Quaker MEP refuses stage with UKIP
Molly Scott Cato refused to take part in a hustings that included a UKIP candidate
The Quaker MEP Molly Scott Cato refused to take part in a European election hustings in Gloucester Cathedral because the panel included a UKIP member.
The recently re-elected MEP for the South West of England and Gibraltar handed out a flyer at the door citing what she called UKIP’s ‘Islamophobic ideology’ and claimed it had ‘repeatedly used hate speech against minority groups and women’.
The leaflet said: ‘I feel that sharing a platform with UKIP would mean legitimising them and their behaviour. To normalise them is an affront to tolerant, democratic parties and insult to those in our communities who are their targets.’ She also said that the church giving UKIP a platform was ‘an affront to the values of tolerance, peace and love’.
While others supported her, Virginia Pawlyn, a local Quaker who attended the event on 17 May, said she was ‘disappointed’ with Molly Scott Cato’s action. ‘It was such a pity, as, if people could have heard her, she would have been greatly appreciated by this audience. It is a pity that she didn’t appear and start with something like “I am not happy to appear at these hustings with a member of UKIP because…” That would have got her a big round of applause.’
The speakers at the event, which drew around 100 people, included candidates from the Brexit Party, the Conservatives, Labour, UKIP and Liberal Democrats standing in the south west region, as well as an independent candidate. Questions included one on the climate emergency and ‘how will you unite the 48%/52%?’ The event was organised by Gloucester Cathedral in partnership with Gloucestershire Churches Together and chaired by the Bishop of Tewkesbury.
Molly Scott Cato announced on 20 May that she had referred Nigel Farage to the European Anti-Fraud Office. She tweeted: ‘We need to know as a matter of urgency whether his 450K gift from Aaron Banks has been used in fraudulent activities which breach EU rules.’
