Liberal Democrats refer UKIP to the BBC Trust and Ofcom.
By James Forsyth in The Spectator
Originally published by East Midlands Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats have made an official complaint over the content of UKIP's party political broadcast for inciting racial and religious hatred.
The presentation and tone of the broadcast is focused on provoking negative and hostile reactions.
The broadcast clearly uses images, music and misleading information to inflame racial tension - a direct breach of BBC and Ofcom rules.
It has been deliberately constructed to be offensive while using an array of questionable and in some cases entirely misleading assertions, and is a misrepresentation of Turkey and the Turkish people.
The broadcast is offensive and set on pitching community against community.
Turkey has only met 13 of the 35 requirements known as negotiation chapters so it clearly has a long way to go before ascending to full European Union membership. The European Union is a crucial vehicle in improving civil liberties, human rights and the role of women in societies and countries that wish to apply to join have to uphold these values.
Leader of the Liberal Democrats Tim Farron said:
"This Donald Trump style scaremongering has no place in British politics.
"Wherever you stand on the European campaign, inciting hatred, by getting down in the gutter in a desperate grab for votes debases politics. The politics of division is something millions of liberally minded people despise and I will keep doing all I can to make a case for inclusion and tolerance.
"This broadcast was not just incredulous, it's dangerous."
Lib Dems Equalities Spokesperson Baroness Meral Hussein-Ece and the only British parliamentarian of Turkish descent said:
"This is stomach turning, dog-whistle politics demonising an entire country and all its people. The large Turkish community in the UK has made an enormous economic and social contribution over many decades. They play a vital and vibrant role in our society and shouldn't be subject to Nigel Farage's nasty politics."
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To read the article in full, including the text of the complaint letter which debunks some of the Turkish myths spread and links for more info please click HERE