When I first heard Tories proclaiming that a vote for UKIP would let Miliband and Labour in I wondered if that was the best they could do. But UKIP do have a habit of proving that they are truly on the lunatic fringe. Well, look at Nigel Farage for starters. Somebody who tries so hard to be 'a character' only proves himself to be a completely mad, egocentric, attention seeking berk.
Now UKIP councillors in Norfolk have proved that this problem is apparent throughout the party. The
nutters UKIP councillors on Norfolk County Council have gone into alliance with Labour, the Greens and the Lib Dems and a Labour leader has been installed. The Tories are the largest group on Norfolk County Council.
Forgive me but I am not aware that supporting that motley crew of statist misfits is very libertarian, which UKIP claim to be. Did the people of Norfolk who voted UKIP really expect to find their county council led by a Labour councillor because of the support of UKIP councillors? I doubt it.
Furthermore, on Twitter I saw a UKIP member asked what the party's position was on the legalisation of marijuana. The UKIP member replied that the party would hold a referendum to find out what the populace wanted. Oh right, so would they hold a referendum to find out if 51% of the population wanted murder legalised? What a cop out to avoid answering a question on a controversial issue. Again, if UKIP was truly a libertarian party it would support the legalisation of marijuana, and be honest about that.
Like wanting out of the EU but wallowing on the gravy train, UKIP are just proving themselves to be the most cynical of the political parties rather than an alternative. Making the right noises to attract protest votes on a range of issues, but offering nothing of any substance. Their policy of massively increasing state expenditure, but cutting taxes, would bankrupt the country faster than you could say Gordon Brown. They aren't bright and I would warn anybody to look beneath the surface if you think these nutjobs are a credible alternative to the LibLabCon.
4 comments:
Gregg,
Do you think that UKIP should not have contested the EU elections or do think the should have contested but not taken their seats. Genuine question. Personally I think they are doing the right thing, specifically because of the free publicity the UKIP members get from speaking in the chamber/Youtube studio.
If only they were just nutty. UKIP are science deniers, happy for people to inhale other people's cigarette smoke and actively campaigning against action on climate change. They are geography deniers, thinking that although we are only 22 miles from the French coast we can deal with trade and environment satisfactorily outside the EU. They are self deniers, stirring up anger against immigrants and still claiming not to be racist. Denial is no basis for policy.
This is why they call it Cheap Populism. Easy to pick up votes from pissed off people by telling them what they want to hear.
Another dynamic to this is that in order to raise their profile, Farage is going to have to let a few others off the lead and raise their profile in the mainstream media.
If Nuttall really is the next best thing available to them then expect less than sexy results...
Frederick-You are quite clearly mad. UKIP are not racist, it is not racist to control immigration. Farage is married to a German. We trade with many countries throughout the world without joining with them in some sort of undemocratic superstate. Climate change? You are blindly following discredited nutcases.
No Sean, I see no gain from them having MEPs, apart from making a few people wealthy. When the party was founded they had a policy of not contesting EU elections. Problem is, apart from the EU, they have few credible policies because, as Alan Sked says, Farage has driven intellectuals out of the party.
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