"Farage a Mirage" - as Richard Howitt MEP re-elected

From the site of Richard Howitt MEP:

Labour Euro MP for the East of England Richard Howitt used his acceptance speech (in last month's) European Election count to claim "Farage is a mirage."

Richard Howitt MEP who remains the only Labour representative in the European Parliament across the whole of the East of England pledged his party would listen to the concerns of voters who had elected three UKIP Members of the European Parliament in the region.

The Labour Euro MP praised the big increase in Labour's vote and said Labour remained well-placed for next year's General Election.

Richard Howitt MEP said:

Our local result saw a 50 per cent increase in Labour's vote, in a result nationally in which there has been a big increase in the number of Labour MEPs and where Labour has beaten the Conservatives in a European Election for the first time in twenty years.

I fully accept Labour has to do more to convince disenchanted voters.

But we can acknowledge the concerns of those who voted UKIP, which we do, without adopting UKIP's answers - which we won't.

Fringe right-wing parties like UKIP have also seen good results tonight in France, Denmark and across Europe. This is a protest vote but one that doesn't change the fact that at the General Election next year, Labour is the alternative party of government, and remains best-placed to win.

In the speech, Richard Howitt MEP deliberately aped UKIP's slogan "wanting our country back" to criticise their rise nationally, by saying:

When I hear their statements about our country, I think of the great British tradition of tolerance and diversity. I want to tell you – I want our country back too.

My message is 'Farage is a mirage'.

Richard is an active Euro MP across the East of England, visiting people, community groups, businesses and European projects in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Luton, Norfolk, Peterborough, Southend-on-Sea, Suffolk and Thurrock.

To see what Richard has been up to in the region and in your area visit this page.