Originally Posted by fordtit

A new direction: the road to Independence. 10th May 2008
As you will know I was elected to represent a large number of people who wish to see Britain withdraw from the EU. I was originally persuaded that this aim was helped by my membership of the Ind/Dem Group.

One of the arguments was that I would receive strong research back-up and that my choice of whom I should engage would be respected. Another was that the Group would operate in a democratic and transparent way, respecting the rights of individual MEPs.

Sadly it has become increasingly obvious that membership of the Ind/Dem Group is hindering my work as a UKIP MEP. It is both undermining my principled stand against Britain’s membership of the EU and also the practical day-to-day work that I do. It is being run in a dictatorial way with an oppressive disregard for common decency.

Three issues in the last few weeks have brought this sharply into focus.

The first was the publication of a Press Statement by Mr Bonde, co president of the group. In this extraordinary document he revealed that he was “Initially an outright opponent of his country’s membership of the Union" but the Danish MEP eventually took to trying to reform the Union….. "the European Union has become for him something that needs to be changed, not necessarily avoided.” This is clearly a contrary to UKIP’s position and undermines our arguments for withdrawal.

The second is that I am very concerned about the strong connections between the pan-European political party, the EU Democrats, of which Mr Bonde is President, and of which his replacement as co-President of Ind/Dem, Kathy Sinnot is vice-President. Such political parties are anathema to what UKIP stands for, and I am unhappy about indications that Ind/Dem money might be used to assist in this project.

Lastly, is the summary dismissal, for no good reason, of two highly effective members of the research staff, one of whom was seconded to work for me. Not only was no attempt made to seek my views or involve me in the process; the individuals were told of this action by a cursory letter!

In Britain this would be a gross breach of employment law and would represent the worst of employment practice. In political terms it is the sort of thing one would expect from an extremist organisation or people with totalitarian instincts.

For these reasons I can no longer associate myself with those who blatantly violate the very principles on which I was elected and I therefore have resigned from the Ind/Dem Group. I of course remain a UKIP MEP, a member of UKIP and will continue to campaign and work for Britain to leave the EU. Tom Wise MEP