By Martin Walker
The UK Independence Party’s candidate for Sedgefield has slammed the “arrogance” of the Labour Party after Tony Blair’s visit to Newton Aycliffe this week.
The former Prime Minister visited Aycliffe Business Park on Tuesday to launch a rallying cry for Ed Miliband’s party and for its Sedgefield candidate Phil Wilson, who has held the seat since 2007.
But Mr Blair also made a controversial speech on the issue of Europe – suggesting the public shouldn’t even get a say on the matter in a referendum.
John Leathley, the UKIP candidate for Sedgefield, said: “The absolute arrogance shown by the Labour Party towards the British public is outstanding.
“Not only do they think they are economically responsible enough to challenge the Conservatives on the economy, but they also are now telling the British public what they do and do not want.
“It amazes me that the Labour Party are doing so badly that they needed a controversial talisman to come back and get headlines, but the most significant and frankly unbelievable thing that they are doing is denying the British public a chance to decide on our membership of the EU.
“Most people will have never had the vote on EU membership, more people are wanting it and Labour claim that it would cause uncertainty in the markets and generally be bad for the UK to have one.
“This is after a Scottish referendum and of course that thing we have every so often called a general election which clearly causes the markets to become nervous.
“So I’m sorry but the excuse of uncertainty won’t work with me or the public.
“All we want is a say, each side will get a chance to have their say upon a referendum being called and then the public can make their own mind up.”
Mr Leathley went on: “Phil Wilson refused to back real recall and now refuses to offer you a referendum.
“You are the MP’s boss, not the other way around. A vote for Labour is starting to clearly resemble a vote for a dictatorship and I for one believe in democracy, so I shall be voting UKIP who will fight for real democracy.”
