LETTER: UKIP is making great progress

The ongoing debate in the pages of the WSCT on the state of democracy makes interesting and stimulating reading. Mr Hopkinson’s letter ‘Democracy is on life support’ makes some excellent points, however Mr Hopkinson has fallen into the trap of believing everything which is peddled in the national and local press regarding UKIP.

The local councillor who blamed the floods on gay marriage, had been a long standing member and local councillor for the Conservative Party and his views were well known, although not thought worthy of national coverage.

He crossed the floor to UKIP and within days of doing so suddenly he is national news as an example of all UKIP members, who are clearly all extremists.

UKIP believes everyone has the right to hold their own views, however his views do not coincide with UKIP national policy and therefore he was removed from the party.

Nigel Farage did not advocate the ‘loosening’ of gun control laws, in fact quite the opposite. He did advocate reviewing them but of course, who wants to hear what he actually said rather than a hysterical sound bite?

With regards to the increase in immigrants from Romania and Bulgaria, the truth is no one actually knows how many have entered the country so far or how many are likely to come in the future, and that is the salient point.

UKIP MEPs are not in Brussels to further the excesses of the European Super-state, quite the opposite. Their role is to work in the areas they represent to highlight and bring to the public’s attention what is really happening as a result of the insidious take-over of our sovereignty and the lack of democracy – 70 per cent of the laws in place currently in the UK come from Europe, not Parliament.

I could go on. UKIP is making great progress, which is putting the wind up the interchangeable LibLabCon parties. UKIP are stimulating debate and influencing policy. About time someone did!

The upcoming European, national and local elections over the next few months, are perhaps the most important for very many years and I would encourage everyone to take the time to register to vote, if not already on the Electoral Register, and take a careful and considered look at the policies of ALL the parties, before making a decision who to vote for.

Only by voting can individuals make a difference.

ANNE GRACE

Chanctonbury, Ashington