UKIP news review 2 march

UKIP news national

Whilst Farage's fine and the whole Van Rompuy story keeps on rolling, today we shall start with The Times, where Ben Mcintyre is given two pages to cover Friday's visit of Geert Wilders to the UK. Based on the principle of free speech, UKIP leader Lord Pearson and Baroness have re-invited Wilders to show his film Fitna in the House of Lords,

On Friday, at the invitation of the UKIP leader Lord Pearson of Rannoch and Baroness Cox of Queensbury, he will show Fitna to MPs, peers and guests before giving a press conference at Westminster.

“The issue of militant Islam is the greatest issue facing our Judeo-Christian culture,” Lord Pearson said. “I don’t agree that the Koran should be banned but we want it discussed ... mild Muslims should stand up and debate their militant co-religionists.”

Now one can agree with Wilders, or disagree, but as a serious politicain in a friendly nation, one who, with the recent collapse of the Dutch government, find himself Prime Minister by June - or at least leader of the largest single party it seems pretty simple that he and his views should be allowed to be heard in Westminster.

That his party, the Party for Freedom is eurosceptic, free trading, and atlanticist should scare no one. That he takes the issue of poltical Islam seriously likewise. That he has called for the banning of the Koran is in my view wrong. But it has to be remembered that he comes from a political culture where books are banned in order to hamper violent political creeds. What is an anathema to our anglo-saxon eyes is the norm on the continent.

Hey on the continent you cannot even call a guy a bank clerk without being punished, as has duly happened to Nigel Farage. His 3000 euro fine has been widely reported in the media today.

In the Daily Mail, Kirsty Walker writes it up, as does Bruno Waterfield in the Telegraph. The Guardian has a go, The Independent, Reuters, AFP, the BBC and Sky.

It needs to go on record that Farage did apologise to bank clerks the world over. UKIP focus groups had advised us that we might lose the bank clerk vote over describing them as looking like a bit part Belgian politicain.

In the bloggosphere his comments have been picked up by the biggest German political blog and Dan Hannan has pointed out the dangers faced by any eurosceptic in the Brussels assembly,

Still, I’d be interested to know what criteria define his offence as being in a different category from all the others I have cited. Is it that you can be rude about Euro-sceptics, but not Euro-integrationists?

Just to let people know, Farage has this morning launched an appeal against the fine based on Rule 9.3 of the Parliament's Rules of Procedure,

2. Members’ conduct shall be characterised by mutual respect, be based on the values and principles laid down in the basic texts on which the European Union is founded, respect the dignity of Parliament and not compromise the smooth conduct of parliamentary business or disturb the peace and quiet of any of Parliament's premises.

Failure to comply with those standards may lead to application of the measures provided for in Rules 152, 153 and 154.

3. The application of this Rule shall in no way detract from the liveliness of parliamentary debates nor undermine Members’ freedom of speech.

So we shall see.

Other UKIP in the news
Jasna Badzak, fresh from rattling the Standard's cage earlier this week is in the Westminster Chronicle,

Ms Badzak, who has lived in Harrow Road, North Paddington, for 15 years, said: "Conservative and Labour have been in power in the north of Westminster and nothing has changed.

"We still have high levels of crime, the economy is basically in freefall and our high streets are getting emptier and emptier as small businesses struggle to survive.

"As a business consultant, I understand the concerns of small businesses.

"I want the opportunity to give something back tot he community that has done so much to help me."

Other pledges include introducing a zero tolerance approach to crime and antisocial behaviour in Westminster North, increasing social mobility and supporting Britain leaving the European Union.

Ms Barzak has been a member of the North Westminster police community consultative group for nine years, and is involved with the Russell's Wharf Residents' Association.

The Earl of Dartmouth gets due credit for all the work he has put in to secure the release on bail of the Budapest two.

The story is widely covered here at the BBC,

However William Dartmouth, UKIP MEP for the West Country, said a high profile campaign by Mark Turner and extensive media coverage of the case had undoubtedly put pressure on Hungarian authorities.

Mr Dartmouth has called for "an immediate suspension of the European arrest warrants", which Hungarian prosecutors used to detain the men alleging the company's creditors were the victims of fraud.

And across the South West. The Bornemouth Echo The Swindon Advertiser and the Plymouth Herald for example. The photo shows William with Mark Turner and his girlfriend at Gatwick yesterday.

John Bufton warns of the dangers of new angling rules in the North Wales Daily Post

Angling threat
A CHANGE in EC legislation could result in sea anglers fined for not recording their catches. Article 47 of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy proposes including recreational sea angling under national fishing quotas.
Wales MEP John Bufton said the regulation, if implemented, would force sea anglers to land everything they catch, damaging tag and release programmes.

The article also highlights the latest lunacy from the RSPCA and bunny huggers united,

ALL abattoirs should have CCTV installed to ensure farm animals have a “painless and humane” end to their lives, the RSPCA has urged. The charity said there was a need for closer scrutiny to improve the welfare of animals before they die. The cameras would allow evidence of cruelty to be collected, and protect workers from bogus allegations.

Stuart Agnew was helping fight a 5,000 house developemnt in Peterbrough
Meanwhile Farage will be in St Albans tomorrow adressing a meetting with local UKIP candidate John Stocker