UKIP won't be forming pan-EU party ... yet

Paul Nuttall has issued a statement on the question of UKIP forming a pan-EU party.

In connection with the possibility of the UK Independence Party becoming part of a pan-European Party, the following decision has been taken today.

It has been decided that because of the concern of the membership and the complexity surrounding this matter, no decision will be made in 2010 on membership.

As the final deadline for joining this year is 15th November, this means that there would not be sufficient time for a full and frank debate on this most important matter.

If left till next year, the party can properly debate and consider the ramifications of this issue before the November 2011 deadline.

This subject came up some time ago and marked the beginning of Nikki Sinclaire's open warfare with the party and Nigel Farage in particular.

The European Empire has a £10m slush fund for funding parties that don't have MEPs and bringing them under the vassalage of those that do through the pan-EU party scheme which sees parties in the EU Parliament form alliances with other parties that don't.  In UKIP's case this would have been an opportunity to put money intended to promote the eurofederalist cause to good use helping smaller eurosceptic parties build their profile in other countries.

With lingering disquiet amongst the membership about the possibility of UKIP forming a pan-EU party, it's the right decision to defer this until next year but it's going to be a difficult job trying to convince the members that it's a good idea or even just putting across the facts in a way that members will understand.  I hope that next year UKIP is able to take advantage of this money because at the moment the whole £10m is going to pro-EU parties who will be using it to promote the eurofederalist cause.