Ukip defends alliance with Swedish extremists

THE UK Independence Party has defended its decision to work with members of a Swedish party which was set up by former Nazis.

Ukip MEPs have joined a European Parliament grouping — Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD) — alongside representatives of the Sweden Democrat party, despite the Scandinavian group’s history of extreme nationalism.

Nigel Farage and his colleagues held their first meeting with EFD in Brussels on Tuesday. He said: “I am very proud to have formed this group and we undertake to be the peoples’ voice. We will be on the front-line working for the restoration of freedom… across Europe.”

The Sweden Democrat party was formed in 1988 by activists including Anders Klarström, who had been a member of the Nordic Nazi party.

Current leader Jimmie Åkesson has worked to remove antisemitism from the party, introducing a zero-tolerance policy against Nazism in 2012.

An EFD spokesman, speaking on behalf of Ukip, said: “The Sweden Democrats have publicly acknowledged mistakes they have made in the past. They are a party completely opposed to racism and sectarianism. We have met their MEPs, and they are decent people.”

EFD has 48 MEPs from seven countries. Mr Farage is its president and Ukip is the largest contributor with 24 members, followed by 17 MEPs from the controversial Italian party 5 Star Movement, led by Beppe Grillo.

John Mann MP, chairman of the AllParty Parliamentary Group Against Antisemitism, said: “Nigel Farage portrays himself as a moderate in this country while he courts parties with fascist roots in Europe, reneging on his promises not to do so. He owes the British public a proper and detailed explanation for his behaviour.”

But Shneur Odze, a strictly Orthodox candidate who stood for Ukip in the European elections, defended the alliance. “I’m relieved that, unlike Labour, Ukip wasn’t tempted to cosy up to the anti-Israel haters on the left,” he said