Yorkshire Ukip MEP sued by Rotherham MPs

ROTHERHAM’S three Labour MPs are taking legal action against Uk Independence Party MEP Jane Collins over comments she made about the child sex exploitation scandal in the town.
By James Reed, Political Correspondent
Published 12th Jan 2015, 15:25 BST

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Ukip MEP Jane CollinsUkip MEP Jane Collins
Ukip MEP Jane Collins

The action for libel and slander is being brought by Sarah Champion, John Healey and Kevin Barron over Ms Collins’s speech to the Ukip annual conference held in Doncaster last September.

The MPs are also bringing libel proceedings against Coun Caven Vines, who leads the Ukip group on Rotherham Council, in relation to comments he made in a Sky News interview in January 5.

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In a joint statement, the three MPs said: “It is sickening that UKIP could use such an important issue for party-political point-scoring, and we will challenge these defamatory accusations through every means available to prove they are untrue and to stop UKIP exploiting the terrible abuse for their own political gain.”

Ms Collins, who is standing as Ukip’s candidate in Rotherham in the General Election, declined to comment.

Coun Vines was not immediately available for comment.

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Related topics:MPsRotherhamYorkshireLabour