WE’VE seen and heard a host of smears on Ukip in recent weeks, which presumably, are set to increase further in the coming months as we get closer to the General Election.

The latest has come from Richard Bulmer who suggests Ukip is out to protect big business (HAS, Jan 3).

If Mr Bulmer takes a look at Policies for People, freely available for all to see at ukip.org, it clearly states: “Ukip will set up a Treasury Commission to design a turnover tax to ensure big businesses pay a minimum floor rate of tax as a proportion of their UK turnover.” Ultimately, this would work as a back stop for the tax system and ensure that every big company pays a fair share of tax.

Only last July it was revealed that one of Labour’s biggest donors had poured millions of pounds into banks and energy companies that Ed Miliband had publicly condemned.

Back in October, Labour’s biggest individual donor, John Mills, was criticised for donating in shares rather than cash, since they can be gifted on a tax-free basis.

If Labour wants to cosy up to big business then that is its prerogative. But it can’t do that, and at the same time invent false attacks on Ukip claiming that we’re doing the same.

The saying ‘people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones’ springs to mind.

It may be a new year, but there’s nothing new about Labour’s hypocrisy.

Jonathan Arnott MEP, Ukip North-East

RICHARD BULMER just beat me to the draw with his letter regarding Ukip’s funding (HAS, Jan 6).

I also have done a search and was about to present the same figures. I am surprised that he failed to mention a BBC news report , on December 15, which stated that Ukip has secured control of a £1.5m pot of EU funding by becoming part of a pan-European party – The Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe.

Ukip accounts for 21 of the 27 registered members giving it control of the EU funding. Ukip MEP Roger Helmer thinks that the party should “take a more pragmatic view to funding”, and this is a way of “liberating funds” which would have gone to pro-European parties.

For an organisation which wants to disassociate itself from the EU, methinks this is a mite hypocritical.

As for Charlotte Bull’s £10 donation this is only an attempt to put a far right wing protest group into the centre, where it has no place. As for Christopher Wardell’s question about fish (HAS, Jan 6). During my school days it was a well known fact that fish farts were collected for use in spirit levels. I don’t know if the practice still occurs.

Lol French, Hartlepool