I feel very sorry for Roger Bird. Despite being found innocent of any wrongdoing in the UKIP inquiry, he’s had his character traduced in the media by someone who has clearly displayed fantasist tendencies. And even though he has been found innocent he and UKIP have mutually agreed to part company. This doesn’t surprise me but it is more for UKIP’s benefit than Bird’s. No matter what the facts are, when people hear the name Roger Bird they will associate him with this incident. He’s behaved well throughout and although one may call his judgement into question for entering into a relationship at work, it’s hardly a sackable offence.
So what now for Roger Bird? He’s standing by UKIP and he says he will do all he can to support UKIP candidates at the election. It strikes me that he might consider carving out a little media niche as the go-to pundit on UKIP matters. He’d do quite well in the runup to the election because basically he would have little competition. He knows the party and its personalities inside out, and there aren’t many who can say that. In essence he could do for UKIP what Olly Grender did for the LibDems in the runup to 2010 – provide the media with an informed, amusing and insightful voice on all matters pertaining to UKIP.
I’ll give him his first booking when I am back on the radio on 5 January. Unless someone gets there before me!
