The remaining retinue of saloon bar propper-uppers at the car crash that is the latest manifestation of UKIP are clearly having to work that much harder to get themselves noticed, with the party’s poll numbers vanishing into the noise floor. So someone has borrowed a tactic favoured by one of the Kippers’ latest recruits in order to frighten MPs into doing their bidding. But the effect may be counter-productive.
UKIP has delivered a leaflet in the Sussex area, making a number of highly creative claims about the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated by Theresa May and her team. It talks about the UK’s security, which it concludes will be “Destroyed”, along with UK trade policy. It also pitches a flat-out lie about PESCO, the nascent EU defence force, membership of which is voluntary, and where armed forces would remain under national Government control.
On top of that, the leaflet claims that the UK would, in the event of the Withdrawal Agreement being passed, become liable for future EU spending, which it will not. “The UK shall be liable for future EU lending … The UK shall remain liable for future capital projects approved by the European Investment Bank … The UK shall remain a ‘party’ of the European Investment Bank” it tells. Except that it won’t.
That the UK will remain liable for the pension commitments of its present and part MEPs is used by the Kippers to stoke outrage, as the leaflet tells “The UK shall be bound to any ‘outstanding commitments’ after 2022 … [the citation] expressly mentions pensions”. Yes, UKIP people, mainly your MEPs and those who have recently resigned from the party.
Steve Peers of the University of Essex has taken one look at the readable parts of the leaflet, and concluded “Quite apart from the jingoistic and threatening tone, this UKIP pamphlet lies or misleads about the withdrawal agreement provisions on the financial settlement, public procurement and defence cooperation (and I can't see the top bit)”.
Hold on a minute, what was that about the “jingoistic and threatening tone”? Well, it seems that UKIP has been taking on board the methods of their new star Stephen Yaxley Lennon, who styles himself Tommy Robinson. Lennon has proved himself adept at putting the threateners on those who say things that incur his displeasure. His latest stunt was to fetch up in Glasgow and harass SNP MP Stewart McDonald at his library surgery.
He did, of course, only want to have one of those polite conversations - which is why he turned up with several heavies. And the Lennon modus operandi is all too clear in the wording that concludes UKIP’s Sussex area leaflet.
“WE WOULD CLASS ANYONE PREPARED TO VOTE FOR THIS AGREEMENT AS A NATIONAL TRAITOR, OR STATE ENEMY - AND WE’RE WATCHING YOU” it thunders. That’s an explicit threat of stalking against MPs. And it’s totally out of order.
The leaflet has, I believe, been reported to the Police. It will be interesting to hear the excuses advanced by Adolf von Batten and his pals justifying preying on MPs.
UKIP is bang out of order. I’ll just leave that one there.
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"Tommy" and the gang needn't worry.
ReplyDeleteIf some reports are to be believed Maybot and co are assessing the possible need for martial law after we Brexit.
To protect us from people like, er, "Tommy".
Imagine the outcry if "Tommy" got cut down in a hail of gunfire from Our Boys*.
*That's not a threat. It's a wistful hope