Pub Philospher blog discusses UKIP name change

cromerty · 08-02-2007, 07:22 PM

There is a fairly scathing attack on UKIP over at the Pub Philosopher blog:

http://pubphilosopher.blogs.com/pub_...ew_name_s.html

Anthony Butcher · 08-02-2007, 07:31 PM

Quote:

UKIP - new name, same old story
A few people are getting excited about UKIP's attempt to re-brand itself. Some, like Fabian, are even considering voting for this useless bunch of pissheads.

In the eight years since it won seats in the European Parliament, UKIP has achieved ****** all. To make any headway in Brussels you need to do deals with other parties to gain influence and greater speaking rights. Even Le Pen, the BNP and UKIP renegade Ashley Mote understand that. But making such deals not only involves being nice to foreigners, it also means putting in some hard work, neither of which appeals much to UKIP's MEPs. Consequently they sit on the sidelines moaning, drawing their salaries, living the high life in Brussels and only occasionally turning up to vote.

The party's lack of impact in Brussels has been matched by a failure to use its success in the Euro elections as a platform for building a political movement in the UK. Despite its financial backing, UKIP only has around 10 councillors. Unfortunately for UKIP, getting people elected to local councils requires not only money but hard work as well. There is strong evidence that people are crying out for a political alternative so UKIP should be pushing at an open door. Even that, it seems, is too much effort for Mr Farage and his chums.

The reason behind the change of name is the need to boost the party's profile in time for the next Euro elections. This is consistent with the pattern of UKIP's campaigning cycle. In 1999, three UKIP MEPs were elected. They then disappeared from view until just before the next election when they begged for more money from their sponsors, launched a high profile campaign and got themselves re-elected. They then sank without trace again until now.

If this pattern is repeated during the next Euro elections, there will be a big relaunch, an expensive campaign, which will see the re-election of Farage and some others, followed by another three year hiatus in which the UKIP MEPs will return to their dilettante Brussels lifestyle.

UKIP cannot win elections in any arena apart from the Euro elections. The party-list system makes it easy for small parties to win seats. An expensive nationwide campaign which promotes the party, rather than its candidates, has a greater impact under the rules of the Euro election than it would on a local or Westminster poll. To keep Farage and his friends in the lifestyle to which they have become accustomed, it is therefore imperative for them to win European elections. Other elections are harder to win and would only be worth the effort if UKIP's leadership were really serious about building a political alternative in Britain.

But they are not. UKIP's golf-club bores just want to get themselves re-elected to the European Parliament so that they can continue to indulge themselves at the taxpayer's expense. Although they make the occasional blustering speeches, they are not up to the job of seriously challenging the political status quo. If the current UKIP MEPs are re-elected in 2009, or, God forbid, the party even manages to increase its representation in Brussels, we will hear nothing more from them until 2013, when it will be time to start preparing for the next Euro elections.

Once elected, Farage and Co will disappear into the bars and restaurants of Brussels for the next five years until they want your vote again. If you are hoping that UKIP will change the political map, you'll need to wait until they have finished their dinner.

22ANDUK · 08-02-2007, 07:40 PM

Don't rail against this, prove it wrong.

Quote:

Even Le Pen, the BNP and UKIP renegade Ashley Mote understand that.

UKIP MEPS: 10
BNP MEPS: 0

Independent UKIP · 08-02-2007, 10:53 PM

It is not worth railing against & it is not worth my while responding to such drivel at all except by writing these few words. If others want to do so then I have no objection but why spend the time so doing?

I see a certain blogger has a comment timed at 7.59pm, 37 minutes after the post about a blog that I had never previously heard of until it was mentioned here.

08-02-2007, 07:22 PM	#1 (permalink)
cromerty Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 31	Pub Philospher blog discusses UKIP name change There is a fairly scathing attack on UKIP over at the Pub Philosopher blog: http://pubphilosopher.blogs.com/pub_...ew_name_s.html

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08-02-2007, 10:53 PM	#4 (permalink)
Independent UKIP Uber Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Posts: 2,421	It is not worth railing against & it is not worth my while responding to such drivel at all except by writing these few words. If others want to do so then I have no objection but why spend the time so doing? I see a certain blogger has a comment timed at 7.59pm, 37 minutes after the post about a blog that I had never previously heard of until it was mentioned here.