I wonder if the EU had some part to play in this disgusting and disturbing undertaking by a Yorkshire council.
A foster couple had their three foster children taken away from them by Rotherham Metropolitian Borough Council because they joined UKIP, a fast-rising political party which wants Britain out of the EU.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage described the actions as a 'bloody outrage'
'Wrong': Education Secretary Michael Gove said social workers at the council had made 'the wrong decision in the wrong way for the wrong reasons'
Rotherham council leader, Roger Stone, today announced an investigation into the decision
Staff from Rotherham council in South Yorkshire, pictured, removed the children from their foster parents within a week of finding out they were members of Ukip
A foster couple had their three foster children taken away from them by Rotherham Metropolitian Borough Council because they joined UKIP, a fast-rising political party which wants Britain out of the EU.
Around a dozen children have been cared for by the couple, who do not want to be named.
The three latest children, a baby girl, boy and an older girl from a troubled family, came to them in September on an emergency placement. But just eight weeks later, two staff from the Labour-run Rotherham council – the nearest to their village home in South Yorkshire – arrived and announced the local safeguarding children team had been told they were Ukip members in an anonymous tip.
The wife told the Daily Telegraph: ‘I was dumbfounded. Then my question to both of them was, “What has Ukip got to do with having the children removed?”
‘Then one of them said, “Well, Ukip have got racist policies”. The implication was that we were racist.
'[The social worker] said Ukip does not like European people and wants them all out of the country to be returned to their own countries.
‘I’m sat there and I’m thinking, “What the hell is going off here?” because I wouldn’t have joined Ukip if they thought that. I’ve got mixed race in my family.’
Education Secretary Michael Gove said social workers at the council had made 'the wrong decision in the wrong way for the wrong reasons' and that he would be personally investigating and exploring steps to 'deal with' the situation.
The married couple claimed they had their foster children taken away from them for joining the political party by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. The council has also launched an investigation into why the three youngsters were removed.
Mr Gove, who heads the Government department responsible for children's services and who was himself adopted as a child, accused Rotherham of sending out a 'dreadful signal'.
'Rotherham council have made the wrong decision in the wrong way for the wrong reasons,' he said.
'Rotherham's reasons for denying this family the chance to foster are indefensible.
'The ideology behind their decision is actively harmful to children. We should not allow considerations of ethnic or cultural background to prevent children being placed with loving and stable families. We need more parents to foster, and many more to adopt.
'Any council which decides that supporting a mainstream UK political party disbars an individual from looking after children in care is sending a dreadful signal that will only decrease the number of loving homes available to children in need.
'I will be investigating just how this decision came to be made and what steps we need to take to deal with this situation.'
Roger Stone, leader of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, today said 'We are going to investigate to make sure everything has been done professionally. If the professionals give advice, we take it.
'We are going to investigate - we always would if somebody complains.'
Rotherham council leader, Roger Stone, today announced an investigation into the decision
Staff from Rotherham council in South Yorkshire, pictured, removed the children from their foster parents within a week of finding out they were members of Ukip