Where does UKIP go now?

A somewhat disappointing result for UKIP on thursday night. The targets of one million votes and the seat of Buckingham both fell short, with Nigel Farage unfortunately coming third in the contest and the party overall winning just over 900,000 votes. Still, that is a sound result when one takes into context the three party squeeze and the understandable focus on the hung parliament/Clegg surge/Conservative win factors.

When comparing these results to the 2005 general election where UKIP won over 600,000 votes, they are overall a clear improvement.

The UK Independence Party must now, if it wants to get anywhere, redirect it's aims and hopes and to emphasise more on other important political factors. It must realise that when it really comes down to it, European Parliament Elections mean nothing to the wider electorate. Local and national issues must come first.

There will be many UKIP members who will scream that the EU is the most important issue. It isn't. Admittedly it is to them, but as we all know the majority of the public are not UKIP members, or indeed the majority do not even know who or what UKIP actually is. This is coming from a paid-up member of the party and an enthusiastic supporter of the domestic policies; in particular the 31% flat tax for all earners above £11,500 (no tax on the minimum wage) and the radical school vouchers proposal which as I have said in previous posts, will dramatically improve education standards and undoubtedly increase social mobility.

None of UKIP's excellent domestic policies have been effectively utilised in the election campaign that unfolded over the past four weeks. It was all about the EU, how bad and evil it is, how it can be put to blame for all the nation's problems. To be honest I have had enough. I have had enough of the whining and moaning about how UKIP isn't doing well enough and how voters just don't get the apparent urgency and importance of the anti-EU message. They don't get it because they don't care, and rightly so. There are more important things for voters to think about: education, taxation, jobs and the structural deficit.

Now obviously the EU does have say in some aspects of our governance, in particular trade, immigration and agriculture but the most important things affecting the people of this country are still (thankfully) decided at Westminster. Yes the EU is expensive, undemocratic, overly bureaucratic and has since it's inception held the 400 million Europeans within the union in utter contempt. Those who disagree are ignored, those who agree are rewarded extravagantly through taxpayers' money. Britain would be substantially better off out of this political institution where it could still trade and cooperate with European nations but without the stranglehold of political union.

Nonetheless UKIP must start to hit home what it would do on local issues, how it's stance would help or improve the country. It has to prove to millions why it really is the radical alternative. The party does offer something different and when I say different I don't mean in the Clegg-I'm-different-honest way but true fundamental, wide-reaching radical reforms for the good of the country.

If the party is to forever go on about the European Union, Islam and immigration it will, without a doubt fail.

The recent election results show it has yet to convince the nation of it's credibility, it's potential, it's worth.

I for one hope it diverts it's gaze on Europe to more domestic fronts. Let us show people under a UKIP government taxes would be lower, jobs would grow and prosper, our armed forces would be equipped and invested in, our healthcare and welfare services would be innovative, efficient and value for the taxpayers' money.

UKIP could be so much more if it allowed itself to be. Be the true libertarian, radical alternative and please shut up about Islam and the 'evil EU empire'. To simply marginalise an entire religion, someone's faith, is exceptionally wrong and it must stop. It is a total contradiction of principle to proclaim to stand up for liberty and then to want to ban someone from wearing an item of clothing. That talk is simply conforming to the narrow-minded, publicity-driven nonsense seen in the media and press. We, as a party must be more than that, we must be above that.

It is time to change, indeed to evolve. Do it, or fail.

An unpredictable, exhilarating night for democracy

Although this was my first time being able to vote in a general election, due to my obessesiveness with politics and elections I know that this was perhaps the most unpredictable general elections for generations. There were marginals with tiny majorities that failed to be enveloped by the Tories while simultaneously apparently unwinnable seats fell with unprecedented swings.

The Liberal Democrats did terribly considering up until polling day they were on course to winning around 90 seats. They lost 13 seats and only gained 8. Indeed, I don't think Lembit Opik was expecting to lose his Montgomeryshire seat with a swing to the Tories of 13.2%. The election results quite frankly are all over the place.

I somehow managed to watch the whole thing from 10pm straight up until just over an hour ago thanks to the splendours of lucozade. So, what happens now?

Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats would be fools if they do not accept Cameron's offer of cooperation. If they refuse, they will look partisan and if they accept they will, after 100 years have some say in government. Personally I think this is the most favourable outcome of the hung parliament scenarios because it means Labour is finally (well, hopefully) gone for a few years while bi-partisanship and cooperation for the good of the nation will be a good symbol of democracy at work.

The swing to the Tories while not enough to gain them a workable majority, still is an impressive feat. The swing overall is larger than that of Thatcher in 1979 and indeed the Tories have gained more seats in this election than they have since 1931. Considering only a week ago it looked as though the Lib-Dem surge would be maintained until polling day, Cameron has succeeded. His party admittedly will be angry and frustrated: how on earth did they not have a landslide when the government has presided over 13 years of bloated, stagnant failures led since 2007 by a universally unpopular Prime Minister?

The answer to that is relatively simple; the Tories were starting off at a relatively low base with which to gain a majority so to gain 100 seats is something the Tories should feel positive about.

What now must happen is serious plans for deficit reduction and spending cuts in order to get the country moving again. The recent economic developments in Greece, Portugal, Spain and last night New York are all signifying the incredible problems ahead for this country. Do I think a hung parliament will inhibit any solutions to this problem? No. This could be the opportunity where the parties come together in order to tackle the almost insurmountable structural deficit we as a nation currently possess.

Overall an interesting night with some spectacularly random results. Congratulations to Zac Goldsmith for winning Richmond Park off Susan Kramer despite the Lib-Dem surge. I've always liked Mr. Goldsmith and am sure he will be a more than capable MP. Also congratulations to Caroline Lucas in winning the first Green seat in Brighton Pavilion. Now don't get me wrong, I personally despise the Green Party's blatant communist, tax-obessessed mentality but to win a seat at Westminster when your party's national share of the vote is currently just 1.0% (285,616) is quite an achievement.

Comiserations to Nigel Farage in coming third in Buckingham, I also hope he and the pilot have a speedy recovery after the unfortunate plane crash that occured yesterday.

With a hung parliament now clearly official, I can happily say I am excited about what this will do for politics in Britain.

The Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats would be wise to now work together to sort this country out. The voters deserve honesty, clarity and much-needed solutions.

Let's just see what happens...