Archive for May, 2009

It isn’t for nothing that the BNP come across as paranoid racists. Here is an article on their website supposedly attacking UKIP but it just ends up making themselves look stupid!

The UKIP party has been humiliated in public once again by Rustie Lee, another of its foreign-born “British” Euro candidates, in a shocking display of backward mathematics.

Speaking on the official UKIP manifesto launch video, Ms Lee enthused that “if you had a six bedroom house and it only took 50 people, would you put 100 people in it?” in an attempt to explain her party’s policy on immigration.

Unfortunately for Ms Lee, this weird bit of logic implies that the average room holds 8.3 people – typical of the thoughtless nonsense which characterises UKIP’s policy positions.

Again, they seem to think that having foreign-born candidates is evil. Well that just tells you all you need to know about the BNP frankly. Then they go on the attack over a simple comment, which anybody could have accidentally made, but which nevertheless makes the same point. A cheap shot at the very best, desperate at the worst.

But they go on…

Jamaican-born Ms Lee has joined the increasingly bizarre UKIP candidate list which also includes an Argentinean-born Marta Andreasen, a Spanish citizen who lives in Spain, and Sri Lankan-born Deva Kumarasiri. Both of these latter candidates are on record as expressing their support for the European Union, which UKIP claims to oppose.

Oh no. Not…Jamaican! How terrible. And in addition to have a Spanish candidate AND a Sri-Lankan. How awful.

As for the claim these people have expressed support for the EU, the BNP only provide a link to a quote of Marta Andreasen from 2004 where she said she was not a eurosceptic. Well, she has recently been campaigning quite happily on a UKIP ticket of withdrawal. So I guess she has changed her mind – it is possible you know, especially over 5 years. As for the others the only ‘evidence” seems to be Mr Kumarasiri’s membership of the Lib-Dems – well, we can all make mistakes.

But they don’t stop there…

On 21 May, some British National Party members attended a UKIP meeting in Horsham, Surrey, where they questioned UKIP leader Nigel Farage about his shocking £2 million expenses which he had run up at the European Parliament.

Hmm. Horsham, Surrey! They have a go at Rustie’s maths but the BNP don’t seem to have a Geography GCSE between them. Horsham is in West Sussex.

I was at the meeting, speaking as it happens. The BNP did indeed turn up to hand out their propaganda. Nothing wrong with that, it is a free country, and they didn’t disturb the open public meeting which went very well without a hitch. (Incidentally I don’t remember the question being asked of Farage about his expenses, but that could be genuine forgetfulness on my part)

Mr Farage readily admitted the accuracy of the claims – which dwarfs most Westminster MP claim scandals by tens of thousands of pounds – but then dismissed the question by saying that such expense claims were “endemic throughout the European Parliament.”

As shocking as this defence is – that because others do it, it is alright for UKIP MEPs to swindle the taxpayers as well – Mr Farage is actually correct. A recent media report showed that Euro MPs rake in up to £363,250 every year in expenses without having to produce a single receipt. This adds up to £1.8 million over a five year period, on which they pay only 15 percent tax. When they leave the European Parliament, they are immediately put on a “pension” of £30,000 a year.

So in the space of 2 paragraphs they attack Farage and then admit that he has been perfectly correct all along and that this is not some UKIP expenses scandal. They have now reached new levels of idiocy with this.

To top it all off, and see if you can spot the hypocrisy here, they show off their shiny halos…

The British National Party European election campaign has been marked by pledges to ensure that this sort of abuse never occurs. On the 29 million election leaflets which have already gone out, the promise was made that each BNP MEP will give ten percent of his or her gross salary to support community projects in their constituency, such as St George’s Day events or other similar cultural activities. In addition, the party is also on record as saying that all other expenses for each and every MEP elected will be published online for public scrutiny at the end of each month.

That’s right ladies and gentleman. Again, in the space of just 2 paragraphs, the BNP manages to attack UKIP for “swindling taxpayers money”, and then goes on to say how they would take it and spend it. If they are that concerned why not simply write out a cheque to the British tax man?

I also take it the BNP, if elected, will not employ any staff, or run offices, or attend Brussels and Strasbourg, in order to avoid being hypocrites?

Lord Stoddart of Swindon, independent Labour peer and former Labour MP for Swindon (and all round damn fine eurosceptic!), has thrown his support behind UKIP for the elections on 4th June.

Lord Stoddart of Swindon, the Independent Labour Peer and former Labour MP for Swindon, who usually spurns European Parliamentary elections, has decided to use his vote on 4th June for the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and has encouraged other Labour voters to do the same. 

In a statement confirming his voting intention Lord Stoddart said: “I am appalled at the refusal of the Government to tell the public the truth about the extent to which the United Kingdom is now governed by the European Union and that vital decisions affecting our interests are being taken by a gaggle of twenty six other nations, whose interests are often inimical to those of Britain. 

“The only way to save our country from complete absorption into a single centralised European state is to leave the EU and, since not one of the major political parties supports this policy, UKIP is the only realistic alternative. 

“Those Labour voters who value democracy and self-government can, by voting UKIP on 4th June, send a clear message to their own and the other traditional parties that the hand-over of powers has to stop and be reversed.” 

Well done Lord Stoddart.

David Cameron is so worried about the threat posed by UKIP is resorting to drastic measures. Having realised that he has no policies on which to campaign, he has decided the easiest thing is simply to flick through the UKIP manifesto and pinch a few ideas!

David Cameron has promised his party would deliver a dramatic redistribution of power in response to voter disgust over MPs’ expenses.

The Conservative leader, writing in the Guardian, says he would reduce prime ministerial power and boost the role of Parliament to win back public support.

His proposals include fixed-term Parliaments, limiting use of the royal prerogative and free votes for MPs.

Isn’t that great? For the full detail you can see UKIP’s Constitutional Affairs policy paper “How We Are Governed” which goes into depth on exactly these issues. A weakened executive, emboldened Parliament, and local democracy.

To give Cameron credit he has thrown in one not in our policy paper – fixed term Parliaments – but we’ll let him off. Now all he needs to do is pinch our policy to leave the EU and then a stronger Parliament might actually be able to hold the government to account!!