This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/apr/30/ukip-nigel-farage-teething-problems

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Ukip's Nigel Farage admits 'teething problems' with candidates Ukip's Nigel Farage admits 'teething problems' with candidates
(about 1 hour later)
The UK Independence party leader, Nigel Farage, has admitted that his party faced "one or two teething problems" with its candidates for Thursday's local elections but rejected claims that it undermined the Eurosceptics' offer to voters.The UK Independence party leader, Nigel Farage, has admitted that his party faced "one or two teething problems" with its candidates for Thursday's local elections but rejected claims that it undermined the Eurosceptics' offer to voters.
Farage acknowledged that the suspension of a Ukip candidate after being pictured on the front page of the Daily Mirror making the Nazi salute "does not look very pretty" but blamed a rapid growth in his party for meaning some inappropriate people had slipped through the net.Farage acknowledged that the suspension of a Ukip candidate after being pictured on the front page of the Daily Mirror making the Nazi salute "does not look very pretty" but blamed a rapid growth in his party for meaning some inappropriate people had slipped through the net.
Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, the Ukip leader said the party had vetted candidates - but not had the resources to look at all social media publications by its candidates. Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, the Ukip leader said the party had vetted candidates – but had not had the resources to look at all social media publications by its candidates.
He said: "We have had, out of our 1,700 candidates, a handful who have embarrassed us, mostly because they simply haven't told us the truth, but we are the only party in British politics who actually forbid former members of the BNP or extreme organisations from even becoming members of Ukip, let alone candidates and, in one or two cases, people haven't told us the truth. He said: "We have had, out of our 1,700 candidates, a handful who have embarrassed us, mostly because they simply haven't told us the truth, but we are the only party in British politics who actually forbid former members of the BNP or extreme organisations from even becoming members of Ukip, let alone candidates and, in one or two cases, people haven't told us the truth but I'm pleased to say that it is only a handful.
"A huge amount of time and money has been spent on researching every single Ukip candidate standing in these elections. I would speculate if the same amount of scrutiny was put on the Labour and Conservative party, they would find their own embarrassment."A huge amount of time and money has been spent on researching every single Ukip candidate standing in these elections. I would speculate if the same amount of scrutiny was put on the Labour and Conservative party, they would find their own embarrassment.
"We have done what due diligence we can at branch level - if people seemed to be very, very odd we didn't accept them but we have taken people on faith. We don't have the resources to trawl through absolutely everybody's social media sites and that has led to one or two embarrassments." "We have done what due diligence we can at branch level – if people seemed to be very, very odd we didn't accept them but we have taken people on faith. We don't have the resources to trawl through absolutely everybody's social media sites and that has led to one or two embarrassments."
Farage added that other parties had recently faced similar problems and cited the case of Sussex Tory councillor John Cherry, who was sacked after saying he had no problem with children from "coloured areas" coming to Sussex to learn but that Pakistani children would sink to the bottom.
"The Tory party sacked somebody last week who was a serving councillor for talking about coloured people coming in to Sussex," Farage noted.
In recent days, Ukip has faced a range of criticism including Tory grandee Ken Clarke branding the party a "collection of clowns", while one of the party's MEPs, Godfrey Bloom, suggested buying policy "off the shelf" to fill a manifesto vacuum.In recent days, Ukip has faced a range of criticism including Tory grandee Ken Clarke branding the party a "collection of clowns", while one of the party's MEPs, Godfrey Bloom, suggested buying policy "off the shelf" to fill a manifesto vacuum.
But Farage said his party was making a genuine, different offer to the British public, defending public policy spats as normal internal discussion.But Farage said his party was making a genuine, different offer to the British public, defending public policy spats as normal internal discussion.
Asked whether the party had dropped its proposal for a flat tax, Farage said this was not the case - but added that Ukip was considering whether to back a "two-tier" flat tax at the next general election. Asked whether the party had dropped its proposal for a flat tax, Farage said this was not the case, but added that Ukip was considering whether to back a "two-tier" flat tax at the next general election.
And he told Today: "I can't dictate what the policy of Ukip is - it will be the national executive committee that makes that decision." And he told Today: "I can't dictate what the policy of Ukip is – it will be the national executive committee that makes that decision."
On other issues, Farage backed grammar schools and a relaxation of the smoking ban to allow pubs and restaurants to have separate smoking rooms.On other issues, Farage backed grammar schools and a relaxation of the smoking ban to allow pubs and restaurants to have separate smoking rooms.
He said Ukip was "absolutely certain" wind energy was not a viable option to solve climate change "even if there is a problem there in the first place".He said Ukip was "absolutely certain" wind energy was not a viable option to solve climate change "even if there is a problem there in the first place".
On the party's wider platform, he added: "We're for an independent, self-confident, self-governing United Kingdom that believes in itself and changes its entire future course away from being obsessed with being part of Europe to linking out, forming new trade relationships and cultural relationships with the rest of the world.On the party's wider platform, he added: "We're for an independent, self-confident, self-governing United Kingdom that believes in itself and changes its entire future course away from being obsessed with being part of Europe to linking out, forming new trade relationships and cultural relationships with the rest of the world.
"We are the modern, forward-looking party saying we want a global future for Britain in the 21st century – not to be tied to this completely outdated European model.""We are the modern, forward-looking party saying we want a global future for Britain in the 21st century – not to be tied to this completely outdated European model."