UKIP holds spring election rally

The UK Independence Party (UKIP) is holding its spring conference ahead of the European elections in June.

Speakers include Stuart Wheeler, the spread betting millionaire expelled from the Conservative Party after he gave a £100,000 donation to UKIP

In the last European elections five years ago UKIP gained 12 MEPs although that number has been reduced to nine.

Leader Nigel Farage told the BBC that UKIP wanted friendship and free trade with Europe, but not a political union.

"We go into these elections knowing that for the first time the UKIP position is now a majority view," he said.

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"Well over half the people in Britain want us to leave the European Union and have a simple free trade agreement."

He said that in UK general elections the big political parties tried to avoid discussing European issues, but in the forthcoming elections that was not possible.

Mr Farage said that the proportional representation system of allocating votes in the election, meant any suggestions that a vote for UKIP was a wasted vote were incorrect.

And he also believed voters could forget "their tribal ties" during a European election.

"We are the party saying we want friendship and free trade with our European neighbours, but not membership of a political union," he said.

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