Seen this morning on UKIP's website. Look at the headline for the video... :).
Joking aside though, UKIP invited me to visit their national campaign HQ this morning to have a look at what they're doing. It was good to see one of my blogging inspirations, Tim Worstall, who is UKIP's communications director. They have a phone bank which seemed very active. A lot of the calls, they said, were from people who wanted to sound off over MP expenses, but they are also taking small campaign donations.
I am on the record of predicting UKIP would lose seats on June 4th. The MP expenses issue has proved to be a game changer. It's clear that UKIP has got some momentum and is mopping up a lot of Labour votes as well as Conservative ones. There is still more than a fortnight until polling day. A lot can change, but Conservative strategy now needs to confront the UKIP challenge head on. There were signs in David Cameron's interviews this morning that he is determined to do just that.
32 comments:
If by confront you mean lie about and smear, then yes, he is.
Still, as Gandhi said.
First they ignore us.
Then they laugh at us.
Then they fight us.
Then we win!
Nah- i'm a ''conservative' voter, but there is no way in hell i will be voting conservative in the Euro elections- UKIP gets my vote. I don't care what the conservatives say about 'reforming' the EU. I just want the entire EU at arms length- no way is Jaques in Francais or Stanislav the Donkey in Poland making OUR law.
Too late, unless he changes his policies towards the EU to be more like UKIP's
nforest63It is very bizarre that the only success UKIP have are in the elections for the body they want abolished. But of course, it gives them the chance to sit back, guffawing, completely uninvolved and decrying the whole EU project,
whilst creaming off massive expenses. No wonder it is the next stop for ousted MPs looking to hang onto their lifesyle!
Worstall's blog is bloody good
http://therightstudent.com/?p=1752
Ode to Michael Martin
U.S. out of North America!
Douglas Hogg to retire with his moat - BBC News
Interesting to see that the former pornographer and current owner of the Sunday and Daily Sport is now supporting UKIP.
And I thought that UKIP wanted to be seen as a 'serious' party.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Sullivan
Mr Cameron hasn't been clear enough on his intentions on the EU and very vague on Lisbon. Most people are happy to stay within the EU as long as most of our powers are returned to us but failing that, "OUT OF THE EU" is preferable to "IN THE EU".
I will probably vote Conservative in the GE but at the moment my EU vote goes to UKIP!
That's what Mr Cameron has to address.
We are constantly informed that the EU dictates 80% of our policies and laws which most ordinary people are very unhappy about.
Re: ' . . There is still more than a fortnight until polling day. A lot can change, . . '
No: to reiterate the point I made on your item about postal voting, about half the votes cast will be postal votes and nearly all of them will be cast by Monday morning. It's much later than you think.
Hope they were polite and offered you some fruitcake?
;-)
Me norman-not the semi-house trained pole cat!
There is credit crunch in this country and who cares about UKIP and their single issue of EU. UKIP poll rating rise is not because of their moral strength. If Lord Sutch was alive, he would get the support. Didn't one of UKIP's go to jail for money-fiddling. Hardly a moral bunch. Ask them to use Tebbit to go with them in hustings and give a message in their web site. The poll ratings will cool down!
Yet another thread for the UKIP trolls - if they had as many footsoldiers as they do blog commenters they might get somewhere (rolls eyes)
UKIP gets votes in the Euro elections for the very good and practical reason that it is the only opportunity that opponents of UK membership ever get to have a voice. The main parties have conspired since 1975 to deny the electorate a vote on the "ever-closer union" principle. Voting UKIP in Euro elections sends a message. Any mainstream party that offered a free and fair referendum on membership of the EU would have won by a landslide in a UK general election, but none did, and it's far too late now, especially after the double-cross by Labour on the Lisbon Treaty referendum promise in its manifesto. I expected UKIP to do very well anyway in the Euro elections after that; the expenses scandal at Westminster will only serve to increase its share.
The bottom line is that it doesn't matter if you are for or against UK membership of the EU, there was never any argument against allowing the people the opportunity to vote on it.
rob's uncle said...
"...about half the votes cast will be postal votes and nearly all of them will be cast by Monday morning. It's much later than you think."
The last time I had a postal vote, I voted and posted it within the hour of receiving it. Imagine my dismay when, at 4:30, there was a knock at the door by a council official asking for it back as there had been a cock up in the papers. I never did discover if my vote was counted.
I'll be voting UKIP at the Euro elections. Conservative at the General election. If we ever get a GE that is.
UKIP Rebuts attack by Cameron:
http://www.westbournemouthukip.com/docs/Rapid%20Rebuttal.pdf
A pledge to give the country the opportunity to decide on our continued membership of the EU and/or the status of that membership would get a massive public vote. In the absence of that sort of commitment, my normally Conservative vote will go to UKIP in the forthcoming election.
I wish it could be otherwise, but the Conservative position on Europe just doesn't cut it for me.
I will be voting UKIP in both the Euro's and GE and will be urging everyone I know to do the same.
Membership of the EU as a political block is soon to be highlighted as the biggest barrier to meaningful change within the UK.
It is only a matter of time until the public become aware of this.And I would imagine that when the publics gaze is directed towards the EU's finances that it is going to be a VERY messy affair.
Should the conservative actually wake up to this I will be happy to return to the fold.
UKIP are a bunch of idiots. I am anti EU and would be happy to see us out. But voting UKIP is just giving aid and comfort to Gordon brown and no way am I doing that.
A lot of people will fancy UKIP and for a number of reasons.
Firstly Dave hasnt cut the mustard on this issue, at all..( I know Europe terrifies the Tories) but the UKIP stance strikes a chord with a lot of voters.
Secondly the voters are outraged by the expenses farago and have a `plague on all your houses` attitude at the moment.
Thirdly many people actually like Nigel Farage and think he`s entertaining.
Whilst the BNP will do well in areas of high immigration, UKIP will have more of an appeal across the country
Interesting times
How can a vote for UKIP aid Brown?
If Labour come third or fourth to UKIP in the Euro's Brown is toast. We may even get an election this summer which would put Dave on the spot. If he wins he will have to call his referendum on the Treaty as promised or face insurrection.
A British no vote to Lisbon would really put a cat amongst the pigeons.
As they used to say 'things can only get better!'
One thought that does occur.. our MPs are rank amateurs at the expenses game compared with the fraud that goes on in the other place, the EU.
Shame we can't have the same sort of leaks about that!
We don't pay £40 million a day to the EU. That would make Britian's contribution £14.6 billion a year!
Although we pay far too much to thre EU - Im afraid fringe parties like UKIP escape scrutiny over their claims because people treat them like a joke.
Be honest and truthul in your campaigns - don't make figures up.
We used to be Great Britain (lesser Britain being Britanny) & I prefer that name to UK so i wouldn't mind UKIP saying we should leave the UK. On the other hand perhaps they aren't the people to do it.
Like other commenters above I also vote Conservative in Local and General Election, but UKIP in the Europeans. I get the feeling folk like me are regarded by CCHQ as swivel-eyed Eurosceptics who will always come home at a GE. Therefore it is not worth pandering to our views if it risks party unity. Sad but true
Trevor Colman is a xenophobic dinosaur. And Cameron was spot on when he described UKIP as a bunch of teacosies and closet racists (it was something like that).
On today's Daily Politics show it was revealed that Nigel Farrage has taken £2 MILLION in 'expenses' as an MEP.
I was thinking of voting UKIP but no more. This is an absolute disgrace. They are bigger pigs than the MPs! If the Tories want to sink UKIP they will publicise this!
There is no mystery about what allowances an MEP get for staff and other costs.
If Dave wants my vote in the GE then has HAS to address the EU issue.
I do not trust him to call a referendum on the matter, Blair/Brown promised the same thing and what happened.
I would like to see UKIP win a strong following at the EU vote and bring that to the country in the GE, maybe we need some amateur people in power, who are not close to the EU.
Maybe pigs will fly!
A couple of people in my office have already voted (by post). Time's getting on.
I will be voting UKIP at the Euro and General Elections. Sorry, I don't trust Cameron, I think he's Blair II.
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