Tuesday, June 08, 2004

UKIP and the BNP

Sorry about the lack of posting since Sunday. This week has been spent mainly on the doorsteps of North Norfolk. Yesterday evening I went to Happisburgh Parish Council. The Deputy Leader of the local council, Clive Stockton (a LibDem) is the chairman of the council. He owns the Hill House pub in Happisburgh and is a political opponent who also happens to be a genuinely nice guy.

Today I have been in Southrepps, Northrepps, Sheringham and Holt. It's been very interesting how the political climate has changed. Up until last week I had barely come across a UKIP supporter. Sadly I cannot say the same today. Bizarrely several LibDem voters say they are voting UKIP. I even had a UKIP voter who quite liked the idea of the euro!!! How I managed to keep a straight face I just do not know. But this evening I experienced a first. I've been doorstep canvassing for 20 years but I have never - never - had anyone actually look me straight in the eye and say they are considering voting for the BNP. It happened tonight. Twice. In Sheringham of all places. Yesterday it happened once, in a very sleepy North Norfolk village. There is a real sense out there that the main parties are not addressing people's concerns, so they therefore look elsewhere to lodge a protest. If our national leaders do not start addressing this soon there could be terrible consequences. I actually think I persuaded the two potential BNP voters not to do it, but it makes me wonder how many others there are out there who I will never get to.

3 comments:

Westbury-on-Trym Lib Dems said...

Is the Clive Stockton you now say is a "genuinely nice guy" the same Clive Stockton you accused of hypocrisy(along with his wife and Liberals generally) in your press release immediately after the Happisburgh by-election on your other website? I think we should be told!

Anonymous said...

re: previous comment - is there a particular reason hypocrits cannot be nice?

Westbury-on-Trym Lib Dems said...

No, but there is a reason why they cannot be genuine!