Gerard Batten was elected to the European Parliament in 2004 and for a second term in 2009 on the basis of using his position to campaign for Britain's unconditional withdrawal from the European Union.
He explains the basis on which he holds his seat and exercises his mandate in his Personal Declaration below. (You can download a copy here)
1) The UK Independence Party and the European ‘parliament'.
The UK Independence Party does not recognise the legitimacy of the European ‘parliament' to legislate over the British people. UKIP uses the European parliamentary elections and the taking up of seats in the European ‘parliament' purely to further the cause of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.
There are four main reasons for UKIP taking part in the European parliamentary elections of June 2009.
These are to give the British electorate the opportunity to:
I Vote for Britain to leave the European Union.
II Vote to reject the European Constitution/Lisbon Treaty.
III Vote to reject British entry of the European Single Currency.
IV Vote to elect UKIP MEPs who will work to further the cause of Britain's withdrawal from the
European Union.
The purpose of this Personal Declaration is to state the basis on which I will contest the European
parliamentary elections of June 2009, and on which I will serve the electorate of London as an MEP.
2) The basis upon which I stand for election to the European ‘parliament' and upon which I will serve as an MEP.
i) I will never recognise the legitimate right of the European Union, or any of its institutions, to legislate over the British people. The only parliament I recognise with a legitimate right to legislate over the British people is their own properly constituted and democratically elected national Parliament.
ii) I will oppose all legislation harmful to Britain. I will vote against legislation in protest, or in some
circumstances abstain on the basis that the European ‘parliament' has no legitimate right to legislate
over the British people.
iii) I will only vote in favour of legislation, or for motions before the European ‘parliament', in
circumstances where in my judgement a ‘Yes' vote would help to further the following objectives:
- To undermine Britain's membership of the European Union.
- To undermine the European Union's institutions or their ability to function in respect of the United Kingdom.
- To promote the United Kingdom's unconditional withdrawal or expulsion from the European Union.
iv) I will attend the European ‘parliament' as is necessary for me to further my objectives.
v) I will work to the best of my ability in the cause of promoting the United Kingdom's unconditional
withdrawal from the European Union and the re-establishing of the United Kingdom as an
independent, self-governing nation.
vi) I will use my position to the best of my ability to publicise the anti-democratic and corrupt nature of European Union institutions.
vii) I will take up the causes of individual constituents or organisations with the European ‘parliament', or other European Union institutions, when to do so would further the objectives for which I was elected, as stated here.
3) ‘Good Cause' or ‘Beneficial Legislation'.
If legislation before the European ‘parliament' appears to me to be apparently beneficial in its effects
then I will abstain from voting on the basis that the European ‘parliament' has no right to legislate over mthe British people (unless I vote ‘Yes' as under item 2) iii) above).
4) Salary, Expenses and Allowances.
I will draw the salary and legitimate expenses due to me on the basis that I am being paid by the British taxpayer to work for Britain's withdrawal from the European Union in accordance with my election as an MEP under the terms of this Personal Declaration. I will draw the available allowances in order to fund my role as an MEP in accordance with terms under which I was elected. I will utilise any other funds that may be legitimately available in order to further my objectives.
