By Graham DinesPolitical EditorTHE man who caused a sensation in the 1999 European elections by winning a seat for the UK Independence Party in the East of England has been reselected to fight in next year's contest.

By Graham Dines

Political Editor

THE man who caused a sensation in the 1999 European elections by winning a seat for the UK Independence Party in the East of England has been reselected to fight in next year's contest.

Jeffrey Titford, a former Frinton-on-Sea funeral director who was a Conservative councillor on the old Clacton urban district, will again head the party's list in the proportional representation elections.

Mr Titford, who will be 70 at the time of the June 2004 elections, will be campaigning on a policy of British withdrawal from the European Union and opposition to both the single currency and the controversial European constitution.

"If we sign up to the constitution, Westminster may as well cease to exist," says Mr Titford. "The Government is wrong to say that the proposed document does not override Britain's laws – and Tony Blair must allow people to vote `yes' or `no' to its implementation, just as seven other EU member states have promised to do."

Jeffrey Titford heads the UKIP list and the party's two other top candidates – chosen in a postal ballot of paid-up members – will be Tom Wise from Linslade in Bedfordshire who works for the UKIP regional office in Chelmsford, and writer, broadcaster and farmer Robin Page from Barton in Cambridgeshire.

The other four names are Stuart Agnew from Fakenham in Norfolk, Brian Smalley from Hertfordshire, Mike Phillips who lives in Buckinghamshire, and Brian Aylett from Beccles, who contested Waveney for UKIP at the 2001 General Election.

Unsuccessful applicants were Roger Lord from Great Bentley, who Colchester at the 2001 General Election, Andrew Smith from Epping, and George Curtis from Dedham.

The six counties of the East of England – Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire – are treated as one Euro constituency, in common with other English regions.

Political parties nominate a slate of candidates and after the election, the number of seats is divided among the parties in proportion to the votes won.

In 1999, the Tories won four seats in the East, Labour two, the Lib Dems one and UKIP one.

Next year, it is likely the number of Euro MPs to which the East of England is entitled will be reduced from eight to seven as the European Parliament is enlarged to accommodate 10 new member states joining the EU.