The Manifestos: UKIP

I wondered for a few minutes whether to include the manifesto of the UK Independence Party, since they are avowedly climate change sceptics. But I decided that it was better to inform what they believe so that people are aware of the facts when they come to vote. I'm still not sure if I'll be including the BNP though.

As with Labour this morning, the manifesto claims are in red with my commentary in black. Oh yeah, and it was riddled with typos which I've had to correct:

UKIP now calls for an immediate halt to unjustified spending on renewable sources

Increase nuclear power generation to provide up to 50% of our electricity needs.

Support the efficient extraction of indigenous coal for use in cleaner, coal-fired electricity generation plants

They decline to say what a cleaner coal plant is. Do they mean CCS or just more efficient plants?

Oppose wind farms in general and require large new wind power schemes to be funded by the market.

Ensure any large new wind farms are constructed offshore. UKIP regards onshore wind turbines and the accompanying power lines as eyesores in beautiful countryside

Repeal the UK’s Climate Change Act

Immediately repeal disastrous EU Directives...UKIP will pull out of EU Carbon Trading Schemes, the
proposed EU Carbon Tax and binding targets on renewable and bio fuels

Stop funding the UN’s International Panel on Climate Change and the UN Framework Convention, and fund the Met Office according to forecast accuracy

This made me laugh. Can you imagine Jackie Bird threatening to sack 'Heather Wi' The Weather' if she gets tomorrow's temperatures wrong?

Ban schools from using global warming propaganda such as Al Gore’s film ‘An Inconvenient Truth’

Divert billions of pounds of funding from wasteful global warming-related spending toward environmental improvements of real value

Again, they decline to say what an "environmental improvement of real value" is.

Encourage the reduction of waste and promote effective methods of recycling

Incentivise and support electric road vehicles, the comprehensive electrification of rail lines and accompanying infrastructure

Ooh, look, two policies I can agree with. It's a pity they're immediately followed by this:

Protect the environment by controlling immigration and the associated building demand

Wha-? You're saying that all our environmental problems are caused by immigrants? God damn them and their littering and polluting our waterways and destroying our clean air!

All in all the environmental section of the UKIP manifesto leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I didn't dare venture further into the document lest I damaged my computer monitor.