Andy McSmith's Diary: Ukip keeps calm and carries on with EU funds

A nine-person task force is being set up to co-ordinate 'information activities' during Britain’s referendum

Nigel Farage has formed the Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe (ADDE), which some sceptics suggest is Ukip’s way of channelling EU money into the Out campaign (Corbis)

Ukip MEP Patrick O’Flynn is being very reasonable after extracting confirmation from the EU Commission that a nine-person task force is being set up to co-ordinate “information activities” during Britain’s referendum.

He surmises that the task force will grow as the referendum draws near, and that “information activities” is a euphemism for spreading propaganda to aid the In campaign.

You would think he would be outraged by this use of EU funds. Instead, he commented, mildly: “British voters do not like anything that smacks of interference with fair play.”

Ukip may have a reason for staying calm. Last year, Nigel Farage cobbled together a group of like-minded MEPs from seven EU states to form the Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe (ADDE), which qualifies for EU funding. The ADDE is now advertising for someone with a degree from a top university, eight years’ experience, and UK-based media contacts to carry out “liaison for the referendum on UK’s membership of the EU”.

Suspicious minds have suggested this is Ukip’s way of channelling EU money into the Out campaign, but they deny it. “ADDE is researching and polling to inform the debate,” UKIP spokesperson Gawain Towler told the Politico website. “This is about information, not campaigning.”

Opening up on alcohol

“Do you drink?” Alastair Campbell asked Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, in November’s GQ. “I do, yes,” she replied. “Moderately and responsibly.”

“When was the last time you got drunk, so you couldn’t remember what you did the night before?” he asked. She answered: “Oh, quite a while ago.” Next question: “But you can’t remember when?” Answer: “No – because I was drunk!”

Tony Blair’s former spin doctor could, if asked, say precisely when he last drank himself into oblivion. It was in 1986, when his obsession with getting to the top in tabloid journalism drove him to alcohol abuse and a nervous breakdown. That is the experience that now drives him to campaign for an end to the secrecy that surrounds mental illness.

Old dogs, not so new tricks

Politicians who quote members of the public run the risk that the person will pop up and contradict them.

At the Tory conference this week, David Cameron said: “Bernard Harris from Leicester wrote to me before polling day and said this. ‘Aged 82, this is possibly my last election. In my life I have foolishly voted Labour, believing it served the working class. How wrong I was’.” He added: “Bernard, you found the right party.”

Maybe he did, but he found it many years ago. Bernard Harris has voted Conservative since 1987.