British Democracy Forum PLAYING CATCH-UP ON UKIP NEWS! 29-Oct-2010
29-10-2010 06:48 PM #1
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European Alliance for Freedom
GLW has a posted a memo from Tim Congdon re the creation of a new pan-European party to be called 'European Alliance for Freedom', and UKIP's possible involvement in this project. Included in the memo is an e-mail from a Sharon Ellul Bonici stating that the European Alliance hopes to become strong in the 2014 Euro-elections, and that MEPs can join either as a Party or as individuals. Godfrey Bloom is listed among those who have confirmed their intention of doing so.
UKIP MEPs sought election on an unequivocal platform of withdrawal from the EU. It is what party members and supporters worked for, contributed funds for, and what the electorate voted for. 'Campaign policies Euro elections 2009', posted to UKIP's website on 8 May 2009, stated: "The UK Independence Party believes that the UK should withdraw from the European Union". 'Campaign letter from UKIP Leader Nigel Farage MEP', posted 11 May 2009, began: "The UK Independence Party is the only moderate, democratic party to advocate Britain's withdrawal from the European Union", and continued: "On June 4, please lend us your vote. Say No to European Union and help UKIP ensure that the future of our nation is decided by those of us who live here. There can surely no longer be any question that Britain would be better off out".
Withdrawal from the EU was and still is UKIP's policy and principle aim, and its MEPs have no mandate from the party or the electorate to sit in the European parliament and speak, vote on or represent anything else.
UKIP MEPs' alliance with those of other, non-withdrawalist, parties in their EP group has always been contentious, but the nature of EP groupings is a loose one whereby the parliament's rules assume (but do not require proof of) political affinity between group members, unless they state otherwise. In addition, the EFD's political platform is vague and allows its different delegations the freedom to vote as they see fit, a freedom which is taken full advantage of with other EFD members frequently voting in favour of motions on which UKIP's MEPs abstain or vote against.
This will not apply to members of a pan-EU party, and those who join the European Alliance will not simply be 'assumed' to have political affinity. In order to be approved as a political party and granted EP funding they will have to agree common objectives and draw up a political programme to work to, which they will have to submit with their funding application. Any change to that programme must be notified to the parliament or the funding will be suspended.
None of the parties or individuals named in the Bonici e-mail, other than Godfrey Bloom, are withdrawalists. They are reformists who wish to remain in the EU and whose political programme will reflect that intention. Even the name adopted by the new party makes no reference to independence or anything else that might suggest withdrawal. Indeed, a European Alliance for Freedom does no more than echo the EU's own description of itself as 'an area of freedom, security and justice'. Any UKIP MEPs joining this party will in effect have crossed the floor to pursue political objectives for which they have no mandate.
They cannot in these circumstances continue to be regarded as UKIP MEPs, and for the party to keep faith with its members and its electorate it will have to expel any MEP who joins the European Alliance for Freedom.
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