This article is from the source 'bbc' 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.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24163335

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Nigel Farage: UKIP growing up and can win Europe poll UKIP conference: UK will prosper by going it alone says Farage
(about 1 hour later)
Leader Nigel Farage has predicted his UK Independence Party will come first in next year's European elections. Britain would flourish outside the EU, Nigel Farage has said, forecasting UKIP will cause a "political earthquake" in European elections next year.
Addressing UKIP's annual conference he said the party is also set to overtake the Liberal Democrats, in terms of members, within two years. Addressing the party's annual conference, he said leaving the union would "open a door to the world".
UKIP has reached unprecedented heights in the opinion polls under Mr Farage, prospering in May's local elections. He described his party as the "true Europeans" as he claimed credit for shifting the terms of the debate on immigration and holding a referendum.
The anti-EU party also came second in the last European elections in 2009. And he predicted UKIP overtaking the Lib Dems, in terms of members, by 2015.
It gained 16.5% of the popular vote - second only to the Conservatives - and returned 13 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). UKIP has reached unprecedented heights in the opinion polls under Mr Farage, coming second in the last European elections in 2009 and winning hundreds of seats in May's local elections.
But, at the 2010 general election, support dwindled to 3.1% and UKIP did not win a single Westminster seat. In this May's local elections in England, however, it added 139 council seats to its tally. 'Little England'
Mr Farage has refused to predict how the party's Westminster candidates would fare in 2015 but says he wants to turn the next European elections "into a referendum on EU membership". Mr Farage has refused to predict how the party's Westminster candidates would fare in 2015 but said he wants to turn the next European elections "into a referendum on EU membership".
'Teenage years' "My ambition and my conviction is that we can come first across the United Kingdom," he told activists.
He told members at the conference in central London later that, by the next general election, UKIP would overtake the Lib Dems in terms of its support base. "Let us send an earthquake through Westminster politics and lets say we want our country back."
"We've 30,000 members and growing fast," he claimed. "Certainly by the time of the general election we'll be the third-highest-membership party in Britain." The party has sought to broaden its appeal beyond its core message of EU withdrawal, announcing policies in recent days on energy and welfare.
The Liberal Democrats had 42,501 members at the last count. But, in a speech dominated by Europe, Mr Farage said the European Commission had "hijacked" the EU's original ideals and the UK would begin a process of "national renewal" by going its own way.
Earlier, Mr Farage acknowledged that success had brought added pressures. Those who warn British trade would be harmed by a UK exit were the "true voices of Little England", he told party members.
"When a political party goes from being very small to being medium-sized or big, it's rather like growing up," he said. "There are some difficult teenage years that you have to get through. Of course we've had one or two people we'd rather hadn't come along." "Those 10,000 trucks a day coming in from the continent bringing goods into this country. They won't stop coming," he said.
Mr Farage has dismissed reports that, as a 17-year-old student at Dulwich College, he used "racist and fascist" language - describing allegations broadcast by Channel 4 News as "complete and utter nonsense". "The idea that the EU will start a trade war with Britain is simply not credible. The real reason the EU won't be able or willing to stop trading with us is that the German car industry won't allow it."
"I think I regret virtually everything I said and did at 17," he told BBC Breakfast. UKIP was growing in strength and, by the time of the next election, Mr Farage said it would be the third largest party in the country in terms of membership, overtaking the Lib Dems.
"It was felt inappropriate to discuss immigration so we did it with glee... it was nothing more than a wind-up." The party is meeting just days after one of its ex-deputy leaders quit the organisation, frustrated by what he had described as its "totalitarian" leadership.
'Cronies'
The party is meeting just days after one of its ex-deputy leaders quit the party, frustrated by its "totalitarian" leadership.
Mike Nattrass - West Midlands MEP and a member for 15 years - accused Mr Farage of silencing dissent and surrounding himself with "cronies".Mike Nattrass - West Midlands MEP and a member for 15 years - accused Mr Farage of silencing dissent and surrounding himself with "cronies".
In Lincolnshire, county councillor Chris Pain was kicked out, he claims, because the leader feared he was "creating a power base" to seize his job.
But Mr Farage, by far the party's best-known figure, outlined his popularity with voters, saying in his speech: "They are fed up to the back teeth with the cardboard cut-out careerists in Westminster, the spot-the-difference politicians... the politicians who daren't say what they really mean."But Mr Farage, by far the party's best-known figure, outlined his popularity with voters, saying in his speech: "They are fed up to the back teeth with the cardboard cut-out careerists in Westminster, the spot-the-difference politicians... the politicians who daren't say what they really mean."
'Blistering row'
While there was no mention of the members who quit in protest at his leadership, he acknowledged internal clashes.While there was no mention of the members who quit in protest at his leadership, he acknowledged internal clashes.
Mr Farage told party members he had a "blistering row" with Godfrey Bloom - the UKIP MEP who courted controversy recently by claiming British foreign aid goes to "bongo-bongo land".Mr Farage told party members he had a "blistering row" with Godfrey Bloom - the UKIP MEP who courted controversy recently by claiming British foreign aid goes to "bongo-bongo land".
Alluding to the comments, he referred to "public pronouncements that I would not always choose myself". Alluding to the comments, he referred to "public pronouncements that I would not always choose myself" and urged those with passionate views to focus on the "big messages".
The two-day conference is also set to discuss the UKIP leadership's plans to ensure migrants have private health insurance and for social housing to be prioritised for people whose parents or grandparents were born locally. UKIP gained 16.5% of the popular vote - second only to the Conservatives - in the 2009 European elections and returned 13 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).
Energy spokesman Roger Helmer earlier announced the party would invest profits from shale gas extraction in a sovereign wealth fund. But, at the 2010 general election, support dwindled to 3.1% and UKIP did not win a single Westminster seat.
He is expected to dismiss opponents of fracking as "eco-freaks". Earlier on Friday, the party's energy spokesman Roger Helmer announced it would invest profits from shale gas extraction in a sovereign wealth fund.
The two-day conference is also set to discuss plans to ensure migrants have private health insurance and for social housing to be prioritised for people whose parents or grandparents were born locally.