Eton Rules ..…. When the School Bully challenges you to a fight with the time, place and rules being chosen by him, you know one thing for sure; it won’t be a fair contest. If you’re offered a shot at the heavyweight champion‘s title, but the ‘champ’ is allowed to carry a chunk of metal in his gloves, your manager would advise you not to accept the fight. As the shape of the EU referendum campaign begins to emerge, one thing is clear – it won’t be a fair contest. But fight it we must.
Cameron has refused to set spending limits, define a fixed period for the campaign, or ensure equal funding and media treatment for both sides of the argument. The ‘Yes’ side will enjoy unlimited media access and support, virtually unlimited public funds and will have all the resources of government at their disposal. They will have given themselves an overwhelming set of built-in advantages, which will make it extremely difficult to get a ‘NO’ vote. The whole referendum process is beginning to look so lopsided and unfair, it could call into question the democratic legitimacy of the result.
So how can UKIP overcome the odds and win ? First, the ‘NO’ campaign must avoid any negativity and not appear backward looking. It should at all times, convey a positive vision – How Much Better Off Britain Will Be Without the EU; The UK’s Prosperous Future As an Independent Trading Nation. William Dartmouth’s excellent book on these themes is being mass produced for all UKIP branches to distribute. Second, it needs to focus public attention on what really drives the EU project; a hugely misguided ‘peace project’ based on a false interpretation of 20th century history; a 1950‘s ‘big state’ solution to a 1920’s problem, which cripples Britain‘s (and every other country’s) ability to compete in the modern world. All the other issues promoted by the EU are simply the means to this end.
Third, it is vital that the NO campaign is united. UKIP has taken the lead and launched its campaign ‘Say NO – Believe in Britain’. Leaflets and publicity materials are already being prepared. But others are about to take the field too: ‘No Thanks – We’re Going Global’, a business led group with £20m funding (including UKIP donor Aaron Banks); ‘Business For Britain’; another business led consortium ‘The kNOw’, plus our allies in the Freedom Association (‘Better Off Out’), and others.
To win, all involved in the NO campaign must put differences aside and work together under one banner. The most difficult group to integrate will be the Tory ‘Euro-sceptics’ who have sat on their hands so far, and may be reluctant to join a campaign fronted by their party’s deadliest rivals: Nigel Farage and UKIP. In the meantime, enjoy watching the Tories unravel as Cameron’s bogus ‘re-negotiations’ are exposed.
CON-ned Again ..… The Conservatives have quickly abandoned their election ‘pledge’ for even a modest cap on residential care home fees, rivalling in speed the LibDems infamous U-turn on tuition fees in 2010. It will now be put back until after the next election (there’s a surprise), or more likely given the state of public finances, never happen at all. Remind any Conservative voters that only UKIP presented a fully audited manifesto this May, giving only affordable spending commitments.
TTIP – The Corporatist Scam ..…. On 8th July, MEP’s voted by 436 to 241 to approve the Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the EU and the USA. An amendment excluding the NHS from TTIP was lost by 507 votes to 142. Labour, Conservative and the LibDem MEP’s all voted in favour of TTIP. UKIP, led by our own William Dartmouth MEP, was the only major UK party to vote against it. Why ?
Speaking in The Independent (26th June), UKIP MP Douglas Carswell condemned TTIP as ‘a corporatist scam‘, which could destroy Britain’s public services: ‘UKIP is a party that believes free trade between peoples is the surest way to greater prosperity. However the TTIP is not a free trade deal, but one that favours big multi-national corporates over the interests of smaller businesses, and most importantly, the democratic right of people to set public spending policy through elections. TTIP as it stands, could hand the NHS lock, stock and barrel to huge business corporations, against the wishes of the British people …’
The EFDD group has started a Facebook Campaign against TTIP. Within a few days it already has over 70,000 followers. However as William Dartmouth observes: ‘the only way that citizens can defeat TTIP now is to vote to leave the EU …’
Lending Money With Menaces …. Standing up to EU bullying and propaganda, on 8th July 62% of Greeks voted ‘Oxi’ (NO) to the EU ’bailout’ to keep Greece in the euro. We don’t know how many of them would have voted to leave the euro, but one thing they certainly didn’t vote for was for their government to capitulate a few days later and accept ’bailout’ terms from the EU that were even worse than those offered to begin with. Having marched them to the top of the hill and then abandoned them (according to one EU official, PM Alexis Tsipras faced 17 hours of ‘psychological water-boarding‘), the Syriza government is discredited, as is the idea that Greece can remain in the euro and still have any say over her financial destiny. Interestingly, 67% of Greece’s under 35’s voted NO. The country’s future appears to lie with the Independent Greeks Party and a return to the drachma.
Meanwhile Greece’s problems have not been resolved. National debt is currently 180% of GDP and 1000 illegal migrants are landing on her shores every day. According to a leaked EU study paper, even if ‘austerity’ is maintained until 2030 the debt will still be 130% of GDP; completely unsustainable. All the events of the past few days have done is to postpone the inevitable until in a few months time, Greece will return to the same point again and will repeatedly keep doing so, until the Greek people finally reach breaking point.
‘Who Controls The Past, Controls The Future’ ..…. 30 leading historians have pledged their support to ‘Historians For Britain’, a campaign group calling for a fundamental change in the UK’s relationship with the EU. Among them are David Starkey, Richard Shannon and from Cambridge University, Professors Robert Tombs, David Abulafia and Richard Rex. In an essay to accompany the campaign launch, Prof Abulafia wrote:
’The search for common roots has not been ignored in Brussels and among its acolytes. School textbooks are issued that attempt to present the history of Europe as a common enterprise ….. There is a push to create a sense of European citizenship based on an invented common history for political purposes ……. Children are being misled into believing that European citizenship trumps national allegiance and plants the idea that a fully integrated European state is both obvious and natural. This has involved a distortion of the past, by claiming that a sense of European identity has existed for centuries and assuming a common purpose leading to the ultimate unification of Europe ….. Where it has been the history of unity, as we’ve seen under Napoleon and Hitler, and under Stalin in Eastern Europe, it has gone disastrously wrong ……’
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Local UKIP Branch News ……..
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Janice Long (UKIP Poole) has organised a collection which raised £100 for Mark Smith, the Bearwood resident attacked by thugs who were attempting to vandalise his ‘Vote UKIP’ board. Well done Janice.
We’re delighted to report that David Mattocks has been elected to Corfe Mullen Parish Council, coming 5th in a field of 16 candidates, with 1,574 votes. David is particularly keen in getting involved with local planning, housing and environmental issues in the parish.
Each UKIP branch has been asked to make a log of all social media using the UKIP name. If you, as a UKIP member, have a Twitter or Facebook account which is identifiable as being UKIP (ie. mentioned in the name or address or using the UKIP logo, please let the Branch Secretary (01202-602427) know so that this list can be compiled – the information will then be held by the South-West Counties Committee.
During the election campaign, we heard a number of reports from parents about their children’s teachers smearing UKIP. Reports of child indoctrination are being taken extremely seriously, and UKIP’s Party Chairman has commissioned a special report on the matter. If you are aware of any such incidents, please report them to the Branch Secretary, Diana 01202-602427 (with the teacher’s name and school), and it will get investigated. Don’t forget to send a formal letter of complaint to the school’s Head and Chair of the Board of Governors.
Since May 7th, our branch has gained 16 new members (132 total), plus many more new supporters. It shows the benefit of running vigorous election campaigns at every opportunity, as ‘stepping stones’ to building our strength and support for the next one.
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Footnotes from the May Election ……..
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On May 7th, UKIP fielded 42 parliamentary candidates from Asian, mixed-race or Eastern European backgrounds. Many stood in some of the toughest seats for UKIP: London and inner-city wards in metropolitan areas. All achieved above average results for their area and most retained their deposits; growing evidence that UKIP is reaching to British citizens of all communities and backgrounds, who believe in the values of independence and self-reliance.
UKIP came in the top three in 477 out of 574 parliamentary constituencies in England and Wales. LibDem parliamentary candidates suffered 338 Lost Deposits (less than 5% of the vote).
UKIP fielded parliamentary candidates in Northern Ireland for the first time. Four of the eight UKIP candidates in the province retained their deposits, gaining a total of 16,218 votes (5.44%) (that’s 16,218 more votes than the LibLabCon). It shows that UKIP is truly the party of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and can offer an effective alternative to sectarian party politics.
In its first General Election campaign in 1997, UKIP gained 104,950 votes (1.08%). In 2005, UKIP gained 605,729 votes (2.96%); in 2010, 919,738 votes (3.56%), and in 2015, 3,878,733 votes (12.46%). In 1997, 191 of 192 UKIP candidates lost their deposits; in 2015 it was just 79 of 622. In 1997 only one UKIP candidate got more than 5%; in 2015, 253 UKIP candidates exceeded 15%; 68 exceeded 20%.
Figures eventually released by the BBC prove Nigel’s claim that the TV audience for the leaders debate on 15th April was biased. Of the audience that was selected for the programme by polling organisation ICM, the supporters of left-wing parties (Labour, LibDem, SNP, Green) outnumbered those of ‘right wing‘ parties (Conservatives, UKIP) by nearly 2 to 1 (nb. the two ‘right wing’ parties beat the three left-wing parties in England and Wales by more than 2.5m votes – ed.)
BBC4‘s ‘The Great European Disaster Movie’, slandering UKIP, depicting ‘catastrophic consequences’ from EU break-up (screened in the election campaign), was partly funded by the EU from its translation budget. The BBC has received some £22m over a 7-year period from the EU’s ‘communications’ budget.
In an extraordinary letter to the Daily Mail (4th May), two of Britain’s most experienced international elections observers (Bruce George & Julian Peel Yates OBE), who have led more than 60 scrutiny missions, warned that Britain is in breach of key international standards for the conduct of elections. Breaches include defective postal balloting, no guarantee of voter secrecy, and no requirement for voters to provide any form of identity. Moreover Britain does not meet its international obligation to guarantee the ‘equality’ of the vote, so certain parties gain a disproportionate number of seats relative to their support.
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Snouts In The Trough ……..
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A National Audit Office investigation has found that some aid workers received daily rates of £800 to £1000 a day, as the DfID spent money in the last quarter of 2013 in an effort to reach its spending ’target’ for the year. Hundreds of ‘team leaders’ were paid at least £120,000 a year from aid projects, once expenses were taken into account. Figures released by the DfID also show that spending on consultants has doubled in four years to £1.2 bn, more than 10% of the total aid budget ….. (Daily Mail, 18th April)
240 Local Councils have taken out LOBO (Lender Option/Borrower Option) loans from banks at high rates of interest, costing Council taxpayers millions each year. A LOBO is similar to a fixed-rate mortgage and can run up to 70 years, with severe penalty clauses for default. LOBO loans now account for about 20% of all Council borrowing. Many Councils were encouraged to take out LOBO’s by central government in the early noughties (in place of low interest government loans); some are currently paying interest rates on these loans of over 7%, when interest rates have been at an all-time low. It is estimated that some banks have ‘earned’ up to £1m on the first day in ‘up front’ bonuses from signing Councils onto LOBO loans …. (C4 Dispatches – ‘How Council’s Blow Your Millions‘, 6th July)
High Street banks are to pay out executive bonuses worth more than £5bn. HSBC’s Chief Executive is due to receive ‘pay and perks’ worth £7.4m, including a bonus of £1.3m, from a total bonus pool of £2.2bn. Lloyds Banking Group will announce total payouts worth around £375m, including a £7m package for its Chief Executive. Barclays is expected to give its executives bonuses of just under £2bn, slightly below the £2.4bn paid last year ….. (Daily Mail, 21st Feb).
MPs will receive a pay rise of 10.3%, after agreeing to the recommendations of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. Basic MP’s pay will rise by £6,940 to £74,000 pa. Mr Cameron will receive a 4.9% increase (£149,440) and Cabinet Ministers 5.2% (£141,505) This is after David Cameron had ‘pledged’ to block any increase in MP’s pay and comes at a time when public sector workers pay has been pegged at a 1% increase … (Daily Mail, 3rd June)
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Stories You Won’t Hear on the BBC ….
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Britain’s national debt has reached £1.52 trillion (£1,500,200,000,000); a record 80.8% of national product, or £23,400 for every person. This year’s interest payments on the debt will be £46bn: £1bn more than the entire defence budget (source: Office of National Statistics). The Taxpayers Alliance estimate the true UK national debt is £8.6 trillion, when the cost of unfunded public sector pensions and private finance initiatives is included, or £320,000 per household.
‘The BBC spends less than half its money on programmes ….. In 2014/15 just £2.4bn of its £5.1bn annual budget went on ’public service content’. Most of the remainder was swallowed up by its new buildings, middle managers pay and ‘services’ such as human resources and marketing. Staff moving to new HQ in Salford received a £3,000 allowance for curtains and carpets; £369m was given in pay-outs to departing staff over the previous eight years while £100,000 was spent weekly on managements consultants and PR gurus. 100 members of BBC staff now earn more than the Prime Minister …..’ (Daily Mail, 15th June)
‘It is estimated that more people are now jailed or arrested in Britain for what they think, believe or say, than at any time since the 18th Century ..… there are now 25,000 criminal proceedings on average each year for ‘speech offences’, half of which result in convictions ….’ (Mick Hume, ‘Trigger Warning‘, HarperCollins)
The June General Election in Denmark saw the ‘Danish UKIP’ (Danish People’s Party – DF) win 2nd place. The DF have declined to form a coalition with the ruling Liberal Party due to ’irreconcilable differences’, but agreed to support the minority government on the basis that stricter immigration controls are introduced. The DF have already had a positive effect, with new controls and checkpoints being set up along the border with Germany to prevent crime and human trafficking …..… (Breitbart.com, London, 28th June).
‘Insulating a home will cost up to £2500 more under an EU ruling scrapping tax discounts on energy saving materials. Those using ‘green’ measures on their houses, including wall insulation and solar panels, had paid reduced VAT of 5% to have them installed under a government scheme to improve energy efficiency. But now they will have to pay the standard 20% rate after the European Court of Justice ruled in favour of the European Commission, which issued proceedings against Britain for breaching VAT rules. Insulating a large house currently costs around £18,000, but this will rise to £20,500 …. (Daily Mail, 6th June)
‘The number of stowaways entering Britain through south coast ports has more than doubled in a year to 350 a week (18,000 a year) according to diplomatic sources. Trafficking gangs are targeting ferries to Dover, Folkestone, Newhaven and Portsmouth and are also believed to be using small private boats. Border Force patrol boats have been reduced from five to just one, because two are out of action and another two have joined EU-wide efforts against people trafficking in the Mediterranean …… ‘ (Daily Mail, 6th June)
‘Official figures show that Britain gave more than £1bn in aid to the world’s 20 most corrupt countries in 2013; an increase of almost 25% on 2012. Afghanistan received £200m despite a damning report from the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI). Nigeria, where corruption is endemic, received £250m, when an ICAI report warned that some aid projects were ’pushing people towards corrupt practices’.
A House of Commons study found that Bangladesh increased its defence budget by £120 m last year after receiving £260m from the UK, while Tanzania, which received £200m from the UK, increased its defence spending by £70m….’ (Daily Express, 6th June)
‘JCB Chairman and Tory donor, Lord Bamford declared: ‘Britain is the fifth or sixth largest economy in the world. We could exist on our own, peacefully and sensibly. Leaving the EU would enable the UK to negotiate trade deals independently, rather than be bound by the decisions of 28 other states.’ JCB’s Chief Executive Graham MacDonald added: ‘I don’t think it (the EU) can carry on as it is ……… leaving the EU would not damage trade …’ (Daily Express, 19th May)
‘A senior police officer has questioned the way in which violent crimes are being recorded, after ‘a man being hit with a biscuit’ and ‘a child being brushed with a nettle‘, were amongst incidents recorded as Actual Bodily Harm (ABH). Stephen Bett (Norfolk Police Commissioner), has called the type of incidents which have been classed as violent, ‘jaw dropping’. The incidents were uncovered after he asked the County’s Chief Constable to explain a 14% rise in violent crime, suspecting that the shocking statistics weren’t all that they seemed …..’ (Independent, 26th July)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ EVENTS …. EVENTS .… EVENTS ….
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First Thursday each month (Aug 6th, Sept 3rd, Oct 1st), 7.30pm: Dorset Branches Pub Social at the Charlton Inn, Charlton Marshall. All supporters and friends welcome. Contact John Baxter 01202- 897884
Second Thursday each month (Aug 13th, Sept 10th, Oct 8th), 8pm: Poole Branches Pub Social at Twin Sails Wharf, West Quay Road. All UKIP Supporters and friends are welcome. Contact David Darling, david.darling@ukippoole.co.uk
Christchurch Branch are arranging regular pub socials for UKIP members and supporters at The Angel Inn, Ringwood Road, Longham (Ferndown) BH22 9AP. For future dates contact Chris Grace 01425-511167, or chrisgrace65a@gmail.com
Saturday August 22nd 12 noon – 4.00 pm, North Dorset Garden Party & Hog Roast, The Old Rectory, Mappowder. Tickets £15, Contact: John Baxter 01202-897884, john@ukipdorsetnorth. org.uk
Sunday 30th August, 1 pm – 3.30pm: Mid-Dorset & North Poole Garden Party at 1 Wallace Road, Broadstone, BH18 8NF. Bring a plate of food and bottle of whatever you fancy ! Contact Alan 01202-694148
Saturday 5th Sept, 11.00 am, Chat. Coffee or Snack at Corfe Coffee, 137 Wareham Road, Corfe Mullen, BH21 3HH. Contact Dave Evans, 01202-602856
Thursday 24th – Sat 26th September: UKIP National Conference, Doncaster
Thursday 15th October, 7.00 pm South Dorset Public Meeting, at The Pavilion, Weymouth. Special Guest, Ray Finch MEP
Don’t forget to check the monthly Dorset Digest (obtainable via e-mail) for up to date bulletins of ‘What’s On’ locally, as well as checking our branch website www.ukipmiddorset.org.
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Quote of the Month: ‘We cannot have a prosperous country if we are unable to sell our goods overseas. No-one owes Britain a living and I say to you quite bluntly … that we are still not earning the standard of living that we are enjoying. We are only keeping up our standards by borrowing and this cannot go on indefinitely. There is no soft option …. there can be no lasting improvement to your living standards until we can achieve it without going deeper and deeper into debt as a nation ……… ’ (James Callaghan, Prime Minister, 5th April 1976)
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Items for next Edition by 30th September to:
John Butler, 20 Nightjar Close, Poole BH17 7YN
e-mail: john.butler@ukipmiddorset.org All items in this newsletter are personal views only and do not necessarily represent the views of the UK Independence Party Mid-Dorset & North Poole
