UKIP: Lega Nord & a bit of advice for Stuart Agnew

It was always destined to end in tears....

The racist and homophobic Lega Nord, which sits as a part of Farage's EFD group in the European Parliament, looks to be on its way out of government. The party is making unreasonable demands on Premier Berlusconi, calling for tax breaks, an end to Italian involvement in Libya, and the relocation of four ministries to the north of Italy. Berlusconi is growing impatient with his coalition partners, and especially with the sickly and socially awkward Umberto Bossi. Bossi is trying to play down the possibility of a split, but Belusconi is refusing to give in to Lega Nord's demands, and his offices are now actively briefing against his partners, suggesting that some movement is likely in the short term.

There are two potential and undesirable outcomes to the break-up of the coalition. Fistly, this could allow the leftists into power. Secondly, the Lega Nord will shift its power base back to the European Parliament, and will likely seek greater control over the EFD group.

The EU's regionalisation plans - as supported by UKIP's Micheal Heaver - are perfect for the federalist Lega Nord, which seeks a break-up of the Italian state, and independence for what they call Padania, which is the grubby industrialised part of northern Italy.

Stuart Agnew is known to read Junius, and so for his benefit, here is a link to an explanation of what federalism involves... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federalism

Regionalisation and federalism are both anathema to UKIP. (For Stuart Agnew's benefit, here is a link explaining the meaning of the word anathema (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/anathema )

And so, if we are to believe Farage's justification for sitting with convicted racists and extremists - UKIP gets more money that way - then by extension, UKIP is helping Lega Nord to get more money to further their own political aims.

Stuart Agnew knows what money is, of course. It's what he wants the EU to give to farmers like him under the Common Agricultural Policy, although it is interesting to note that embarrassing calls or more subsidies to farmers like him (but not for organic farmers because he isn't one of them) have been removed from his website.