UKIP’s planned deal with Tories causes outrage in anti-Europe party

November 30, 2009 by Infowars Ireland

www.timesonline.co.uk

The UK Independence Party faces a “wave of resignations” amid grassroots fury over the revelation that its new leader offered to stand down candidates at the next election and disband the party if the Conservatives agreed to hold a referendum on EU membership.

Lord Pearson of Rannoch, winner of the ballot to replace Nigel Farage, faces a rocky start to his leadership after The Times reported on Saturday that he proposed a deal to the Tory leader in the Lords in which UKIP would have abandoned plans to stand at the general election.

Gerard Batten, an MEP for London, who was runner-up for the leadership, said he was appalled by the secret plan and argued that members would not have chosen Lord Pearson if they had known the full truth during the contest.

Nikki Sinclaire, an MEP for the West Midlands, who came third, said that she was being called by outraged members threatening to resign, but directed her anger at Mr Farage for asking Lord Pearson to make the approach to Lord Strathclyde.

The row threatens to overshadow UKIP’s plans to reach out to disaffected Labour voters by switching its focus to include campaigning against radical Islam. Mr Batten said yesterday: “I am appalled they can offer to sell the party down the river to the Tories — it is a betrayal of the members, and we will probably see a wave of resignations over this.

“If he had run in the leadership election telling people that is what he had done, he would have come bottom. The membership do not want it and it has caused outrage.

“I have been saying all along we have not just got to talk to the Tory voters but also the Labour voters who are not going to vote Labour any more. This makes it much more difficult. Read more…