UKIP tightens ties with far right

NIGEL Farage's claims that the United Kingdom Independence Party are not a far right group have been called into question by recent alliances within the European Union Parliament.

Despite stating otherwise during the election campaign links between UKIP and hardline right wingers in the parliament have reignited concerns that the party is moving towards an increasingly xenophobic agenda.

Mr Farage has invited two MEP's, Kristina Winbery and Peter Lundgren, from the Swedish Democrat Party and former French National Front candidate Joelle Bergeron to join his Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group (EFD).

In a statement on the formation of the voting group Mr Farage, who will be president of the EFD, said: "I am very proud to have formed this group with other MEPs and we undertake to be the peoples' voice. We will be at the forefront working for the restoration of freedom, national democracy and prosperity across Europe.

"I am excited about working together with other delegations to be effective in exerting as much change as possible in Brussels while labouring at home to alert people to the harm that EU regulation does to the lives of ordinary people. Expect us to fight the good fight to take back control of our countries' destinies. We have struggled against much political opposition to form this group and I am sure it will operate very well."

Since it's formation in 1988 the Swedish Democrat party has been riven with accusations of racism and neo-fascist views, despite attempts in recent years to re-establish itself as a more moderate political force.

A source from the EFD was reported as calling members of the party, which was founded by a former Waffen SS member and white supremacists, as "nice people": "They are a party that has changed dramatically over time. They have acknowledged their mistakes. We have met the two MEPs, they seem two very decent working-class people. They are nice people, they are not extreme. They are Swedish patriots who want the best for their country."

The alliances have been condemned by senior Liberal Democrats, who argue that UKIP is finally showing its true colours through the move. One source told reporters: "Regardless of your views on Europe, it is hard to see how British MEPs hanging around the European parliament with the dregs of the far right is going to be of any benefit to British jobs and growth."

Mrs Bergeron was elected as an MEP with the far right French National Front party, which has faced repeated condemnation over alleged fascist views, however resigned from the party after calling for immigrants to be granted some voting rights.

An EFD press release said: “Although elected on a Front National list at the last European elections she has admitted that she had joined the party with great hopes but realised that their philosophy was very different [...] Joelle Bergeron has joined the group as an independent and declares herself an Anglophile, with the desire for democratic self-determination and a respect among different nations."

Farage's new Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD) group includes MEP's from Italy's anti-establishment 5-Star Movement led by the comedian Beppe Grillo, Lithuania's Order and Justice Party, the Sweden Democrats, along with single members from the Czech Republic, Latvia and, perhaps most notably for its power potential, France.

Vincenzo Scarpetta, a political analyst with pro-reform think tank Open Europe, told news outlets: "With millions of subsidies on offer, the European parliament's rules create strong incentives for parties to form groups, even when these parties are not natural bedfellows."

While Mr Farage may claim that UKIP is not a hardline right wing party his current choice of allies may make it difficult for him to prove otherwise in the long run.

UKIP tightens ties with far right

NIGEL Farage's claims that the United Kingdom Independence Party are not a far right group have been called into question by recent alliances within the European Union Parliament.

Despite stating otherwise during the election campaign links between UKIP and hardline right wingers in the parliament have reignited concerns that the party is moving towards an increasingly xenophobic agenda.

Mr Farage has invited two MEP's, Kristina Winbery and Peter Lundgren, from the Swedish Democrat Party and former French National Front candidate Joelle Bergeron to join his Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group (EFD).

In a statement on the formation of the voting group Mr Farage, who will be president of the EFD, said: "I am very proud to have formed this group with other MEPs and we undertake to be the peoples' voice. We will be at the forefront working for the restoration of freedom, national democracy and prosperity across Europe.

"I am excited about working together with other delegations to be effective in exerting as much change as possible in Brussels while labouring at home to alert people to the harm that EU regulation does to the lives of ordinary people. Expect us to fight the good fight to take back control of our countries' destinies. We have struggled against much political opposition to form this group and I am sure it will operate very well."

Since it's formation in 1988 the Swedish Democrat party has been riven with accusations of racism and neo-fascist views, despite attempts in recent years to re-establish itself as a more moderate political force.

A source from the EFD was reported as calling members of the party, which was founded by a former Waffen SS member and white supremacists, as "nice people": "They are a party that has changed dramatically over time. They have acknowledged their mistakes. We have met the two MEPs, they seem two very decent working-class people. They are nice people, they are not extreme. They are Swedish patriots who want the best for their country."

The alliances have been condemned by senior Liberal Democrats, who argue that UKIP is finally showing its true colours through the move. One source told reporters: "Regardless of your views on Europe, it is hard to see how British MEPs hanging around the European parliament with the dregs of the far right is going to be of any benefit to British jobs and growth."

Mrs Bergeron was elected as an MEP with the far right French National Front party, which has faced repeated condemnation over alleged fascist views, however resigned from the party after calling for immigrants to be granted some voting rights.

An EFD press release said: “Although elected on a Front National list at the last European elections she has admitted that she had joined the party with great hopes but realised that their philosophy was very different [...] Joelle Bergeron has joined the group as an independent and declares herself an Anglophile, with the desire for democratic self-determination and a respect among different nations."

Farage's new Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD) group includes MEP's from Italy's anti-establishment 5-Star Movement led by the comedian Beppe Grillo, Lithuania's Order and Justice Party, the Sweden Democrats, along with single members from the Czech Republic, Latvia and, perhaps most notably for its power potential, France.

Vincenzo Scarpetta, a political analyst with pro-reform think tank Open Europe, told news outlets: "With millions of subsidies on offer, the European parliament's rules create strong incentives for parties to form groups, even when these parties are not natural bedfellows."

While Mr Farage may claim that UKIP is not a hardline right wing party his current choice of allies may make it difficult for him to prove otherwise in the long run.

Europe needs to look to future before it runs out of fuel over Russia

EUROPE faces a looming energy crisis as reserves of fossils fuels reach a critical point. According to research conducted by the Global Sustainability Institute at Anglia Ruskin University the UK has less than five years worth of coal and three years of gas remaining from its domestic supply. The situation is even worse for France and Italy which could run out of fossil fuels within a year.

The United Kingdom is already reaching its highest levels of dependence since 1976. The news is likely to push this figure up as officials attempt to maintain what little resources the country still has. Based the data, however, large areas of Europe will be entirely reliant on foreign sources of fuel within the next five years.

With Russia’s supplies looking set to last for the next 50 years it may be the best source of supply to keep the lights on. While the West pushes for increased sanctions against Russian officials in response to the crisis in Ukraine it seems likely that they will come to nothing. President Putin’s government looks set to hold all the cards in the on-going gamesmanship between nations as Europe looks towards them for their energy needs.

Europe’s dependency on Russian gas and coal is already on a dramatic rise, with its own domestic supply about to run out this rise will only continues. As much as Europe may wish to provide support for Ukraine and demonstrate its condemnation of Russian aggression it may find that its own domestic needs start to take precedence.

Britain is already looking to other sources to prevent Russia having a stranglehold on the country. Having witnessed its gas supply declining over a sustained period it is sourcing the majority of its foreign supply from Norway. If Europe wants to ensure that it is not held over the proverbial fuel barrel then it must also start to find alternative suppliers for its coal supply.

Meanwhile the British government is placing its hope in renewable energy. A spokesman from the Department of Energy and Climate Change stated: “The UK is one of the most energy secure countries in the world thanks to the combination of our own reserves, our diverse sources of imported energy and our focus on increasing clean, home-grown energy in the UK - which includes nuclear, renewables and carbon capture and storage. 

 "As well as attracting record investment into our energy security since 2010, the UK is leading globally on energy security, particularly through the G7 which has agreed to take global action to improve energy security, and in getting a deal in the EU to cut carbon emissions by 40% by 2030."

Based on figures from the same department, however, renewable energy only accounted for 15.5 per cent of overall energy consumption by quarter two in 2013. Despite being a 60 per cent rise from 2012 if Britain is rely on its renewable energy to cover its imminent shortfall then it has a long way to go.

 

A likely source, to ensure security within Europe, could be Germany, which according to statistics has approximately 250 years worth of coal left, five times as much as Russia. With Britain becoming increasing Eurosceptic, however, it must now be looking at the long term consequences of distancing itself from its European neighbours.