Mobile Surgery/Battle Bus rolls into Nuneaton

On a freezing cold day hundreds of people, some responding to the article in the local newspaper the previous evening came to speak with me and sign the petition for a Referendum on the UK's membership of the EU.

I was really tires having arrived home from Strasbourg at 11pm the previous evening but my spirits were raised by the enthusiasm of people wanting to have their say.

Taking the Battle Bus to Westminster



 It is never easy to look ones best in near constant rain!
Nikki Sinclaire MEP being interviewed by the BBC at Westminster on the petition and the need for a referendum



Petition battle bus at  Parliament in support of the MP's who overwhemingly voted against prisioners getting the vote. undettered by the near contimuous rain, Nikki Sinclaire MEP with her staff continued to get signatures for the petition for a referendum from supportive passers by

Nikki Sinclaire MEP holding some of the completed petition foms outside Parliament, Westminster, Thursday 10th February 2011 being photographed by the Daily Express

Campaign bus rolls on in Halesowen

My Campaign bus has been back on the road this week after the Christmas break. A few days ago it was in Leamington Spa. Today it was in the Black Country Town of Halesowen. This was my first outing with the bus this year. The visit ad been covered in advanced by the local press and a steady number of people, sometimes queueing came to sign the petition and to speak to me about the EU. Safe to say, the people of Halesowen want a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU and more to the point they would vote to get Britain out! I really enjoy these days and I wish my schedule would allow me to get out with the bus more often There is no substitute to speaking directly with the electorate. Many interesting constituency matters come to the fore including small businesses and enterprise (SME)  unable to obtain EU grants as a result of the Quango Advantage West Midland getting their marching orders and whist in their 'notice period' not bothering to assist these SME's. Unbelievably, EU funds (British taxpayers money) will be returned to the EU if it is unused. I will be following this up!



http://www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/local/8768938.Independent_MEP_returning_to_Halesowen_next_week_for_roadshow/

Letter in Daily Telegraph

SIR – The British people have never had a say on the nature of our current relationship with the EU. We are promised that a petition of 100,000 would trigger a Commons debate on EU membership.
I have been overwhelmed by the support for my petition calling for a debate on Britain’s continued membership and look forward to delivering it to Downing Street shortly.
Despite being a committed Eurosceptic, I will accept and abide by whatever decision the people make – the challenge I am laying down is for the pro-EU lobby to make that same commitment.
Nikki Sinclaire MEP

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/8097167/Taxpayers-who-cant-afford-to-live-in-London-should-not-pay-for-jobless-to-do-so.html

Campaign for a Referendum in Royal Leamington Spa

Today my mobile surgery arrived in Leamington Spa. It was another successful day with many people signing the petition. Once again it was very enjoyable interacting with my electorate sometimes in rigorous debate. I find that many europhiles also feel we should have a referendum.

Campaign for a Referendum

While I was on my RAF course my team were busy in Telford with the battle bus. I have been told it was an extremely good day with people queueing up to sign the petition. This week also sees the publication of the campaign magazine

click the link below to read it

http://yourmep.org/pdfs/12%20pg%20A4%20magazine.pdf

At the Conservative Conference

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/birmingham-diary-tory-fringe-despair-at-antics-of-coalition-cameroons-2097638.html  see 'What is she doing here'

My battle bus rolled into Birmingham today for the final conference of the political season. The Conservatives have chosen Birmingham once again for their conference bringing gridlock to parts of the city on a daily basis. City centre conferences seem to be vogue at the moment much to the detriment of seaside resorts like Brighton, Blackpool, Bournemouth etc it used to be a nice little earner at the end of the season for these resorts but the established political parties rather disrupt the countries major cities.

The Campaign for a Referendum (CfaR) was received warmly by delegates, many signatures were collected and hundreds of petition packs handed out.  Coincidently, the Bruges Group and CfaR had rooms at the Midlands Institute which allowed respective interested parties to find out more about each other.

Outside the Conference I had the pleasure to meet Lizzie Williams, a protester against the High Speed Link (HS2) that is cutting though the Green Belt. Lizzie had just finished her walk though the proposed route. I signed her petition and promised her my support.

Out with the battle bus in Worcester

http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/archive/2010/09/26/news_evesham/8413538.Residents_can_have_their_say_when_Battle_bus_arrives/

My team and I are currently in Worcester with the battle bus. Tescos are doing their bit for the community by allowing me to park my mobile surgery outside their stores across the West Midlands. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet with my constituents even if the weather is awful. However, the the publics enthusiasm for the Campaign is wonderful. We are getting through forms and materials fast!

At the Labour Party Conference

Taking the Campaign for a Referendum to the opposition in Manchester




With Tony Benn who was supportive of my initiative

 


With Ben Bradshaw MP I was trying to convert the inconvertable!



New Labour leader, Ed Milliband told his conference that politics is broken. What he didn't do like he did with Iraq, is to acknowledge and apologise for  the Labours complicity in breaking the democratic link between the people and the people who govern them.

Politics has been broken since we joined the Common Market in 1972 without the consent of the British people.  Subsequent governments, including Labour have transferred sovereignty to unelected bureaucrats in Brussels. If he wants to fix politics he should begin by supporting my Campaign for a Referendum.

As you can see from the above photos I was in Manchester today and spoke at a fringe meeting at Central Hall promoting the petition. I have engaged in interesting conversations with Labour delegates including the veteran, principled campaigners Tony Benn and Dennis Skinner. Tony Benn showed support for my initiative and I hope he will give me his endorsement.

I also spoke with many europhiles including Ben Bradshaw who have no intention of giving the British people a say on their future - and they call themselves democrats!

A true inspiration

Today I had the pleasure of meeting Hazel from North Wales who has collected over 500 signatures for the 100,000 petition ‘Campaign for a Referendum’ on the UK’s membership of the EU. Hazel has never been a member of a political party and only found out about the campaign when a friend showed her the leaflet. She felt so strongly about the cause, she immediately went out and completed the first form and then contacted my office for more forms. Hazel recently lost her husband who she cites as her inspiration. Shortly before his death she found him crying, she asked him why. He replied that he was upset about his country and the mess the politicians have made of it. Hazel told me this campaign was way overdue and the British people deserved a say on how they were governed. She goes out two/three times a day and has vowed to continue.

My mum, despite a recent hip operation and a problematic recovery has collected over 300 signatures. We get many calls to the office and receive lots of completed forms on a daily basis. I am overwhelmed at the level of support and the dedication of these people who truly are a inspiration to our cause.

Speaking at the English Democrats

 I along with fellow West Midlands MEP, Mike Nattrass was pleased to have the opportunity to speak at the English Democrat AGM in Nottingham today having had a very successful business breakfast meeting with their leadership team.

We spoke individually and then took questions about the European Union, being a MEP, and the Campaign for a Referendum. It was an enjoyable and interesting experience exchanging views and developing an understanding of each other’s perspective.

It is these cross party initiative that are so important if we are going to win the day. I look forward to further dialogue.

Ps.  I was quite surprised to learn during our breakfast meeting the overtures made by Malcolm Pearson towards an electoral pact during the general election.

Pearson supported by Steve Crowther and Peter Reeeve met with the English Democrat leadership, with the blessing of Nigel Farage

Constituencies where UKIP would not stand were agreed however, as with so much else Pearson reneged on his undertaking costing UKIP considerable support in the areas that they had agreed.

Campaign for a Referendum

This initiative is gaining momentum with over 20,000 signtatures. My battle bus is touring all over the West Midlands and is being received well.