Britain’s most pro-EU party heading for disaster in May [UK and the European elections 2014]

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Series Details 18.02.14
Publication Date 18/02/2014
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Commentary article published by EUObserver on the 18 February 2014 on the British political situation prior to the European Parliament elections in May 2014.

The Guardian reported on the 20 February 2014 that Nick Clegg had challenged Nigel Farage to a two live debate on Britain's membership of the European Union before May's elections. The UKIP leader accepted the challenge.

The first debate took place on the 26 March 2014 and the second a week later.

David Cameron launched his party's European election campaign on the 10 April 2014 by saying Ukip could change anything and other parties did not want to.

However, voter support for UKIP was shown at a record high by an opinion poll released on the 13 April 2014.

On the 15 April 2014, British media sources reported that Ukip leader Nigel Farage has been questioned over the £15,500 in expenses he had claimed annually for office costs after it emerged he was paying no rent on the small Bognor Regis property where he was working.

UKIP started its campaign for the EU elections with posters slammed by opponents as “racist”, fear-mongering and inaccurate.

Nick Clegg launch the Liberal Democrats' European election campaign on the 24 April 2014, hoping his high-profile defence of UK membership of the EU can prevent the party being wiped out in the European parliament.

On the 25 April 2014, EurActiv reported on a group of pro-Europe British Conservatives which decided to launch a new party to stand in the upcoming European elections as an alternative to David Cameron’s Conservatives, and Nigel Farage’s Eurosceptic UK Independence Party (UKIP).

Source Link Link to Main Source http://euobserver.com/eu-elections/123051
Related Links
ESO: Background information: Future of Europe: Vice-President Viviane Reding to hold public debate in London - 'Give UK voters facts' http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-future-of-europe-vice-president-viviane-reding-to-hold-public-debate-in-london-give-uk-voters-facts/
ESO: Background information: Tycoon Paul Sykes backs UKIP European election campaign http://www.europeansources.info/record/tycoon-paul-sykes-backs-ukip-european-election-campaign/
ESO: Background information: UKIP names Nathan Gill for 2014 European election http://www.europeansources.info/record/ukip-names-nathan-gill-for-2014-european-election/
ESO: Background information: UK MEPs prepare for bitter European Parliament campaign http://www.europeansources.info/record/uk-meps-prepare-for-bitter-european-parliament-campaign/
EurActiv, 17.02.14: Clegg suggests coalescing with Labour in 2015 http://www.euractiv.com/elections/clegg-suggests-coalescing-labour-news-533554
BBC News, 21.02.14: Nigel Farage 'can hardly wait' to debate EU with Nick Clegg http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26287197
ESO: Background information: European Parliament: Election, May 2014 http://www.europeansources.info/record/european-parliament-election-may-2014/
The Guardian, 24.02.14: Ukip accepts EU exit could take several years http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/feb/24/ukip-eu-exit-take-years
The Guardian, 27.02.14: Nigel Farage: we can't change a thing in Europe http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/feb/27/nigel-farage-europe-ukip
BBC News, 26.02.14: What has the European Parliament ever done for us? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25963806
The Guardian, 10.03.14: Ukip faces questions about its far-right friends in Europe http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/mar/10/ukip-faces-questions-far-right-europe-for-freedom-and-democracy
EUObserver, 13.03.14: The fall of Britain's far-right party http://euobserver.com/eu-elections/123438
EurActiv, 27.03.14: Lib Dems campaign pro-Europe, but fail to convince http://www.euractiv.com/sections/uk-europe/lib-dems-campaign-pro-europe-fail-convince-301187
The Guardian, 27.03.14: Nigel Farage accuses EU of 'poking Russian bear with stick' over Ukraine http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/mar/27/nigel-farage-eu-poking-russian-bear-ukip-syria
The Guardian, 27.03.14: Clegg attacks Farage for 'siding with Vladimir Putin' over Ukraine http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/27/nick-clegg-nigel-farage-vladimir-putin-ukraine
Blog: Open Europe, 27.03.14: Fact-checking the Clegg v Farage EU debate http://openeuropeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/fact-checking-clegg-v-farage-eu-debate.html
The Guardian, 10.04.14: Conservatives can be the third way in Europe, says David Cameron http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/apr/10/conservatives-david-cameron-european-elections-ukip
BBC News, 10.04.14: European elections: PM launches Tory campaign with UKIP broadside http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-26968252
EurActiv, 14.04.14: UKIP hits new high in poll ahead of Europe vote http://www.euractiv.com/sections/uk-europe/ukip-hits-new-high-poll-ahead-europe-vote-301532
The Guardian, 15.04.14: Farage under fire over MEP expenses claims http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/apr/15/nigel-farage-under-fire-over-office-expenses
BBC News, 15.04.14: Nigel Farage rejects EU allowances claims http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27030660
The Guardian, 14.04.14: What's the difference between BNP and Ukip voters? http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/14/bnp-ukip-voters-politics-immigration
EurActiv, 22.04.14: UKIP launches election campaign with controversial posters http://www.euractiv.com/sections/eu-elections-2014/ukip-launches-election-campaign-controversial-posters-301680
The Guardian, 22.04.14: Nigel Farage launches Ukip campaign amid criticism of 'racist' rhetoric http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/apr/22/nigel-farage-ukip-european-elections-campaign
The Guardian, 24.04.14: Clegg launches Lib Dems as pro-EU anti-Ukip party for European elections http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/apr/24/nick-clegg-lib-dems-anti-ukip-european-elections
BBC News, 24.04.14: European elections: Lib Dems 'to fight for EU cause' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27129819
EurActiv, 25.04.14: New UK EPP party vows to be the alternative to Tories, UKIP http://www.euractiv.com/sections/uk-europe/new-uk-epp-party-vows-be-alternative-tories-ukip-301715
EurActiv, 28.04.14: New British poll gives UKIP lead in EU election http://www.euractiv.com/sections/eu-elections-2014/new-british-poll-gives-ukip-lead-eu-election-301788
The Guardian, 28.04.14: Ukip has no policies beyond EU and immigration, says Green party leader http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/apr/28/ukip-policies-eu-immingration-green-party

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