Dr Dick Horsnell, of Douglas, is a leading light in the Manx EU Realist Group which has been urging the Island to realise its position is being threatened by bureaucrats in Brussels.

After an approach from the UK Independence Party, Dr Horsnell agreed to join the European parliamentary election campaign and became campaign manager for Mr Kilroy-Silk, a former TV presenter and Labour MP.

The UKIP shocked the three main parties with its success in last week's elections. The party secured 12 European seats and 16.1 per cent of the vote, just seven per cent behind Labour and ahead of the Liberal Democrats.

Mr Kilroy-Silk stood in the East Midlands where the UKIP secured 26.1 per cent of the vote, just 0.3 per cent behind the poll-topping Conservatives.

The incredible success of the littleknown party, which is calling for a complete withdrawal from the EU, has been credited to Mr Kilroy-Silk's celebrity status.

Dr Horsnell agreed having the TV star involved raised the profile of the party, but that brought mixed blessings. Although media coverage was massively increased, much of it was hostile — at least until after the results came out.

However, Dr Horsnell said the main parties capitalise on the celebrity of their leaders and members and added Mr Kilroy-Silk's professionalism was a key to the election success.

'I was surprised how many of the press came along with their own agenda and reported things which were not an accurate representation,' he said. 'However, I was reassured by the high number of people — TV, national newspapers — who did follow us on the campaign trail.

'Kilroy worked extremely hard on the campaign. He visited some 30 towns; he talked and, more importantly, listened to people. He is well-recognised and people come up to him, they know he tells the truth.

'He is a very skilled communicator.

'Most of the media treated the UKIP very unfairly, but when they woke up after the elections I think they realised we had given people a voice.'

Dr Horsnell said polls over the past two years have revealed between 50 and 58 per cent of UK voters want out of the EU, but they aren't represented by the main political parties. He said the UKIP success, which saw it overtake the Liberal Democrats and close in on Labour, shows people want a voice.

He said outstanding success in the East Midlands, a socialist stronghold, shows there is genuine support for UKIP.

'I think having finished just 7 per cent behind Labour across the country, when they have all the celebrity and a very strong influence on the media, shows how people feel.'

He said it is also time people in the Isle of Man took more interest in the EU.

'I know the EU elections passed the Isle of Man by, but the important thing for the people of the Isle of Man to realise is that 70 per cent of legislation that British people obey is now passed in Brussels by an undemocratic EU.

'Some people think a self-governing democracy is one which elects a government to pass laws, but that is no longer the case in the UK. The Isle of Man is a Crown dependency. The Crown delegates its responsibilities to UK Government ministers and they delegate their power to the EU.

'This Island is sleepwalking into a position where it will be a dependent territory of the EU.'