Kilroy attacks 'liberal fascism'

Mr Kilroy-Silk also said the present asylum system was immoral

Euro MP Robert Kilroy-Silk has launched his Veritas Party's manifesto with an attack on multi-culturalism imposed by "liberal fascists in London".

The idea that everybody should respect each other's culture was "nonsense", he said, adding that not all cultures were equal - some were "reprehensible".

The ex-chat show host said no-one voted for Britain to become multi-cultural.

He also set out Veritas' plans to bring in a 22% flat tax rate and not to tax the first £12,000 earnings.

Mr Kilroy-Silk, who was elected to the European Parliament under the UK Independence Party banner, said it was necessary to counter the presumption that everybody should respect other cultures.

The poorest third of families pay almost 10% of their income in tax. Under Veritas they would pay nothing Veritas deputy leader Damian Hockney Kilroy in full effect

"We do not and we will not, and we will say that openly so that people will have the confidence to know that all cultures are not equal - they are not.

"There are some that are reprehensible are not entitled to respect and we should say so."

He went on to say Veritas wanted a country that was multi-ethnic and multi-creed but added that there should be just one culture - a British culture.

VERITAS MANIFESTO Read the Veritas manifesto in full (1.65MB) Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Download the reader here

Veritas supported the Metropolitan Police's call to outlaw forced marriage and would also not tolerate honour killings or restrictions on free speech imposed by extreme religious groups.

Nobody believed in the relativity of morals and a culture - everybody believed in what was right and wrong, he said.

However, Mr Kilroy-Silk stressed that he believed firmly in the equality of all people of whatever race, creed or sex and that he had campaigned on this as an MP.

'Open door'

The party also unveiled plans to cancel the tax bills of Britain's poorest 10 million workers. This would be done by imposing a £12,000 threshold at which income tax would begin to be paid.

Deputy party leader Damian Hockney said it was absurd that someone who earned £5,000 a year should have to pay income tax.

"The poorest third of families pay almost 10% of their income in tax. Under Veritas they would pay nothing."

The party is also proposing to withdraw from the European Union so Britain could "take back control of its borders".

What they describe as the government's present "open door" policy would be replaced with one requiring immigrants to have skills the country needs, to pass health tests, be able to speak English and have no criminal convictions.

It was "immoral" that the asylum system cost £2bn a year in Legal Aid, housing, health and detention costs, Mr Kilroy-Silk said, pledging to spend more money on "genuine refugees".

Other manifesto measures include ring-fencing company pensions schemes, working towards a zero tolerance of crime and anti-social behaviour and evicting travellers from illegal sites if they refuse to move.

---

This debate is now closed. Thank you for your comments.

Your comments:

Does Kilroy and his acolytes seriously believe that anyone will take these policies seriously? The manifesto reads like a charter for 'disgusted of Tunbridge Wells', whatever the laudable aims of helping those in poverty. It is entirely unrealistic that basic services and government functions can continue if a flat-tax is imposed at 22%, the manifesto is almost devoid of policies on education and health and remains obsessed with EU, which is depicted as an evil empire with no benefit whatsoever. This party is the personal manifestation of Kilroy's ego and its policies are a rag bag of rightwing little-England rhetoric and old-school labour big-statism - a more ungodly and incongruent combination one struggles to envisage.
Jonathan, Sheffield, UK

I cannot believe some of the comment here. Veritas is not a far right extremist party. It's simply a party that wants British people, of all races, creeds, and origins to have the nation back that we were all once proud of. To promote a single culture is not racist. Any multicultural society is divisive. It's time for a change, Veritas speak the common truth.
Nick, Northamptonshire

Kilroy now sounds as ridiculous as some of his more extreme guests - maybe he's now trying to move up to get a part on Jerry Springer by being even more outrageous than ever. Absolute rubbish and I look forward to watching Veritas collapse in the election and go away for good.
Alan, London

Asking people to describe "Britishness" just reduces the argument to stupid bickering. Instead, let's define what "Britishness" is NOT. It is not oppressive; women have equal rights; children are educated with science not religion. There is opportunity, economic prosperity, and if you're smart and work hard you will probably do well. There are many exceptions to the rule. The British do believe in fair play - abusing the system to get into the country is not fair play. Enough is enough. I will vote for this party.
Graham, Warrington, England

Kilroy-Silk is simply wrong in saying that there is one British culture Julian Richards, London, UK

Kilroy-Silk is simply wrong in saying that there is one British culture. I grew up in Liverpool, where we considered ourselves very different to the spoilt, effete Southerners. Then I came to live in the South and found out we were right. Would Glaswegians welcome being lumped with people from Birmingham or Henley? I doubt it.
Julian Richards, London, UK

He says he firmly supports equality of the individual and wants a country that is multi-ethnic and multi-creed. And still he's accused of being racist, a BNP wannabe... As usual, if you don't sing the same song as the left they reserve the right to impose their prejudices on you in the form of vitriol and insult.
AB, London, England

A politician who is not too scared to speak his mind, at last.
Elaine, UK

While I admire the fact that Mr. Kilroy-Silk is not afraid to voice his opinions, I have to agree that the opinions he holds are disturbing, to say the least. He brands other cultures as 'reprehensible', but one has to consider the fact that he judges this only by his own standards. Just because he assumes that not all other cultures are entitled to respect, does not mean that his opinion is shared by the voting population, and this is why he will probably be unsuccessful.
Jess Hall, Bristol, England

Kiroy-Silk's brave stance is to be admired by all those who value free speech. My hat goes off to him. At his age and with his wealth he could comfortably retire, but here he is in 2005 speaking more sense than all the main party leaders put together. And why is he not on TV more often?
Geoffrey Harper-Jones, Harrogate

As a second generation British Citizen, I am extremely proud of my cultural background but also consider myself a Londoner, English and British. I dislike what Robert Kilroy-Silk stands for; his anti-EU stance and his contemptible views on different cultures. However, I have had to grit my teeth as I agree with certain points in their manifesto, for example their policy on taxation and crime. If he gains a significant amount of the popular vote, maybe the three main parties will accept some of his proposals.
Kamal, Edinburgh

I admire RKS for speaking his mind on issues of culture and nationality without the due deference to political correctness that afflicts the majority of politicians in this country. It is a shame that his view is not shared by the majority and he will be branded as a "little Englander' or worse.
Andy D, Oxford

Mr Kilroy-Silk has gone loopy loo. Is Veritas some sort of UK arm of the KKK? I believe businesses and people in Britain benefit enormously by being a melting pot. Kilroy-Silk encourages people who don't travel or understand other cultures. This man scares me.
Andrew, Hampshire

Most people know that some other cultures are not equal Robert Marshall, Chelmsford

I fully agree that Britain should be multi-ethnic and multi-creed but that there should be just one culture - a British culture. Most people know that some other cultures are not equal - and we should not allow them to become dominant within our British culture. It will only cause strife to British citizens.
Robert Marshall, Chelmsford

He makes a good point; many cultures are repressive, violent, racist, sexist and intolerant - why should they have my respect? The moral relativist argument of the liberal left is hogwash and everyone knows it.
Matt Munro, Bristol

Kilroy-Silk is the only politician at the moment willing to speak his mind and make realistic proposals to address the concerns of British people.
Alex, London

My initial anger at Robert Kilroy-Silk's inflammatory comments has now turned to a mixture of exasperation and ridicule. His use of the term 'liberal fascists' is a contradiction in terms and merely shows an ignorance of the term 'fascism', which by definition is a profoundly anti-liberal ideology. The Veritas party appears to be nothing more than a mouthpiece for his over-sized ego, and hopefully will be consigned to the dustbin of history after the election. I suppose we should be grateful for one thing - at least we don't have to put up with his dreadful daytime show anymore!
Dr Chris Cocking, Brighton

I agree 100% with Mr. Kilroy-Silk - certain cultures are "reprehensible" and to deny otherwise is ludicrous. The irony is that most of those claiming we should "embrace all cultures" are the same people who are in favour of more rights for women, increased civil liberties and a global ban on torture and executions. Not popular opinions in Saudi Arabia.
Peter, Nottingham

We should treat his comments as empty rhetoric Frank Piekarczyk, Stoke-on-Trent

Until Mr Kilroy-Silk explains to the electorate what he means by 'British culture', we should treat his comments as empty rhetoric. Furthermore, he should make explicit which cultures do not deserve respect.
Frank Piekarczyk, Stoke-on-Trent

Preposterous guff. So does Kilroy-Silk think London-Irish, Liverpudlian-Irish, Scots-Irish and Mancunian-Irish cultures are inferior to his own? Get a grip and acknowledge and respect the people who helped build your country.
Eamon Sweeney, Dublin, Ireland

Mr Kilroy-Silk is talking a lot of sense. Culture helps define a nation. Might he list what he sees as the constituent parts of Britishness? There will be some thorny issues since, among other things, religion and language are part of culture.
Paul Danon, London

For the most part, Kilroy-Silk looks and acts like a calamitous Alan Partridge figure but he does speak some sense here, particularly on tax. If only it was possible to take him seriously.
Bo, Edinburgh

Mr Kilroy-Silk uses political reasoning to capture the attention of the right wing, ignorant, racist minority of this country. These far right view points could be extremely damaging to our country, giving the "patriotic" amongst us a figure head and condoning race hate, under a different banner.
Ben Watts, Birmingham

This man, his party and all like them are dangerous to our society as a whole and should not be given coverage by any media. Their policies of ignorance, bigotry and intolerance have no place in the 21st Century.
Anon, England, UK

Veritas seems to be just a slicker, more cunning version of the BNP.
Simon , Bucks