Jane Collins

Jane Maria Collins (born 17 February 1962) is a Member of the European Parliament for the Yorkshire and the Humber region for the UK Independence Party. An equine physiotherapist, she formed a partnership with Katie Bloom, wife of former UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom, in 1995, and became interested in the party.^[1] She was elected in 2014.

Education

Collins attended East Hardwick Junior School and Pontefract and District Girls High School leaving at 18 with 4 GCE O-levels and a GCE A-level in Art.^[1]

Career

On leaving school Collins was appointed Head Girl at a racehorse training establishment in Moss, South Yorkshire. In 1985 her family moved to Selby and eventually bought a stable at Willitoft which she helped run. In 1995 she met Katie Bloom and – according to UKIP they began a 9-year partnership as equine physiotherapists.^[1]

Political views

Interviewed by the Observer ahead of the September 2014 UKIP conference and therefore unable to discuss their new policies, Collins described herself as a “progressive libertarian.” Referring to Godfrey Bloom's comments on international aid - his Bongo-Bongo land speech – she said that they were valid but badly expressed. She was concerned about “a developing health problem” in Sheffield which she says has an above average number of Roma Slovaks who are now resident. She also claims they have a higher incidence of hepatitis B – the subject of a planned vaccination program – which she claims will put a greater strain on the health service. She has called for those indigenous children who are in close contact with the Roma to be vaccinated as well.
In conclusion, journalist Daniel Boffey, said Collins would continue Bloom's tradition of stirring controversy.^[2]

Political career

Barnsley Central by-election, 2011

Collins stood for UKIP in the March 2011 Barnsley Central by-election triggered by the resignation of Labour MP Eric Illsley over the UK parliamentary expenses scandal. She came second to Labour's Dan Jarvis, winning 12% of the vote.^[3][4]

Rotherham by-election, 2012

She again stood for UKIP in the November 2012 Rotherham by-election triggered by the resignation of Labour MP Dennis MacShane, also over the expenses scandal. She came second to Labour's Sarah Champion, winning almost 22% of the vote, UKIP's best result at the time in a by-election.^[5] During the by-election campaign a row emerged after Rotherham's Labour council removed three foster children from the care of their foster parents which the Daily Telegraph wrongly attributed to their membership of UKIP.^[6] However, in May 2013, Rotherham council apologised saying that communication about the decision gave the impression that it related to the couple's UKIP membership.^[7] This was incorrect, the children were removed because it was in their "best interests" though full details couldn't be given "for legal reasons".^[7] The council said it had "taken action to strengthen the way it made decisions and how it communicated information."^[7]

Yorkshire and the Humber (European Parliament constituency) 2014

She was selected to top the party's regional list for Yorkshire and the Humber in the 2014 European Parliament elections.^[8] Former UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom stated that he gave her his "wholehearted support" and that she "is almost certainly going to be the next UKIP MEP".^[9]

Row over her campaigning in South Yorkshire police and crime commissioner by-election

In November 2014 whilst campaigning for UKIP in the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner by-election, 2014 Collins appeared to imply that Mark Russell, head of the evangelist charity Church Army was a paedophile. Russell had posted support for the Labour party candidate in the by-election which prompted Collins to tweet “Yes because we’d soon stop your criminal activity. Paedos leave our kids alone. #UKIP." Collins who originally refused to apologise, eventually deleted the tweet and offered to make a donation to the charity after Russell threatened to sue her. Her tweet follows accusations that UKIP exploited the suffering of Rotherham sex abuse victims for political gain in the by-election. One victim denounced the party’s tactics as “disrespectful” after it launched a “1,400 reasons to vote” campaign, in reference to the estimated number of victims in the city between 1997 and 2013.” Collins allegation was retweeted many times by UKIP supporters. In her defence Collins said she apologized unreservedly and admitted “I’m a bit hot headed sometimes.”^[10][11]

In 2015 it was revealed that 3 MPs, Sarah Champion, John Healey and Kevin Barron were suing Collins for libel and slander over comments made by Collins at a UKIP party conference that they knew about widespread child sex abuse in Rotherham.^[12][13] Libel proceedings were commenced in 2016 but were placed on hold in May 2016 when Collins claimed her position as an MEP granted her immunity from prosecution. Under EU law "MEPs shall not be subject to any form of inquiry, detention or legal proceedings in respect of opinions expressed or votes cast by them in the performance of their duties".^[14] However in October the European Parliament ruled that immunity did not apply, Collins stated that she was investigating appealing the ruling.^[15] In a statement the three MPs said "We welcome the decision of the European Parliament and hope this matter can at long last now be brought to a conclusion in the High Court. This has gone on for over two years and she has tried every delaying tactic she can - including the absurd irony of a UKIP Euro MP trying to claim immunity from the European Parliament to avoid facing justice in the British courts."^[15]

References