Griffin's BNP to claim Euro millions

Published on Monday 8 June 2009 22:02

THE FAR-RIGHT British National Party could reap £4 million after winning its first term in the European Parliament, giving it financial ammunition for the general election.

Generous salaries, allowances for staff and even a communications budget will allow the party to fund its propaganda courtesy of the EU.

After Labour's dramatic collapse in its share of the vote, the BNP managed to snatch two Brussels seats, with leader Nick Griffin winning a North West England seat and Andrew Brons representing Yorkshire and the Humber.

Mr Griffin said his party had done well because "anti-white racism" was not taken seriously by politicians, the media or the police.

He said: "The Labour Party, the Lib Dems and the Tories, by leaving the door to Britain open, have forced people to turn to a party which speaks openly about the problem of immigration."

Foreign Secretary David Miliband condemned the election of two BNP MEPs as "damaging for Britain" while Conservative leader David Cameron said the result was "desperately depressing … they are an appalling bunch of people".

Billy Hayes, general secretary of the Communication Workers Union, said Mr Griffin was the "Hannibal Lecter" of British politics and he derided the party as "scum".

But in an ironic twist, if the BNP wants to maximise its allowances in Brussels, the party will have to cosy up to as many foreign politicians as possible, The Scotsman has learned.

The anti-immigration party, which bans ethnic minorities from becoming members, will now have to embrace a large number of non-English speakers in its European parliament groupings if it wants to take advantage of expenses perks.

Complicated funding arrangements for the European Parliament make it more lucrative for smaller national parties to band together with other language speakers to ensure they receive more money for interpreting services.

The party will take two salaries of 91,980 a year (80,443), an annual staff budget of up to 210,480 (184,083) – which can be used to hire staff in the UK as well as in the European Parliament – and a communications and postal allowance of 50,424 (44,100) a year which does not require receipts.

A daily allowance of 298, to be used for accommodation and food, with a maximum annual amount of 88,804 (78,000) can also be claimed.

But to reach the maximum, the party will have to join forces with other national groups to claim an interpretation allowance of up to 80,000 (70,000) for both MEPs a year.

The total amount in salary, expenses and perks over ten years could be more than 4 million.

The same pot of cash can also be used for propaganda purposes.

Greens on course to hit Westminster target

THE Green party may be on course to have its first MP elected to Westminster after the European elections showed an upsurge in its support.

The party attracted more than 1.3 million votes across the UK (excluding Northern Ireland), with its share of the vote increasing 2.4 points to 8.6 per cent.

Although it failed to increase its European Parliament seats from the two it has held since 1999, it did see support peak in two target areas for Westminster – Norwich and Brighton.

A by-election is expected to be held this summer in Norwich North after the Labour MP Ian Gibson announced he was quitting after being barred by the Labour party from standing again after being caught up in the expenses scandal.

The Green MEPs were elected in London and the South-East, with Labour being pushed into fifth place in the latter constituency. In Scotland, where they have two MSPs, the Greens polled more than 80,000 votes, supported by 7.3 per cent of the electorate.

Caroline Lucas, the Green leader and MEP, said she was disappointed that an increase in support in the South-East had not translated into an extra seat. She said: "We have seen some spectacular results where we have targeted areas like Brighton and Hove and that bodes well for the general election."

ROSS LYDALL

'It's no fluke' as party pushes Labour into third place

UKIP forced Labour into third place in the European elections, polling 100,000-plus votes more than Labour across the UK and gaining 13 MEPs – its highest-ever total.

The anti-European Union party capitalised on widespread disenchantment with the "Westminster establishment" following the MPs' expenses scandal by winning 2,498,226 votes 16.5 per cent of those cast.

Although this was only a fraction up on its share of the vote in the 2004 European elections, it translated into an extra seat in the European Parliament. UKip had two MEPs elected in both the South-east and South-west constituencies in England – driving Labour into fifth place in both instances.

However, the party was unable to replicate its success in Scotland, where it gained 5.2 per cent of the vote and finished sixth, behind the Greens.

UKip won 12 seats in 2004, when it was boosted by the candidature of the television presenter Robert Kilroy-Silk, but subsequently lost three of its MEPs after one resigned and two faced allegations of fraud.

Party leader Nigel Farage said the results showed it was time for Labour to dump Gordon Brown as leader and Prime Minister.

He denied his party's success was driven purely by Labour unpopularity, dismissing claims that it was a fluke – the "second fluke in a row" – after UKip's 2004 success.

Mr Farage said: "People vote for us because they agree with us. They agree with us that we should be friendly with Europe, trade with Europe, be good neighbours, but not have our laws made there.

"We have managed to move on from a result five years ago that was considered to be the high-water mark. We are up on those elections. We have done extremely well. We have come second nationally. We are very happy people."

He added: "It is time that Gordon Brown went and I am confident that now there will be many Labour backbenchers signing that petition to get rid of him."

ROSS LYDALL