List  face a greater threshold before they are elected?

Maybe only Independents should benefit from the current rules.

Why should a party that pays no deposit in the constituency votes and the expense of campaigning get up to six AM on the cheap?.

Do Ukip intend to stand in any constituencies in  the next election?