New Veteran's Party 'Gains 8,000 Members In Month'

A new political party has been formed by disillusioned military veterans, which claims to be 'at war with politicians'.

The UK Veterans' and People's Party has reportedly gained 8,000 members in a month after being created in mid-May.

The party, which was founded by seven veterans, plans to put up candidates across the country in the next election, according to the Metro.

Its policies include cutting politicians' salaries and a harder stance on immigration, along with reinstating the death penalty.

Chairman and co-founder Danny Mitchell, an ex-aircraft technician and mechanic with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, said:

"The British forces, since their establishment in 1707 have become renowned as world leaders in conflict around the globe. This time we consider it is a war with the politicians." 

"We will take it to their door and show them first-hand what we're made of. Courage, honour and integrity.

"I think that what we are doing is based on logical and common sense.

"Everybody will be treated with respect, there will be openness, we will listen to everybody. We will honour our forefathers and be tolerant to all religions."

"We have been working on our manifesto, which will likely be ready in around four weeks, and my colleague Damian McAndrew has been working on education reform and political reform."

Other core policies include deprivatising the NHS and discounting pharmaceutical drugs so patients can receive medicine more easily and cheaply.

The party has promised to support the Trident nuclear deterrent programme, meanwhile, although it says it would support a global nuclear amnesty if it was ever agreed.

Speaking about the controversial pledge to reinstate the death penalty, Mr Mitchell, from Merseyside, said:

"Everybody in the military understands punishment. If you do something wrong, your punishment will be equal."

"If you take someone's life then yours may be taken too. I'd say 95% of our members [are for bringing back to death penalty]. It's a deterrent like nuclear missiles – it doesn't have to be used.

"Just because I have an 8ft sledge hammer in my shed doesn’t mean I need to use it."

"Imagine you are Michael Adebolajo who killed fusilier Lee Rigby. The man consciously decided what he was going to do so it's justifiable that he would lose his life too.

"If [capital punishment] is carried out in a humane way, it's over and done in a minute – lethal injection, hanging."

Mr Mitchell also spoke about the treatment of veterans in Britain, calling it a 'sham'. He said:

"No matter how you look at it, the British forces are the only forces in the world to have never lost a war.

"The [treatment of] the military forces is a sham. When we leave the Army, they shake our hands, give us a pat on the back and say there you go."

"The British government do not care. In America, the government can't bend over backwards enough for their veterans."

Mr Mitchell also said he doesn't believe 'career politicians' in government have not done enough with their lives to know what needs to be done to 'fix' the country:

"They go to university with the intention of becoming a politician. They think what's gone on before them is acceptable.

"From my point of view, if you want to fix something, you need to understand why it’s broken.

"I'm an ex-marine aircraft technician and I have spent 20 years fixing stuff that's broken. That same logical process is the only way you can fix anything."

"These politicians don't understand how to fix things because they've never had to fix anything before...

"The fact that the Party has been founded by veterans may unnerve some politicians who may have sent their new colleagues in the house into dangerous situations in the past."

John Graham, the party's PR officer, said:

"We have started our political party to make a change in this country.

"The politicians just won't listen anymore and that's why we as veterans have gone down this route.

"We now have five years to build the party to be in a position to have candidates in next general election."