UKIP Uncovered

UKIP Uncovered
What motivates the leaders of the United Kingdom Independence Party?

Tuesday, May 18, 2004

Paul Sykes and his Donations

As exclusively revealed on this blog, almost immediately after UKIP party leader Knapman had announced the size of the party's war chest for the coming European Elections, and as tentatively confirmed by The Independent on Saturday, the donor of such largesse is Paul Sykes the Yorkshire Millionaire who has ealier generously supported a UKIP General Election Campaign. This is now fully confirmed by this 'exclusive' article from the Yorkshire Postlinked from here and quoted below.

The lesson is clear, as it was when we were almost a week in front of with the news of the Kilroy-Silk recruitment - for news and FACTS about UKIP this blog UKIP UNCOVERD is the prime source

Quote
Exclusive
Andrew Vine, Chief Reporter
YORKSHIRE tycoon Paul Sykes is throwing his financial weight behind the UK Independence Party in the upcoming European elections, in the hope of getting Britain out of a federalist EU.

The multi-millionaire businessman believes UKIP offers voters the only chance of withdrawing from a federal Europe, and establishing a new relationship based on free trade.

And Mr Sykes is also opposing a regional assembly for Yorkshire, which he says would pave the way for a centrally-governed Europe of the regions.
Mr Sykes, one of Britain's wealthiest businessmen, has been a long-time opponent of the single currency and the drive to make Britain a part of a federal Europe.
He believes the European elections, plus the forthcoming referendums on the regional assembly and a new EU constitution, give voters a chance to send an uncompromising message to the Government that they do not want even closer ties to Europe – a message that has emerged in opinion polls.
"This is our Waterloo," he said. "Our own opinion polls and other national polls are now telling us that a majority of people in Britain favour an AMICABLE WITHDRAWAL (UKIP Uncovered emphasis - ed.) from the European Union if Britain was guaranteed a free trade agreement."
Mr Sykes, who is based in Harrogate, would not be drawn on the level of his financial support for UKIP, but it is thought to be at least £100,000. His contribution will include paying for about 2,000 billboards to get the party's message across. UKIP is fielding six candidates in Yorkshire.
He hopes that the elections will lead to an amicable withdrawal by Britain from the EU, which is allowed under the new constitution. And that would be what Britain voted for in the referendum on joining the Common Market almost 30 years ago, he says.
"I believe that a Britain free to trade with the rest of Europe, which is what people voted for in 1975, could now available to us," Mr Sykes said. (UKIP Uncovered emphasis - ed).
He added that the two proposed refer-enda, on the regional assembly and the new EU constitution, coupled with the June European election, give voters a unique opportunity to signal to the Government that it is hopelessly out of touch with public opinion.
He said: "It is time the people were told the facts about Europe. About how we could amicably leave the EU without damaging our trade with the nations of Europe.
"I believe that a Britain freely trading with Europe and the rest of the world can be achieved, which is exactly what the British people voted for in 1975." (UKIP Uncovered emphasis - ed).
In an article written for today's Yorkshire Post, Mr Sykes argues that the three main parties are avoiding the real issues about Europe. He accuses them of ignoring polls that have found 73 per cent of the public want a vote on whether to stay in the EU and 80 per cent of businesses think Brussels has too much power.
He adds that Britain has prospered by staying out of the Euro, while on mainland Europe, unemployment has shot up.
Mr Sykes also writes that the business case for WITHDRAWING (UU emphasis - ed) from the EU is compelling.
He adds: "There is nothing extremist, Left or Right, about wanting the sovereign right of the British people to be governed by their own laws, made in their own parliament, by their own people."
Mr Sykes's support for UKIP marks a return to the political fray for the man who has campaigned passionately for voters to be given a say about closer ties to Europe.
His campaigns have cost him millions of the fortune he made from a series of phenomenally successful business ventures, including the Meadowhall shopping centre at Sheffield and the Planet Online internet company.
In 1999 and 2000, his Democracy Movement campaigned against joining the Euro and increased powers for the EU. The following year, he launched the British Democracy Campaign, which pressed for a referendum on continued membership of the EU.

posted by Martin |7:33 AM