[Closed] Given that UKIP do well...

This is just brilliant in so many ways

😆

Can't help wondering what was going through the interviewer's mind.

Can't help wondering what was going through the interviewer's mind.

"I really should have taken the Kate Adie assignment"

D'oh! Newcastle council is still under Labour ... dammit! Conservative cannot make any in road at all so next time I vote UKIP here.

For the general election I will now vote UKIP instead of Conservative in the NE Labour stronghold because Ed Balls is getting on my nerves.

The two Eds must not be in govt.

🙄

So despite Croydon being a specific target borough for UKIP (and Nigel Farage only lives about a 15min drive away) they failed to win a single council seat, and instead simply split the Tory vote to allow Labour an unexpectedly large majority.

[url= http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/may/23/ukip-vote-croydon-labour-conservatives ]Ukip vote helps hand Croydon to Labour[/url]

[i]"Many of those Ukip voters are Conservatives and they will be horrified to wake up this morning to a Labour council"[/i]

So yesterday I was living in a Tory council but today I'm living in a Labour council - thanks to UKIP.
Well done UKIP.

There's a good comment on the Grauniad's website...

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/23/ukip-success-local-elections-two-party-system-crisis

ernie_lynch - Member
Ukip vote helps hand Croydon to Labour

"Many of those Ukip voters are Conservatives and they will be horrified to wake up this morning to a Labour council"

Serve them right!

Imagine South becomes the future stronghold of Labour while the North become Tories' that I want to see in my lifetime. Ya! 😡

slowoldgit - Member

There's a good comment on the Grauniad's website...

I suggest the main parties continue to talk down UKIP by labeling them negatively and continue doing so until next general election. 😈

There's a chance, a slight one, that Lab may wake up and start to lose the metroplitan elite and move back towards what remains of their traditional support: the unions and the working people.

IMO the move to distance themselves form the unions is why they won the election and why they remained in power for 10 years. It was the crises and economic slump that did for them, pretty much whoever was in government left or right across the world was ejected (notable exception was Germany).

Ukip vote helps hand Croydon to Labour

"Many of those Ukip voters are Conservatives and they will be horrified to wake up this morning to a Labour council"

[i]Ukip has won 10 seats in Rotherham, in the process ousting several prominent Labour councillors, including the deputy leader of the council. The assertive victory was seized on by the anti-EU party as proof that it appeals to working-class Labour voters as well as disaffected Tories. The results far exceeded Ukip hopes and Labour's worst fears.[/i]

[i]I suggest the main parties continue to talk down UKIP by labeling them negatively and continue doing so until next general election.[/i]

... and continue regarding regarding voting intent as a single-axis chart. I'm old enough to remember the Swingometer, btw.

What will happen if research finds part of the swing is from voters who didn't normally bother, but found this a chance to throw a spanner in the works?

What about Rotherham ?

UKIP appear to be doing well in exactly the same areas as the BNP were 5 years ago, which is no great surprise. The BNP had a record of doing well in Rotherham but doing badly in Croydon, the same appears to be true with UKIP today.

And remember that 5 years ago the BNP had a couple of MEPs and dozens of councillors throughout the country, indeed on a couple of councils the BNP was the official opposition. Today the BNP has been electorally wiped out and I believe have only 3 councillors left in the whole of the UK.

There's obviously something seriously wrong when people shit on their own doorsteps, but things should be kept in perspective, and rushing to the wrong conclusions isn't helpful.

How come, for example, the US has a work visa requirement. How come if immigration isn't an issue do we not have open borders from every country instead of just the EU ?

@Northwind I cannot comment on your stats as to what the average man in the street believes the immigrant population to be, they are not my views or statistics. Its clear to me foreign aid is way behind spending upon the NHS, Education, MoD and welfare. I think to be honest most people in the street given a list would put welfare way down the list. One statistic I did see is that on the last census the Poles are now the second largest ethnic group in the UK, 500,000 whereas 10 years ago they where not even in the top 10. This has occurred since they where admitted to the EU. You can argue to contribution these people make to the UK economy and taxes etc but you cannot deny that since admission to the UK they have arrived in significant numbers. You are quite right in saying the political parties should counter misconceptions with facts, however all they have done is make reference to UKIP being "racists" and "loons". If the facts are in their favour they should state them.

@TMH - I'm not sure how I've benefited from freedom of movement of employment within the EU. I've lived and worked in the US and Singapore and in both cases I had to be granted a work visa. I am very much in favour of cultural and employment diversity and opportunity but it's not so hard to fill in a form and pay a fee to cover the cost is it ? By having such a system you can directly target key skills required (for example in Australia where tradesmen are required not doctors and bankers) and if you wish you can focus on tax receipts as a factor, ie the more tax you pay the more likely you are to be granted a VISA.

UKIP getting 30% of the vote in Sunderland without ever having a candidate before must be scaring the proverbial out of Labour, if its true what the BBC are reporting.

how come, for example, the US has a work visa requirement. How come if immigration isn't an issue do we not have open borders from every country instead of just the EU ?

quid pro quo

@ernie interesting and fair points.

In France the far right have been doing well where the far left where previously in power. You could be correct in that certain voters prefer more extreme parties and believe the middle offers nothing for them.

My concern with your post is that it could represent a view that UKIPs support comes from the right/far right and thus for the left leaning UKIP is not a threat electorally. I believe their is far more diverse.

My concern with your post is that it could represent a view that UKIPs support comes from the right/far right and thus for the left leaning UKIP is not a threat electorally. I believe their is far more diverse.

I'd say there's a fair chance that the right-leaning UKIP 'protest' voters will flock back to the Conservatives come a General Election to avoid the probablility of Labour getting in, whilst the left-leaning ones will stick with UKIP and not drop back to the Labour fold.

JBY - I was referring to the fact that we have both lived and worked in Paris

We are part of a union that has the free movement of people at its heart. True, like lots of EU-related issues the founding fathers play scant regard to its principles, but nonetheless the cherry picking on movement of people is odd. You either want free movement or you don't. It's very different from our relationship with RoW.

People who often argue there is no recovery for the less well off, also argue that immigration is positive for the country as it increases economic growth so is good. The argument that they miss, which is perfectly respectable, is that immigration is very good for the better off, but not for the less well off. The result being you can have something that is overall positive but negative to certain sectors of the society.

JBY - I was referring to the fact that we have both lived and worked in Paris

I think the free movement within the EU made sense when it was a small group, now IMO it does not. I doubt it's possible to change the free movement part as the poorer countries will never agree to it and the French/Germans are too wedded to it politically. So that only leaves an exit for those that think immigration is an exit. Hence existence of UKIP.

UKIP getting 30% of the vote in Sunderland without ever having a candidate before must be scaring the proverbial out of Labour, if its true what the BBC are reporting.

But too scared presumably since Labour won 21 of the 25 seats up for election and UKIP didn't win any ?

BTW last EU elections in Sunderland UKIP got 14% of the vote and the BNP nearly 11%, so there is obviously a solid right-wing base there going back several years.

So was I but I was able to choose where I wanted to live and to receive the benefits of living in France. I took a job potentially of a French person, so it would be pretty hypocritical to then say that I want to prevent other EU citizens making exactly the same choice.

Freedom of movement in goods, services, labour and capital are fundamental to the EU. That's the good bit.....

We had our council elections here on the Isle of Wight a while back, and nearly every seat was taken by an independent. The previously comfortably incumbent Tories kept a few, but it really was a whitewash.

What was good about the election was that there was a choice. You had to read agendas, but there was a genuine choice covering most of the political spectrum.

Will it do any good? I can't help thinking that a lot of previously inexperienced people are now feeling the sharp end of local politics, but the fact the desire to change was there is brilliant, and the resulting shake-up has certainly put noses out of joint.

I imagine we'll see the true result over the next few years.

I'd say there's a fair chance that the right-leaning UKIP 'protest' voters will flock back to the Conservatives come a General Election to avoid the probablility of Labour getting in, whilst the left-leaning ones will stick with UKIP and not drop back to the Labour fold.

On that note, I'd say there's a lot more Conservative voters who have just voted UKIP, hence the new Labour seats.

How come, for example, the US has a work visa requirement. How come if immigration isn't an issue do we not have open borders from every country instead of just the EU ?

I'm finding this whole Anti-EU/immigration business a bit off putting. Is the EU really to blame? How are other countries in the EU fairing with immigration? Why are so many arriving here? And none of that benefits rubbish, it no excuse.

One of the things cited by the French community residing in East London was our lax labour laws. They can get a job easier here. Another example to add would be the foreign workers who are working the fields in East Anglia. They are here because us Brits don't want to do that sort of job any more, well not for that kind of money anyway.

Why so many Polish builders? Is it because once again we don't want to do that job, businesses wanting to pay less in wages, getting rid of the apprenticeships as us Brits aimed for the stars with a Uni degree? Also the middle classes wanting cheaper labour to build their extensions?

All of the above have economic consequences, its our attitude to business that has caused this, the easier to hire/fire employment laws, the cutting of apprenticeships, the low wages, the lack of social mobility, the impressment of university degrees so their worth is less.

But of course we cant talk business being the true cause of this. It would be classified as "anti-business", which is why no mention of it will come from the mainstream political parties.

The problem of immigration isn't with the EU, its with ourselves.

This is just brilliant in so many ways:

Haha, he talks funny and appears to be from the poorly educated lower classes, that's why his vote is less important than mine, tee-hee!

Freedom of movement in goods, services, labour and capital are fundamental to the EU. That's the good bit.....

The Human rights charter, the better employment laws, a standard form of regulation. I guess these are the "bad bits" that you Tories wouldn't want us oiks to have?

El-bent - Member
Freedom of movement in goods, services, labour and capital are fundamental to the EU. That's the good bit.....
The Human rights charter, the better employment laws, a standard form of regulation. I guess these are the "bad bits" that you Tories wouldn't want us oiks to have?

Your guess incorrectly on many points in the same sentence but never mind!

The main bad bit is the folly of a fixed exchange rate - that aside there are lots of benefits of an open Europe.

@tmh - I just say we and anyone else has to apply for a work visa

@el-bent Immigration is a massive issue in French politics for example. I've friends with first hand experience of Eastern european builders who are able to undercut their rivals by ignoring building regs. They also generally charge less as their families stay at home so they don't need proper housing and I would guess many don't submit tax returns.

Your guess incorrectly on many points in the same sentence but never mind!

Forgive me if I don't believe you, but you do sound like the only benefits you like are the economic ones... 😉

I've friends with first hand experience of Eastern european builders who are able to undercut their rivals by ignoring building regs. They also generally charge less as their families stay at home so they don't need proper housing and I would guess many don't submit tax returns.

Then the French have a similar problem as us Brits have with business and not the EU.

Haha, he talks funny and appears to be from the poorly educated lower classes, that's why his vote is less important than mine, tee-hee!

Tee-hee! He's totally missed the point!

🙄

I think people are getting bogged down in the whole EU thing here, when for a lot of the vote, you need to be looking at something more visceral.

I think the previous reference to the BNP is closer to the mark in some northern constituencies. A lot of people, including a metropolitan, London-centric labour party needs to face up to the reality of life in their former heartlands. If they ever went back there and went into some of the pubs and listened to the conversations, they'd soon realise that they're a very long way from Islington.

A lot of the post-industrial mill towns in the north have horrendously high levels of unemployment, and deprivation. There are large asian communities, but any talk of 'multiculturalism is laughable! These communities are as segregated and ghettoised as apartheid South Africa. There is absolutely no integration whatsoever. This is what 'immigration' means to them. Not eastern European plumbers.

Theres a lot of anger and resentment. And people look for easy answers, if not necessarily rational ones. The BNP harnessed it 5 years ago. And no matter what Farage does to mask it, its the same visceral feeling he's harnessing and appealing too. Good old-fashioned Racism. Pure and simple!

And it may offend liberal sensibilities, but you hear the word ****'s bandied around a lot in the working class white communities. I've stopped correcting the blokes in the pub. They do it deliberately now just to wind me up. The UKIP rep was in their the other night canvassing. The conversation turned to fitting machine gun turrets at Manchester airport. I kid you not.

These are the people voting for UKIP. Its just a more resectable BNP to them. They're not scary looking skinheads. They're normal working blokes. BUt its a casual racism deemed acceptable. And it now has an electoral outlet.

Do you see any of the mainstream parties seriously engaging with this issue? Because I don't. So if the main parties assume that the rump of these people are going to just revert back to them at the general election, I think they might be in for a bit of a shock

El-B, you are forgiven, you can think what you like since I also like personal freedom 😉

Do you see any of the mainstream parties seriously engaging with this issue?

And I think that's getting to the heart of the problem.

binners - there's a lot of truth in what you say but what do you suggest? That we just accept it or that the mainstream political parties need to be more racist?

I don't think it's helpful to dismiss anyone concerned about immigration as a racist, but when it's often tied up with genuine bigotry, hysterical rumours and misinformation it's hard to have a sensible debate.

I'm not saying they should be more accepting of racism (though there seem to be elements of the Tories who'd be happy to head in that direction). Quite the opposite. But acknowledge it exists, and start looking at the reasons for it.

Its complicated, thats for sure. But acknowledging the actual problem in the first place would help. Labour has retreated into the confines of Westminster. I genuinely think they have no idea of what its like in their northern constituencies. And they don't even care. When Gordon Brown referred to someone as a bigot because they dared to voice concern about the level of immigration, I think thats probably quite representative of the attitude within the labour party. The Tory party haven't got a clue, as they all live in places where the only immigrants they see are the ones who do their cleaning. Which always makes me laugh, that they're the ones most vocal about the 'problem'. They know eff all about it other than the SHOCK! HORROR!! stories they read in the Daily Wail

So before any progress can be made, certain people need to acknowledge the reality of the situation, and the fact that this multiculturalism they speak of in their lofty speeches is clearly utter bollocks in a lot of communities.

In the end, Its poverty, hopelessness and fear that cause racism. Perhaps if politicians parked their cynicism, acknowledged this fact, and addressed it, then we might get somewhere

Until they do, then UKIP's thinly veiled racism will continue to attract votes

So what "exactly" are the issues that need debating by the mainstream parties. From the CEPS/LSE

There are now over six million working age adults in the UK who were born abroad.
This proportion doubled between 1995 and late 2013: from 8% to 16%. Immigration
has fallen in previous recessions. This did not happen in the latest downturn.

So is this a problem or not?

European Union (EU) countries account for 28% of the total immigrant stock. New
inflows of immigrants from the EU are now almost as large as inflows from outside
the EU. [b]Most EU arrivals are for work-related reasons.[/b] Most non-EU arrivals are for
study-related reasons.

So that's dealt with the benefit scrounging issue - mainly workers or students?

Immigrants are [b]better educated and younger[/b] than their UK-born counterparts,
especially those from the 15 countries that were members of the EU prior to 2004 (the
EU15). [b]The most recent immigrants are better educated still.[/b] Around 10% of all
migrants are in full-time education. Immigrants are over-represented in the very highskilled
and very low-skilled occupations.

So even UKIP should be happy about having the "right-kind (sic) of people"

Almost 40% of all immigrants now live in London. Around 60% of the working age
populations of Brent and Westminster were born overseas compared with less than
3% of those in Knowsley and Redcar & Cleveland.

Its a regional issue if an issue at all

Immigrants do not account for a majority of new jobs. The immigrant share in new
jobs is – and always has been – broadly the same as the share of immigrants in the
working age population.

So forget some of the scare stories

There can be economic benefits associated with migration, especially to fill gaps in
the UK labour market – where there are shortages of workers. While there may be
some small relative wage or employment falls for particular (less skilled) groups,
[b]there is still little evidence of an overall negative impact on jobs or wages.[/b]

That's that sorted then...

That's that sorted then...

Pfft, you with your facts and considered opinions.

[img] [/img]

While there may be
some small relative wage or employment falls for particular (less skilled) groups

That was the point I rehearsed earlier, the people who suffered feel ignored particularly by Labour, who they would most likely have voted for previously and therefore look for an alternative.

multiculturalism they speak of in their lofty speeches is clearly utter bollocks in a lot of communities.

Its not really - though some like to argue it is - is just that some within our society are racist.
You may as well argue we need to talk to bigots who cannot accept the gays marrying and its is a Westminster problem of ivory towers.

I agree a sizable % of our population feel disenfranchised and blame foreigners for this and we need to address their fears but we need to do it with facts. Largely their fears are not that rationally based as THM so eloquently explained { nice post LIKES}.

What are we meant to do - they are scared of a meme/myth that is not real - we can hardly ring fence this racist unicorn

Four days Grum, four days!

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/will-ukip-split-the-tory-vote-and-let-labour-in/page/3#post-6021499

😀

I will be voting UKIP for the next general election as well. 😈

Its not really - though some like to argue it is - is just that some within our society are racist

Arse- go to Bradford, Keighley, Armley and you don't see multiculturalism, you see separated and isolated communities that don't mix with each other, they might as well have a brick wall between them for all the cultural diversity and shared sense of community - and that unwillingness and isolation applies to many within both communities.

@binners, may I say how eloquently you have made those points. The one thing that we can be sure of is that political parties will start taking UKIP and the threat they pose seriously now and that's a very good thing.

Is that really a problem though?

As for "shared sense of community", come to my leafy waspy suburb, no bugger knows anyone else. Forget multiculture, there's not even a monoculture, they're just places we happen to park our cars. My neighbours freak out when I say hello.

need some baggies then NW?!? 😉

Is that really a problem though?

Anne Cryer seemed to think it was, she spent years trying to shine light on problems in her area and was shouted down by the Westminster politicos and the 'liberal elite' - ten years later shock and horror was feigned by the same lot who ignored her.

My neighbours freak out when I say hello.

Only joking of course it was too good an opportunity to miss.

The one thing that we can be sure of is that political parties will start taking UKIP and the threat they pose seriously now ...

You obviously haven't been following the election campaign then if you thought this wasn't already the case.

All three main parties have been taking the threat from UKIP extremely seriously, in fact most of the election news seemed to be focused on that.

I've seen how badly UKIP did in London, only 10%, even the LibDems beat them which is quite remarkable imo.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27543012

With my sample size of 1, I am convinced that my "Ukip voters are losers" hypothesis is correct.

"To find the cause of our ills in something outside ourselves, something specific that can be spotted and eliminated, is a diagnosis that cannot fail to appeal. To say that the cause of our troubles is not in us but in the Jews, and pass immediately to the extermination of the Jews, is a prescription likely to find a wide acceptance."

"There are many who find a good alibi far more attractive than an achievement. For an achievement does not settle anything permanently. We still have to prove our worth anew each day: we have to prove that we are as good today as we were yesterday. But when we have a valid alibi for not achieving anything we are fixed, so to speak, for life. Moreover, when we have an alibi for not writing a book, painting a picture, and so on, we have an alibi for not writing the greatest book and not painting the greatest picture. Small wonder that the effort expended and the punishment endured in obtaining a good alibi often exceed the effort and grief requisite for the attainment of a most marked achievement."

"There is a powerful craving in most of us to see ourselves as instruments in the hands of others and thus free ourselves from the responsibility for acts which are prompted by our own questionable inclinations and impulses."

"People whose lives are barren and insecure seem to show a greater willingness to obey than people who are self-sufficient and self-confident. To the frustrated, freedom from responsibility is more attractive than freedom from restraint. They are eager to barter their independence for relief of the burdens of willing, deciding and being responsible for inevitable failure. They willingly abdicate the directing of their lives to those who want to plan, command and shoulder all responsibility."

- Hoffer

These are the people voting for UKIP. Its just a more resectable BNP to them. They're not scary looking skinheads. They're normal working blokes. BUt its a casual racism deemed acceptable. And it now has an electoral outlet.

What a load of rubbish .. astonishing what some people can get brainwashed by the media into believing.

Yeah..... I believe almost everything I read in the media. None of my above statements were at all based on what I 'be observed, or discussions I've had with people. I rely entirely on the output of tabloid editorials to have my opinions spoon-fed to me.

As a result of this, I simply can't express thoughtful, considered and informed opinions like yourself. It's an inadequacy that crushes me daily. Thanks for putting me straight though. Your statement is indesputable

No probs.

Just listened to a ukip guy on r4, good lord what a clueless numpty 😯 , I wasn't too worried by them before!

ernie_lynch - Member
I've seen how badly UKIP did in London, only 10%, even the LibDems beat them which is quite remarkable imo.

London is "too multicultural and too highly educated" according to UKIP spokesperson on BBC news

astonishing what some people can get brainwashed by the media into believing.

Just listened to a ukip guy on r4, good lord what a clueless numpty , I wasn't too worried by them before!

He was stark raving wasn't he and just ignored any point to repeat that

Its rude to call someone a racist why are we letting them get way with and then just talking over the top - you could tell they were just turning his mike off I would love to see footage /audio of it!!

I know they like to play the victim card but he was proper barking

chewkw - Member
I will be voting UKIP for the next general election as well.

I don't really have anything to add to this - Binners has put it much better than I would have.

If your think UKIP are bad, just read listen the rot that comes from the SNP/yS. The frightening thing is the latter can actually exercise power. That is scary. At the moment, UKIP can't actually do too much harm except indirectly.

well done for lasting 4 pages

[img] [/img]

You will be claiming the SNP cause floods next 🙄

No one can think the SNP are worse than UKIP the only thing worse than UKIP is the BNP
FFS they are politicians you do not like they are nothing like UKIP. I hate Gove but he is not like UKIP he is just a **** he is not an irrational racist **** or a fruit loop
Get a grip as you are starting to look like the later

If your think UKIP are bad, just read listen the rot that comes from the SNP/yS.

Go on then, explain why the SNP/yS are worse than UKIP.

I'm sure your explanation will be fascinating.

Which of their many manifesto policies do you find particularly attractive?

That's obviously a trick question.

If you paid attention you would realise that chewkw derives huge pleasure from regularly informing everyone that he has voted UKIP and the opportunity to use this emoticon 😈

This simple pleasure is clearly sufficiently attractive for him not to have to concern himself with tedious issues such as "policies".

The BBC, bless em', ventured south today, they went to Basildon in Essex. Now this 70's edifice of a gateway to the countryside is and has been populated by ex East Londoners guaranteed the life of green trees and open fields. They're died in the wool ex Londoners and Essex types that have seen first hand the influx and settlement of immigrants into lands they once lived in and to some extent escaped from. Traditionally a right's wing area dominated by Tories with further right wing standards. Its no wonder UKIP did well there.

To those that don't live, or mix, in cities with multiculturalism at the forefront of their doorstep then please you must try to understand the divisions within these communities. There are rifts and splits and secularism spread between whites, blacks, asians, eastern europeans and folks don't tolerate each other very much at all. So it ends up with one group hating the other, the other group vilifying the other and the others feeling lost in a minefield with nowhere to turn.

Each party has had their attempt at the "enabling" culture, putting schemes and barriers in equal measure, spending extraordinary amounts of time and money in areas that see sub culture and inner city crime as part of a normalised day. I'd like to say it's only cities that have such divisions, I fear it isn't, sleepy villages in deepest leafy Surrey have similar divisions about "out of towers coming into our village, driving too fast, taking all the school places up etc. etc."
Its similar but the skin colour of the "immigrant" isn't necessarily tainted in brown or yellow, its invariably folks moving out of cities into villages for a better life and disrupting the locals.

Tribal, thats all it is. Each social tribe fights for the right to their part of the land and they want to make the laws for their part of the land, they want to control their part of the land and they will defend their part of the land.

UKIP have tapped into this sentiment far more than "call me Dave" tried with his "big society" experiment. Daves attempt to pass social responsibility to those that seek to own it (the tribes) failed because peoples attitude towards Government and the current mainstream parties is none existent, trust has been lost and a new face and group have moved in and speak the language of people that are truly pissed off with platitudes, double standards and inconsistent policies.

I've said it before, i'm glad UKIP have entered the fray, glad they are gaining support and being pilloried for their views and the views of those that support them. They have a voice now that hasn't been heard for a very long time and nows the time to voice that opinion and get people talking about the state of this country we all live in is in.

Long may that voice be heard I say.

Yes some of them fall for guff like UKIP will help working people and think Farage is one of them and not a career politician .....morons

Another gem ..

Another gem

moved in and speak the language of people that are truly pissed off with platitudes, double standards and inconsistent policies.

His ability to use spin whilst claiming he is not like the rest is truly impressive
Either that or only dummies vote for them
I cannot decide which it is...mooman ? any views 😉

Still no idea why you folk buy this drivel tbh

Tribal, thats all it is. Each social tribe fights for the right to their part of the land and they want to make the laws for their part of the land, they want to control their part of the land and they will defend their part of the land.

Unfortunately for you, research seems to indicate that bigotry tends to decrease when people live in or move to multicultural areas.

At the end of the day, Labour and the Conservatives still control 3000+ seats, whilst UKIP control 157.....whooo yeah.

The media are blowing their "success" way out of the water, from all their coverage you'd think that 50%+ of the country backed them.

Calling people stupid is never going to help, even if it's true.

Yes it will, people need to know that they are.

Thing is Tom, I'm not a supporter of UKIP, I'm just glad they're here with a voice.

Why? What voice is that? Is it the "I'm a stupid **** who failed at life and blame all my problems on immigrants, so I'll vote for a corrupt Eton toff who's creaming off the idiocy of his voters" voice?

Dunno but you seem to have a far better grasp of this than anyone 😆

The media are blowing their "success" way out of the water, from all their coverage you'd think that 50%+ of the country backed them.

Tom_W1987 +many.

I was wondering if they had a seat on Question Time with 'FARAGE' written on the back. The media have given them far more coverage/adulation than they actually deserve, based on their number of MEPs, number of MPs.

from twitter

UKIP have 145 of 3,263 council seats so far counted - 4.4% of total. BNP managed 6.2% in 2009.

[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27536110 ]where's the purple ?[/url] A bit more perspective from Jeremy Vine, though I think his final analysis for predicting the lead needed to win a general election may just show that Labour always do better when it comes to the big one and making the tories share look worse at the same time.

So the Beeb lead the news with a party who have no council under control with labour's successes as an afterthought. Media hyperbole??

Vine at least more balanced for a change with some timely balance and focus on the real stories. Tow major parties neck and neck and lib Dems mullered. Come the gen election, these will be the main stories

trickydisco - Member

UKIP have 145 of 3,263 council seats so far counted - 4.4% of total. BNP managed 6.2% in 2009

Ah now that is an interesting stat. I thought, fair enough, UKIP might not be pulling in huge numbers but it does show a shift. But apparently not.

Arse- go to Bradford, Keighley, Armley and you don't see multiculturalism, you see separated and isolated communities that don't mix with each other, they might as well have a brick wall between them for all the cultural diversity and shared sense of community - and that unwillingness and isolation applies to many within both communities

Bit like the northern parts of the island of ireland then and thats been going on for years.WIth little change, and they have real walls seperating them from each other,

UKIP have 145 of 3,263 council seats so far counted - 4.4% of total

The percentage of seats a party wins says as much about the electoral system as it does about the level of support they enjoy.

According to the BBC UKIP received 17% of the vote across England and NI.

Which is a good result for them but not really the political earthquake some appear to claim that it is. UKIP didn't come first in the local elections, it didn't even come second. Although you could be forgiven for thinking they had won more than another party if you listen to some of the comments.

Media hyperbole??