Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence party (UKIP), launched his party's county council election campaign in Callington today.
During the first stop of his nationwide tour Mr Farage said his party had a fighting chance in the Cornwall Council elections.
"In the past in Cornwall we have come first in EU elections but the voters have never quite seen us being relevant in domestic politics.
"We have proved in EU politics that our people have a fresh distinctive voice and are not bound by British politics.
"Our people are prepared to speak their mind and people in Cornwall like that," he said.
Hundreds of people gathered at Callington Town Hall to hear Mr Farage speak.
"There are major issues in Cornwall that are not being properly addressed," he said.
"Take wind farms. We wholly and categorically oppose the wind farm project. They are ugly and they don't work.
"The whole project is adding to the electricity bill for Cornwall."
He also spoke about youth unemployment and the expansion of the EU.
"Although not directly the responsibility of county councillors, if this continues and we open up our doors to Bulgaria and Romania there will be potentially another huge influx of fresh labour coming into this country," he said.
"When unemployment among the youth is at a real critical level in places like Cornwall we do not need any more unskilled worked coming into the country."
Mr Farage said candidates from UKIP standing in the Cornwall Council elections, which will be held on May 2, have a strong chance.
"We will be trying hard.
"We are going to get a lot of votes but it's a question of whether we can break through under the first past the post system.
"We have got a fighting chance on getting a cluster of people elected onto the council," Mr Farage said.
Dave Williams, UKIP candidate for Callington, said around three hundred people crammed into the hall to hear Mr Farage speak.
"It was nice to see young people there," he added.
"It is fair to say that in the past that UKIP has been regarded as an older person's party but that has completely changed."
The shop keeper said the launch had left him optimistic about his chances of being elected onto the council next month.
"Realistically before today I thought I didn't have a great chance but having seen the level of support and talking to a lot of people I'm strangely optimistic."
Following his speech at the town hall Mr Farage spoke with local shop keepers before finishing his visit at the Bull Head pub.
He said he received a very welcoming response from the town.
"Phenomenal is the only word I can use to describe it," Mr Farage said.
"We couldn't get everybody into hall and that was with people standing at the back and in the foyer.
"The sun was shining, which probably helped, but even so the response was absolutely fantastic."
During the first stop of his nationwide tour Mr Farage said his party had a fighting chance in the Cornwall Council elections.
"In the past in Cornwall we have come first in EU elections but the voters have never quite seen us being relevant in domestic politics.
"We have proved in EU politics that our people have a fresh distinctive voice and are not bound by British politics.
"Our people are prepared to speak their mind and people in Cornwall like that," he said.
Hundreds of people gathered at Callington Town Hall to hear Mr Farage speak.
"There are major issues in Cornwall that are not being properly addressed," he said.
"Take wind farms. We wholly and categorically oppose the wind farm project. They are ugly and they don't work.
"The whole project is adding to the electricity bill for Cornwall."
He also spoke about youth unemployment and the expansion of the EU.
"Although not directly the responsibility of county councillors, if this continues and we open up our doors to Bulgaria and Romania there will be potentially another huge influx of fresh labour coming into this country," he said.
"When unemployment among the youth is at a real critical level in places like Cornwall we do not need any more unskilled worked coming into the country."
Mr Farage said candidates from UKIP standing in the Cornwall Council elections, which will be held on May 2, have a strong chance.
"We will be trying hard.
"We are going to get a lot of votes but it's a question of whether we can break through under the first past the post system.
"We have got a fighting chance on getting a cluster of people elected onto the council," Mr Farage said.
Dave Williams, UKIP candidate for Callington, said around three hundred people crammed into the hall to hear Mr Farage speak.
"It was nice to see young people there," he added.
"It is fair to say that in the past that UKIP has been regarded as an older person's party but that has completely changed."
The shop keeper said the launch had left him optimistic about his chances of being elected onto the council next month.
"Realistically before today I thought I didn't have a great chance but having seen the level of support and talking to a lot of people I'm strangely optimistic."
Following his speech at the town hall Mr Farage spoke with local shop keepers before finishing his visit at the Bull Head pub.
He said he received a very welcoming response from the town.
"Phenomenal is the only word I can use to describe it," Mr Farage said.
"We couldn't get everybody into hall and that was with people standing at the back and in the foyer.
"The sun was shining, which probably helped, but even so the response was absolutely fantastic."
