Tag Archives: nigel farage

Question Time – open thread, 28/05 #bbcqt

Question Time returns to its previous time slot of 2240 this evening, and the BBC website tells us the panel will be:

Europe Minister Caroline Flint, Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan, Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesperson Jo Swinson, Green Party leader Caroline Lucas, UKIP leader Nigel Farage, and French businessman Pierre-Yves Gerbeau.

In the last week before the European elections, the programme is billed as a Euro special from London.  If the politicos can avoid being booed off stage merely for being politicos, there are loads of interesting ways the debate can go.  Caroline vs Caroline; Greens vs Lib Dems on who has the best environmental policy; Hannan vs Farage on whose european parliamentary party is antier than the other; and Dome running PY “Gerbil” Gerbeau on “why I’m here.”

If you’re tuning in, you can join the simultanous online Twitter debate here at #bbcqt, or the LDV debate in the thread below. Meanwhile Lib Dem blogger Mark Thompson will be liveblogging events via CoverItLive at his own blog.

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Lib Dems tackle UKIP head on

On Monday, the Lib Dem’s chair of Communications Edward Davey wrote to the leader of UKIP Nigel Farage MEP to challenge him on failing to publish his own expenses, on the disgraceful voting record of his European Parliamentary Party, and on the shameful track record of his fellow parliamentarians.

“UKIP MEPs have attacked others over their expenses while living the high life in Brussels, charging the taxpayer, and hiding the true cost from voters.

“One in six UKIP MEPs elected in 2004 has since faced criminal charges over their creative accounting. Meanwhile, UKIP turned up in the European Parliament to vote against a cap on MEPs’ earnings, against reforms to make travel more transparent, and in favour of laws aimed at keeping their expenses secret.

The chair of the Liberal Democrats’ Campaigns and Candidates Committee, went on to say, “It’s one thing to complain about MPs’ expenses. But it is quite another to point the finger while hiding the truth about yourself.

“UKIP’s absent accounting, elusive expenses, and secretive attitude add up to bare-faced cheek. Nigel Farage must explain to the public where the money has gone and why they have voted against change.

Edward concluded “UKIP must end the hypocrisy and show us the money now.

Find out more about what the Lib Dems are saying about the European Elections.