2009 UK Independence Party leadership election

United Kingdom independence party (UKIP) leadership election

2009 UK Independence Party leadership election | ← 2006 | 2009 | 2010 →

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Candidate  | Lord Pearson | Gerard Batten | Nikki Sinclaire
Popular vote  | 4,743 | 2,571  | 1,214
Percentage  | 47.7% | 25.9%  | 12.2%

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Candidate  | Mike Nattrass | Alan Wood
Popular vote  | 1,092  | 315
Percentage  | 11.0%  | 3.2%

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| Leader before election

Nigel Farage

| Elected Leader

Lord Pearson

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The UK Independence Party (UKIP) held a leadership election in 2009, with ballots closing on 26 November.[1] The election was won by Malcolm Pearson.[2]

The Eurosceptic party had been led by Nigel Farage since he won the 2006 leadership election. He announced his resignation from the post in September 2009, stating that he wanted to devote more time to his campaign for a seat in the United Kingdom House of Commons.[3]

## Candidates

[edit]

There were five candidates for the election.

Gerard Batten was a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and stood unsuccessfully in the 2008 London mayoral election. His main policies were to broaden the party's policies beyond Euroscepticism, and to focus on winning representation at Westminster.[4]

Mike Nattrass was also an MEP. His main policies were to focus on the upcoming general election, opposition to the Conservative Party, and to reject a merger with similar parties elsewhere in Europe.[4]

Lord Pearson was a member of the House of Lords. Originally appointed as a Conservative Party peer, he joined UKIP in 2007. His main policies included a focus on direct democracy and on opposition to Islamism.[4] He had the support of Farage, who declared that Pearson was the only "serious, credible" candidate.[5] He also had the support of the party's deputy leader, David Campbell Bannerman, who had been expected to stand in the election. The Daily Telegraph declared in September that Pearson was the favourite to win the election.[6]

Nikki Sinclaire was another MEP. Her main policies were to professionalise the party, introducing a shadow cabinet, and to focus on communication through the media.[4]

Alan Wood was UKIP's nominating officer and a district councillor. His main policy was to focus on an alliance with other Eurosceptic parties, although not with the British National Party. He was also opposed to Pearson's policy of prioritising anti-Islamism.[4]

## Result

[edit]

Pearson was elected, taking almost half of the votes cast.[2]

UK Independence Party leadership election, 2009

Candidate  | Votes  | %
| Lord Pearson | 4,743  | 47.7
| Gerard Batten | 2,571  | 25.9
| Nikki Sinclaire | 1,214  | 12.2
| Mike Nattrass | 1,092  | 11.0
| Alan Wood  | 315  | 3.2
Turnout | 9,935[7] |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Farage accused of UKIP 'insult'", BBC News, 12 November 2009
2. ^ a b "Lord Pearson elected leader of UK Independence Party", BBC News, 27 November 2009
3. ^ "Farage to quit as leader of UKIP", BBC News, 4 September 2009
4. ^ a b c d e "UKIP leadership: Runners and riders", BBC News, 19 November 2009
5. ^ "Farage backs peer for UKIP leader", BBC News, 11 November 2008
6. ^ Andrew Porter, "Former Tory peer favourite for Ukip leadership", The Daily Telegraph, 15 September 2009
7. ^ This figure includes only votes for the candidates, and does not include any spoilt or void ballots.

* v
* t
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UK Independence Party

Leadership

| Leaders|

* Alan Sked
* Craig Mackinlay (acting)
* Michael Holmes
* Jeffrey Titford
* Roger Knapman
* Nigel Farage
* Lord Pearson
* Jeffrey Titford (acting)
* Nigel Farage
* Diane James
* Nigel Farage (acting)
* Paul Nuttall
* Steve Crowther (acting)
* Henry Bolton
* Gerard Batten
* Richard Braine
* Patricia Mountain (acting)
* Freddy Vachha
* Neil Hamilton
* Nick Tenconi

|

Deputy Leaders|

* Craig Mackinlay
* Graham Booth
* Mike Nattrass
* David Campbell Bannerman
* Christopher Monckton, 3rd Viscount Monckton of Brenchley
* Paul Nuttall
* Peter Whittle
* Margot Parker
* Mike Hookem
* Patricia Mountain
* Rebecca Jane
* Nick Tenconi

Chairs|

* Nigel Farage
* Mike Nattrass
* David Lott
* Petrina Holdsworth
* David Campbell Bannerman
* John Whittaker
* Paul Nuttall
* Steve Crowther
* Paul Oakden
* Tony McIntyre
* Kirstan Herriot
* Ben Walker

Deputy Chairs|

* Neil Hamilton
* Diane James
* Suzanne Evans
* William Legge
* Margot Parker
* Pete Muswell (interim)

Treasurers|

* Craig Mackinlay
* Marta Andreasen
* Stuart Wheeler
* Andrew Reid
* Mark Harland

Organisation

| Internal elections|

* 2006 leadership (Farage)
* 2009 leadership (Pearson)
* 2010 leadership (Farage)
* July–September 2016 leadership (James)
* October–November 2016 leadership (Nuttall)
* 2017 leadership (Bolton)
* 2018 leadership (Batten)
* 2019 leadership (Braine)
* 2020 leadership (Vachha)
* 2021 leadership (Hamilton)
* 2024 leadership election

|

International affiliations|

* Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy

History|

* National Electoral Performance
* Anti-Federalist League

Breakaway groups|

* Veritas
* New Deal
* One London
* Brexit Alliance
* We Demand a Referendum Now
* Independence from Europe
* Thurrock Independents
* For Britain Movement
* Brexit Party/Reform UK

Political representation

| Former MEPs|

* Stuart Agnew (voted out)
* Tim Aker (defected)
* Marta Andreasen (defected)
* Jonathan Arnott (defected)
* Janice Atkinson (expelled)
* Amjad Bashir (defected)
* Gerard Batten (voted out)
* Godfrey Bloom (expelled)
* Graham Booth
* Louise Bours (defected)
* John Bufton
* Jonathan Bullock (defected)
* David Campbell Bannerman (defected)
* James Carver (defected)
* Derek Clark
* David Coburn (defected)
* Trevor Colman
* William Dartmouth (defected)
* Bill Etheridge (defected)
* Nigel Farage (defected)
* Ray Finch (defected)
* Nathan Gill (defected)
* Roger Helmer
* Michael Holmes (defected)
* Mike Hookem (voted out)
* Diane James (defected)
* Robert Kilroy-Silk (defected)
* Roger Knapman
* Ashley Mote (expelled)
* Mike Nattrass (defected)
* Paul Nuttall (defected)
* Patrick O'Flynn (defected)
* Julia Reid (defected)
* Nikki Sinclaire (expelled)
* Jeffrey Titford
* John Whittaker
* Tom Wise (expelled)
* Steven Woolfe (defected)
* Jane Collins (defected)
* Margot Parker (defected)
* Jill Seymour (defected)

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Former MPs|

* Douglas Carswell (defected)
* Mark Reckless (voted out)
* Bob Spink (voted out)

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