Eastern Counties MEP Exposes EU Fruit Scheme as 'Sheer Naked Propaganda' and 'Market Fixing'

In a speech to the European Parliament today (18.11.08), Jeffrey Titford, the UK Independence Party MEP for the Eastern Counties has exposed what he believes is the true intent behind a new EU scheme to provide fruit and vegetables to schools. Mr Titford pointed out that the scheme is the first step in taking control of what we eat, that each piece of fruit would have an EU label and the whole project would be supported by a major publicity campaign, which he described as 'propaganda'.

He also highlighted the market fixing that will be possible under the conditions of the scheme e.g. mandatory rules stiupulating that all the produce must come from the EU, which in the case of bananas, would prevent British suppliers who obtain their produce from the Carribean Commonwealth countries from taking part and provide French suppliers with a lucrative new market, as their bananas come from Guadeloupe and Martinique.

The full text of Mr Titford's speech is as follows:
Strasbourg 18.11.08
Mr President
This project is being dressed up as all about concern for the welfare of children. However, the real agenda is a disturbing mix of 'Nanny Brussels' control freakism, sheer naked propaganda and market fixing.

Nanny Brussels likes to be in control of everything, including what we eat. Putting itself in charge of what children eat at school is the first major step in that process. The propaganda angle is that each piece of fruit will have an EU label on it and the whole project will be supported by a massive publicity campaign.

In regard to the fruit market, I understand it will create a great many opportunities for mischief such as mandatory rules that all the fruit must come from inside the EU. In the case of bananas, this could, at a stroke, rule out British suppliers who obtain their bananas from the British Commonwealth Caribbean countries and thus provide a lucrative new opportunity for the French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique . No more Nanny Brussels, thank you.

Open meeting in Kendal

Cumbrian voters of every political persuasion have been asked to lend their votes to UKIP in the Euro-elections.

The bold call was made by party chairman, Paul Nuttall, at an open meeting held in Kendal at the weekend.

"Lend us your vote," was his message talking about next June's elections for the European Parliament.

"If you like the EU you can vote Labour, Conservative or Lib Dem. If you don't like the EU, then there is only one show in town – UKIP.

"We are no longer a single issue party and have a raft of policies on all manner of subjects, such as education, law and order, health and energy.

"But, in relation to the Euro-elections, there is only one issue – the European Union. And we are the only party fighting to get Britain out of it and regain the right to run our own country.

"You are not electing a government or even a council, so please lend us your vote in the Euro-election," said Mr Nuttall, who is the party's lead candidate in the North west for the contest.

Also present at the lively meeting, held at the Stonecross Manor Hotel, was Phil Griffiths, North West chairman and Dr Fred McGlade, regional organizer, who also spoke of the party's election campaign.

Troublemakers need a better disguise

Is anyone else out there getting emails from troublemakers purporting to be UKIP supporters?  I'm sure I can't be the only one.

For me, they started with Andrew Edwards (aka Richard English), the BNP supporter outed by the party some time ago.  Rather than being embarassed at his public outing and keeping himself to himself, he still sends unsolicited emails espousing the BNP and criticising UKIP to a long list of people both in the party and in the media claiming to be a disgrunteld UKIP supporter.  Nothing he ever writes appears in newspapers but he still plugs away doing his bit for Nick Griffin and his jackbooted colleagues.

After Andrew Edwards' emails stopped coming, emails from "UKIP Truth" mysteriously started appearing instead.  Sent from a relatively anonymous Google mail account (Richard English was confirmed to be an alter ego of Andrew Edwards by some simple forensic work on his emails) UKIP Truth claims to be:

a collective of members who believe that the cause of UKIP is a noble and honest one, but are becoming increasingly disillusioned with corruption and lack of effective strategy coming from the leadership

Quite.  And the best way to support the party you are a member of is to send unsolicited, anonymous emails to members with exclusively negative comments and made up "sleaze".

Take the latest one, for example:

It would seem in preparation for the European Elections next year Nigel has appointed a press officer who lives in Europe, Portugal to be precise.

[...]

Timmy Tax-Exile (henceforth known as TEX) will not be spending his time schmoozing with the British Press as this might impact upon his tax status, but instead will be concentrating on his "Blog" which he can happily do from his villa on the Algarve.

Meanwhile, on the British Democracy Forum earlier this month, "Timmy Tax Exile" had this to say:

I am currently in Portugal. I shall be in London full time from 2 weeks hence. There's not a great deal of point in being in London when Parliament isn't sitting and all the political journalists are spread around the country at the various party conferences. I would still be (am in fact) a long distance phone call away from them all.

Portugal isn't exactly a tax haven so I'm not sure the tax exile label is quite deserved, especially bearing in mind that he'd be paying tax on the money he earns here in England.  Regardless of that, there's nothing wrong with living abroad, enjoying the sunshine, the more relaxed pace of life and lower taxes.  Sounds more like jealousy to me - I know I am!

The more UKIP challenges the eurofederalist establishment, the more people like this will crawl out of the woodwork to make co-ordinated attacks on the party.  "Tax Exile Timmy" smacks of left wing jealousy and clearly isn't even true.

The best thing to do with these troublemakers is tell them what you think of them and then sit back and ignore the inevitable ranting you will get in return.