Press TV attack UKIP for defending democracy

UKIP is getting some stick - mainly in the left wing press - for refusing to support an attempt by the EU Commission to ban the nationalist group that the BNP and French National Front belong to from receiving EU funding.

Who says news is being dumbed down?

The far left Iranian state TV channel, Press TV, describes UKIP as "far right" and says that the party "backs Euro extremism".  They also say that Godfrey Bloom was expelled from the EU Parliament for "directing a Nazi slogan against a German colleague".

Godfrey was indeed removed from the EU Parliament for quoting Hitler's "ein volk, ein reich, ein führer" at German MEP, Martin Schultz.  But this was a reference to Schultz's fascist behaviour (Schultz has previously called Emperor Barosso a fascist in the EU Parliament and nobody batted an eyelid) rather than him behaving like a Nazi.

UKIP is far from far right and certainly doesn't back any form of extremism.  It's worth remembering the words of First they came for the Jews by Pastor Niemoller, made all the more pertinent with today being Holocaust Memorial Day.

First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Once they've finished with the nationalists, they'll move on to the eurosceptics and then who?

No matter how odious the BNP may be, they were democratically elected in a free and (mostly) fair election.  This isn't about protecting the BNP, it's about protecting democracy.

Even the Iranians are scared of UKIP

Iranian state media outlet, Press TV, has made a sad attempt at a hatchet job on UKIP over Nigel Farage's comments on immigration.

Press TV's man in Westminster

Under the heading "UKIP leader begins to show his true face" and accompanied by a picture of Farage with the expelled former member Kim Gandy who Press TV describe as a UKIP spokeswoman, the article describes UKIP as "far right" and says that the party "is believed to promote racism by choosing fascist members" and citing Gandy as an example.

Press TV reinforces its lack of credibility even further by citing EDL News' description of Gandy - who they wrongly identify as a UKIP member and spokesperson - as the "angriest far right extremist" they've ever had.  Although their description of Gandy is probably not far off the mark, the EDL News website is an anti-EDL website.

But what really speaks volumes about Press TV is the fact that they provide a platform to the Islamist far left extremist, George Galloway MP.