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.
8 comments:
Absolutely spot on. We are a fully fledged party and no longer a single issue pressure group designed to shame the Tories into obeying their grassroots.
That's what I'm getting at. The way our campaign was conducted was shameful, focusing more on standing down for other party candidates instead of promoting our actual policies.
Things have to change.
I think you are completely wrong
The Policies and approach are spot on & don't need changing at all, although the confusion about supporting Eurosceptics did not go well.
UKIP performed so poorly for one simple reason.
MONEY
The Electorate perceived UKIP as poor amatuers, it's not just about how good your Manifesto is, it's about having the confidence to hand over control.
Just Look at the contrast between Lib/Lab/Con Manifesto launches and the dark cramped dingy UKIP launch.
The failed old parties present their people as if they were consumate experienced proffesionals in their relevant areas of expertise, surrounded by the smell of money and success.
Unless UKIP can do the same or prefferably better then they are doomed, whether they push a single issue or a 100% sure fire Manifesto.
Unless UKIP can run a campaign deploying 50% more money than the mainstream, they will always be a very, very poor 4th (in both meanings of the word)
In this world Perception has become reality & reality has become meaningless.
It has nothing to do with money! Are you saying the electorate think we are amateurish or are you thinking it? You cannot speak for the electorate.
We as a party failed to promote our policies, we failed to reach the wider electorate and it isn't to do with budget. It is to do with direction and strategy. We had money for billboards and leaflets it was what was on them that was the problem.
Fully agree with your comments Jake. Any chance you could get a job in the party??? :D
Haha well I don't know about that! As long as they listen I'm all good!
Jake,
Totally agree with you. I left the party and stood down as a PPC over this many months before the election.
Either UKIP becomes a modern, free market, local democracy low tax libertarian party or someone else will form one and wipe them out anyway.
However, I believe that what will happen is that Farage will push forward his agenda of making UKIP a Pan European party and will focus on the next EU elections.
Well I truly hope does not happen. I totally agree with you on what UKIP should become, its just a shame the leadership don't seem to...
Post a Comment