Speech to UKIP Party Conference

Speech to UKIP Party Conference by Nikki Sinclaire MEP On Friday 4th September 2009:



Speech Text

" It is a privilege to be one of the two UKIP MEPs representing the counties of the West Midlands.We achieved UKIPs highest vote increase last June, coming first in three council areas. This is a significant success, and I pay tribute to the hard working UKIP volunteers. I will do my best to repay your efforts.The West Midlands is the home to so much of Britain’s creative and scientific genius – the birthplace of the industrial revolution and of such historical giants as Elgar, Darwin, Shakespeare and Ozzy Osbourne! It has a population of 5.2 million people, and stretches from Herefordshire in the South to Staffordshire in the north, encompassing the metropolitan area of the West Midlands, Shropshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

It has proud traditions and a great people. The EU has had a very negative affect on these people – manufacturing, such as the iconic HP sauce factory, lies in ruins and rubble. Jobs moved to the continent. The car industry is a pale shadow of its former glory – plants like Ryton have been transferred to Slovakia with the help of EU funding, yet our government was powerless to bail out Rover due to EU trade rules, which put thousands on the dole queue. Agriculture has also been adversely affected – tied by the bureaucratic hands of the Common Agricultural Policy. Our dairy farmers closed due to unfair and unrealistic quotas.

Three months ago a significant number of the people in the West Midlands took the opportunity to say ‘NO’ to the EU, ‘NO’ to unelected bureaucrats making 75% of our laws, and ‘NO’ to the EU taking £40 million a day, £40 million pounds better spent on our schools, hospitals and on OUR infrastructure. In the West Midlands we are ready to fight a General Election in every constituency. To build, on our first places in Stoke, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Dudley. Between now and the election we will distribute more than a half a million 8 page newspapers.We will be giving our all to send MPs to Westminster to keep Nigel Farage company.

I have been involved with UKIP for 15 years. In this time the party has grown and can take great credit for changing attitudes to the EU, by reporting the reality and exposing its lies. Not to mention the duplicity of the LibLabCon. The activists of this party can take great satisfaction from the fact that even according to the Brussels Broadcasting Company the majority in this nation want to leave the EU.My first loyalty is to our country and to its independence – this is the cause we all share. I fully appreciate that I owe my position to the ordinary members of the party who elected me to represent them. I understand that loyalty is a two way street and it is my turn to repay them and today I recommit to that promise.

In 1998, I attended the Party Conference that changed our policy in sending MEPs to Brussels. I attended that day to vote against but after listening to the arguments and the assurances - I voted in favour.I still believe we made the right decision I also recommit to those aims and assurances of that Conference. Rule from Brussels is unacceptable in any form - to the people of our party, and to an ever-growing majority of people in this country. I therefore see my role in Brussels as to make the bureaucrats’ life as difficult as possible – to rub their noses in their mess as often as possible.

To report back on their fanaticism – to utilise the resources open to me to the best of my ability for the best use of UKIP.We may have had no choice but to supp with the devil by taking seats at his table. However, at that table it must never be forgotten that our aim is unequivocal withdrawal from the EU. Compromise is not and must never be an option. These are not just words but my principles. So today I am going to put my money where my mouth is – in the next 12 months I will donate at least a third of my net salary to the campaign in the West Midlands. I also believe we need to invest in our future and Young Independence is our future. Congratulations to Lisa Duffy and all those at Young Independence for the strides they have made.

To assist them I will be donating to their campaign. Further, I will not be forgetting our friends in Scotland and the North East who continue to grow in strength.The management of our money is important. All my staff are managed and paid directly by a chartered accountant. I never see a penny of that money. Each year my office allowances will be audited and a certificate produced. We British are a trusting people, but this trust has been abused. History has shown that when we are pushed too far, we will fight back, and that when we fight back, we win. We must galvanise this fighting spirit, to lead our people to that independence that will be our victory."