I don't really want to write about UKIP - I've been writing and arguing about them intermittently today on Facebook.
Anyone who thinks Facebook is all kittens and video clips doesn't see my pages. There are very tough political slogging matches going on. It's been lucky that I've had a good friend who shares my views doing a lot of the heavy lifting - and in some cases it was her statuses that provoked these fights. Part of me just wishes that UKIP supporters would just shut up about it - but they've won the majority of the seats - they feel entitled to gloat - those of them who were more discreet before the results are now strutting about and going for fitting for their new uniforms (I jest!).
Although UKIP strenuously tries to distance itself from neo-fascist groups such as NF and BNP the more it protests, the more we are counting the spoons.... the fact is that it has attracted their supporters (as well as many disaffected Tories and Labour voters) is a small thing, the worse thing, I think, is that it has enabled people who are pretty racist to find an outlet and to express their opinions.
The people who say "I'm not a racist but...." mean that they probably wouldn't use the N- word - but that's now the only definition of a racist - feeling alienated from foreigners, unable to make them welcome - yes, it's xenophobia - but it often covers a racist set of beliefs. These xenophobes are Ukippers - they aren't educated, cosmopolitan or sophisticated. Are they nice, kind, decent people? Perhaps - to their own kind - they would probably help out if they saw a foreigner in trouble - wouldn't they? They aren't monsters surely.
Nevertheless, I am feeling as alienated from them as Nigel Farage would from a household of Romanian men - Ukipophobia... Sadly, I have rather exhausted my energies on them on Facebook - but my overall view is that this victory is voters who perhaps don't really understand how Euro elections work voting for people who aren't going to work in the European Parliament - so rather a waste of time. Probably some voters think if they can get enough UKIP MEPs elected they will be able to change European legislation - well yes, but...
Apparently UKIP are going to overhaul their policies - at present they are trying to present themselves as a party of the politically marginalised working classes - who are ignored by the media and Westminster. If the working class took a close look at their agenda and manifesto they might wonder how getting rid of sick pay and the minimum wage was going to help the working classes exactly? This is because UKIP are not of course a working class party - they are a Poujardiste petit-bourgeois small business persons' party.... their interests are limited to making themselves richer and letting the weakest go to the wall. Again not something most ordinary British people are totally enamoured of - we are famous for liking under dogs - I don't think we've lost that yet. Perhaps we are safe.
I certainly don't believe they will make significant gains in a General Election in 2015 - barring some unforeseen horror... However, Nigel F is making the most of his victory - crowing that it is the first time a third party has won a "national election" for a 100 years. Pas grand chose really - EU elections are not exactly national elections - correctly it should be "won a majority in the national section of a Europe-wide election". But the truth isn't always a good sound-bite is it?
Anyone who thinks Facebook is all kittens and video clips doesn't see my pages. There are very tough political slogging matches going on. It's been lucky that I've had a good friend who shares my views doing a lot of the heavy lifting - and in some cases it was her statuses that provoked these fights. Part of me just wishes that UKIP supporters would just shut up about it - but they've won the majority of the seats - they feel entitled to gloat - those of them who were more discreet before the results are now strutting about and going for fitting for their new uniforms (I jest!).
Although UKIP strenuously tries to distance itself from neo-fascist groups such as NF and BNP the more it protests, the more we are counting the spoons.... the fact is that it has attracted their supporters (as well as many disaffected Tories and Labour voters) is a small thing, the worse thing, I think, is that it has enabled people who are pretty racist to find an outlet and to express their opinions.
The people who say "I'm not a racist but...." mean that they probably wouldn't use the N- word - but that's now the only definition of a racist - feeling alienated from foreigners, unable to make them welcome - yes, it's xenophobia - but it often covers a racist set of beliefs. These xenophobes are Ukippers - they aren't educated, cosmopolitan or sophisticated. Are they nice, kind, decent people? Perhaps - to their own kind - they would probably help out if they saw a foreigner in trouble - wouldn't they? They aren't monsters surely.
Nevertheless, I am feeling as alienated from them as Nigel Farage would from a household of Romanian men - Ukipophobia... Sadly, I have rather exhausted my energies on them on Facebook - but my overall view is that this victory is voters who perhaps don't really understand how Euro elections work voting for people who aren't going to work in the European Parliament - so rather a waste of time. Probably some voters think if they can get enough UKIP MEPs elected they will be able to change European legislation - well yes, but...
Apparently UKIP are going to overhaul their policies - at present they are trying to present themselves as a party of the politically marginalised working classes - who are ignored by the media and Westminster. If the working class took a close look at their agenda and manifesto they might wonder how getting rid of sick pay and the minimum wage was going to help the working classes exactly? This is because UKIP are not of course a working class party - they are a Poujardiste petit-bourgeois small business persons' party.... their interests are limited to making themselves richer and letting the weakest go to the wall. Again not something most ordinary British people are totally enamoured of - we are famous for liking under dogs - I don't think we've lost that yet. Perhaps we are safe.
I certainly don't believe they will make significant gains in a General Election in 2015 - barring some unforeseen horror... However, Nigel F is making the most of his victory - crowing that it is the first time a third party has won a "national election" for a 100 years. Pas grand chose really - EU elections are not exactly national elections - correctly it should be "won a majority in the national section of a Europe-wide election". But the truth isn't always a good sound-bite is it?
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