UKIP?! Seriously???

[snigsby]

I don't wish to offend anyone and feel free to ignore me but the Scots are scratching their heads this morning at the English. We don't understand it.

Apart from the obvious (immigration), what is their unique selling point?

Our protest against the Tories (and the Labour party to be fair ) is the SNP,who have already given us free university tuition,free personal care for the elderly, free prescriptions and total committment to the NHS and who also want to be part of Europe.

[beksnjake]

No offense taken. I think we are potentially following a dangerous path in English politics. UKIP are tapping into people's fears which sadly are unfounded but appear real enough for many. Farrage & his cronies are not that far removed from BNP, National Front & other far right political movements. The upsurge of groups such as Britain First (nasty right wing extremists posing as the patriotic voice of Britain, choking up my FB feed!) is another worrying trend. The association of the St George's flag with such groups is sad too. The over reaction to Emily Thornberry's tweet saddens me too, yes she shouldn't have sent it but she shouldn't have had to resign for saying something we all were thinking. It also distracts from the fact that UKIP won & that is even more worrying.

Sorry another soap box rant!

[snigsby]

No chance of me managing to be PC - would UKIP voters mostly be those who,when I was younger,we would have called the  working class made good? Or was Emily Wotsit making a point that they are "white van man"?

Nigel Farage would have appealed to my Mum and Dad on the surface though they would have spotted his snaky eyes and distrusted him.

[beksnjake]

But who is "white van man"? Its a sweeping generalization made up by the media. To be honest all the white van/delivery drivers I meet on the country lanes when riding are polite & courteous - unlike the majority of school mums!! They don't appear to view me as some posh bird on a horse! Which of course I'm not - very much middle class but with strong working class roots, my dad's father & grandfather were trawler men from Grimbsy - they worked hard to put me where I am today and I am very grateful for that. But as an educated woman, I find Farrage & his UKIP cronies scary - I see shades of Oswald Mosley & his blackshirts in the 30's.

There's a huge difference between being patriotic & tribalist.

[breakfast]

Very much a blackshirt movement, and one that is clearly reflecting the tactics of the Tea Party in the US ( also a blackshirt movement ) which is a little unsurprising as they are financed by the same money.

A rather nice quote from one of my friends on Facebook today:

I was pleased to see a picture of Farage wearing a tie of the Bayeux Tapestry, celebrating one of the most famous waves of foreign immigrants ever to illegally enter our country, the foundation of close and enduring political ties between Britain and the continent, the superiority of French military prowess, and of course the influence of European culture on our own. Makes me proud to be European.

[mc]

I think the whole UKIP thing if the voice of a few being louder than that of many. Most people I know can't stand Farage or what he stands for but the press do love to blow things out of proportion!

[snigsby]

Mc,I think the main worry is that they now have representation in the House of Commons. Two MP's might just,possibly, swing the balance of power after the next election. Unless the SNP capitalise on their success and popularity and knock out several current Scottish Labour members. Which is very likely but still,having such a malign influence seeping about the corridors of power is scary.

And their Fuhrer/Duce/Leader Farage cosying up to his fellow quasi blackshirts in Europe is an even more ominous portent.

breakfast,that's interesting about the financing being the same as the Tea Party's. Tell me more!

[mc]

Don't get me wrong I'm not saying they should be underestimated. I find it incredibly worrying especially as other parties start amending their policies to win back UKIP supporters. I just meant that it's not us English supporting UKIP it's a minority. But unfortunately that minority are currently more successful at getting their voices heard and policy seems to be changing as a result.

[nicxf]

UKIP annoy me as their increasing popularity only serves to highlight what a petty, small-minded species we can be. Pathetic. Why look at the big picture when you can quibble about rubbish like immigration? *cross face*