Ukip deputy leader claims his party is ‘in line with Catholic thought’

UKIP IS the natural home for Catholic voters and the bishops who urge caution over backing it are out of touch with the laity, the deputy leader of the UK Independence Party claimed this week, writes Paul Wilkinson.

“Look at the statistics,” said Paul Nuttall, a practising Catholic and Member of the European Parliament for the North-West of England. “Twelve per cent of Catholics have already indicated that they are going to vote, or have already voted, Ukip. On moral issues, we, more than any other political party, are in line with Catholic thought. Whether it’s on gender-choice abortion or same-sex marriage, we are absolutely 100 per cent behind the Catholic Church.” Last week the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales urged worshippers at Sunday Mass to tax election candidates on their position over issues such as immigration.

In an interview on BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show, Cardinal Vincent Nichols said he was dismayed that immigration was becoming a major general election issue. Meanwhile, Mr Nuttall said he hoped that a meeting planned for last Thursday with Bishop Patrick Lynch, who has responsibility for migrants, might allay “some of the bishops’ fears”.