UK Independence Party to lobby Irish voters in Irish referendum

[stephenite]

From the Irish Times.....


NO CAMPAIGN: IRISH MEPS have clashed angrily with the UK Independence Party (UKIP) over the British party's plan to post "racist" leaflets to all Irish homes attacking the Lisbon Treaty.

UKIP confirmed yesterday it had begun posting some 1.5 million leaflets, which should arrive in people's letterboxes between September 17th and 21st. It also accused Irish MEP Marian Harkin of "hypocrisy" for inviting fellow MEPs to donate funds to the Yes to Lisbon campaign.

"Yet again, the hypocrisy of the Yes side knows no bounds. When someone from outside Ireland who is opposed to the treaty speaks out, then it is foreign interference. But here they are invited to do the same," said UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who plans a visit to Ireland next week to campaign for a No vote in the referendum.

The UKIP leaflet on the Lisbon Treaty, which is reproduced on the website www.euinfo.ie, alleges Lisbon gives the EU full control of immigration and warns that Turkey's entry to the EU will lead to more mass migration of cheap labour. It portrays an image of a turkey with a medallion around its neck with the message: "Free movement for 75 million people."

It also alleges that Lisbon may create an "EU supreme court to overrule our values", transform Ireland into an "EU province" and damage the economy.

At the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Labour MEP Alan Kelly said UKIP was out of touch when it came to Europe and bordered on insanity if it thought Irish people would listen to them when they canvassed here. "I presume they'll come over with their imperialist rhetoric. The thought of their smug smiles turns my stomach . . . 700 years was enough," he said.

Ms Harkin said the image of a turkey in the UKIP leaflet was outrageous and racist. She rejected criticism made by Mr Farage that she was "hypocritical" for inviting fellow MEPs to donate to the Yes campaign.

The criticism from UKIP came after Ms Harkin sent an e-mail to all 736 MEPs asking them to consider contributing to a new campaign group called Europe for Ireland, which has been set up by Irish people in Brussels to lobby for a Yes vote. In the e-mail, Ms Harkin said many people had asked her if they could help in the referendum campaign.

"National referendums are, by definition, an internal national matter, even where, as in this case, the repercussions have an effect across Europe. That being said, Irish people resident in Belgium and indeed all over Europe have set up a Europe for Ireland group to promote a Yes vote to the Lisbon Treaty whatever way it can within the rules," she added.

Personally speaking I think this will give a huge lift to the Yes campaign - if there's anything that Irish people dislike, in my experience, it's being preached to by a shower of British racisits.

[Tankie]

i got some anti lisbon thing through the door today which was full of shite and how it will cost jobs...was that those lads?

[Canalman]

Funnily enough I got some pro Lisbon thing through my door saying it would create jobs.......it's a strange world.

Loolahs lining up on either side of the debate I notice.

[AbbeySider]

Personally speaking I think this will give a huge lift to the Yes campaign - if there's anything that Irish people dislike, in my experience, it's being preached to by a shower of British racisits.

Not quit true.
Only this week was I researching both sides and I came up with some great speeches and arguments by Nigel Ferage.

The following are clips of him winning the Reuters debate in Dublin this month.
He takes the Yes camp apart time and time again.
Listen/Watch it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEOFTz_Nnas

Also... Tearing the EU Commission apart... Shower of crooks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWSYMpuCFaQ

Farage exposes EU arrogance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMZbs6zu5PU

You can also YouTube him exposing Nicolas Sarkozy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXmidPjQaE8


He is one of the only voices in Europe that makes any sense.
Im voting No

[Gnevin]

He is one of the only voices in Europe that makes any sense.
Im voting No

Very worrying attitude here. This was the sort of attitude the prevailed during the 30's in Europe

[AbbeySider]

He is one of the only voices in Europe that makes any sense.
Im voting No

Very worrying attitude here. This was the sort of attitude the prevailed during the 30's in Europe

In what way?

If anything the Lisbon treaty is a rehashed European constitution that makes way for Totalitarianism, not the other way around!

[Gnevin]

He is one of the only voices in Europe that makes any sense.
Im voting No

Very worrying attitude here. This was the sort of attitude the prevailed during the 30's in Europe

In what way?

If anything the Lisbon treaty is a rehashed European constitution that makes way for Totalitarianism, not the other way around!

I'm always very worried when people starting see sense in the opinions of fringe lunatics

[AbbeySider]

I'm always very worried when people starting see sense in the opinions of fringe lunatics

That is gutter.

Give me 3 reasons why you believe Ferage is a lunatic?
(Ferage is a libertarian, and ukip came second in the EU elections in UK)

and 5 positive reasons to vote Yes to lisbon?

(NOTE: saying things like "there will be unspecified repercussions" is a negative reason)

[Gnevin]

I'm always very worried when people starting see sense in the opinions of fringe lunatics

That is gutter.

Give me 3 reasons why you believe Ferage is a lunatic?
(Ferage is a libertarian, and ukip came second in the EU elections in UK)

and 5 positive reasons to vote Yes to lisbon?

(NOTE: saying things like "there will be unspecified repercussions" is a negative reason)

Sorry thinking of the wrong party and wrong leader. Ignore my stupid comments above.

[Tankie]

why anyone would think that the UKIP are making sence and that what they think would be good for Ireland and good for Europe are crazy if you ask me....this is a party that wants the UK to pull out of Europe and along the same line as BNP when it comes to racism.

[guy crouchback]

ferage represents the very worst sort of little englander racist bigot. among other thing he opposes the teaching of foregin  languages in English schools as he see it as a sop to Europe and a dilution of English culture.

he was on the pat Kenny show a week or two ago and Michael martin tore him apart.

[AbbeySider]

he opposes the teaching of foregin  languages in English schools a

Link?

I know that he sees the dilution of any countries culture and traditions caused by mass immigration. Which may be a point.

But I want to read both sides so if you have a link to you statement it would be appreciated.

[guy crouchback]

during the radio interview he was challaged on it and was happy to state it was his partys position.

[Main Street]

during the radio interview he was challaged on it and was happy to state it was his partys position.

Having read the UKIP party policy on education, I see no reference to that.
http://www.ukip.org/media/pdf/home_education.pdf

However I do see a reference to "more important role to English Language and Mathematics"
"understand the structure of English grammar"
in order to also "address a difficulty
faced by many British students when they come to learn a foreign language - namely that
they struggle with grammar because they have not been taught the grammar of their mother
tongue"

I have no leanings towards UKIP at all.
That Ferage character has made mincemeat out of any bumbling Irish politician in any debate I have heard.

[Ulster Exile]

Any UKIP presence around the No campaigne in Ireland could probably be one of the biggest vote winners for the Yes campaigne.