Veritas is a United Kingdom political party, formed in 2005 as a split from the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP). It was founded, and was led, by Robert Kilroy-Silk, who was elected in 2004 as a UKIP Member of the European Parliament for the East Midlands. Kilroy-Silk resigned as leader on 29 July 2005 and Patrick Eston became interim leader. Damian Hockney and Peter Hulme-Cross, members of the London Assembly, joined the party at its formation. Hockney became Deputy Leader but resigned his position shortly after Kilroy-Silk.

The party was officially launched at a news conference on 2 February 2005. Mr Kilroy-Silk proclaimed that "unlike the old parties, we shall be honest, open and straight", and that Veritas - Latin for "truth" - would avoid the old parties' "lies and spin". Its creation had been rumoured for some months, and the domain name 'veritasparty.com' was registered on 30 December 2004.

The party's first electoral opportunity was the General Election on 5 May 2005, and its principal challenge was to supplant UKIP as the foremost UK party committed to outright rejection of the European Union. On the day of the party's launch The Times suggested that the party wished to challenge for most seats, but in fact the party ran candidates in only 62 seats (about 10%). Kilroy-Silk himself contested the seat of Erewash in Derbyshire, held by Elizabeth Blackman of the Labour Party. He placed fourth, with 5.8% of the vote, and no Veritas candidates were elected.

At present, Veritas's policies seem to indicate it as almost a single-issue party - during the launch conference Mr Kilroy-Silk attacked the level of immigration to the United Kingdom, in preference to the eurosceptic general position of UKIP. Other policies proposed by Mr Kilroy-Silk on the campaign trail include reducing income tax to a flat rate of 22% (currently the rate paid on earnings between £6765 and £31400 in the United Kingdom, known as 'basic rate').

The party had been criticised as little more than a vanity vehicle for Kilroy-Silk after his failed leadership bid for UKIP, and has led to some derision in the UK media, with the party often referred to as "Vanitas". Other media writers have commented on the perceived irony that a party expressing a desire for clarity and openness in politics expressing staunch Euroscepticism has chosen a Latin name, rather than an English one.

Following the May 2005 General Election, there were signs that the Veritas Party was beginning to fall apart, with Veritas members resigning, returning to UKIP or joining the English Democrats. On 12 July 2005 party member Ken Wharton announced that intended to challenge Kilroy-Silk for the leadership, claiming party members were "not being looked after". Discontented party members set up the Veritas Members Association to "put the truth back into Veritas".

Kilroy-Silk resigned as party leader on 29 July 2005. In his resignation statement, he stated that "the electors are content with the old parties" and "I would be misleading the members of the party and the public if I pretended that we could make progress."

David Soutter, who was chief-of-staff to Kilroy-Silk and campaign director, resigned his post.

Only 22% of Veritas members voted in the leadership election held in September 2005. Patrick Eston was the winner. Defeated leadership candidate Colin Brown resigned from the party in light of a poor turn out at the party's annual general meeting. Michael Harvey, the Veritas Party Secretary, was absent from the meeting.

• 2005 September Alan Ainscow became the new Party Chairman.
• 2005 All of the Veritas Members Association founding members -- Barrie Haycock, Ken Wharton, Liz Gilchrist, and Nick Bugden -- subsequently resigned from the Veritas Party.

In late 2005, the long-term future of the party remained in doubt although Patrick Eston continued to seek alliances with other small political parties such as the New Party and the English Democrats. Patrick Eston in talks with England's Parliamentary Party, Paul Gilbert.

• 2005 NEC of nine unelected Veritas members is formed.
• 2005 NEC first meeting, November.
• 2005 November Alan Ainscow Veritas Party resigns as Veritas Party chairman.

In its annual awards for 2005, the Political Studies Association of British Academics voted the party the 'political turkey' of the year. [1]

Resignations

2005

• Alan Ainscow, as Veritas Party Chairman.
• Anthony Bennett, a founding member of the party
• Harry Cichy, Veritas Party officer, and Veritas press officer.
• Colin Brown, leadership contender
• Andrew Parker, Suffolk Branch, Secretary.
• Robert Kilroy-Silk Veritas Party, Leader.
• Damian Hockney Deputy Leader.
• Les Leggett Cheadle Candidate.
• Alan Eastwood, OBE.
• Alex Stevenson, founding member, Veritas.
• Paul Barnish, Stone Chairman.
• Tony Green, Veritas Candidate & Health Spokesperson.
• Nick Bugden, Veritas Members Association (VMA) founding member.
• Barrie Haycock, (VMA) Chairman.
• Ken Wharton, Talk Veritas Webmaster.
• Liz Gilchrist, (VMA), Secretary.
• Martin Cole, founding member, Veritas.
• David Davies, Candidate for Darlington.
• Grant Allen, former Health spokesperson.
• Pete Paskin, Veritas Youth spokesperson.
• Ian Upton, Veritas Party Northern Press Officer.

See also

• Veritas Members Association
• One London
• Patrick Eston
• Colin Brown
• Robert Kilroy Silk
• Anthony Bennett
• Harry Cichy
• Ken Wharton
• Damian Hockney
• Peter Hulme-Cross
• Ashley Merry
• Alan Ainscow
• Jonathan Aitken

External links

• Veritas - Official site
  • Press Release - Robert Kilroy-Silk: Announcement of Kilroy-Silk's resignation
• Talk Veritas Political Forum
• BBC news story on the launch of the party
• Vanitas - Spoof website
• Public Relations[2]
• Ashley Merry& Associates [3]
• http://veritaspartyforum.blogspot.com
• http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1817429,00.html
• [http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0200wales/tm_objectid=15386314%26method=full%26steid=50082-name_page.html Wales On Sunday.