tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5524682876220396502.post4287690875303193803..comments2024-03-27T06:56:10.255+00:00Comments on Broad Oak Magazine: The UKIP revoltUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5524682876220396502.post-61686314635696631302014-09-06T07:47:45.195+01:002014-09-06T07:47:45.195+01:00Boring but I agree with both. :) Fledgling party,...Boring but I agree with both. :) Fledgling party, relatively.James Highamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14525082702330365464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5524682876220396502.post-25443117865669729162014-09-05T22:11:48.869+01:002014-09-05T22:11:48.869+01:00Sackers - as you suggest, UKIP is probably doing t...Sackers - as you suggest, UKIP is probably doing the best it can under the circumstances.<br /><br />However it will be opposed, undermined and denigrated by power and money. The racist meme already seems effective and others will be devised.<br /><br />Unless far more voters see the benefits of an independent and vigorous democracy then UKIP is likely to be sidelined by a far more powerful and wholly unscrupulous opponent. A K Haarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05897490979828603179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5524682876220396502.post-91353459306352147062014-09-05T07:06:11.749+01:002014-09-05T07:06:11.749+01:00As I said elsewhere (http://howtobeacompletebastar...As I said elsewhere (http://howtobeacompletebastard.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/has-douglas-carswell-gone-mental.html):<br /><br />Can I suggest?<br /><br />Any small party starting to grow is going to attract an element of cranks, which is why it also needs a somewhat autocratic leader and policies to insulate the party from undesirables, as e.g. UKIP has on racism. Naturally the major parties will exploit the opportunities presented to taint by association. <br /><br />And there will always be the tempation of spilntering because (a) no programme, party or leadership is perfect for everyone and (b) it's more fun to mix with the exactly-like-minded, even though that means bemoaning one's fringe status. "The Life of Brian" springs to mind - all the Marxist splinter groups of the seventies.<br /><br />If Carswell has hesitated, that's natural, given the odds against any newcomer party being allowed a place on the benches. The temptation is to delude oneself (or give the appearance of doing so) that you can somehow change the existing (well-established) party and leadership - see Hannan?<br />Perhaps Farage has flirted with strands one doesn't like, but flirting is a politician skill, like it or not. And if some of those who were attracted to the BNP have been swayed towards a party that may do practical things that alleviate their difficulties without leading them down a much nastier path, then pulling the fangs of the BNP is a public service.<br /><br />I think the British approach will be the usual one - "we'll give them a go since the other lot are useless, if they're no good too then we'll think again." But perhaps UKIP will fizzle out and have selected clothes stolen, like the SDP; perhaps Cam and Miliband will flirt cynically and pull away potential UKIP voters. Perhaps we should give up and accept that Britain's multifarious problems are intractable, and just get the best for ourselves we can.Sackersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17284329249862764601noreply@blogger.com