UKIP's 'twisted reality' comes under fire

A top Liberal Democrat MEP has attacked the "poor sad souls" in the UK Independence Party.

In an address to the Bournemouth conference on Tuesday, Chris Davies launched a strong attack on the "crude prejudices" of the anti-EU party.

June's elections to the European parliament saw UKIP's share of the vote reach 16 per cent, pushing the Lib Dems into fourth place.

And Davies, the leader of the 12-strong group of Lib Dem MEPs, said his party was proud to be at the opposite end of the spectrum to UKIP.

"While we have confidence in our own culture to welcome the contribution of others, UKIP celebrates its insularity with an appeal that often sinks to crude xenophobia," he said.

"While we look to a future in which nations will work together and find shared solutions to common problems, UKIP wants to take Britain back to the isolation and social attitudes of the 1950s."

He added that UKIP's view of reality was the "twisted image of a fairground mirror".

"We should have contempt for the way in which they wrap themselves in the Union flag while their actions tear out its threads and deprive it of strength."

Describing the Lib Dems as UKIP's "natural born enemies", he said the EU was having a positive impact by spreading democracy and promoting environmental protection.

"That is the Europe which the UK Independence Party hates, poor sad souls," Davies added.

There was also an admission that the EU "isn't perfect".

Davies said the Lib Dem MEPs would "count themselves as severe critics" of policies such as the common agricultural policy.