United Kingdom Independence Party
The United Kingdom Independence Party was formed on 3rd September 1993 at the London School of Economics by several members of the Anti-Federalist League (AFL). Currently, Nigel Farage (MEP) is the leader, and Paul Nuttall is the deputy leader of the party. David Campbell Bannerman who has since rejoined the UK Conservative Party was previously deputy leader.
Contents
Romano Prodi allegations
UKIP MEP Gerard Batten was implicated in an attempt to smear Romano Prodi as a former Soviet agent which involved Mario Scaramella and Alexander Litvinenko. According to the Guardian:
- Litvinenko had no compunction in recalling a piece of gossip he had been told by a former KGB deputy director as he fled Russia. In 2000, General Anatoly Trofimov had warned Litvinenko not to go to Rome since "Prodi is our man in Italy". He was referring to Romano Prodi, the former Italian prime minister who went on to become president of the European Commission. Now Litvinenko regurgitated the unfounded claim to Scaramella who persuaded him to write it down.[1]
On 29 March 2006, Litvinenko met UKIP MEP Gerard Batten at the Itsu restaurant in London. Four days later, with an Italian general election imminent, Batten called for an Inquiry into Prodi in the European Parliament.
- In his one-minute speech during Strasbourg plenary, Gerard Batten (UK, IN/DEM) told how Alexander Litvinenko, a former Lieutenant Colonel in the FSB, the successor to the KGB, and currently living under political asylum in the UK, was informed by FSB deputy chief, General Anatole Trofimov of the high amount of communist activity operating in Italy. With reference to the KGB, Litvinenko was told, “Romano Prodi is our man there”.[2]
Prodi responded by threatening to sue Litvinenko and Scaramella. In the resulting controversy, Silvio Berlusconi was forced to wind up the Mitrokhin Commission, and Prodi won the election.[3]
Islamophobia
Links with Islamophobic organisations
On 11 September 2007, UKIP's Gerard Batten accepted a petition from Anders Gravers protesting a ban on a Brussels demonstration by Stop Islamisation of Europe.[4] Batten also spoke at the Counterjihad Brussels 2007 conference in October 2007[5], has been linked to Christian Concern[6] and wrote the foreword for Sam Solomon's 2006 Proposed Charter of Muslim Understanding'[7]
Farage commments after Paris attacks
Following the January 2015 attacks in Paris including the murder of 12 people at the offices of magazine Charlie Hebdo, UKIP leader Nigel Farage, commented:
- We do have, I'm afraid, I'm sad to say, a fifth column that is living within our own countries, that is utterly opposed to our values.
- We're going to have to be a lot braver and a lot more courageous in standing up for our Judeo-Christian culture.
Farage's comments, which seemed to imply generalised Muslim responsibility and to paint Muslims as external to European society and cultural heritage, were criticised by other politicians. Liberal Democrat Tim Farron said 'Nigel Farage's politics of blame has no place in modern, diverse and tolerant Britain'.[8]
People
- Nigel Farage - leader
- Paul Nuttall - deputy
- Douglas Carswell - MP
- Mark Reckless - MP
- Gerard Batten - MEP
- Stuart Wheeler - Treasurer
Advisers
- Dick Morris, paid advisor[9]
- Ben Pile
Donors
- UKIP treasure Stuart Wheeler revealed that in 2012-3 the lyricist Sir Tim Rice had donated £7500. Rice declined to confirm or deny the claim.[10]
Notes
- ↑ Why a spy was killed, by Cathy Scott-Clark and Adrian Levy, The Guardian, 26 January 2008.
- ↑ Prodi accused of being former Soviet agent, EU Reporter, 3 April 2006.
- ↑ Why a spy was killed, by Cathy Scott-Clark and Adrian Levy, The Guardian, 26 January 2008.
- ↑ Scores arrested in anti-Islam protest in Belgium, Agence France Presse, 11 September 2007.
- ↑ CounterJihad Brussels 2007 Conference, accessed 18 February 2007.
- ↑ Rowena Mason and Rajeev Syal, Ukip MEP who supported Muslim code of conduct urged halal slaughter ban, The Guardian, 5 February 2014
- ↑ Rowena Mason, Ukip MEP says British Muslims should sign charter rejecting violence, The Guardian, 4 February 2015
- ↑ UKIP's Nigel Farage urges 'Judeo-Christian' defence after Paris attacks, BBC News, accessed 12 February 2015
- ↑ Nick Assinder Political Correspondent, BBC News website UKIP's secret weapon? Interview BBC Online, Last Updated: Friday, 14 January, 2005, 12:54 GMT
- ↑ Christopher Hope, Don't cry for me, David Cameron! Sir Tim Rice emerges as Ukip donor, The Telegraph, 23 Feb 2014, acc same day
