fordtit

Who knows. This has been dragging on for over two years. We need closure on this issue.

Truthwillout

There is a simple answer to this one. Farage must publish how he spends his £39,000 office allowance. He will not object to this if he has nothing to hide.

If he doesn't publish it, then we ought to ask the question why?

xhenry

At the risk of sounding like an apologist for greed - the EU system of expenses is designed to corrupt - to suck people into the system. "gone native" used to be the phrase for political conversion - if they can't do it that way then just appealing to people's greed is a way to keep them quiesecent. It would be nice to think that our MEP's are somehow purer than pure - but it's not reality and the expressions of outrage are more about how the person who has decided to support UKIP feels than anything else - we are a political party not a religious order ! It would take a very special person to be frank to just play things by the book when such deliberate temptation is put in their way - Puritan stuff about "taxpayers money" seems to imply that the EU can be regarded as a worthy guardian of our money - when really it is a corrupting organisation that is stealing millions. No - I'm afraid we get the leaders we deserve and the sooner we broaden our appeal beyond being against the EU - which just gives the "nutters/obsessives" (yes I know there are some who have "seen the light" ) too much leverage in branches hence the tendency for them to be ignored/bypassed by the top - and get a broader base of support the better.

brian lee

Tom Wise and the News of the World have done us all a favour. We now know that the fighting of EU Parliamentary Elections by those of us who are anti-EU is futile. The ones who are elected will never be able to change anything, but like the animals in Animal Farm will soon start behaving like the humans.

UKIP's 12 MEPs elected in 2004 made no difference to the UKIP candidates' electability in the 2005 Westminster elections. To some extent the electorate, and even members of UKIP, were conned by the 2004 slogan, "Say No to the EU". People voted for UKIP candidates to protest against Britain's membership of the EU but when it came to the Westminster Elections the following year the issues were different and the results for UKIP were abyssmal.

Fighting elections just because you can with them through PR type voting systems is not a good reason for taking part. All that happens is that members and supporters spend a vast amount of time and energy on the elections on behalf of a few fortunate individuals who get elected and acquire an undreamed of life style.

When UKIP was established it was on the basis that it might fight EU elections but on the understanding that if elected the MEPs would not take their seats. This was similar to the stance of Irish Republicans towards Stormont and Westminster Elections.

The rules were changed because the members believed there would be benefits to the Party. It would appear that most of the benefits go to the MEPs themselves. Recent local election results by UKIP candidates in the Eastern Counties area, which elected 2 MEPs, have shown that UKIP has not been able to make a breakthrough into local politics. I saw well-known members of UKIP acquiring votes as low as 1% and 5%. Without success at local level UKIP will not make the breakthrough into National Politics which is where the decision about the future of Britain in the EU lies.

The in-fighting indicated in this forum about who will be the UKIP lead candidate at the next EU Election in the Eastern Counties area may make amusing reading to an outsider. However it doesn't really matter who is elected unless they use their time and vast wealth in their own country on issues that the electorate perceives as important.

It is no good beating one's breast and saying to the electorate, "It is all the fault of the EU," and getting on the next plane for another free lunch.

fordtit

It is essential that UKIP promote it's non-EU policies as many still think we are a one issue party. As far as the East is concerned we need root and branch reform. Any UKIP MEPs elected in the East must be committed to doing more in the East. We can't have a situation where another Jeffrey Titford does little to help branches and only gets motivated if it involves raising Gulleford's profile. He or she must also live in the East not Sussex! At the moment there are only three potential candidates in the East who I will support. However, Jeffery Titford will, no doubt, try to block them as they threaten his chosen heir.

Legin

Well Done Tom, we need MEP's like Tom to show just how wrong it is for Great Britain to be in the EU, let us hope that when the next General election takes place the voters are against any party that thinks it right to be a member of the EU!B][/b]

Populist Lee

I'm afraid the day UKIP got three MEPs elected to the EU Parliament was the day UKIP's fate was sealed.

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eublues

UKIP got some MEPs elected and hasn't made progress in terms of MPs elected to the H of C.

However, that does not prove that if we had had no MEPs we would have done better - indeed the Party may have given up completely.

Arguably, UKIP having MEPs has been important in keeping anti-EU sentiment simmering below the surface in the UK. If that is so, it's not enough, but better than nothing.

fordtit

According to my friends in Essex, Tom Wise is due to make a statement about the News of the World article. It should appear very soon.

brian lee

I applaud Populist Lee, (I wish he had a name), for putting it so succinctly. However, anti-EU parties have to put their thinking caps on to promote the cause effectively with the voters of this country.

Perhaps we should all go about in a distinctive uniform that is a constant reminder of Britain's position in Europe. Anybody for a poodle costume?