More UKIP Bits and Pieces

Derek Clark demonstates to Bloggers (Farage Sycophants) 4 UKIP how best to please Nigel Farage

UKIP East Midlands

Things just get worse for Dippy Derek Clark. Steve Crowther (UKIP executive chairman) has confirmed to certain UKIPPERS that the region was down to JUST 829 members by April of this year!

And why are we not surprised? Clark is ONLY interested in the EU Gravy Train. The branches can Go to Hell as far as he is concerned. Under him, the region has seen branches close, members resign or forced out and idiots selected as candidates. Remember the farce that was the Leicester mayoral election? See: LINK.

And don't forget that Clark was ordered by OLAF to pay back roughly £60,000 after he was found guilty of misusing his EU allowances. LINK

And yet more terrible election results

The 'Farage Sycophants 4 UKIP' blog has called the Brighton result "slightly disappointing". Talk about the understatement of the year! But what can you expect from a man who has had his head firmly stuck up Nigel's backside for years?

Westbourne, Brighton and Hove

Conservative	1,027
Labour	826
Green	645
Lib Dem	45
UKIP	36
Trade Unionists & Socialists Against Cuts	20
European Citizens Party	13

Worlingham, Suffolk Con	706
Lab	586
Green	137
UKIP	64
LD	46

Lord Pearson's EU Bill

Pearson's new Bill for a cost benefit analysis of membership of the EU has now passed to its first stages in the House of Commons. We expect it to vanish without trace.

Farage and Nuttall v UKIP Wales: A Party at War

UKIP Wales is currently being torn apart by infighting after it emerged that Nigel Farage and the odious Paul Nuttall had decided to ditch UKIP's opposition to devolution and embrace a policy that will result in the end of the UK. The EU will be pleased. So now UKIP's leadership is willing to make the EU's job easier by weakening our nation state!

That senior members of UKIP Wales were not consulted about the proposed changes comes as no surprise! And that 'Farage Sycophants 4 UKIP' blog - also known as 'Bloggers 4 UKIP' - has publicly attacked UKIP Wales members as 'fifth columnists' tells you all you need to know about who is really pulling their strings! And quite right too! How dare the ordinary members speak out against the ideas of the Glorious Fuhrer and his Deputy!

Here is a statement from UKIP Wales. It was made in response to the odious Nuttal's poorly written devolution policy:

United We Stand...The United Kingdom. 

The United Kingdom Independence Party. 

It’s all in the name. However, we sometimes have to ask

“Which part of United Kingdom do you not understand?”

Deputy Party Leader Paul Nuttall’s policy proposal

“A Union for the Future” is a case in point...

The Devolution Settlement is a stupid mess. On that we can agree with Mr. Nuttall.

As for the rest of his proposal, we profoundly disagree both in sentiment and logic.

UKIP Wales has worked for 10 years on its policy to Abolish the Welsh Assembly and use Welsh Westminster MP’s to sort out Welsh issues One week a month would be set aside for this. 

English MP’s would have English days for English issues.

The Welsh Assembly has 10 years of nonsense, waste and policy failure to its credit and is in trouble.

We are living in exciting times. Brussels and the Euro are about to self-destruct and the Devolved Assemblies are losing credibility fast. 

It seems our Noble Cause is about to be won. Mr. Nuttall says that Scottish, Welsh and Irish devolution has weakened the Union. 

Yet he says that English devolution will strengthen it. Far from strengthening it, we believe that an English Assembly would cause our Union to shatter. He has proposed a policy document from hell. We have been anticipating this kind of proposal for several years but expected it to come from Brussels or the Welsh or Scottish separatists.

For it to come from UKIP Central is a deeply disillusioning experience.

Even those who like Mr. Nuttall’s proposal must admit that it will frighten and upset a lot of people. Why do this? UKIP occupies the perfect position right now! You can’t improve on perfect, you can only go backwards. 

So what is the point of “A Union for the Future”?

The English have, for many centuries, been very grown-up and patient on this subject. 

They have put up with, we admit it, the slightly tiresome antics of the Celtic Fringe because it was worth it in the interest of the higher cause of UNITY. We believe the great majority of the English still feel this way passionately.

UKIP and the United Kingdom can, in effect, sit quietly and allow Victory to fall into our laps. We have won the arguments. Our enemies are in disarray. We see it in the newspapers and on the television every day.

There is just one danger left. “Ourselves.” It is still possible to snatch Defeat from the jaws of Victory. How ? By developing and promoting new, wildly radical plans to tear up the British Constitution.

Whatever you strive for in life, you must always be very clear about

“..The Aim..”

and don’t allow yourself to be distracted from it.

We put it to you that UKIP’s aim is, and always has been:-..

“To preserve the United Kingdom INTACT !”

That, of course, means we must get out of the European Union. It also means that we must resist the Balkanisation of Britain.

We urge you to reject Mr. Nuttall’s policy proposal and support our efforts in Wales to remain a very close partner in the most successful Union the world has ever known

The following pages explain UKIP’s long standing policy on devolution.

Long Live The United Kingdom !

UKIP Wales There are two Principles, which underlie everything that UKIP stands for... 

One is the integrity of the UK, and the other is independence from the EU.

All policies must be judged in accordance with these principles.

The EU has long known that divide and conquer is the only way to create its Superstate. Under the EU’s stated plans, Britain is destined to be turned into 12 regions. After Labour came to power in 1997, the first of these devolved regional assemblies were created in Scotland, Wales, London and Northern Ireland.

UKIP Deputy Leader Paul Nuttall proposes that by breaking the UK into 5 Regions (London, England, Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland) and creating an English devolved Parliament, this will be a victory for UKIP, which will thwart the EU’s ambitions.

This is not the case.

It would, in fact, complete the next phase of Brussels’ plan to break up the UK.

Brussels always works on the ratchet principle. The next move by the EU would be to foment dissatisfaction in the North of England using present financial difficulties and to promote a split between North and South.

Following that they would revive the ‘Regions of England proposal’ which failed last time. Then they would exploit any problems by installing unelected puppet regimes as they have just done in Greece and Italy.

The separatists in Wales also work on the same ratchet principle. Having just achieved more power in a biased referendum they are already asking for further powers. The lesson of history is that appeasement never works; it just leads to more demands.

Up until March of 2011, UKIP was the only mainstream political party that opposed the EU’s Regionalisation Plan for the UK.

The Party is now asking the membership if this should still be the case or if we should accept and push for separate devolved governments in the UK.

As a party, we are made up of people from all of the United Kingdom coming from many political backgrounds.

To adopt a policy that will be divisive, at the exact moment when we must be unified is folly. The EU is teetering on the brink, and diverting our efforts from our ultimate aim is madness. Britain leaving the EU is our aim, and dabbling in policies that will polarise the membership is an error of judgment.

Unless you live under one of the devolved governments, you probably are not aware of the existing UKIP policy to address devolution.

The question we are asking, is:

“What was wrong with the existing policy?”

This is set out on the following page.

It does not pander to any other pressure groups. Paul Nuttall’s proposal was co-written by Eddie Bone and Scilla Cullen who are members of the Campaign for an English Parliament.

The existing policy is simple. It will not cost any more money but will save money - less politicians to pay. The civil service is already in place, and the MPs are already elected and paid to do their jobs.

It does not tamper with a formula that has worked for hundreds of years, and it addresses the injustices that some in England feel with the current state of affairs.

How it would work MPs are elected by first past the post in the same way and from constituencies that currently exist.

For three weeks each month MPs would meet in Westminster, as at present, to debate and vote on British matters (non devolved).

On the fourth week, the English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish MPs would meet in their home capital cities to deal with devolved matters.

There would be no further devolution of powers.

We would however lose the additional layer of politicians as the MPs would now do the job of MSPs, AMs and MLAs.

Purely English matters would be dealt with in England solely by English MPs.

Upper Chamber..

Every legislative body needs scrutiny otherwise poorly drafted and bad laws will result.

The House of Lords needs reform, not abolition.

English MPs.. Scottish MPs.. Welsh MPs.. Northern Ireland MPs.

British Parliament.

MPs elected from all of the UK Constituencies meet for 3 weeks of the month in Westminster.

United We Stand.

Union for the Future.

Opposes the EUs Regionalisation Policy.

Will not distract us from getting out of the EU.

Answers the West Lothian Question without breaking up the UK.

No extra politicians/buildings/bureaucrats.

Maintains historic role of Parliament & MPs.

How Do They Compare?

Conclusion:

We believe passionately in the Union of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This Union has brought enormous benefits to us and to the wider world. Our proposal is not regionalisation. It does not create new bodies or pander to separatist nationalists.

This is our answer to the West Lothian question, and the only way to preserve the Union.

We believe the membership of UKIP need to discuss this crucial policy at a “Constitutional Conference”, where the true feeling of the membership can be expressed.

“A Union for the Future” has the possibility of being very divisive for the Party.

After reading this counter proposal, we would be grateful if you could let us know what you think

We will collate the responses and use them to ensure that we do not adopt the “Union for the Future” without having had a fair chance to put an alternative to the Party.

You can either write to us, or email:

UKIP Wales,
29 Ponc Y Fron,
Llangefni,
Anglesey,
LL77 7NY

Email feedback@ukipwales.org

The more feedback we get, the greater our chance of changing a disastrous policy

UKIP: Is the EFD big enough for two messiahs?

Contrarianism is basically a negative approach to life, and one often associated with the ill-informed and the disenfranchised. Contrarians often also tend towards conspiracy theories in their vain attempts to fill the gaps in their knowledge and understanding of the world that revolves around, but seemingly without, them.

 

Magdi  Allam is a contrarian, but he falls into a different category. His contrarianism is actually similar to that displayed most often by the loony-left, a loathing of one's own identity. It's where the SWP came from, and it explains why middle class white kids sport dreadlocks and deface war memorials.

 

Allam is an Egyptian Muslim, who turned against his own culture in 2008 when he converted to Catholicism. He now majors on calling for a ban on building mosques, and expresses strong support for Israel. He claims that he has been targeted by Hamas since 2003.

 

The Catholic church in Spain has questioned his conversion, and there have been strong concerns raised about some of the 'extremist' nature of some of his comments, whilst some have raised suspicions that his conversion was more to do with his political ambitions.

 

When he converted, Allam, who is now an Italian MEP, adopted the name Cristiano. Perhaps he has Messianic ambitions? Well, if so he is in good company, because he has just joined Nigel Farage's EFD group in the European Parliament.

 

Conspiracy theories, instinctive contrarianism, and anti-Islamism - Allam is in the right place. But is the EFD big enough for two messiahs?

UKIP: The Three Wise MEPs

And who can blame them for leaving the EFD! Would you want to associate with people such as the pro-EU/fascist Lega Nord?

Here's another example of Lega Nord's extremism.....

Following the murder of two immigrants in Florence on December 13th, Lega Nord activist Eros Domenico  admitted to being pleased with the shooting: “that’s good, we’ll have two mouths less to feed” he is quoted as saying in the Italian journal L'Espresso.

Eccola qui, la vera Lega - l’Espresso

So can we expect Nigel Farage to condemn these comments? Don't forget that they were made by a representative of a party that he is happy to sit with in the EFD. Silence can be taken as agreement.

UKIP: Christmas Greetings from Nigel's 'Yes Men'

Happy Christmas from Nigel Farage and his chums!

Double click on the pictures for a closer look!

Dr Richard North on the continued failure of UKIP

Taken from Dr North's blog:

My former co-editor is less than charitable about the failure of UKIP to displace the Lib-dims and come away with third place in the Feltham and Heston by-election. Forum members here also question UKIP's abilities, if it cannot even motivate enough people to vote for it under the current circumstances.

When UKIP itself admits, according to diverse media sources, to losing out to The Boy's pretend veto, and we see the party's less then sure response to it, it is time to ask whether continued support is a waste of time and energy, as it repeatedly fails to register beyond the euro-elections.

We have long asserted that the main problem with UKIP is its lack of intellectual base, having observed that all successful revolutionary parties in the past have always gone through the motions of producing a intellectual "credo", sufficient to unite and motivate its members, and attract popular support.

The lack is very obvious when you think that there are no end of discussion on the nature and meaning of conservatism, of socialism, and on the "liberal" ideology – but no one would think to ask: "what is UKIPism". It simply does not exist, other than in a negative sense, a campaign uniting some of those who want the UK to leave the UK.

After all these years, however, we have failed to impress on the party that you cannot create a mass movement on the back of a negative. It is unlikely that anyone who had started a campaign in the past to leave the Austro-Hungarian Empire would have had any more success than UKIP is having now.

Yet, now has never been a better time to sell the eurosceptic (i.e., leaving the EU) message, and it would be a criminal dereliction to allow the Tory europlastics to grab the high ground and exploit anti-EU sentiment for their own electoral gain.

To that effect, I recall in 1999 (I think it was then, but I am happy to be corrected) attending a series of quo vadis meetings, to discuss the way forward.

Nothing long-term came of them – and we are perhaps seeing the result. So it maybe time to repeat the experiment and gather together interested parties to see whether there is a common, positive ideology that could unite us all, and provide a standard around which the disaffected of this nation can muster.

It is early days yet, but maybe we should be looking at the New Year, pulling together some of the leading eurosceptic activists, in public meetings, to see what comes of another series of quo vadis meetings. Whatever else, we cannot continue like this. We need to win … and that we are not doing.

I am fed up with being on the losing side.


To read the original: LINK

Also see: LINK

UKIP bomb in by-election

UKIP's Feltham and Heston candidate

It was all so predictable. Farage's useful idiots pick a joke candidate who likes to call himself 'Dr Earth'. Farage and his cronies visit the constituency, hold meetings and claim that UKIP is surging ahead in the polls. Voters are told that UKIP is set to replace the Lib Dems as Britain's third party.

"It has always been our intention to make UKIP the 'third party' in British politics and these poll results certainly suggest that we are heading in the right direction."

"We've made such fantastic inroads in Feltham & Heston so far in this short campaign, now we need to firm up that support and continue to spread the message," he said.

"After the events in Europe this week, it's clear that the real debate about Britain's continued membership of the EU is still to begin and UKIP's message is central to that, so people are listening.

"We have a great candidate in Andrew Charalambous and a tremendous team co-ordinating the campaign, now we need more feet on the streets to help them."

Nigel Farage

Leaflets are distributed and Farage basks in the adulation of his sycophants. He tells them that UKIP is on the way to Westminster.........

Another glass of wine, Mr Farage?

And then the eager party faithful gather for the result. UKIPPERS are visibly shocked to hear that they have been knocked into fourth place by the Lib Dems. And this was DESPITE Farage's assurances that Clegg's party was going to be humiliated by UKIP.

UKIP scored a pathetic 5.49% on the day. And Labour's vote went up! And yet Farage's useful idiots still try to spin a terrible result.
"It is becoming increasingly clear that UKIP is a refreshing alternative to the tired old status quo. The Lib Dems are almost a busted flush. People are turning to UKIP as they realise we are serious when it comes to putting Britain first." From the official UKIP website.

We hardly think that Cameron or Clegg will be too concerned by such claptrap. UKIP has been in existence for 17 years and yet they have still failed to get a single person election to Westminster in all that time. And let's not forget that their councillors (elected as UKIP) could fit in a small village hall!

UKIP exists solely as the means for Farage and his sycophants to get elected to the EU Gravy Train. Nothing more, nothing less. UKIP is the Nigel Farage Party.

UKIP is a spent force. We have said so on numerous occasions. And so has GLW in his blogs. See our post from November which points out that UKIP has about as much chance of getting MPs as the odious Paul Nuttall has of growing hair. LINK 

The full results:

• Seema Malhotra, Labour - 12,639
• Mark Bowen, Conservative - 6,436
• Roger Crouch, Liberal Democrats - 1,364
• Andrew Charalambous, UKIP - 1,276
• David Furness, BNP - 540
• Daniel Goldsmith, Green - 426
• Roger Cooper, English Democrats - 322
• George Hallam, London People Before Profit - 128
• David Bishop, Bus-Pass Elvis Party - 93

UKIP: Nigel Farage and Lega Nord

Matteo Salvini is the Lega Nord MEP who notoriously called for racial segregation on Milanese public transport. Like most separatists he is an avowed Europhile - his party is calling for regional autonomy, and the EU is quite keen on that sort of thing as it likes the idea of weakening existing states. Lega Nord have one slight problem, the region thay seek autonomy for, Padania, exists mainly in their own minds. Historically, it was a little used alternative name for the Po Valley until Lega Nord adopted the name for a general swathe of Northern Italy.

 

These dubious people, many of whom have convictions for racially motivated offences, including violence and child abuse, sit in the EFD group alongside UKIP. Indeed, their leader is a co-president alongside Nigel Farage.

 

Salvini is now calling in the European Parliament for harmonised customs legislation, and even for the formation of an EU Customs Agency.

 

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sidesSearch/search.do?type=REPORT&language=EN&term=7&author=28404

 

How does sitting alongside EU federalists and convicted far-right criminals get Britain out of the EU, Nigel?

 

Are you so obsessed with the glory of being a group president and the money that filters your way from group budgets that you would sell out your party, your principles, and even your country by sitting with filth, the like of which our grandfathers fought a war against?

 

Farage the eurosceptic? Bullshit. Farage the professional euro-politician lining his pockets and clinging to the ambition of a lifetime career at taxpayer's expense.

 

Being a euro-fat cat is a far more secure career option than trading futures in African timber, it seems

UKIP: Another leadership cock-up

UKIP election poster

The words brewery, couldn't, organise and p*ss up spring to mind.

Dear UKIP Member

London Assembly List ballot

It has been brought to our attention that there are some flaws in the balloting process currently underway to gauge Members' preferences regarding the London Assembly candidate list.

The NEC has decided that we need to take remedial action, so:

•  We will be immediately re-running the ballot of London Members, with added security on the ballot papers. This will happen as soon as the new ballot papers can be printed (next week).

•  We will be re-editing the candidates' 150-word declarations, to ensure that no significant content or meaning is lost.

•  We will be adding a reply-paid envelope to improve turnout, and will ensure that members have sufficient time to vote; though it would be appreciated if members would return their ballot papers quickly, to account for the delays in Christmas post.

In every other respect, the process will be as previously described. The results of the members' ballot will be provided to the NEC who will approve and publish the final list.

I apologise for the shortcomings of the first ballot. In our haste to get the London List resolved, and with the sudden arrival of the Feltham & Heston by-election, we have not performed as well as we should.

Yours,

Steve Crowther

Executive Party Chairman

UKIP: Peter Reeve still working for David Bannerman and the Tories

Readers of this blog will remember that Peter Reeve had a bust up with Stuart Gulleford (UKIP Chelmsford Office) after it emerged that Reeve was listed as a researcher in a Tory publication written by David Bannerman, the former UKIP MEP. LINK. It was later claimed that this was nothing than a 'courtesy acknowledgement' as much of the research had been carried out by Reeve while Bannerman was still in UKIP. This was a lie. We can confirm that Peter Reeve - UKIP regional organiser, UKIP councillor and boyfriend of Lisa 'Needs a Wash' Duffy - is STILL employed by Bannerman as a researcher.

A quick look at Bannerman's entry on the official EU website reveals that Reeve, Peter David is listed as one of his assistants. Click HERE to read it.

We wonder just how Mr Reeve's UKIP colleagues will react to this news? Bannerman is rightly regarded by UKIPPERS as a traitor and turncoat after he left the party to rejoin the Tories. Bannerman, in retaliation, has attacked the party as being nothing more than a pressure group. He also attacked Farage's leadership LINK and  LINK.

So Peter Reeve - a paid employee of UKIP - is also more than happy to work for a man who betrayed the entire membership of UKIP.

So Peter Reeve is more than happy to be listed as an assistant to the Tory MEP on the EU website. And this is despite his condemning the Tories as a"party that should be thrown out of government".

But should we be that surprised at Reeve's hypocrisy? Like Bannerman, the man is motivated by greed and ego. Integrity and honesty are alien words to such men. Remember how Bannerman once described the Tories?

It's overwhelmingly clear now that trusting Cameron with Europe will be as misguided as trusting Blair on Iraq". June 2010

And don't forget how Bannerman attacked the Tories in a CIB newspaper. LINK. How ironic that it was published at the same time as Bannerman's defection to the Tories!

And we are not surprised that Bannerman is keen to keep Reeve close to him. Reeve has enough dirt on Bannerman to finish his career. Remember that OLAF investigation? See below.

We can confirm that Mr Reeve will have some serious explaining to do! One senior UKIPPER has already expressed concerns over the security implications. Just what information on UKIP could Reeve be passing on to his Tory boss? And just what information on UKIP is being passed to the Tories via Reeve?

David Bannerman, Peter Reeve and Stuart Agnew are currently under investigation by OLAF after Stuart Agnew MEP admitted to a Times reporter that both he and Bannerman were illegally paying Reeve out of their EU allowances. LINK

Here is the video where he admits their dishonesty. Agnew can be heard on the video admitting that Reeve does no work for them, and that he is knowingly acting illegally:

“I can tell you that Peter is paid partly by me out of my assistance allowance here partly by David Bannerman . He does very little work for us, virtually none. He is working for the party. And that’s strictly illegal.”

Salaries paid via MEPs’ assistance allowance must not fund party work.

Also see: LINK

UKIP: Gerard Batten reported to Metropolitan Police

Gerard Batten is far from having a happy time at the moment! Our readers will recall that a former member of his staff has taken the MEP to an industrial tribunal following allegations of racism. LINK

It has since emerged that Batten is now the subject of a police investigation - 6567497/11 - after serious allegations were made to officers about the London MEP. Batten is accused of making racist and anti-Islamic comments in the presence of staff members.

Gerard Batten is also the subject of an OLAF investigation - OF/2011/10/17. This involves allegations that he misused EU allowances. LINK

Could it get any worse than this? It appears so! Gerard has also been reported to the Electoral Commission after concerns were raised about his recent election expenses!

We understand that certain details regarding Mick 'Wolfman' McGough are of some interest to some of the  organisations mentioned above. McGough has been signing off Batten's accounts.

Batten intends to stand again as UKIP's London MEP. We would urge all UKIPPERS in the London region to reject him. We need a person of vision and drive in London. We need a person who will put Country before Self. We need a person untainted by allegations of corruption, dishonesty and nepotism. That is why we can't support Gerard Batten in his bid to seek a third term in office. LINK

Also see: LINK

UKIP: An independent view of Nigel Farage

A very interesting independent analysis of what's wrong with UKIP. Written by a 33 year old after watching a selection of Farage's speeches on the Internet.

Farage clearly has a facility for theatre and oratory, but so do most well trained actors. The political role that Farage holds is the easiest role for a good orator to deliver. He will never be in government so won't ever have to take responsibility for actually implementing any of his policies (a privileged position that I bet the Lib Dems wish they could return to!), he is only standing on one issue - Europe (although obviously a multifaceted and complex issue), he does not need to build bridges with any of the political class in Europe and can therefore bark from the sidelines without any damage to his political position.

Also, it is always easier to sound convincing when speaking against a topic than it is to defending a topic, which is why many unintelligent people enjoy complaining and holding cynical views, as it's a cheap way of making those views sound more important than they actually are. This is also why defence lawyers are more respected and are paid more then prosecution lawyers, because their role is a more complex.

In short, Farage's role in the European parliament is an orator's *** *****. He can just stand up and let rip with pre rehearsed rhetorical speeches, particularly in the current climate, where his opponent, the EU, is on its knees and looking like a joke. I'd love to have a go at that! What a luxury to be able to look world leaders in the face, Merkel, Sarcozy, Blair, Brown etc. and be allowed to rant at them for five uninterrupted minutes at a time. You could charge 100k a minute to be able to do that!

To view the original: LINK

Nikki Sinclaire: Sign the Petition!

Don't forget to sign Nikki Sinclaire's new EU referendum petition by clicking HERE. Don't be like Gerard Batten. Put your country first - not your wallet - and sign today!

UKIP: Lord Pearson's European Union Membership (Economic Implications) Bill passes 2nd reading

Lord Pearson was dishonest, corrupt and incompetent as UKIP's political chief. To be fair, he eventually admitted that he was hopeless at party politics and quickly resigned as UKIP's leader. See: LINK. But Pearson is to be congratulated for his work on this Bill. We will watch it's progress with interest.

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: My Lords, I am truly grateful to all noble Lords who are to speak today. This is not the first time that your Lordships have debated this or a similar Bill at Second Reading. We did so last some four and a half years ago, on 8 June 2007, and we had similar debates on 11 February 2004, 27 June 2003 and 17 March 2000. The series would not be complete without mentioning 31 January 1997, when your Lordships’ House voted at Second Reading for a Bill that would have taken us out of the European Union altogether.

For more than 30 years, our political class has done its best not to talk about our membership of the EU. But the wheel of history turns and the question as to whether we should leave the European Union is now firmly back on the national agenda. But this Bill does not deal with that question—it is an altogether milder and more innocent little creature. It merely requires the Chancellor of the Exchequer to set up an impartial inquiry into the economic costs and benefits arising from our membership of the EU.

To read the full text http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201011/ldhansrd/text/111125-0001.htm

UKIP: OLAF and the further woes of Gerard Batten

Readers of this blog (and GLW's) will be aware that Gerard Batten has been accused of racism by a former member of his staff. He has been taken to an industrial tribunal over this. Click HERE for further details. Also click HERE

We were amused to note that Gerard was far from happy when he was told that our blogs had publicised this painful fact. Indeed, he has even attempted to silence us via the courts after he argued that the case was sub judice!

We were also amused to note that Batten has been employing failed mayoral candidate, Mick 'Wolfman' McGough, as his driver and bag carrier! But we suppose that someone has to employ the idiot. It's just a pity that the British taxpayer is doing it via the EU!

We hear that Gerard is now the subject of an OLAF investigation -  OF/2011/10/17 - involving allegations of false accounting, fraud, nepotism and abuse. We understand that some of these concerns regard printing contracts given to Batten's brother. Please note that McGough has been signing off Batten's accounts. That would explain a lot! See an example below.

UKIP: Mike Nattrass

From the Sunday Times

 Published: 27 November 2011

An article (print headline: “MEP in fraud inquiry”; online headline: “UKIP MEP Michael Nattrass in expenses fraud inquiry”, November 15 2009) reported an investigation by a European Union watchdog into whether Mike Nattrass MEP had used public funds intended for the payment of parliamentary aides to pay a UK Independence party regional organiser.

That investigation has been completed with no action taken against Mr Nattrass. The article also stated that payments were channelled through the firm Nattrass Giles Limited. We were not suggesting the company was part of, or merited, any investigation and are happy to clarify the position.

UKIP: Nigel Farage & the EFD Borghezio-Speroni Scandal

Readers of this blog will be aware that both Borghezio and Speroni - EFD colleagues and friends of Nigel Farage - both openly praised Norwegian mass murderer, Anders Breivik.

Borghezio went on record as stating that “One hundred per cent of Breivik’s ideas are good, in some cases extremely good. The positions of Breivik reflect the views of those movements across Europe which are winning elections.”.

Speroni also praised Breivik as having ideas that "defended European culture. See: LINK & LINK & LINK

Nigel Farage's claimed that Borghezio had been suspended from the EFD for 3 months because of his comments. This later proved to be a lie. That Farage is more than happy to sit with men who can praise the murderer of children speaks volumes! LINK

Here are several excellent articles on Farage's duplicity over this issue. They are taken from the British Democracy Forum...........

Barboo has written very eloquently on here about the way Nigel Farage has handled the outrage over the remarks about the Breivik atrocities by the Northern League's Mario Borghezio and Francesco Speroni. According to a report in the Italian media (link here: Euroscettici inglesi contro Borghezio - ATTUALITA ) matters were supposed to come to a head during the week of 24-27 October. Here is a translation of the report:

British Eurosceptics against Borghezio

Call for Northern League’s expulsion from the European Group EFD.

Inside or outside. The fate of the Northern League MEP from Piedmont, Mario Borghezio; by the end of October, the party must decide what to do.

Keep him in or put him out of the EFD Group, Europe of Freedom and Democracy? Clamouring for his head are the British eurosceptic UKIP, prime force of the group, tired of the 'performance' of Borghezio and, more particularly, much annoyed by his statements on the killer of Oslo, Breivik, which had also provoked his suspension from the Northern League. For those words Borghezio has been suspended by the League and also, on September 13 last, the EFD, but a yellow card is not enough, they want him to be expelled.

"UKIP", reads a letter sent to their Italian colleagues, “calls on the Northern League to ask Borghezio to leave the EFD Group and go non-attached before the end of the legislature."

The decision will be made during the plenary session of October 24 to 27. "The UKIP delegation UKIP," said its leader Nigel Farage, is "very, very unhappy about Borghezio."

BETWEEN UFOs AND BURNED CLOTHES
The letter cited the MEP’s interests in "UFOs and the Bilderberg Group" and his act of "burning the clothes of immigrant children." But the straw that broke UKIP was "his comments and his timing about the Norwegian murderer Breivik" that "exceeded all bounds." Borghezio is accused of damaging the "reputation of other members of the group" with words that "will be used" against them "in the European elections of 2014."

THE DECISION OF THE LEAGUE
Now the ball is in the Northern League’s court, because Borghezio has no intention of taking a step back. "Just think, if I resign," he says by phone from the U.S. "I had a vote of 50 000 Padanians to represent the people proudly in Europe." For him the case was closed with an apology to the Norwegian ambassador in Italy, but not for the British, while the Leaguist Francesco Speroni, EFD co-leader, tries to pour water on the fire. "It is not yet closed, but neither is it said that you get to the most extreme solution." That is, the expulsion of Borghezio.

THE STATUTE OF THE WAR CHARIOT
According to statute, this (expulsion of a member) is decided by the affirmative vote of two thirds of the members. Speroni’s impression is that “from rumours, I do not think that there are the numbers, but if they all agree, the League will not have enough to save it (8 out of 27, Borghezio not voting - ed)."

Saving Borghezio means not to continue living with British colleagues. "If they insist," Speroni affirms constantly, “the group ends; it goes if just four jump from the EFD." In short, a delicate situation that, as UKIP asks, must be decided by the League. "But this would be a decision to be taken higher than me," admits Speroni, meaning the League’s party headquarters in Milan’s Via Bellerio.

So, it appears quite clearly from this report that Farage was to have been presented with a straight choice on the week of 24-27 October - Borghezio's expulsion or the EFD's survival. Principles or presidential position. His co-president, Mad Frankie Speroni, was telling him bluntly that he couldn't have both. Three weeks later, a look at the European Parliament's website shows that the EFD still exists and that Lega Nord MEPs, including Borghezio, are still being listed as part of it.

Farage and the rest of the UKIP MEPs appear to have kept very quiet about all of this, which is remarkable, because if the above report is accurate (and, as Speroni is quoted at length in it, there is plenty of evidence that it is), then the much-debated EFD faced nothing short of an existential crisis and, moreover, Farage was on the face of it making a great point of principle over Borghezio's future in the group. But since the whole furore over Borghezio and Speroni's comments first erupted, we have seen several examples of Farage huffing and puffing about it, only to do very little, if anything at all, when it comes to the crunch. Mad Frankie Speroni's own comments, for example, were initially condemned, alongside demands for apologies and retractions, and then quickly and entirely forgotten.

Another pattern one can glean is that Farage has been quite sly about making threats that are either unrealistic or else are not what they initially seem. For example, his initial threat was that UKIP MEPs would suspend their membership of the EFD if no apologies and retractions were forthcoming from Speroni and Borghezio. But that was never going to happen, a) because examination of the EFD Group's statutes show that there is no mechanism for voluntary suspension of membership and b) because, of course, if UKIP MEPs had nonetheless left the group, however temporarily, the EFD's membership would have dropped way below the required minimum and it would have collapsed immediately.

Now one might possibly detect another "all is not what it seems moment". The clue is in Farage's most peculiar demand that the Lega Nord asks Borghezio "to leave the EFD Group and go non-attached before the end of the legislature." That gives the League until June 2014! If that is correct, they are Farage's most weasel words yet on the shabby affair. Perhaps Speroni has quietly promised that Borghezio will leave the EFD quietly near the end of parliament, when it will not greatly matter, and Farage has in return promised to drop the whole issue, content in the knowledge that he can whip out the above mentioned letter at any moment, should any more inconvenient publicity arise.

In any event, one thing is clear - Borghezio is still in the EFD Group. So just what did happen on 24-27 October, or at any other time subsequent to the above media report? We should be told.

And this...

Well, we now have the answer to the question. Sadly, the answer is YES - Farage DID put the survival of the EFD ahead of principle.

From the Italian media: Ue: Borghezio reintegrato in gruppo Parlamento Ue - La voce degli Eurodeputati - ANSA Europa - ANSA.it

Translation:

EU: BORGHEZIO REINSTATED IN EU PARLIAMENT GROUP

EFD had suspended sentence after the Oslo massacre

BRUSSELS – A three-month ban discounted, Mario Borghezio is officially reinstated in the EFD Group, Europe of Freedom and Democracy. The penalty was taken in the summer for the statements of the Piedmont MEP about the instigator of the Oslo massacre, Anders Breivik. Borghezio said he considered his ideas “good” and “shared” them, but then, also considering the controversy, apologised to the Norwegian Ambassador to Italy. For those expressions, Borghezio was suspended by the league and then, in parallel, from the Northern League team in Europe.

On 13 September the British eurosceptic UKIP, the largest party of the EFD, had also sent an ultimatum to League colleagues asking openly for Borghezio’s resignation from the group. 'His presence was considered “too high a price to pay'' and a weapon that the British press could use against UKIP “in the 2014 European elections''. But the threats were revoked this week, because the resignation or expulsion of Borghezio would put at risk the survival of the group, just two deputies over the minimum threshold of 25 members.

As I said in opening this thread, Farage had a straight choice - "Borghezio's expulsion or the EFD's survival. Principles or presidential position". He has taken the selfish and cowardly options. His various outpourings of fake disgust and feigned outrage at Borghezio's statements have proved to be not worth the paper they were written on. He has managed to be spectacularly stupid, too, because, having long brushed off or denied allegations that he was sitting with extremists in the EFD Group, he has committed to paper an admission of previous acts by Borghezio, such as setting fire to the clothes of immigrant children, and yet he has signalled that despite such criminal and extremist acts he is still prepared to sit in the same group as Borghezio, indeed to be president of that group.

The other damning point to emerge from Farage's weasel-worded letter to Speroni is this - Farage has admitted in writing that he recognises that Borghezio's continued presence in the EFD could be used by the press against UKIP in 2014, and yet ultimately he is not prepared to do anything about it. Ultimately, he is even prepared to knowingly imperil the party's election prospects if they come between him and his precious group of extremists and pro-Europeans. The message is that Farage values his position as EFD President above his responsibilities as UKIP leader.

In cowardly fashion, Farage threw the ball into the Lega Nord's court, surely knowing that two Padanian fingers would be the only response. But the power to do something remains in Farage's own hands. In the immediate aftermath of Borghezio and Speroni's foul remarks about the Norwegian atrocities, he was quite unequivocal about both Lega Nord MEPs. "I have written to the leadership of the Northern League party to demand an immediate full retraction and apology", said Farage on the UKIP website. "If my request is not met, then we will suspend our membership of the EFD group." Four months later, there has been no full retraction from either Borghezio or Speroni, but both of them remain in the EFD Group, UKIP MEPs remain in the EFD Group, and Mad Frankie Speroni even continues to be EFD Co-President alongside Farage. Indeed, Speroni's part in this scandal was forgotten by Farage within days and all attention, such as it was, was focussed on Borghezio. As soon as it became clear that Farage's call for "immediate" retractions was just bluster, Speroni was able to laugh in the face of any further idle threats that followed from his co-president over the ensuing months.

As the EU descends into chaos and imposes its unelected "prime ministers" on previously democratic member states in ever more desperate attempts to avert the crisis, and while Cameron, Clegg and Miliband gaze on cluelessly, the people of Britain are crying out for real leaders. Real tests of leadership are not about who can fire easy shots on YouTube. The Borghezio-Speroni Scandal was a true test of moral and political leadership and Farage comprehensively bottled it. It called for a man, and Farage has shown he is a mouse.

Reg Anthony. LINK

And here are Barboo's comments on the same subject:

Speroni was directly quoted by the Guardian, saying: "Breivik's ideas are in defence of western civilisation", and "I'm with Borghezio. I don't think he should resign. If [Breivik's] ideas are that we are going towards Eurabia and those sorts of things, that western Christian civilisation needs to be defended, yes, I'm in agreement".

In a statement on 28 July, UKIP said Nigel Farage had contacted Speroni, his EFD co-president, "to demand an immediate retraction and apology following his remarks and those of his fellow Northern League MEP Mario Borghezio . . . . If no retraction is forthcoming then UKIP will suspend its membership of the EFD group in which it sits alongside the Italian political party".

On 29 July, UKIP's follow up statement said Speroni had written to Farage saying that he condemns the massacre and the extreme fundamentalism in question - an addition to his earlier remarks.

Has Speroni withdrawn the statements he made in support of Borghezio?

No, he has not.

Has Speroni retracted his agreement with Breivik's ideas?

No, he has not.

Has Speroni apologised?

No, he has not.

Has Nigel Farage suspended UKIP MEPs' membership of the EFD as he said he would?

Apparently not. It seems Borghezio has been suspended by his party and UKIP says it is satisfied that this "will send a clear message that they, and we will not have any truck with such disgraceful sentiments now or in the future". Farage is convening the EFD next week to suspend Borghezio from the group.

So that's it. The book thrown at Borghezio; Speroni quietly forgotten. UKIP can trumpet that Farage has taken "prompt action", and the EFD can survive with the temporary loss of one Italian.

Note that Farage's demands for "an immediate retraction and apology" from Speroni are for home consumption only. The EFD's website doesn't mention them, or the threat to suspend UKIP MEPs' membership of the group.

And....

An interesting aspect of this is that one of those who has condemned Borghezio's comments, calling them "terrible, unspeakable remarks", is the Lega Nord MP and cabinet minister Roberto Calderoli, the man indirectly responsible for UKIP MEPs and their allies expelling the Lega Nord from their previous Independence & Democracy group.

Calderoli was not even an MEP, yet in 2006 his party was expelled from the Ind/Dem following his provocative comments and TV appearance wearing a T-shirt bearing a copy of one of the Danish Muslim cartoons.

There has been no talk of expelling Speroni and Borghezio, whose comments have caused the current outrage; only of UKIP MEPs 'suspending' their EFD membership.

And it looks like Farage is welching on even that!

He gave Speroni an ultimatum - make an immediate full retraction and apologise, or we suspend our membership of the group.

Speroni has done neither. He's stuck two metaphorical fingers up at UKIP's leader and Farage has backed down, talking now of convening the EFD Bureau to suspend Borghezio instead.

He wouldn't need to run to the Bureau for consent if he'd kept his word and suspended UKIP's membership. He could have done that all by himself!

And finally .....

At the end of July, following the mass murder of young Norwegians by Anders Behring Breivik, UKIP issued two statements regarding comments made by their MEPs' EFD colleagues Mario Borghezio and Francesco Speroni.

On 28 July, UKIP wrote: "Nigel Farage said: "I have written to the leadership of the Northern League party to demand an immediate full retraction and apology. If my request is not met, then we will suspend our membership of the EFD group".

A clear and unequivocal undertaking.

On 29 July, following Speroni's reply, UKIP wrote: "Mr Farage is convening the governing Bureau of the EFD Group in the European Parliament next week in order to suspend Mr Borghezio from his membership of the group".

Another clear and unequivocal undertaking, yet if Borghezio had retracted and apologised as Farage demanded, why was he to be suspended? And if he had not retracted and apologised, Farage (having suspended UKIP MEPs from the group as stated on July 28), would not then be in a position to convene the Bureau and suspend Borghezio.

So where is the retraction and apology, and on what date and with what outcome was the Bureau convened?

Because despite UKIP's statements and Nigel Farage's assurance, UKIP MEPs are still sitting and voting in the European parliament with their EFD colleagues Speroni and Borghezio. See Roll-call votes, Busuttil Report, 13.9.2011

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/...EN&language=EN

quote

(Against) EFD: (The Earl of) Dartmouth, Agnew, Andreasen, Batten, Bizzotto, Borghezio, Bufton, Clark, Farage, Fontana, Provera, Rossi, Salvini, Scotta, Speroni, de Villiers

ends

Huffing and puffing empty promises to shut critics up at home; treated with contempt by MEPs he 'presides' over in Brussels; and all the time, out of sight of UKIP members, European parliament business as usual.

How utterly despicable!

LINK