Friday, 5th September 2008

UKIP’s first Member of Parliament, Dr Bob Spink, told the party conference in Bournemouth that he had put his country before his career in joining UKIP.

The MP for Castle Point, in Essex, said his risk was minimal in comparison to "the young men and women in our armed forces who put their country before their very lives."

Britain had "an honourable history of fighting for freedom", Dr Spink told delegates, and "as long as I have a voice in Parliament I will fight for its sovereignty."

The former Conservative pointed to the lies told by leaders of the main parties.

"Tony Blair said, 'I’m a pretty regular guy'…he lied. David Cameron said he would withdraw from the European People’s Party immediately…he lied. Gordon Brown said we would have a referendum on the Constitution…he lied."

And, said Dr Spink, "Unlike David Miliband, I’m not afraid to mention my party leader’s name."

He dismissed the idea that if the Lisbon Treaty were ratified in spite of Ireland’s rejection of it Britain could not hold a retrospective referendum.

"After all, 100% of referendums we’ve had on European matters so far have been retrospective."

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