Election clanger dropped by UKIP

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 4th Oct 2007

With the possibility of a General Election being held next month, the Colchester branch of the United Kingdom Independence Party has dropped an almighty clanger by writing to members to say that Colchester MP Bob Russell will not be seeking re-election.

Today Liberal Democrat Mr Russell said: "I am not sure whether to be annoyed or amused. Clearly UKIP organisers must be living on a different planet, or at least do not read local newspapers, if they think I shall not be seeking re-election whenever the next General Election is called."

He added: "I did not even know there was a Colchester branch of UKIP. They couldn't be bothered to field a candidate last time, probably because they did not poll many votes at the General Election before that."

In a letter to members, the Colchester UKIP Constituency Chairman

Mr George Curtis, who lives at Dedham which is not even in the Colchester Constituency, writes: "The sitting member, Bob Russell, is retiring, and the contest will therefore be more open than is usual."

And in a sign that UKIP locally is disorganised Mr Curtis goes on to say that with the possibility of a General Election "We need to get prepared," adding: "Would any member willing to have a go and put his name into the ring, as a candidate, get in touch?"

Mr Russell was first elected in 1997 and was re-elected in 2001 and 2005, when he more then trebled his majority from his first victory to 6,227 votes ahead of the Conservatives with Labour third.

He added: "General Election or not, it is business as usual for me. I had an Advice Bureau for constituents yesterday and am holding another one today. In addition I have a busy diary of events in the constituency."