UKIP Accused Of Being 'Two-Faced' By Clegg

Nick Clegg has accused UKIP of being "two-faced" to claim immigration from Europe threatened UK jobs.

Speaking as the Lib Dems launched their European campaign in Colchester, the party leader also accused the Conservatives and Labour of doing nothing to stop "populists and xenophobes".

Arguing only the Lib Dems could stand up for Britain, he accused David Cameron and Ed Miliband of staying silent on Europe because of divisions within their own camps on the issue, and the fear of losing votes to UKIP.

Challenging UKIP's claims, Mr Clegg said was inevitable that unemployment would rise if the UK quit Brussels because of the number of firms which relied on trade with Europe.

Mr Clegg said: "The most disingenuous thing of all is to somehow claim that they are standing up for British jobs because, if you actually did what UKIP want, which is to pull us out of the world's largest economy, the one thing that would happen - like night follows day - is that there would be more unemployment in this country."

Underlining his claim the Liberal Democrats are the "party of in", he said those pressing for withdrawal from Europe had been "allowed to peddle their myths unchallenged for decades".

He warned leaving the EU would threaten jobs and the nation's economic recovery.

Mr Clegg pointed to the refusal by the Tory and Labour leaders to take part in recent TV debates with UKIP leader Nigel Farage.

Arguing his party was the only one taking a stand, Mr Clegg, who was widely thought to have lost two head-to-head debates with Mr Farage, told the campaign rally: "If not us, who? The Labour Party? The Conservatives? Where are they? What are they doing to stop the populists and the xenophobes? Nothing."

He added: "Ed Miliband and David Cameron are now officially missing in action - saying the bare minimum in this debate because they are too scared of losing votes to Nigel Farage, because they're so desperate to cover up the deep divisions in their own camps."

He went on: "UKIP and others have been allowed to peddle their myths unchallenged for decades, claiming that all of our problems would magically disappear if the UK just left the EU.

"But it's a dangerous fantasy. It's the surest way to jeopardise jobs, risk our fragile economic recovery, and it will leave Britain alone and diminished in the world."