UKIP have backed the British National Party in their efforts to get their hands on hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayer cash, branding moves to block funding for Nick Griffin’s fascists “dangerous and undemocratic”.
In a brazen attempt to access yet more of the European cash on which his party is dependent, Nick Griffin has led the expansion of a new grouping in the European Parliament — with the hope of becoming an official European political party. The Alliance of European National Movements would then stand to benefit from up to €400,000 (£335,000) of funding.
All that stands in between Griffin and the cash is article 210 of the European Parliament’s Rules of Procedure — which block extremist parties from funding but needs to be invoked by MEPs. But UKIP have ordered their MEPs not to oppose the extremists or to respond positively to a Hope Not Hate campaign on the issue.
Predictably, the UKIP statement setting out their position is a contradictory shambles. Having claimed that a block on BNP funds would be “discrimination” …
“It must be understood that UKIP is opposed both constitutionally and as a matter of policy to ANY form of discrimination.”
… party spinners then explain how they, errr, discriminate against all former BNP members:
“In addition, UKIP is, we believe, the only Party in the UK which specifically prohibits members or former members of such parties as the British National Party … from becoming members of our Party.”
Their hypocrisy doesn’t end there, however, as Labour MEP Richard Howitt told Scrapbook earlier:
“UKIP will block EU cash going to support teenagers jobs and skills training in the UK, but seem happy to give the green light to funds, which will only be used to stir up hate by fringe parties.”
Like the UKIP MEP who has already broken ranks to support Hope Not Hate’s campaign, you can sign up here.
