Monday, January 22, 2007

Has UKIP Changed Tack on Standing Against EuroSceptic Tories?

If Guido Fawkes is right, then Malcolm Pearson's price for defecting to UKIP was a high one. See HERE. I'm not sure I believe it, as it would be a complete U-turn on behalf of the UKIP leadership who have always said they wouldn't stand against MP supports of Better Off Out, but non-MP EuroSceptic Better Off Out supporters could basically 'go swing'. If Nigel Farage has changed tack then he can prepare for some fierce rows within his own Party. But as I said, I'm not sure the story is actually right. ConservativeHome has some further analysis HERE.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Interesting article. Interesting price as well.

So does that mean UKIP will be standing in Kensington and Chealsea?

Anonymous said...

Iain, check this blog entry out.
http://e-ukip-home.blogspot.com/
Makes interesting reading.

Anonymous said...

Could be that it's a cunning plan to get the euro-sceptic tory MPs to speak up.

Dave then throws a hissy fit, the public thinks "Wanker", more defections to UKIP - if only out of self-respect - Dave presides over a dwindling coterie of euro-statist meusli knitters, loses the next election and changes his name by deed-poll to Edward Heath.

But the BBC will love him.

Anonymous said...

Amazing every time you mention UKIP to a Tory, they say they are a 'bunch of head bangers, morons, racists etc, who won't cause the party to lose any seats' A story comes out that seems to involve some sort of alliance, and its greeted with relief, 'Thank God UKIP aren't running against us' that means we'll win the next GE'

Anonymous said...

Iain, any chance of re-writing this in English ? Or just with some shorter sentences and punctuation might help a 'bear of little brain' like me..

Anonymous said...

I'm glad someone else has said that. I can't understand what you're on about in this sentence:

I'm not sure I believe it as it would be a complete U-turn on behalf of the UKIP leadership who have always said they wouldn't stand against MP supports of Better Off Out, but non MP EuroSceptic Better Off Out Supporters could basically 'go swing'.

Anonymous said...

When is the new Doughty Street website launching?

It is now two weeks late! We want to be able to post comments and contribute to deabte as before.

If it is not up for tonights programmes would it be possible to put a tempoary blog up so we could disucss and debate the issues?

Iain Dale said...

To me it's very clear. If you're a sitting MP and suppot Better Off Out you're OK. If you are a PPC who supprts Better Off Out they will still stand against you. What's the logic in that?

Ash, the 18DS site was promised (again) to us today. It is nearly there but I am still unhappy with it and have asked for ito be held back until it is totally correct. Apologies for the inconvenience.

Anonymous said...

Can't you put the old one back up until it's ready?

I'm sure you must be losing viewers with the lack of interactivity, that is, of course, what 18DS is all about.

Iain Dale said...

Ash, believe me, if you are frustrated, just imagine what it is like for us... We're spending a huge amount of money on this site and have been let down at every stage. I can't put the old site back up. I'm as sure as I can be that the new site will be up tomorrow.

Roger Thornhill said...

We're spending a huge amount of money on this site and have been let down at every stage.

You didn't finance it via a PFI did you?

Anonymous said...

I spent four years with UKIP, Helped set up Veritas and stood at last GE. I rejoined the Tories to fight for DD as leader, it didn't work, but UKIP are small minded idiots at the top, they have there feet under the eu table and they ain't moving.
As with most parties it is those workers at the bottom the ones with real belief in the cause that suffer.

However many tory backers or MPs defect it matters not one jot, Farage and his clique do not want an Independent Britain, they have discovered the continent with gusto.

David Davies

Gavin said...

I'll try and comment without coming across as a "UKIP nutter", as I have not yet made up my mind whether my general support for them will translate into a vote.
I was a little disheartened to hear Iain say on 18DS tonight that he felt that UKIP's aim, as he sees it right now, is the destruction of the conservative party. I can't speak for UKIP members, but as a potential UKIP voter (I voted UKIP in 2001, Con in 2005) I certainly don't want to see the Con party destroyed, but the issue of EU membership is just so all-encompassing. In a sense I feel quite sad that I have to consider voting UKIP rather than Con, but what is the point of voting Con when it effectively means voting for foreign, unelected, unmandated powers to have increasing, and eventually total control of this country? Some say "Europe isn't a big issue", well it's only so because the media refuses to give it the importance it truly deserves.

The Conservatives talk of being "in Europe, not run by Europe", I'd like to hear a full explanation of what that means.

Anonymous said...

Tom, the country is more important than any one political party.

Don't be put off by political prostitutes like Darlington Tory who'll go anywhere to feather their nest. (including Europe)

I'm also tired of this BOO campaign amongst Conservative MP's. How does being Eurosceptic or belonging to the BOO stopping the onslaught of the EU? It's a bit like re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic.

neil craig said...

UKIP's problem is that they may be conned by candidates who say better off out until they get elected (its an old story), at least current MPs have a record.

For that reason I would suggest both parties would benefit from some informal social constituency contacts. It would allow UKIP to see if the candidate was real & the Tories to discourage UKIP kicking them in particular constituencies.

Anonymous said...

Neil
I understand that that sort of stuff is already underway, with a level of local autonomy in the trust department.

Anonymous said...

Isn't this a very old story? The deer stalking Lord's leap of faith was first revealed at www.speakout.co.uk before it appeared in the Daily Telegraph, and the price he had extracted for boarding the sinking ship HMS UKIP was also commented on. If Malcolm's aim had been to prompt a flood of Tory MPs to the BOO banner, all the evidence suggests he has missed his target and shot himself in the foot. Good luck with the doughty street redesign, I know what it can be like being let down by those with webbed feet.

Anonymous said...

Isn't this a very old story? The deer stalking Lord's leap of faith was first revealed at www.speakout.co.uk before it appeared in the Daily Telegraph, and the price he had extracted for boarding the sinking ship HMS UKIP was also commented on. If Malcolm's aim had been to prompt a flood of Tory MPs to the BOO banner, all the evidence suggests he has missed his target and shot himself in the foot. Good luck with the doughty street redesign, I know what it can be like being let down by those with webbed feet.

uk-events said...

Does anyone really care about UKIP other than the Tories?

Lets be serious, until one of the main parties offers us a vote on the EU then its not going to make the blindest bit of difference what the peripheral parties do or say.


Unless of course the BNP start scoring loads of seats - Quite frankly, I see that as more likely than the Tories or Labour giving us our democratic right on this subject.