In The Press

May 17th 2012 - At last, a public spirited wind turbine development!

Thu, 17 May 2012 13:47:00 +0100

At last, a public spirited wind turbine development!

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UK Independence Party

From the Office of Derek Clark, MEP, East Midlands

Rowan House, 23 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AT

Tel: 01604 620064 Fax: 01604 636002

Email: mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk

Web: www.derekclarkmep.org.uk

May 17th, 2012

The Editor,

Dear Sir,

I see that 'Butchers Pet Care' of Crick is planning to install two wind turbines, "to provide its electricity for up to the next 25 years".

That's fine - but are they aware they will only get power from these turbines for about 30 per cent of the time?

Even then you only get full power when the wind is at near gale strength. Lighter winds than that decrease the output dramatically, higher than that they have to switch them off. But perhaps intermittent power like that is all they want.

I am very glad to see that, since this is for their use alone, they are presumably going to pay the full costs themselves. The other windmills you see around make money for the landowners in staggering amounts because they feed into the National Grid. Presumably 'Butchers' won't be doing that so they get no income to offset the cost of installation, which is about £300,000 per turbine.

At last, a public spirited wind turbine development!

Yours sincerely,

Derek Clark UKIP MEP for Northamptonshire

May 15th 2012 - Cheers! MEPs raise a glass to award winning brewery

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:47:00 +0100

Cheers! MEPs raise a glass to award winning brewery

Derbyshire MEPs call for cut in beer taxes

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UK Independence Party

From the Office of Derek Clark, MEP, East Midlands

Rowan House, 23 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AT

Tel: 01604 620064 Fax: 01604 636002

Email: mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk

Web: www.derekclarkmep.org.uk

May 14th, 2012

Ref: 105

Raise your glasses - that was the toast to the award-winning Thornbridge Brewery when the county's UKIP MEPs dropped in for a guided tour.

Derek Clark and Roger Helmer were given a tour of the brewery in Bakewell - a brewery which has won an astonishing 200 national and international awards since its formation in 2005.

Mr Clark said: "It was fascinating to see the brewery process and we really must take our hats off to Thornbridge Brewery.

"It's a fantastic business and illustrates all that's best about British innovation and hard work.

"UKIP strongly supports the drinks and pub trade - indeed we were the first political party to pledge support to the annual British Pub Week."

Thornbridge branded beers were first brewed in early 2005 after the establishment of a 10 barrel brewery in the grounds of Thornbridge Hall.

The initial focus was on a range of cask beers which used traditional recipes but provided a modern twist through the use of a wide range of hops, malts and the innovation and passion of the brewing team.

After winning a succession of awards, a new 30-barrel, state of the art, brewery and bottling line was built at Bakewell in 2009.

Mr Helmer said: "The team at Thornbridge are doing a fantastic job and deserve the support of our Government - It really is time for a fresh look at the taxes on beer - In the UK, we're outrageously overtaxed on beer.

"We pay more than ten times as much tax on beer as the Germans - so how are our brewers supposed to compete? Britons now pay 40 per cent of all the beer tax in the EU - but drink only 13 per cent of the beer."

The MEPs pledged their support to an industry push to cut VAT to five per cent for the hospitality trade.

Chief Operating Officer at Thornbridge Brewery Simon Webster said: "It's great to see that our hard work in developing the brewery and creating jobs being recognised not just within the industry but also externally in the world of politics.

"We are delighted to hear that Roger and Derek are supporting calls to reduce the tax on beer which nullifies all the hard work done in the industry to create highly skilled jobs at a time when we need these most."

About Us:

The UKIP exists because none of the old traditional political parties are prepared to accept that the real government of Britain is now being transferred to Brussels.

Our purpose is to restore the authority for governing Britain to our elected parliament in Westminster. We believe that decisions made on behalf of people are made closest to the people, be they local, national or international decisions, which informs our wide-ranging manifesto covering issues right across the political spectrum.

May 10th 2012 - Airline jobs blow as BMI Baby to close

Thu, 10 May 2012 13:47:00 +0100

Airline jobs blow as BMI Baby to close

...East Midlands MEP says decision another jobs blow for the area...

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UK Independence Party

From the Office of Derek Clark, MEP, East Midlands

Rowan House, 23 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AT

Tel: 01604 620064 Fax: 01604 636002

Email: mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk

Web: www.derekclarkmep.org.uk

May 10th, 2012

Ref: 104

The East Midlands faces another jobs blow as BMIbaby announced it is set to close.

The troubled airline, which runs flights from East Midlands Airport, will begin closing routes next month and will be grounded in September, leading to worries for agents and travellers across the Midlands.

UKIP East Midlands MEP and the party's employment spokesman Derek Clark said: "This is another blow for jobs in the East Midlands and follows the recent uncertainty over the future of the Aquascutum clothing company in Corby, Northamptonshire.

"I am sure Monarch, which says it is opening up a new base at East Midlands Airport, will do well but it will not need to employ the same number of staff as being made redundant from BMIbaby.

"I wish Monarch well but it will need to expand to provide the routes vacated by BMIbaby.

"I would like to see BMIbaby routes out of Birmingham and Nottingham replaced, as it's not just a question of airline staff - many other airport employees depend on airline passengers for business."

Redundancy talks have started with 470 workers from the airline, which operates mainly out of the Midlands and Belfast.

About Us:

The UKIP exists because none of the old traditional political parties are prepared to accept that the real government of Britain is now being transferred to Brussels.

May 8th 2012 - Derek Clark MEP takes part in a discussion on Wind Energy with Russia Today

Tue, 08 May 2012 13:47:00 +0100

Derek Clark MEP takes part in a discussion on Wind Energy with Russia Today

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UK Independence Party

From the Office of Derek Clark, MEP, East Midlands

Rowan House, 23 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AT

Tel: 01604 620064 Fax: 01604 636002

Email: mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk

Web: www.derekclarkmep.org.uk

May 8th, 2012

INVITATION TO DISCUSS - WIND ENERGY

Derek Clark MEP joining in a discussion with the Russian World Service radio station, Voice of Russia the London bureau here. (here's a link to our website: http://english.ruvr.ru/)

The invitation was to take part in a discussion hosted today, Tuesday (08/05/2012) at 12 o clock in our studio.

The host will introduce the topic to a guest panel (tbc but we've finalised Adam Bell from renewable uk and are in contact with English heritage, national trust royal society and other related organisations) representing differing views on the subject which will be windfarms based on the following and leading into a broader debate about the sustainability of windfarms:

'Researchers working in Texas have found that wind farms can affect local conditions by raising night-time temperatures on the ground. It is believed that the turbines bring relatively warm air down to ground level. The results were published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

Liming Zhou, Research Associate Professor at the Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences at the University of New York, who led the study, said: "Wind energy is among the world's fastest growing sources of energy. The US wind industry has experienced a remarkably rapid expansion of capacity in recent years.

We will be uploading today's discussion to our youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/VoiceOfRussiaLondon and it should be ready to listen to in the next few days.

The discussion will be played at 16.30 today. You can listen to us on our website http://player.streamtheworld.com/liveplayer.php?CALLSIGN=RUVR_ENG or by tuning into DAB 23/7

And if you have twitter this is a link to us:

https://twitter.com/#!/voiceofrussiauk

May 8th 2012 - European Arrest Warrant

Tue, 08 May 2012 13:47:00 +0100

European Arrest Warrant

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UK Independence Party

From the Office of Derek Clark, MEP, East Midlands

Rowan House, 23 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AT

Tel: 01604 620064 Fax: 01604 636002

Email: mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk

Web: www.derekclarkmep.org.uk

May 8th, 2012

The Editor,

Dear Sir,

It was very good to read, Saturday 5^th May, that the police high-impact day resulted in several arrests of the sort of people we need to see arrested - violent criminals.

One of these was evidently Polish and it looks like he is going to be sent back to Poland under the 'European Arrest Warrant'. The EAW is in fact a very undemocratic introduction which flouts the tried and trusted rules of extradition. But in this case it should not have been needed in the first place.

The article says that this person was wanted in his own country on suspicion of murder so why was he ever allowed entry in the first place. There is no way that he would have been admitted to Canada or Australia, still less the USA whose vetting system would have denied him entry on account of his history.

A question arises then, why do we have such a lax system which allows known or suspected violent criminals to get into this country in the first place?

Yours faithfully,

Derek Clark UKIP MEP for Northamptonshire

May 4th2012 - UKIP candidate gets third of votes

Fri, 04 May 2012 13:47:00 +0100

UKIP candidate gets third of votes

...Candidates across Derby praised for fantastic results...

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UK Independence Party

From the Office of Derek Clark, MEP, East Midlands

Rowan House, 23 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AT

Tel: 01604 620064 Fax: 01604 636002

Email: mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk

Web: www.derekclarkmep.org.uk

May 4th, 2012

Ref: 103

Fantastic - that's how UKIP's Derbyshire MEP Derek Clark described Derby City Council election results.

UKIP fielded six candidates, with Alan Graves in the Alvaston Ward polling an astonishing 32.83 per cent of the vote, just missing out to Labour.

Mr Clark said: "These were fantastic results and illustrated perfectly the rise of our party in the city.

"People realise we are the commonsense party, we offer real solutions to the very real problems people in this country are facing.

"People are fed up with the dogma churned out by the other parties and are turning to us.

"We are making progress, as these results in Derby and indeed, across the whole of the East Midlands and beyond, illustrate.

"It sums up our progress that we now expect to beat the Liberal Democrats and we're genuinely disappointed not to have won in Alvaston."

The results revealed:

Labour down from 59 per cent o 47.96 per cent - a 16.19 per cent swing to UKIP.
UKIP up from 11.5 per cent to 32.83 per cent, up 21.33 per cent.
The Liberal Democrats down from 4.95 per cent to 3.8 per cent - a 16.24 per cent swing to UKIP.
Conservatives down from 24.5 per cent to 15.36 per cent - a 15.24 per cent swing to UKIP.

About Us:

The UKIP exists because none of the old traditional political parties are prepared to accept that the real government of Britain is now being transferred to Brussels.

May 4th2012 - UKIP candidate gets third of votes

Fri, 04 May 2012 13:47:00 +0100

UKIP third party in Lincolnshire

...Candidates oust Lib Dems ...

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UK Independence Party

From the Office of Derek Clark, MEP, East Midlands

Rowan House, 23 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AT

Tel: 01604 620064 Fax: 01604 636002

Email: mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk

Web: www.derekclarkmep.org.uk

May 4th, 2012

Ref: 101

The success of UKIP nationwide was mirrored in Lincolnshire as the party's candidates knocked back the Liberal Democrats into fourth place in wards across the city.

Six of the seven UKIP candidates in this week's elections, came third at the pools, smashing the Liberal Democrat share of the vote.

Candidates Tony Wells and Nicola Smith achieved 19.1 per cent and 17.5 per cent of the vote respectively.

Lincolnshire UKIP MEP Derek Clark: "These were fantastic results and illustrate perfectly the steady rise of our party in the city.

"People realise we are the commonsense party, we offer real solutions to the very real problems people in this country are facing.

"People are fed up with the dogma churned out by the other parties and are turning to us.

"We are making steady progress, as these results in Lincolnshire and indeed, across the whole of the East Midlands and beyond, illustrate."

About Us:

The UKIP exists because none of the old traditional political parties are prepared to accept that the real government of Britain is now being transferred to Brussels.

May 3rd 2012 - Lincs Pasty Letter

Thu, 03 May 2012 13:47:00 +0100

Lincs Pasty Letter

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UK Independence Party

From the Office of Derek Clark, MEP, East Midlands

Rowan House, 23 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AT

Tel: 01604 620064 Fax: 01604 636002

Email: mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk

Web: www.derekclarkmep.org.uk

May 3rd, 2012

The Editor,

Dear Sir,

I read with interest your article on the Withern bakery joining the march on Downing Street in protest at the so-called 'pasty tax'.

I applaud the owners and staff at Pocklingtons for fighting this ridiculous tax - an extra 20p on a £1 pasty is scandalous.

It led me to think - when is a pasty hot enough to qualify for VAT? If you purchase it hot and let it go cold while you are still in the shop, do you still pay VAT? What if it's served cold and the shop-keeper makes a microwave available - do you pay VAT then?

It's like the 'fish and chips' scam, take them away in a newspaper it is okay, eat the same plateful at a table in the 'chippy' and you pay VAT.

I have never seen such a ludicrous way of raising a few bob and making traders' lives yet more complicated.

Yours sincerely,

Derek Clark UKIP MEP for Lincolnshire

May 3rd 2012 - Olympic Games

Thu, 03 May 2012 13:47:00 +0100

Olympic Games

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UK Independence Party

From the Office of Derek Clark, MEP, East Midlands

Rowan House, 23 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AT

Tel: 01604 620064 Fax: 01604 636002

Email: mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk

Web: www.derekclarkmep.org.uk

May 3rd, 2012

The Editor

Dear Sir

The much trumpeted success in winning the forthcoming Olympic Games for London is now looking a bit sour.

First the tickets are being printed by an American Firm in Arkansas. Next, the design of the athletes outfits could be used by almost any country, you certainly wouldn't know that they were British athletes wearing them. Now the organisers have dropped an even bigger clanger.

There is to be a gigantic Olympic Bell, a foot wider than the Great Bell at St Pauls Cathedral which was cast by Taylors of Loughborough in 1881. In fact, Taylors have cast 11 of the 15 biggest bells in the country. They obviously know what they are doing but they are not good enough for our wretched Olympic organisers.

The contract for this Olympic Bell has gone to the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London but they have sub-contracted the job to a Dutch company. As the acting Chief Executive of Taylors said, "It is the British Olympics but the bell is being cast by a foreign company in a foreign country". It is true that in 2009 Taylors went into administration but was saved by 'Bell' enthusiasts including the former design engineer at their factory. So this company is on the up again and this contract would have given them an enormous boost in securing the company, and its workforce, for many years to come.

And you thought, "We were all in this together".

Yours sincerely

Derek Clark UKIP MEP for the East Midlands

The office of Derek Clark MEP
UK Independence Party
Suite 1, Rowan House
23 Billing Road
NORTHAMPTON
NN1 5AT

Email - mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk
Web - www.derekclarkmep.org.uk
Tel - 01604 620064

April 30th 2012 - Trust and English Heritage in launching legal action against a wind farm

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:47:00 +0100

National Trust and English Heritage in launching legal action against a wind farm

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UK Independence Party

From the Office of Derek Clark, MEP, East Midlands

Rowan House, 23 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AT

Tel: 01604 620064 Fax: 01604 636002

Email: mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk

Web: www.derekclarkmep.org.uk

April 30th, 2012

The Editor,

Dear Sir,

Full marks to the National Trust and English Heritage in launching legal action against a wind farm in east Northamptonshire, close to close to Lyveden New Bield.

The map of Northamptonshire is now pock marked with these wretched, useless wind farms, or the sites already ear marked for them.

Do people not realise these monstrous things are not just an eyesore, causing disturbance to those who live near, but that they are in fact useless. They only turn out any electric power for 30 per cent of the time and not on full power for more than a fraction of that. If the wind is below a light breeze, or gets up to gale strength they do not produce anything at all. So in Sunday's very high winds across the county they would have been shut down, just when you think they would be turning out great quantities of free electricity.

It's a massive confidence trick. They are only going ahead because landowners receive enormous subsidies to have them on their land and in return for these ridiculous sums of money they have to do precisely nothing beyond signing a piece of paper.

Each of these projects must have planning permission which is decided by the local council. Did you know that if it goes against the planners they can appeal, but that local protestors may not appeal if it goes the other way?

Are you sure you still live in a democracy?

Yours sincerely

Derek Clark MEP

The office of Derek Clark MEP
UK Independence Party
Suite 1, Rowan House
23 Billing Road
NORTHAMPTON
NN1 5AT

Email - mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk
Web - www.derekclarkmep.org.uk
Tel - 01604 620064

April 30th 2012 - Scandal

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:47:00 +0100

Scandal

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UK Independence Party

From the Office of Derek Clark, MEP, East Midlands

Rowan House, 23 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AT

Tel: 01604 620064 Fax: 01604 636002

Email: mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk

Web: www.derekclarkmep.org.uk

April 30th, 2012

The Editor

Dear Sir

A report from the European Commission reached the Employment Committee earlier this week. On the first page, Paragraph 1.3, it says, "...a member state must always give preference to Bulgarian and Romanian workers over workers who are nationals of non EU countries..."

This will take effect in December 2013 when the 'transitional arrangements' which have been restricting the potential flow of people from these countries comes to an end.

This means that we must start to reject people coming to us from our own Commonwealth in favour of Eastern Europeans. This is discrimination which is outlawed in the Lisbon Treaty.

Indeed, earlier we had voted on a report where an amendment reading, "Zero tolerance to discrimination", was passed by a big majority.

The Commission is the guardian of the treaties, but it is now perfectly clear that they are prepared to throw overboard any so-called principle to achieve their hypocritical ends. Scandalous.

Yours sincerely

Derek Clark MEP for the East Midlandss

April 27th 2012 - Barmy bid which could see hairdressers banned from wearing high heels

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:47:00 +0100

Barmy bid which could see hairdressers banned from wearing high heels

...UKIP MEP Derek Clark attacks proposals set to go before Brussels bureaucrats...

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UK Independence Party

From the Office of Derek Clark, MEP, East Midlands

Rowan House, 23 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AT

Tel: 01604 620064 Fax: 01604 636002

Email: mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk

Web: www.derekclarkmep.org.uk

April 27th, 2012

Ref: 100

A proposal which could see hairdressers banned from wearing high heels, jewellery and even watches has been blasted as 'barmy' by an East Midlands MEP.

UKIP's Derek Cark, the party's employment spokesman, said the proposals, which are set to go before Brussels bureaucrats were "daft and typical of the red tape nonsense coming out of Europe."

The proposals, which have been suggested by European lobbyists, could also mean hairdressers having to carefully plan their working day to ensure they have regular natters with colleagues and do not carry out too many haircuts a day to prevent stress.

Mr Clark said: "What absolute nonsense. This is barmy - this would be yet more red tape to strangle small businesses.

"How many hairdressers have ever come a cropper because of wearing high heels at work?

"And taking time for regular chats - what about other lines of work? Should it now become law we all take regular breaks to chat with colleagues. Word fail me."

Mr Clark said health and safety was important but there were enough regulations and the latest ideas were both vague and intrusive.

About Us:

The UKIP exists because none of the old traditional political parties are prepared to accept that the real government of Britain is now being transferred to Brussels.

April 25th 2012 - Aquascutum in Corby

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:47:00 +0100

Aquascutum in Corby

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UK Independence Party

From the Office of Derek Clark, MEP, East Midlands

Rowan House, 23 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AT

Tel: 01604 620064 Fax: 01604 636002

Email: mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk

Web: www.derekclarkmep.org.uk

April 25th, 2012

To The Editor,

Dear Sir,

I would like to make it clear my comments expressing concern over the future of Aquascutum in Corby were not aimed at prospective buyers Cooper and Stollbrand.

My quotes in your report Big Interest In Ailing Company, (April 24, 2012), were submitted to your reporter on Friday before I had any knowledge of Cooper and Stollbrand's interest.

At that point, I was merely making a general statement about how I hoped the firm, would not simply open up elsewhere, or worse still, abroad.

I have clarified my position with James Eden, of Cooper and Stollbrand, and would like the opportunity for this letter to clarify the situation with your readers too.

Yours sincerely,

Derek Clark, MEP for Corby

April 24th 2012 - St George's Day should become a Bank Holiday

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:47:00 +0100

St George's Day should become a Bank Holiday

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UK Independence Party

From the Office of Derek Clark, MEP, East Midlands

Rowan House, 23 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AT

Tel: 01604 620064 Fax: 01604 636002

Email: mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk

Web: www.derekclarkmep.org.uk

April 24th, 2012

To The Editor,

Dear Sir,

Your Opinion piece this week says that St George's Day should become a Bank Holiday,- I couldn't agree more.

You say there is increased recognition of St George's Day, but it is still very low key. It's about time we did it properly.

Like a growing number of English people, I believe St George's Day should now become a national holiday. Other parts of the UK celebrate their National Saint's day enthusiastically, why should the English not bang their own drum too?

Might be good for pubs too which are having a hard time these days. No harm in boosting their trade by downing some real ales to mark the date!

Yours sincerely,

Derek Clark, MEP for Northamptonshire.

April 20th 2012 - MEP joins fight against Ketton wind farm

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:47:00 +0100

MEP joins fight against Ketton wind farm

...Rutland MEP Derek Clark backs campaign ...

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UK Independence Party

From the Office of Derek Clark, MEP, East Midlands

Rowan House, 23 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AT

Tel: 01604 620064 Fax: 01604 636002

Email: mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk

Web: www.derekclarkmep.org.uk

April 20th, 2012

Ref No. 096

The campaign against two 100m wind turbines in Ketton has been backed by the area's MEP.

UKIP MEP Derek Clark, a fierce critic of wind farms, has pledged his support in the ongoing fight to stop the turbines being built on land off Steadfold Lane.

The Ketton and Tinwell Action Group on Wind Turbines, which was formed to oppose the plans, has claimed the proposed turbines could negate the effect of the accelerators in the chimneys of the neaby cement works which spread emissions away from the area.

It said this could bring more emissions down on Ketton and the surrounding towns and villages. It also claimed the occasional chimney 'blowouts' would deposit cement dust on the blades of the turbines. This could lead to the blades shearing, and potentially landing on or near housing, some of which are just 500m away.

Mr Clark said: "I will support all and any protest groups, as I have already done in several areas across the East Midlands.

"Residents have very real concerns about these plans with the close proximity of houses and of course, the cement works.

"Quite apart from that, let me be clear - wind turbines are useless. The usual lie told in their favour is that they will supply so many houses. No they will not.

"In a moderate breeze, about 15mph, they produce a quarter of their maximum output. As the wind rises they reach maximum output at near gale strength, about 50mph, and at storm, approximately 55mph, the turbines have to be switched off to avoid damage.

"Altogether this whole range of wind speeds needed to operate the turbines occurs just 30 per cent of the time. That's unpredictably varying power for 120 days of the year, nothing for 245 days and each one costs £300,000!"

Mr Clark urged Rutland County Council to turn down the plans. He said: "Germany has many more wind turbines than us and it is now building four coal fired power stations just to cope with the windmills.

"So the devastation of the countryside to which many people object is all for nothing. Our Government is going along with the EU, the biggest promotors of the 'global warming' scam. It's a nonsense."

About Us:

The UKIP exists because none of the old traditional political parties are prepared to accept that the real government of Britain is now being transferred to Brussels.

April 20th 2012 - Corby job losses - MEP smells a rat

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:47:00 +0100

Corby job losses - MEP smells a rat

... County MEP Derek Clark on the latest jobs blow ...

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UK Independence Party

From the Office of Derek Clark, MEP, East Midlands

Rowan House, 23 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AT

Tel: 01604 620064 Fax: 01604 636002

Email: mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk

Web: www.derekclarkmep.org.uk

April 20th, 2012

Ref No. 099

Corby's MEP has said he 'smells a rat' as the news 115 jobs were being lost at Aquascutum sinks in.

Derek Clark, UKIP's employment spokesman said the devastating news was a surprise bearing in mind the administrators had said there had been lots of interest in buying the company.

Mr Clark said: "If that's the case, why has the firm closed so quickly?

"Do I smell a rat? A big firm is ready to take them over in order to relocate production somewhere else and don't want to tell Corby people the truth - best to close it down and hey presto! They are up and running somewhere else!"

About Us:

The UKIP exists because none of the old traditional political parties are prepared to accept that the real government of Britain is now being transferred to Brussels.

April 19th 2012 - Chronicle & Echo

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:47:00 +0100

Chronicle & Echo

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UK Independence Party

From the Office of Derek Clark, MEP, East Midlands

Rowan House, 23 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AT

Tel: 01604 620064 Fax: 01604 636002

Email: mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk

Web: www.derekclarkmep.org.uk

April 13th, 2012

The Editor,

Dear Sir,

After hearing the news The Chronicle and Echo is to become a weekly newspaper, I would like to wish you and your staff all the best for the future.

I have been a Chron reader for many, many years - long before I was an MEP for the county - and, as a supporter of the local press, it will take me some time to get used to reading your newspaper once a week, instead of every day.

Times do change though and I am positive your weekly edition will be as informative and as lively as ever.

I will continue to take part in debates and write letters on the EU and its impact on your readers in the future and will look forward to reading all the local news both in your new format and online.

Once again, the very best of luck for the future - keep up the good work.

Yours sincerely

Derek Clark UKIP MEP for Northamptonshire

The office of Derek Clark MEP
UKIP
Suite 1, Rowan House
23 Billing Road
NORTHAMPTON
NN1 5AT

Email - mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk
Web - www.derekclarkmep.org.uk
Tel - 01604 620064

April 19th 2012 - Jobless figure drops. But it's not all good news

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:47:00 +0100

Jobless figure drops. But it's not all good news

...UKIP MEP Derek Clark on the latest jobless figures ...

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UK Independence Party

From the Office of Derek Clark, MEP, East Midlands

Rowan House, 23 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AT

Tel: 01604 620064 Fax: 01604 636002

Email: mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk

Web: www.derekclarkmep.org.uk

April 19th, 2012

Ref No. 098

UKIP's employment spokesman has lifted the spin curtain on the latest employment figures.

East Midlands MEP Derek Clark said: "On a basic level we must be cheered the latest unemployment figures show a slight 35,000 drop on the last quarter. But lift the Government's spin curtain just a little and we have a different story. One compounded by recent statements by Chris Grayling who should know better.

"The overall increase is almost entirely made up of people moving to part time jobs. Hidden in the figures is a curious number - 166,000 jobs were created in the last quarter for non UK nationals. At the same time 166,000 jobs were lost by UK nationals. What this appears to be is a straight switch between British jobs, and jobs for non-Brits. Of course statistics make things look how stranger than they are, and the synchronised figures are a freak of those statistics. But what is clear is we are seeing the negative result of years of denigration of British workers.

"I have almost given up counting the times I have heard from official Government spokesmen, including the Employment Minister yesterday about how British workers are feckless, not interested in working and the like.

"Time after time we hear from those who want to justify massive inward migration that 'British workers are lazy compared to migrants who make an effort'. This denigration of mostly young British people, desperate for work, makes it even harder for them to find it. If they are told they are useless, firstly they begin to believe it, and more worryingly so do employers.

"With this mood music from the Government, who would blame an employer for choosing an immigrant over a British worker if offered the choice? After all, the employer is keen to find somebody who will work hard, be a credit to their firm, and who will stick at it.

"So one cheer for a drop in unemployment, but I reserve the other two cheers when I see a concerted effort being made by our Government to encourage young people, to ensure educational standards increase, to sing their praises. Otherwise the powers that be will be responsible for driving more people into the despond of welfare dependency.

"In my work I have met many hundreds of young people, unemployed but willing to work. It is their life chances which are being undermined by this drip-drip propaganda."

About Us:

The UKIP exists because none of the old traditional political parties are prepared to accept that the real government of Britain is now being transferred to Brussels.

April 13th 2012 - Bank Holidays

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:47:00 +0100

Bank Holidays

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UK Independence Party

From the Office of Derek Clark, MEP, East Midlands

Rowan House, 23 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AT

Tel: 01604 620064 Fax: 01604 636002

Email: mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk

Web: www.derekclarkmep.org.uk

April 13th, 2012

The Editor

Dear Sir/Madam,

The CEBR states that Britain has an average of eight public holidays in the average year at a cost to the economy of £2.3b for each of those days. So it calls for abandoning some to help the economy.

A quick browse through EU public holidays shows that Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Spain all have 10 public holidays per year, Denmark and France 11, while Greece and Portugal each have 13. We even have to attend Strasbourg this coming week from Tuesday to Friday, instead of the usual Monday to Thursday, because of the Greek Orthodox Easter.

But MEPs from across Europe do not want the UK to have any kind of advantage - which is what we currently have by taking fewer Bank Holidays than many other European countries.

They don't actually like competition. So, should we fall into line with all the others? Never mind the damage to our economy, this would satisfy all those people who support our EU membership - all in this together?

This is yet another reason to support UKIP's policy of withdrawal from the EU.

Yours sincerely,

Derek Clark, UKIP MEP for the East Midlands.

April 12th 2012 - Ambulance Service

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 13:47:00 +0100

Ambulance Service

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UK Independence Party

From the Office of Derek Clark, MEP, East Midlands

Rowan House, 23 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5AT

Tel: 01604 620064 Fax: 01604 636002

Email: mep@derekclarkmep.org.uk

Web: www.derekclarkmep.org.uk

April 12th, 2012

The Editor,

Dear Sir,

Your readers have every right to be concerned about fears East Midlands Ambulance Service could close stations in our county.

I have been campaigning about the gradual merger of ambulance services across the East Midlands for many years.

It appears my fears about further cutbacks and mergers were well-founded.

It stands to reason response times will get worse if existing ambulance stations are closed and so-called 'regional hubs' are created across the East Midlands.

I know how difficult it can be trying to cover a region as large and diverse as the East Midlands and I would urge the powers-that-be not to adopt these proposals.

In fact, reverse them altogether and let us have local ambulance services for local people - it's what we expect and deserve.

Yours sincerely,

Derek Clark ,UKIP MEP for Northamptonshire