Editor’s Note: The author is Chairman Of UKIP Dudley.

As Brexit approaches, in whatever diluted form we end up with, there has been a lot of talk regarding where UKIP goes next. What will be its “Raison d’Etre”?

Seemingly, the most common opinion is that freedom of speech and a backlash against the religion of Islam is the way to go.

Paedophilia, grooming gangs, FGM and terrorism appear to be the most talked about issues on UKIP-centred social media. All are reproachable, but is the party right to target one religion for the prevalence of these issues? The beatification of one T Robinson Esq seems imminent, but does he really deserve the title “Saint Tommy”?

As for all the atrocities listed above, are they really just a muslim issue? Families are suing the LDS church after claiming the church covered up child sex abuse, with the Mormon founder Joseph Smith having had a wife who was aged just 14. The Catholic church is rife with stories of hush money for sexual assaults by priests and sectarian violence continues to this day between different beliefs within Christianity in Northern Ireland. Read the Koran and you will recognise the similarity to the Pentateuch.

Literalist religious fanatics are dangerous, whatever their denomination. On a lighter note, Jehovah’s include the Book of Revelation into the bible. In that, we are told 144,000 will be saved and go to heaven. Since the Witnesses number exceeds ten million, one might argue the odds aren’t good! The point is that religious books are stories to illustrate points, not to be taken literally. But the same principle applies – One Law for all.

Yet there is another way for UKIP to be relevant. Upholding existing laws is key to defeating the above. There is no need to demonise one religion or another.

UKIP used to be a libertarian party, defending the right of the individual against the state. It is, perhaps, important to note that through the last eight years of “austerity” the size and cost of government has grown year on year. When Margaret Thatcher needed to balance the books, we saw the “bonfire of the quangos”. Even Labour’s Denis Healey understood fiscal responsibility. It is clear we are NOT all in this together.

The state controls what we eat, it owns our children, it decides what treatments we can have, and it tells us when and how we can die. While taxation has reached an eye-watering 49% of our income (the highest since the dark days of Old Labour in the early 1970’s) the rich get richer, the poor get poorer and politicians are becoming multi-millionaires for toeing the globalist line.