The Riveria International Centre, where the UKIP conference is currently being held, was partly funded by a European Grant of £3m.
The Riveria International Centre in Torquay, where the UKIP conference is currently being held, was partly funded by a European grant of £3 million.
Earlier today, Nigel Farage welcomed UKIP members to their spring conference, telling delegates that UKIP had claimed back the idea that it is not disreputable to talk about the EU.
However it has been revealed that the town in which the party’s conference is being held has benefited to the tune of £7.4 million from European Regional Development Funds (EDRF) since 2007.
The Riveria International Centre, where the UKIP leader took to the stage earlier today, was partly funded by a European Grant of £3m, and a £6.5 million investment to improve Torquay’s harbour front and connect the two sides of the harbour included £2.4 million from ERDF.
A further £1.7 million of ERDF money has been invested in a coastal zoo set on Torquay’s waterfront, which has created over 40 jobs, receives 130,000 visitors a year and injects over £3 million a year into the local economy. £3.4 million from ERDF has also co-funded infrastructure works to enable the development of employment land to create high quality business units. The development site is expected to create around 1,300 new jobs.
Commenting on the revelations, Lib Dem South West MEP Sir Graham Watson said UKIP had “managed to embarrass themselves again before anyone had even uttered a word”.
“UKIP can’t be trusted to organise their own conference, let alone run the country,” he said.
“Being in the EU has brought huge benefits to this town. Over £7.4mn of European funding has been invested in recent years to regenerate the Torquay harbour front, build a new coastal zoo and fund local businesses, helping to create over 1300 new jobs,” he added.
27 Responses to “UKIP conference building received £3million European funding”
Steve Cheney
Except for the scale, the numbers, their proportions to one another, and basically every single detail, yeah, it’s totally like that.
Steve Cheney
And here was me thinking it was us lefties who were quick to compare our opposition to violent dictatorships. I guess we’re more alike than we think. <3
Sparky
Oh, I thought the scale and the numbers were exactly the same.
swatnan
Its ironic that Farage is on the same gravy train and raking it in, the very same gravy train that he wants to abolish.
blarg1987
Usefulness is open to interpritation, one can say by having a say on all EU regulations and harmonisation, allows lower costs to consumers and buisness by having one set of standards instead of companies in the UK investing heavily in what could be well over 20 variations to meet each countries specific requirements.
We also gain from being a large power block when negotiating trade laws with other large powers giving us a better postion.
The EU working time directive gives a minimum amount of holiday you are entitiled to, as well as the maximum number of hours per week you can work.
Part of the EU grants oney allows key pieces of infastrucute to be built etc allow that nation to increase its wealth allowing it to buy products and services of us that increase our wealth.
I Will not say that the EU is perfect and does need some reform, however to say it is a complete and other waste of money when there are many benefits we take for granted that it provides is also silly.