Veritas (Latin: truth) was a right-wing, Eurosceptic political party in the United Kingdom, launched in June 2005 by Robert Kilroy-Silk, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the East Midlands, following a split with the UK Independence Party (UKIP). Kilroy-Silk served as party leader through the 2005 General Election, in which the party fielded 65 candidates receiving a total of 40,481 votes (0.1%).
Kilroy-Silk subsequently resigned after failing to win any parliamentary seats, and was succeeded by Patrick Eston, who resigned in 2008 citing frustrations of his efforts to reform the party. The party merged into the English Democrats in June 2015.
Veritas had no representation in Parliament, although Kilroy-Silk sat in the European Parliament, and the party had two London Assembly members, originally elected as UKIP candidates and defecting upon Veritas' formation. Perennial candidate Winston McKenzie was a member of Veritas, standing in the seat of Croydon North in 2005.
Contents
History
Background
Robert Kilroy-Silk, a former Labour Member of Parliament (MP) and television presenter, was elected as a UKIP Member of the European Parliament (MEP) in the 2004 European Parliament election for the East Midlands region. In October 2004, Kilroy-Silk expressed his ambition to lead UKIP, and criticised party leader Roger Knapman. To avoid disciplinary action from other UKIP MEPs, Kilroy-Silk resigned the party whip, while remaining a member and asserting his continued challenge. The plan ultimately failed, and he eventually resigned from UKIP on 20 January 2005, with it being widely speculated that he would set up a party of his own, called 'Veritas' (Latin for "truth").
Establishment
Veritas was officially founded at a press conference on 2 February 2005, during which Kilroy-Silk proclaimed "unlike the old parties, we shall be honest, open and straight", devoid of the other parties' "lies and spin". He also confirmed that the new party had seven branches and 250 members. There were a number of defections to the new party, including both UKIP London Assembly members, Damian Hockney, who became Veritas deputy leader, and Peter Hulme-Cross.
The party was immediately lambasted as nothing more than a vanity vehicle for Kilroy-Silk, and was nicknamed "Vanitas" by former allies. Anthony Bennett, whose name was listed by the Electoral Commission as the party's leader, was linked to a former chairman of the National Front.
When the party launched its election manifesto in June 2005, its primary policy was leaving the European Union, and it was perceived to be more specific than UKIP's general euroscepticism, almost to the point of Veritas being labelled a single-issue party. It also called for strict immigration controls, a 22% flat rate of income tax, tougher sentences for crime and anti-social behaviour, and the eviction of travellers from illegal sites.
The manifesto was described as "a mix of English nationalism, Old Labour big-strategy socialism and traditional liberal values".
2005 general election
At the 2005 general election Veritas had hoped to overtake UKIP as the primary party opposing the European Union. Prior to the election, The Times newspaper had reported that Veritas had selected 120 candidates, planning to stand in every constituency across Great Britain. The party ended up fielding 65 candidates in England and Wales, receiving a total of 40,481 votes (0.1%).
Kilroy-Silk himself contested the constituency of Erewash in Derbyshire. He came fourth with 2,957 votes (5.8%); Liz Blackman was elected for Labour with 22,472. No Veritas candidates were elected; Kilroy-Silk was the only one to save his election deposit.
In the subsequent Cheadle by-election held on 14 July the Veritas candidate polled 218 votes (0.6%).
Aftermath of 2005 general election
In the wake of the poor showing in the general election, some discontented party members came to oppose Kilroy-Silk and formed the Veritas Members Association (VMA). One of its founders, Ken Wharton, challenged Kilroy-Silk for the leadership on 12 July 2005, during the Cheadle by-election campaign but his challenge faltered due to ill health.
Kilroy-Silk resigned as party leader on 29 July 2005. In a press statement he said:
"It was clear from the general election result – and more recently that of the Cheadle by-election – that the electors are content with the old parties and that it would be virtually impossible for a new party to make a significant impact given the nature of our electoral system. We tried and failed".
Further resignations included that of his chief of staff, David Soutter, and deputy leader Damian Hockney. Hockney and Peter Hulme-Cross subsequently formed the One London party.
A leadership election was held at the party's inaugural Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 18 September 2005. Acting leader Patrick Eston defeated Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Colin Brown, and former boxer Winston McKenzie on a 22% turnout. Eston appointed a deputy, Howard Martin, who was the main Veritas Party spokesperson, and seemed determined to continue with the party, despite the depletion of the Veritas membership.
2005–2015
At the 2006 local elections, Veritas stood four candidates: two each in Kingston-upon-Hull and Bolton. In the 2007 elections, Veritas stood three candidates: two at council elections and one – Iain James Sheldon in the Mid and West Wales Region for the Welsh Assembly, who gathered 502 votes (0.2%).
On 15 June 2008, Patrick Eston announced that he could not take the Veritas Party in the direction he wanted and so would be resigning the party leadership.
Therese Muchewicz, Party Secretary, served as Acting Leader until leadership elections in October 2008, and was subsequently elected as the new Party Leader.
On 18 December 2015, members of the English Democrats voted to merge with Veritas.