MADAM — I am writing further to the report in the SNJ of September 3 that Ukip wishes to enter into a ‘merger’ with the Greens in Stroud. This is not the case at all.

What we said was that both Ukip and the Greens in Stroud should work to disavow the cosy Tory/Labour duopoly that has prevailed here for far too long.

Your report confirms that the recently selected Green candidate for Stroud is also of the same opinion that this rejection of Tweedledum/Tweedledee politics is common ground for both Ukip and the Greens, but that that is where the common ground ends. I couldn’t agree more.

Ukip has absolutely no need whatsoever of a ‘merger’ with the Greens, especially in view of the many and substantial policy differences that clearly exist between our two parties. Why would we?

Ukip has been polling as the UK’s third political party in almost every survey for well over a year now. We won the UK’s most recent national Election, that to the European Parliament, hands down.

We are predicted to win the Clacton by-election by a substantial margin, and I am sure that our ranks in the House of Commons will then soon be swollen by the defection of more Labour and Conservative MPs.

The Greens on the other hand are predicted to be in sixth place come the general election in terms of votes cast, behind the Lib Dems, and behind even the Scottish Nationalists.

With regards to the Stroud constituency, the three front runners are currently Labour, Conservative and Ukip with the Greens and the Lib Dems battling it out for a distant fourth place.

As Ukip gains momentum in advance of the General Election we fully expect Ukip to overtake the Conservatives as the main challenger to Labour, David Drew and Ed Miliband in Stroud.

Caroline Stephens

Ukip candidate Stroud Chairman, Ukip Stroud branch