Fred Parkinson UKIP
THE story across the water politically has been the emergence of the UK Independent Party – UKIP – and its leader, Nigel Farage.
The party has had large coverage in the UK press, surprised with its results in polls – and has also been subject to criticism over its perceived racism.
Stonemason Fred Parkinson (43), from Brookeborough, is the party’s most westerly candidate in the local council elections and is standing here in Erne East.
Mr Parkinson, a preacher in Brookeborough Methodist Church, described the party – whose overall election promises surround Britain leaving the European Union and stricter emigration control – as a ‘common sense’ party.
He insists that his party is not racist and says he wants to work to improve Fermanagh in any way that he can.
Mr Parkinson has highlighted education – the closure of Lisnaskea High School – as a major issue in his electoral area, as well as jobs.
“We have no jobs in Fermanagh. Even if we got 90 jobs a year in Fermanagh. As part of the council we have to look at bringing those jobs to Fermanagh. We need to work together very hard for bread and butter issues in Fermanagh.”
Mr Parkinson, who has worked for many years as a missionary in Sierra Leone, described the type of voter he feels he has secured through canvassing.
“I’ve been getting a lot of middle aged people as well as younger voters. People have agreed a lot with what UKIP are about.”
He also feels, that he will pick up a lot of votes from the nationalist community.
“We don’t support gay marriage and there’s a lot of conservative Catholics who will give me support, number one, the other thing is because of our policy on the European Union. We should leave the European Union and control people who come in – because of controlled immigration – that is another big reason why a lot of Catholics have come looking for the vote. A lot of them have lost their jobs and sometimes they’ve been replaced by a migrant worker.
“It’s not because of the migrants, it’s because of the EU open door policy.”
Party leader, Nigel Farage, has been described by Mr Parkinson as ‘a man of the people’ – and rebuked claims that the party is racist.
“Our party is not a party of class – we have people working class, upper class, all ethnic races, various religions. He’s brought all this together and he’s the leader of this party – he’s welcomed wherever he goes. We do think we get the wrong portrayal by the mainstream media.
“The more we’re smeared, the more we’re growing.”
And of claims his party is racist: “We put it down to if we were talking about leaving the European Union.
“We’re not anti-immigrant – we’ve lots of people from different backgrounds standing for us. It’s because we say we need top control immigration – we’re anti uncontrolled immigration.
“The people don’t buy it, they know our members, they know we’re ethnically diverse.”
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere
