David joined UKIP in 2004, and fought North Cornwall as the UKIP Parliamentary Candidate in 2005, replacing a defector to Veritas. David kept UKIP’s deposit with 5.5% of the vote, up 1.1% from the previous General Election, with 3,063 votes. Chairman Bill Budge has a very high regard for David, and regarded him as “the best candidate he’s ever worked with”, despite having worked with MPs and other senior candidates in the past.

In December 2005, David was asked by then Leader Roger Knapman to become Chairman of UKIP based on his political experience and communications skills. He did this on an expenses-only basis, stepping down from full time commitments to devote time to the party. David was praised for his delicate chairing of the party through very difficult circumstances. David took the lead over the reorganisation of the party, closing the Ashford call centre, which had served the party well but had become unaffordable, and making the decision to close the Birmingham office and move UKIP’s Head Office to Lexdrum House, which has some excellent new people and a real devotion to the cause.

David also initiated a strategic positioning of the party to attract disillusioned Tory voters and candidates, under the ‘5 Right Things To Do’ initiative (named by Roger). This attracted strong media interest and attacks by political rivals, leading to major sympathy and support for UKIP and some remarkable headlines and leader articles.

In the Leadership Election of September 2006 David achieved 1,443 votes, and was asked by Nigel Farage to become his Deputy Leader. David readily accepted, loyally supporting Nigel, who is an excellent Leader and media performer for the party.  He has worked to support the party at by-elections, local elections, young independence events, rallies and speaking at Universities for UKIP causes.

David was asked to stand in the Scotland Parliamentary elections of May 2007 for the party’s sake, and campaigned in the Highlands and Islands, one of the largest and most beautiful constituencies in Britain, and one where David has traditional family links (with politicians in the family stretching back to 1370s, including Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, Prime Minister 1905-08 and President Diefenbaker of Canada, who had Bannerman ancestry - it is clearly in the blood !). David wrote the script for and appeared in the UKIPScotland Parliamentary Broadcast.

David has headed up Nigel’s commitment to broadening the party’s base by initiating a major policy making process, based on David’s experience advising Government ministers on manifestos and as Chairman of the Bow Group think tank. He advertised widely amongst the entire membership for volunteers for policy input, and created 18 separate policy groups involving over 100 people, with many senior people involved including professors, specialist advisers, MEPs and senior military personnel.

To date, 7 papers have been released, in a distinct and practical ‘house style’. These have been well received, with many complementing UKIP for ‘common sense policies’, which is exactly David’s aim. Others are due to be released prior to and during UKIP’s Party Conference, and later in 2008.

David also wrote a range of manifestos for the local elections in 2006 and 2007, the Welsh and Scottish elections, and helped present both to the media at major launches

Link to UKIP website