Hustings with Amnesty BOND and the Jubilee Debt Campaign

The Amnesty hustings was about Human Rights and development. I presented a stark message and many of the audience were on my side.

The EU can take away your human rights in time of war or civil disturbance, (like now in Afghanistan or when you demonstrate against the G20 summit).

It imposes Economic Partnership Agreements on third world nations, uses aid to gain power and awards and removes preferential trading status to keep nations in line (eg offering Thailand £1.5bn aid just after costing them £3bn in lost trade) It uses tariff barriers to stop Africa exporting its produce to the EU and sends EU fishing boats to scour their seas. These vessels fish inshore illegally at night and often run down local fishing craft. Deprived of a living many of the fishermen set out with their families in small boats for the Canary Islands. Those who do not drown become illegal immigrants into the EU.

The Tories declined to attend – their plan for the Euro elections is not to talk about the EU. The Labour candidate pleaded for a socialist agenda until I pointed out that the Party of Euro Socialists is in alliance with the Euro Peoples Party (Tories) in the European parliament to keep the Liberals and the Greens out of power. Then he said he was a consensus politician.

One member of the audience asked why UKIP had not sent someone likely to get elected so I told them of the Tuesday 19th May Sky News poll.

Tories 31%
UKIP 19.7&
Labour 11.5%
BNP 9.5%
Lib Dems 8.5%
Greens 6.7%.

Polls are not definitive but UKIP is doing better than ever.