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EU referendum: UKIP to launch own campaign EU referendum: UKIP to launch own campaign
(about 4 hours later)
The UK Independence Party says it will launch its own campaign against staying in the EU instead of joining one of the two existing No campaigns.The UK Independence Party says it will launch its own campaign against staying in the EU instead of joining one of the two existing No campaigns.
Leader Nigel Farage believes UKIP can mobilise thousands of supporters of exiting the EU at public meetings.Leader Nigel Farage believes UKIP can mobilise thousands of supporters of exiting the EU at public meetings.
UKIP, he said, had a "unique role" to play and wanted to "get cracking".
The decision highlights splits that emerged after the general election when some in his own party said he was too divisive to lead the No campaign.The decision highlights splits that emerged after the general election when some in his own party said he was too divisive to lead the No campaign.
There will be only one official No campaign for the UK's referendum. There will be only one official No campaign for the UK's referendum, with two groups currently vying for the role.
The Electoral Commission has yet to decide which group to designate as the official No campaign for the referendum, which is set to be held by the end of 2017 on whether the UK should stay in or leave the EU.The Electoral Commission has yet to decide which group to designate as the official No campaign for the referendum, which is set to be held by the end of 2017 on whether the UK should stay in or leave the EU.
Designation brings with it the benefits of higher spending limits, television broadcasts and a grant.Designation brings with it the benefits of higher spending limits, television broadcasts and a grant.
Picture of harmony 'Ground campaign'
UKIP will unveil its No campaign later this week. Mr Farage told the BBC that he was not seeking to lead the official No campaign and that UKIP - which will launch its own campaign on Friday - would work alongside whichever "umbrella" group was chosen as well as Eurosceptics in other parties.
That's hardly a surprise you might think, after all this is the party that exists to get the UK out of the union. But it muddies the water on the No side with three rival campaigns now established. "UKIP is a political party and whoever gets the designation as the official campaign will have to be an umbrella of some kind," he told Radio 4's Today. "The unique role that UKIP can play within this is that we have 50,000 members, hundreds of branches across the country and we can do the ground campaign."
There are the Westminster types behind the No campaign, the entrepreneurial business types behind the "Know" camp, and now there is UKIP. Mr Farage suggested UKIP's performance in the 2014 European elections, when it topped the polls in the UK, showed it could deliver nearly two thirds of the votes needed to win a referendum on EU membership.
It looks like Mr Farage is determined to make the others - and some in his own party - think twice about rejecting him as the right person to lead the campaign. He added: "It is no different to the Yes campaign... already the SNP have said they will do their own thing and not join up with anybody and do their own thing. It is the same on both sides."
At the very least he wants to make sure his party is at the heart of the effort. Analysis by political correspondent Robin Brant
He believes UKIP has the structure in place to mobilise thousands of activists that could prove invaluable to any No campaign. Nigel Farage believes UKIP has the structure in place to mobilise thousands of activists that could prove invaluable to any No campaign, placing his party is at the heart of the effort.
Mr Farage also thinks the other No camps lack his combination of political nous and reach outside of Westminster. Nonetheless he paints a picture of harmony on the No side.Mr Farage also thinks the other No camps lack his combination of political nous and reach outside of Westminster. Nonetheless he paints a picture of harmony on the No side.
He says he speaks to senior figures in the other camps several times a week. He is also inviting them to UKIP's conference in Doncaster at the end of September. He says he speaks to senior figures in the other camps several times a week. He is also inviting them to UKIP's conference in Doncaster at the end of September. He wants to see them up on the stage addressing his faithful.
He wants to see them up on the stage addressing his faithful.
Cross-party consensus
What of the Yes camp? Easyjet chief executive Carolyn McCall is the person being eyed up to front the campaign.What of the Yes camp? Easyjet chief executive Carolyn McCall is the person being eyed up to front the campaign.
Behind the scenes, early funding is coming from Lord Sainsbury and there is already a cross-party consensus in place with Peter Mandelson, Danny Alexander and Damian Green the self-appointed political figures.Behind the scenes, early funding is coming from Lord Sainsbury and there is already a cross-party consensus in place with Peter Mandelson, Danny Alexander and Damian Green the self-appointed political figures.
Strategy is quite advanced. University students arriving for the start of term are likely to face a concerted effort from a Yes campaign that wants to take advantage of political activists already in place on campuses across the country.Strategy is quite advanced. University students arriving for the start of term are likely to face a concerted effort from a Yes campaign that wants to take advantage of political activists already in place on campuses across the country.
There are some fears though of splits that could prove problematic. With David Cameron still yet to finish his tour of European capitals and complete his pre-vote reform negotiations, there is a group of Tory MPs who are in the "Yes but..." camp. There are some fears though of splits that could prove problematic. With David Cameron still yet to finish his tour of European capitals and complete his pre-vote reform negotiations, there is a group of Tory MPs who are in the "Yes but..." camp. They want to see what he gets. There is a concern that could lead to a rival campaign, or a campaign within a campaign, that would be "Yes lite".
They want to see what he gets. There is a concern that could lead to a rival campaign, or a campaign within a campaign, that would be "Yes lite". But the decision risks muddying the water on the No side, with effectively three rival campaigns in existence - the Business for Britain group featuring well-known Westminster figures, UKIP donor Aaron Banks' group The Know.eu, as well as UKIP.
Mr Farage said he hoped the two other groups would come together to fight the No campaign as one, which he suggested could be fronted by a non-politician, such as someone from the worlds of business and entertainment.
He also said figures within his own party, such as deputy chair Suzanne Evans, were wrong to suggest that immigration would not be a central issue in the referendum.
He added: "What I do know is the Yes campaign is very active. Over the course of the last few months we have seen Richard Branson, Tony Blair and Lord Mandelson. They are out there campaigning and we need to get cracking."