For those on the left, anything that threatens to damage the Tory vote might be regarded as welcome. However I do think they should be taken seriously - as your mate Owen Jones put it, they are a "potential menace". The recent rise in Ukip's support may have much more to do with defection of Conservative supporters over the issue of gay marriage, which Ukip unequivocally opposes. Tory donor and tax dodger no.1 Lord Ashcroft recently suggested that Tory voters are moving to Ukip because they're attracted to its much more draconian stance on immigration and "benefits culture".
They are essentially social conservatives but they also present themselves as Libertarian in approach. The problem they have is that they have an incoherent agenda and a party that disregards social democratic principles is unelectable in the UK. The Tories are needlessly and brutally attacking people on benefits but Ukip want to do away with the whole shebang. It leads me to think that their incoherence is actually boosting their vote at the minute. When they come more into public debate with the other parties they will be found out for what they are. They're not as much as an anti-establishment political grouping but more of a desperate bunch eager to get on the establishment gravy train.
iain wrote:If the level of your debate about UKIP is that they're racist, you're stuck in the past....on a similar level to Gordon Brown describing that oul doll as an old bigot.
It doesn't work any more. No-ones interested raging left wing guff. We've all witnessed the mess that is the EU and happily, more and more are speaking up and looking out.
All the shrill cries to drown out dissenting voices are falling on deaf ears now.
