UKIP leader takes time out from campaigning

Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party was kind enough to give up some of his time and share some of his ideas on Britain’s relations with the European Union by coming to speak to my school’s Politics Society.

Mr Farage’s talk saw him outline how since the 1970s successive UK governments have put power over lawmaking beyond the fingertips of British people, by steadily transferring power to an untouchable and unaccountable Brussels. Since the main parties, in his opnion, had by 1993 gradually morphed into one with regard to their position on Europe, Mr Farage was sufficiently enraged to leave the party he supported, the Conservatives, and start his own party from scratch.

Mr Farage took a number of questions from students on how Britain’s interests could be furthered outside of the European political club, and was very clear in his belief that international co-operation was the way forward, but only as an independent, sovereign state. He is firmly of the belief that the main party leaders are running scraed on the Lisbon Treaty issue. Mr Cameron has, for example, managed to paper over the cracks in his party. Thus far. But with Ken Clarke back on the front line, who knows? Mr Farage conceded that his party faces a threat from the BNP this time round since voters may switch to the far right group in an attempt to give Labour a kicking rather than use their vote to show their feelings on the European issue. A battle for UKIP on a large number of fronts, then. But with 5 months to go until the Euro poll there is still a lot to play for.

The students were in unison in believing that Mr Farage had a very strong argument to take to the people in the forthcoming European elections. That is not to say, however, that they agreed with everything he said! A very entertaining speaker and well worth hearing.