The far right United Kingdom Independence Party tends to attract those who would have once stood for the Conservatives, before the latter asserted quality control over candidate selection. Unfortunately, this means that UKIP ends up with the dregs of the candidate selection process. Pink News has identified several particularly unpleasant antigay parliamentary candidates. Fortunately, UKIP may only get four or five elected unless there is a catastrophic collapse within the centre-right vote, which thankfully shows no sign of happening as yet. It notes that this gives the lie to UKIP leader Nigel Farage's claim to have purged the party of 'extremist' elements. Not that Farage himself is averse to pandering to religious social conservatism. When asked about the non-inclusive nature of UKIP's manifesto, Farage claimed that this showed that UKIP wasn't "captive" to "special interest groups." He has also tried to stir up animosity toward immigrants and refugees with HIV/AIDS, citing what he has argued is the cost to the British taxpayer of redomiciling and treatment of this tiny group, only to be condemned for doing so by HIV and refugee and asylum lobby groups alike. More ominously, UKIP may also have elements from the British National Party neofascist party, although it is unsure whether they are entryists or mere political opportunists. UKIP has also said that it will abolish 'unnecessary' UK antidiscrimination laws. Ted Strike (Stockton South candidate) blamed recent summer storms on the advent of marriage equality in England and Wales. Winston MacKenzie (Croydon North) claimed that LGBT adoption constitutes "child abuse" and was allegedly 'deselected' as electorate candidate, only to apparently be surreptitiously reinstated. Przemek Skwirczynski (Tooting) has some unsavoury connections with far right elements from his native Poland. Patricia Culligan (Eastleigh) has got herself into trouble over claims that the National Health Service should "not" be treating Liberal Democrat candidates Paul Childs and Adrian Hyyrylainen-Trett because they 'deliberately' set out to become HIV+, only to face legal action from Childs because he did not do so, and therefore her claim is potentially defamatory. Unfortunately, one of the UKIP candidates is an embarrassingly right-wing gay man, David Coburn. Coburn has called Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson a "fat" lesbian, compared Scottish Minister Humza Youself to convicted Islamist terrorist Abu Hamza, and even opposes marriage equality, claiming that Labour and the Conservatives are "equality Nazis." Alan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon) has made statements about "f-king Muslims' on Facebook, as well as stating that 'gays are still queers,' although he now states that his website was hacked. Paul Nuttle (Bootle) has encouraged opponents of marriage equality to vote for UKIP, opposes HIV+ immigration to the United Kingdom like his leader, and also opposes Labour's comprehensive antibullying policies. Roger Helmer ran for UKIP during a by-election and upheld 'reparative therapy' for vulnerable lesbians and gay men. However, mercifully, he isn't standing this time. It was probably predictable that someone else would be added to this sorry list during the course of this election campaign. Thus, one notes the outburst of one Geoff Caton, standing against out lesbian Labour MP Angela Eagle in Wallasey, Merseyside (Liverpool), back in 2013, condemning marriage equality and making charming racist remarks about working in a Pakistani club. He now says he's no homophobe or racist. As might be guessed, UKIP is also using stealth tactics to disguise its real extremism. As well as its 'official' manifesto, UKIP also has a 'special' "Christian" manifesto, distributed to militant fundamentalist Christian fellow travellers within their churches and which advocates the possibility of an "Indiana" style "religious freedom" law if they end up holding the balance of power after the election, gutting LGBT protections against service provider discrimination within the UK Equalities Act 2010. Why does one suspect that this won't be the last such display of such retrograde pandering to extremists during the current British election campaign? Recommended: "Nine people who are still somehow UKIP candidates" Pinknews:11.04.2015: http://www.pinknews. co.uk/2015/04/11/nine-people-who are still somehow-ukip-candidates/ Josh Haigh: "UKIP Candidate: Being an 'arse bandit' is nothing to be proud of" Attitude:27.04.2015: http://www.attitude. co.uk/ukip-candidate-being-an-arse-bandit-is-nothing-to-be-proud-of Josh Haigh: "UKIP unveils Indiana style 'religious freedom' bill" Attitude: 28.04.2015: http://attitude.co.uk/ukip-unveil-plans-for-indiana-style-religious-freedom- law/ Not Recommended: UKIP: http://www.ukip .org.uk Craig Young - 30th April 2015