Woe is Ukip

For 'yonks' this country's membership of the European Union has never registered with the British public as an election issue; albeit that the politicians from the Lib/Lab/Con have refused to discuss it; the media have refused to raise it at election time as an issue; and the only party against said membership - Ukip - has gone about their business in what can only be described as an amateurish manner.


It is accepted that for what is considered a 'minor party', in political terms, to gain media attention is extremely difficult - especially with a media that is undoubtedly 'influenced' by the Lib/Lab/Con with their dire threats of 'non-access' should what may be termed 'negative copy' be filed. Having made that basic point, one would have thought that in the current climate, where the subject of membership of the European Union - and of that body itself - has been one of the main topics in the news, Ukip would have polled highly. That this did not happen may be due to the 'bounce' Cameron and his party received from Cameron's non-veto on the non-treaty. Digressing slightly, that was some 'bounce' when considering that the Conservative candidate actually lost votes compared to the 2010 general election.


That there is something greatly amiss in Ukip's strategy is even more self-evident, especially considering what can only be termed their dismal showing in Feltham & Heston. Ukip have, of late, made much of the fact that nationally they are polling 8%, compared to the national figure of 7% for the Liberal Democrats - but one has to say that surely, in these circumstances Ukip should have been polling in the 'upper teens' as a bare minimum. I think that all - maybe with one or two exceptions - would agree that Nigel Farage is charismatic, likable and appeals to a great number of people because he tends to speak in 'plain English', unlike most politicians. Yet the point has to be made - what is the benefit of making what some have termed 'barnstorming' speeches in the EU Parliament, or on Russia Today, when they are only available to those with internet access, said speeches and interviews being totally ignored by our MSM?


The problem that Ukip has is not just with the strategy, one presumably 'directed' by Nigel Farage - it goes much, much deeper. Those of us who are members of Ukip are continuously reminded that to gain national seats it is absolutely necessary that local seats are obtained. Yet when, in conversation with a Regional Organiser, I raised the question of how many branches had anyone conversant with election law, or had anyone with the faintest idea how to conduct an election campaign, the answer received was that the figure would be extremely few. Having done both with the Conservative Party - when I was a member - and offering to visit branches to talk about these two aspects, among others,  I was advised that it would be considered. Since then - four weeks ago, come next weekend - the response has been deafening by its silence. That a 'following' can be gained is only too apparent when considering Aylesbury or Ramsey at the time of the last local elections - yet, again, it is obvious that 'lessons have not been learnt', something 'par for the course' where politicians of any party is concerned.


Richard North, EU Referendum, together with Helen, Your Freedom and Ours, pass on their own views on this subject. Richard North is of the opinion that it may be worthwhile to formulate a gathering together of  interested parties and disaffected 'eurosceptics' to see whether there is a common, positive ideology that could unite us all, and provide a standard around which the disaffected of this nation can muster. I am of the opinion that the core already exists and it exists within Ukip. The problem is the present strategy - and those dictating said strategy - and both need changing. Perhaps it is possible that those within Ukip who recognise that a problem exists - and those ex-members, who could perhaps 'bury the hatchet', got together to discuss a way forward.


This is not to suggest creating a division within Ukip, but merely to educate a few people in that party. When considering the standard of response the Albion Alliance received from Ukip candidates during the campaign they carried out with candidates of all parties, prior to the general election of 2010, there is definitely one hell of a lot of education required where Ukip is concerned. As readers will be aware, I am a great advocate of 'Referism' and 'Direct Democracy' and I would have thought that those ideals would be the cornerstone of a party that has the word 'Independence' in its title - independence not only for the country, but independence for the people.






Just saying..............

You couldn't make it up! (2)

William Hague has today outlined his vision for the future of the Foreign Office in a speech in London (transcript here), one with most commendable aims - if only we were a self-governing nation. Hague states:

"The most important responsibility of any Foreign Secretary is make the right judgement about the most urgent challenges in foreign policy and tirelessly to promote the national interest."

But as I explained yesterday, in certain areas he cannot. He continues that he is re-opening embassies around the world, yet this is the man who managed to absent himself from the vote in the House of Commons agreeing to the European External Action Service under the auspices of which the EU intends to open up their own embassies around the world. This is the man who, to paraphrase Oscar Wilde, qualifies for the description of the unspeakable in support of the unelected. This is the man who, when Leader of his party, asked the country to come with him as he intended to give the people their country back This is the man who said about a Prime Minister:

"For this man's whole political approach has been to parrot the language of Conservatives; to pretend that he understood what Margaret Thatcher had achieved and why Michael Foot and Neil Kinnock were so wrong. [..] A Prime Minister who has the brass neck to stand before his Party Conference vowing to set the people free while at the same time centralising power, increasing taxes and undermining personal responsibility [..]The man is a fraud. Anyone who so misunderstands or so wilfully distorts who we are as a people or where we come from as a nation cannot possibly know where we should go to next as a people and as a nation. For this was the speech of a man who is embarrassed about where he came from, and the country he lives in, and the century he was born in and the Party he leads. Most of all it was the speech of a man who is embarrassed by the opinions of the people who elected him. Embarrassed by their patriotism and their fierce independence and their pride in Britain. He thinks patriotism is uncool and independence is out of date and pride is undignified."

No, Hague was not describing David Cameron - but he might just as well have been......

William Hague ended his speech thus:

"And so I say to the people of Britain: if you believe that our country is unique in the world but is in danger of losing its identity; if you believe that Britain is a place where you should be rewarded for doing the right thing, but now you are penalised for it; if you believe in Britain as a healthy democracy, but that the standards of democracy are now being tarnished and diminished; if you believe in Britain as a country where the law is enforced and respected, but that now it is not respected enough; if you believe in Britain as a country that will work with its neighbours but never submit to being governed by anyone else; if you believe in an independent Britain.Then come with me, and I will give you back your country." (My emphasis)

Of course we now know that to follow Hague, his Leader and his party means that there is no point in going with them as we will never, ever, get our country back.

Oh, the ability to sleep soundly at night knowing that you are a politician of honour and principle.......


Update: For those who want their ears assaulted, the Foreign Office appear to have put the speech on youtube! (for some reason it won't 'embed')