Labour activists using rumour and lies to spread fear in Broughton says Deeside UKIP candidate.

Deeside and Alyn UKIP Parliamentary candidate Blair Smilie has blasted Labour activists in Broughton and Saltney for “committing a despicable act by deliberately lying to the electorate”- he claims.

Mr Smilie says Labour activists have been out in force spreading rumour and fear in the Broughton and Saltney area by telling voters Airbus, the regions biggest employer, would leave the country if Britain quit the EU following a referendum.

Commenting on the parties Facebook page, Deeside’s UKIP candidate said:

“Labour in Flintshire are committing a despicable act by deliberately lying to the electorate about what they know not to be true. Of course Airbus won’t leave the area if we leave the EU! Labour should fight their campaign on the merits of their policies not by spreading worry to people.

He added:

“Politicians are supposed to be the people who tell the truth and look after the people in their area. I want to win this campaign through openness and honesty and being a credible alternative to Labour . Labour want to win this campaign by any means – foul or fair by the looks of it.”

UKIP appear to be on the attack by sending letters out to people in the area in an effort to rebuff the claims.

Alyn & Deeside MP Mark Tami raised concerns in Westminster last September around Britain’s possible withdrawal from the European Union saying “tens of thousands of jobs would be at risk” adding “leaving the EU would mean that countries such as Spain and Germany would be in a stronger position to win bids for future Airbus contracts” though Mr Tami stopped short of saying the company would leave Britain in the case of an exit from the EU.

However, further down the labour party chain supporters at a local level appear, if the allegations are true, to be twisting the facts around Airbus and its intentions, certainly we’ve seen conversations on social media backing up the ‘Airbus will quit the UK’ claim on more than one occasion.

Airbus chief executive Fabrice Bregier is on record saying he sees no reason why Airbus would leave Britain if people voted in favour of leaving the European Union.

He said in July 2014:

 “In the UK I will look at two parameters: the exchange rate between the pound and the dollar and the second one is the UK government continuing support for the development of the aerospace industry.”

Bregier said Airbus was very pleased with all the initiatives of the government of British Prime Minister David Cameron, and did not believe that would change if Britain left the EU.

Another clear signal.

A report published last week gives another clear signal as to the companies future intentions in terms of the UK, it suggests Airbus had reached an agreement with the UK Government for a major reduction in how much the aerospace giant pays the Government in royalty fees.

The story which has not been widely reported, or commented on by Airbus themselves appeared in The Sunday Times and French publication L’Express VotreArgent, the reports says a deal has been struck between the two parties, one that will see the Government give up hundreds of millions of pounds in future royalties from wings built at Broughton in return for a guarantee that the aerospace giant will keep work in Britain.

The Sunday Times says Airbus make the payments as part of a long-standing agreement under which Britain funds the development cost of aircraft however, it wanted to negotiate a reduction because one model — the A320, a short-haul workhorse — has proved a runaway bestseller, Airbus have shrewdly capitalised on uncertainty around European membership, gaining an agreed royalties reduction in return for a promise to keep making wings in Britain.  

We’ve asked Alyn and Deeside Labour party for their view and are awaiting a response.