Showing posts with label UKIP. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UKIP. Show all posts

Thursday, 3 September 2009

Nigel Farage To Challage The Speaker


I don't largely agree with Nigel Farage's views on the EU, but I always enjoy listening to him, he is someone I'm glad is involved politics. The news that he is to stand as a candidate against John Bercow, is certainly a surprise though. Farage has said:
This man represents all that is wrong with British politics today. He was embroiled in the expenses saga and he presides over a Parliament that virtually does nothing. He is not a Conservative and yet he is sitting in one of the safest Conservative seats in the country. It means the people of Buckingham cannot vote for a Conservative even if they want to.
Bercow's election as Speaker of the House was always going to be a bone of contention. I do however find the idea that voters have a chance to pass verdict on the speaker very democratic, not just at this election but if it always happened. Bercow has a majority of 13,000, which makes Farage's chances of winning it slim, a shame in some ways he doesn't choose a more winnable seat, as I do think he would shake things up in Parliament and he would give the anti EU voters a voice.

Yet this election will bring out the angry voters. That will make for some surprising results, Michael Portillo of course had a majority of 16,000, he infamously lost his seat at the 1997 election. I wonder how angry people are? Watch this seat.



Saturday, 25 July 2009

Norwich North By-Election


Looking over the voting figures for Norwich North the most eye catching is UKIP's result, mainly because it's puzzling. Is the EU issue a bigger one than is being assumed? There are other possible reasons for the vote, a protest, still too soon after the EU election. Yet something doesn't seem right about it, UKIP's national policies are perceived as being singularly focused on the EU, with all it entails; immigration, budget, federalism etc.

Could we be seeing the stirring of what's in effect happened to New Labour, they moved to the right to increase votes and left behind part of their voting base. Is this the craving for more of the right in politics? It could of course diffuse when Labour are out of power, yet if it doesn't New Conservatism has the potential to do the damage New Labour did.