I have spent most of the last fortnight working abroad, so I have not been out campaigning for Labour on the doorstep and I have got most of my political news via Twitter. This puts me in exactly the worst place to reflect on Labour’s response to the United Kingdom Independence party poster campaign, but that is what I am going to do.
One of the problems with social media is that it tends to reinforce rather than to challenge our views. On Twitter I follow people who I broadly agree with or who are at least politically interested and literate. I have admired the wit of many of the ‘redesigned’ Ukip posters doing the rounds this week. However I have also felt uneasy about the suggestions that they are racist and the implication that, therefore so are the likely Ukip voters. As I tweeted myself, I am not convinced that condemning the many voters thinking of voting Ukip as stupid racists is a good electoral strategy.
There are undoubtedly some racist Ukip candidates as we have also seen demonstrated via their Twitter accounts in recent days. Beating them requires more than simply identifying and condemning their views.
Firstly, the posters themselves are not racist. In fact some of them reflect our policy – we think there are too many people unemployed in the European Union; we have pledged to outlaw agencies that only provide work for non-British people and to restrict access to benefits. There are enormous economic and social benefits from being in the EU and subject to freedom of movement, but as I have often argued, failing to also recognise the potential impact for some workers at a micro level would suggest that we are out of touch.
Matt Goodwin and Robert Ford in their excellent analysis of Ukip and their supporters, ‘Revolt on the Right’, identify Ukip supporters as ‘left behind’ by economic and political developments.
Did we not learn from ‘bigotgate’ in 2010 that there are many potential and actual Labour voters who feel all the frustrations and insecurities expressed by the Ukip poster campaign? Telling them they are wrong – and worse, closet racists – is unlikely to win their support.
So what should our response be?
Let us keep things in perspective. The majority of any demographic group reject Ukip, so I do not propose fundamental change in policy or campaigns; but a consideration of where Ukip support comes from can inform campaign tactics and communication.
We should spend a lot less time talking and writing about Ukip. I hear the cries of ‘hypocrite’ from those who have got this far through my piece. If I were a candidate, the last thing I would be doing is talking about or tweeting about Ukip. I would be out on the doorstep listening to those who think they are being ignored, responding with local facts and evidence and talking up Labour plans to ensure that the cost of living crisis is tackled and that everyone benefits from EU membership and economic growth.
We should be sensitive to the fact that support for Ukip is not just about political alienation from the EU and Westminster but also about those who feel left behind by economic progress. We are right to argue that current economic growth is not lifting all. There are a group of former industrial workers who have consistently seen their political representation and the basis for their economic security undermined in the last few decades.
The language of modern politics is change and hope expressed by well-educated, mobile young people. Without relative youth and good education and transferable skills, economic change does not offer hope, but rather insecurity and loss of employment and status. To embrace change, you need youth, education and financial security. Economic and social security is a foundation for aspiration.
The BNP and Ukip have a different history and policies, but are there lessons to be learned from the defeat of BNP?
The BNP were successful where Labour had left a political and a campaigning vacuum. Ukip focus on their alienation from the political ‘elite’ and the ‘cardboard cut out careerists in Westminster’. The way to resist any electoral threat from Ukip is not to play to the paranoia, but to occupy the space and engage the ‘left behinds’. Our candidates and their campaigning teams are the key antidote to scepticism about politics – do not bang on about engagement and ‘opening up politics’, bang on a few doors.
Despite the depressing rhetoric and relative success of Ukip at the moment, we should be optimistic we can win back support from the significant number of voters who could be Labour, but are currently Ukip.
Ukip are growing their support by claiming to represent the disenfranchised – the last party to successfully do this was Labour. Incidentally, the potential role for the trade unions in responding to the needs of those who feel that economic development has left them behind is a subject for a whole other piece! But nevertheless we have the economic message and the local campaigning strength to re-engage those losing faith in politics and economics. I will do my bit by spending less time on Twitter and more time on the doorstep.
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Jacqui Smith is a former home secretary, writes the Monday Politics column for Progress, and tweets @smithjj62
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totally agree!
Couldn’t agree more Jacqui. UKIP are currently successful because they resonate with a large number of people.
My own County Council division was previously held at district level by the BNP. Those decent, honest and hardworking people I now represent are not racist but rather felt isolated from the political system.
It’s up to us to show that we can represent their views, not castigate them from looking elsewhere.
Well, that’s going to take an epic, truly epic, change of policies. And that ain’t gonna happen, is it now? So Jacqui and her ilk will fall back on the old lie and deceive technique which resulted in the rise of UKIP in the first place.
Why do people feel left out from the political system? Why do they think immigration is such a big problem? Because we are currently dominated by the right wing media who want to blame immigrants and the poor for society’s ills when its actually Tory austerity.
Whatever happened to getting a strong political message and a strong leader to relay this to people?
By simply accepting the message these UKIP cretins send out; Labour admits its weakness.
Get out of your ivory tower and mix with real people outside the socialist bubble. Mass immigration is hitting people hard, from housing to services to deflated wages to schools. Try living somewhere that has changed unrecognisably in 20 years, where you have become an ethnic minority in your locality, where your children are minority English (as a first language) speakers in their school.
85% of people want reduced immigration. 60% of second and third generation immigrants wasn’t reduced immigration. The political elite won’t do nothing because they a) cannot and, b) in many cases pursue an agenda of open borders.
Actually, Tory austerity policies are hitting people hard.THEY are the ones who are cutting public services , not immigrants. Wages are going down in relation to the rise of the cost of living, not because of immigration. People have less money and have to pay more for food an electricity bills.
Let’s deal with your wee racist rant there, though. I live in an area where the majority of people are white and its boring as hell. I like diversity. You on the other hand need to go and check your white privilege. White people are still the majority overall in Britain so I don’t really care if you live in an area where you feel like a minority, because you’re not.
Please tell me where you got these statistics from- the Daily Mail doesn’t count.
The government are bringing in a points based immigration system and have also put a cap on immigration so don’t say they aren’t doing anything-that is a myth.
Yes the right do dominate the media. 2 million people read the Sun, 960000 people read The Mirror. The Daily Mail has the widest readership in the country and has the most web traffic. The Guardian only has 200,000 readers. The right dominate the media because they have the money to, and therefore the money.
Rubbish. The BBC extorts £3.75 Billion per year from the licence fee victims and has TV, Radio, Web-sites and magazine channels for its left-wing propaganda. It is by far the biggest media influence in the land.
As for the papers, what you describe is not “right wing” media dominating, it is simply the people choosing what they want to read, and they don’t choose to read what you want them to.
The right have the money as the majority agree with their views by buying their paper.
The papers of the right get the readers but they don’t make that much money – the Sun had a turnover of £514 million in 2013 – that’s 3 orders of magnitude less than the BBC which has the law to force people to pay for it, whether they watch it or not.
The print media is dominated by right-leaning newspapers because that is what the public prefers. People are free to buy whatever they want. Hence, the Mail sells 10 times more than the Guardian. However, 70% of digested broadcast news originates from the BBC, who control half of radio and a third of tv output and they dominate internet news. The BBC is the most powerful media force in the UK and we have to pay for it on threat of imprisonment. Yet, it represents the interests and views of a narrow group of urban, white middle-class lefties.
Your reply is indicative of the patronising rhetoric of the middle-class left, who push multi-culturalism and mass immigration on the lower classes, whilst actively avoiding the negative consequences.
My wages were consistantly compressed under Labour, the Tories simply carried on the Labour polices that caused it. The hatred of the workers by a Labour Party that just didnt care anymore because they thought they would rule forever. Vile creatures.
Why dont you move to Tower Hamlets. I,m sure the atmosphere there will suit your personality
“I live in an area where the majority of people are white and its boring as hell. I like diversity.”
So why wait for migrants to enrich you? Move to a locality with a rich ethnic mix and celebrate the diversity.
No one blames immigrants for anything. What we do have is too many people, regardless of their status.
If you think the UKIP immigration policy is “racist” then you had better get down to the Australian and Canadian embassies and start demonstrating there, because their policies are exactly the same.
The trouble is, we are currently dominated by the left wing media, from the BBC to the Guardian, to the Mirror, to the Independent, and others, who have a typically blinkered Left view of the world. By simply accepting the message these Left wing cretins send out, Britain admits its weakness. Take your blinkers off and see the reality.
Dominated by the right wing media??? Oh puhleeze…..
“There are undoubtedly some racist Ukip candidates as we have also seen demonstrated via their Twitter accounts in recent days.” Where were the Labour condemnations of the racism of Respect, in its heyday? Oh, well that was just racial hatred against Jews so it doesn’t count.
The UKIP idiot who tweeted about Lenny Henry is almost certain to get booted out of UKIP, UKIP have to observe due legal process which is why he hasn’t gone yet.
I don’t remember Labour booting out Diane Abbot for her anti white bigotry, not once but on 4 separate occasions?
why? Positive discrimination demeans those who do well despite their sex or colour. The nimber of non whites on TV reflects the telens, and should not be set by numbers. And the tweeter was right. there are more black faces on TV in Jamaca.
People feel ignored because they are ignored. People will feel valued when they are valued. This means reversing policy of the last 35 years and the resultant growing and unjustified inequality in modern Britain through a policy of full, well paid, employment and redistribution of wealth and income.
Er, no. Too much nonsense in that to take it apart succinctly. Politely suggest you go an do some self education.
If you look i think you will find you are in a minority on that comment.
Oh that’s OK. I’d rather be right than slavish follow the mob, especially when it’s wrong.
We are playing with fire by letting UKIP run ahead with their nasty, ugly far right propaganda which distracts from our true economic problems, encourages social/ethnic divisions, undermines our place on the international/EU scene and provides ridiculous solutions for England ; there should no apology, no half way house – all the main parties need to fight this scourge.
We are sleep walking towards a more right wing UK and we more than any other party need to oppose them. Letting them take votes from the Tory party is not our game; we confront them. Even our BBC have let them have disproportionate air time to exclaim their half truths given they less MPs than the Greens. Business, industry, manufacturing, technology , creativity, life sciences, education – we all depend on open markets. We are socialists or social democrats not some weak centre left party from the 1930s. Let these people win next month and they have a stake in UK politics; Britain’s retreat to the Right goes on. God help those who are appeasers, defeatists and isolationists- that’s where our party looks. 2014 will be when Labour lost its guts.
When large numbers of people who know their own minds support a political party it’s called democracy Leslie. Live with it.
My response is to Labour’s moderate response to UKIP and why this is dangerous for the future.
Tell that to Dan Hodges.
‘Moderate response’ my ringpiece, he’s not the only one either.
You just don’t get it do you…your little ‘progressive’ fantasy world is coming crashing down around your ears.
You’ve overplayed every hand you’ve dealt from the bottom of the deck and you’ve finally awoken the sleeping giant.
Comeuppance time.
I have no idea what you are talking about unless you mean UKIP is a temporary bandwagon ( but the wheels are loose). Let me remind you that it is Labour which attracts voters from all classes and all groups and whose policies want to improve the lot of most people, improve their life chances, family & health care, education, training, economy & infrastructure. It is Labour which believes there is a disproportionate allocation of wealth & capital and wages which gives us a divided and unequal society. It is Labour which is uncomfortable with the property boom partly sponsored by Russian money etc.,. If that is progressive yes I am and always will be and do not want go back to a 1930s type society.
What is wrong with Russian money? As one Xenophobe once said, “we all depend on open markets”.
You mean the 1930s when the labour Party represented the working-class, rather than shafted them?
What do you think about your pin-up boy, Cruddas? He’s the MP for Dagenham and he did not want his children go mix with local working-class children and the offspring of immigrants that he is so enthusiastic about welcoming. So, he purchased a property in the catchment area of a top school in Kensington. Hypocrite. Like all you champagne socialists.
You’re a bit special aren’t you.
Bless.
It’s labour who call other parties racist while they launch illegal wars all over the globe. I find it hard to understand how anyone can forget the disgusting things that labour did in power; the blood on your hands…
Total and utter rubbish – with Afghanistan post 9/11 massacres in NY the UN and Allied forces knew the Taliban and terrorists were causing mayhem and the USA led intervention was to help their society from the Taliban takeover and indeed the al-Qaeda bases there. Afghanistan appealed for help from the outside world as over a million people escaped and fled the Taliban incursions. Incidentally over 9/11 the loss of up to 630 NY police and fire crew has been recorded never mind the 3000 passengers, NY citizens and office workers and others. At least 70 British people including at least a dozen of our English women died in 9/11.
Your accusations are dishonourable, cheap and disturbing.
That Taliban did that did they? Nope. There would have been more justification for an invasion of Pakistan or Saudi Arabia than Afghanistan
I note you don’t mention Iraq, or Kosovo.
As I say, I cannot imagine why Labour reckons people will forget their murderous warmongering.
Taliban were sheltering al-Qaeda. There was genocide in Kosovo in Europe and the UN went in. Saadam Husain killed and gassed his own people. Read your history and stop accusing fine people of our country of illegal actions. Go study 9/11 massacres which included our young people in NY too.
“There was genocide in Kosovo in Europe and the UN went in”
No, that is a lie. There was no genocide, and nor did the UN go in. Kosovo was an illegal war of agression and your dear leader Tony Blair conspired with Bill Clinton to launch it, and killed thousands of civilians in the process.
“Saadam Husain killed and gassed his own people.”
Which had nothing to do with Blair’s claimed reasons for war
“Read your history and stop accusing fine people of our country of illegal actions.”
I don’t need to read anything sonny, I was there. Your Labour party lied and lied and lied and lied and tens of thousands of people were blown to pieces.
Feel good about that?
NATO intervened, justifying the campaign in Kosovo as a “humanitarian war”.
Indeed – based upon a fake genocide, fabricated by NGOs funded by US and OS dosh, loudly then proclaimed by the Yanks at the UN and elsewhere. It was all a pack of lies as many said at the time – including myself.
The age of the 9/11 victims is immaterial. Apart from the terrorists, they were all innocent victims.
Citing 70 British citizens was sufficient. Singling out at least a dozen of our English women, as if they were a special victim group, is a little offensive.
Labour have no response to UKIP they don`t know how to handle the will of the people,they don`t trust the will of the people and they will feel the wrath of the will of the people.
labours response to UKIP has to be – ‘have policies that attract voters’ if you cant do that then you deserve to lose.
@ leslie48
Have you ever considered that you probably only represent the views of a small number of similar self indulgent zealots..
The question is whose views are considered by the British people as the most dangerous threat to the country.
It would seem to me bonny lad, that it is your particular form of ‘I don’t care what 60 million people think and want, me and my four mates have established our own moral high ground, and we are right.’
In contrast UKIP are just listening to the 60million, and saying ‘yes we agree with you that is why we came into being, let’s campaign together for policies we all believe in’.
Nigel gets 1200+ people to pay £2 to listen to him make a political speech on a wet weekday evening at the heart of Labourland in Gateshead, and you sit in your bedroom with the other 4 of the ‘Peoples Front of….’ and plan, and talk, and dribble…..
You are trolling here. However the majority of UK people do not support UKIP in any general sense. For the last 24 months Labour have led the polls and the Tories have been second. So after you have stopped your ranting at our European cousins how are you going to help the jobless, working low paid or the vast inequality which hangs over Britain.
Yes, open door immigration to the whole of the EU really helps the jobless and working low paid. We have 5m people on out of work benefits and 1.4m working p/t but seeking f/t work. You pay lip service to socialist dogma, but in reality, you don’t care about these people.
As said elsewhere go to Torbay/Torquay ( not a Tory seat) or the Lakes etc., or Wales ; hardly any migrants there but they have enough socio-economic problems and like many in the West or North they know inequality or poverty is not a function of how many local immigrants live there but relates to other issues such as job opportunities or austerity or investment.
Wrong. Go to Norfolk and see how many locals have been displaced onto benefits by the arrival of cheap, casual labour via the EU. I worked for a manufacturer, who in the course of 2/3 years replaced most of its local workforce with EU Accession nationals, following Labour’s decision to open our borders. I was at a supplier in Bucks, last week, who are struggling to compete with a rival who have imported cheaper workers from Poland. You don’t understand because you are not at the sharp end.
Well I hope these guys are at least paying minimum wages otherwise they are breaking the minimum wage legislation introduced to protect citizens from exploitation. If they are below minimum wage HMG are negligent in their monitoring of what goes on in the many Conservative constituencies of Norfolk.
They pay minimum wage via recruitment agencies. However, the recruitment agencies often make deductions for ‘fees’. The factory was able to reduce its fixed labour costs by cutting payroll and making the majority of employees casual. This suits the transient immigrants, who have few responsibilities and care little for a stable life. They bussed them in from Kings Lynn, where they lived in multiple occupation homes. Winners: the recruitment agency owners and the factory owners. Losers the local working-class. This is how it works under the corporate socialism of LabLabCon.
You and your ilk are responsible for this and many other outrages.
You supported, encouraged and pushed unlimited immigration, Mandleson recently admitted publicly that you sent out search parties to entice even more here.
You then tried to shut down debate about your deliberate destructiveness by demonising anyone who questioned even the smallest aspects of your foolhardiness. I’m being generous here.
You own this.
http://labour-uncut.co.uk/2012/09/27/the-rotherham-grooming-case-shows-the-dangers-of-confusing-criminality-with-culture/
The majority of UK people don’t support Labour in any sense at all.
If we get a 70% turnout next year, your 35% strategy will effectively mean you think you have the right to impose your will on us with 24.5% of those eligible to vote, and in 2010 with 29% of the vote on a 65% turnout, you had the support of 19% of those eligible to vote.
UKIP would help the jobless and working low paid by stopping low skilled people from coming here in their hundreds of thousands and forcing wage deflation and increasing stress on our social fabric. Who was it by the way who decided to stiff their own working class core support?… Oh I know it was Labour!!
And introduce a flat tax rate system. Now that is progressive.
I thought scrapping the 10 % rate was the Labour concept of flattening the tax system by forcing the lowest paid into paying more income tax, at the same time leaving the increase of the top rate to the very last minute of your government to protect your New Labour friends in the city for as long as possible.
The only thing progressive about the last Labour government, was that they progressed from incompetence in 1997 selling off our gold for peanuts, trashing the best private pension system in the world, and claiming the end of boom and bust, to total bl**dy incompetence in 2010 when they had managed to end boom , but had completely bust our economy.
Try and found one leading economist in the world who blames Gordon Brown for the global financial crisis. There are none. As has been said many times GB was not running the USA, Germany, Holland, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Greece, and so on. It was a financial crisis triggered by banks who over lent on property & when the property dropped the banks collapsed and national leaders had to rescue the banksters across the western world. By the way if GB had not rescued RBS with our money no ATMs would have opened next day and no bank would have traded any purchases in shops etc., and there would have been meltdown in our economy. He did what Obama had to do, rescued not destroyed our western economies. blame the Banksters.
You better see Nick and support PR ( as do most of Europe)
No I’m quite happy to stick with FPTP, simply because recent years have seen both your party and the Conservative party rapidly approaching the bottom end of the critical mass required to maintain majority government with FPTP.
We will just plod on until your increasing loss of support makes you as vulnerable as the Conservatives now are. I campaign in the North for UKIP and the fear in the Labour heartlands as your old core vote is increasingly telling you to s*d off is tangible,The last thing we need is a PR system that allows those with extreme views like you to get elected by the back door.
“Even our BBC have let them have … air time.” Interesting to see how the pinkos think, or at least what slogans they repeat to themselves. “Our BBC”?!?! Confession!
Oh dear! UKIP are telling the truth–let’s shut them up and make the world safe for liars, perverts, thieves and scroungers (i.e. professional politicians and their catamites in the media). Leslie48, you have convinced me, I shall vote UKIP.
and me!
‘Our BBC’.
There we have it.
I am disseminating this comment far and wide as it exemplifies exactly what’s gone wrong and just what sort of totalitarian empty heads we’re dealing with.
The BBC is a public broadcaster – that’s what I mean. Too often it reflects a London focus but of late it’s got sloppy on politics especially when interviewing the Right wing leader Farange. For example European migrants are net tax contributors/ or less likely on dole etc…
Thought that dishonest obfuscation had been discredited sometime ago – ask why they is a housing crisis, schools places crisis, low wage crisis – something to do with numbers?
Its government data, economics data, official and legit. If what you say is correct it would have to stand for all areas but I bet these problems are all over indeed there’s been a crisis for young people getting houses throughout the London surrounds and county holiday areas as the rich week-enders and top commuters have gobbled them up. The low wage crisis has not only been caused by competition from migrant labour (?) as there has been high unemployment, bigger profits accruing to companies and their bonus bosses throughout the western world since 2008 global crisis.
The BBC is a public broadcaster – that’s what I mean. Too often it reflects a London focus but of late it’s got sloppy on politics especially when interviewing the Right wing leader Farange. For example European migrants are net tax contributors/ or less likely on dole etc…
“”Our BBC””? Oh dear, you’ve given that game away!
It is our BBC – meaning it belongs to the British people; its called a Public Service Broadcaster and it is paid for by us through licences and taxes as opposed to commercial TV. That is what I meant.
When in a hole stop digging, you were right the first time.
Well said Jacqui, totally agree.
A lecture from an honest fine upstanding convicted politician?
Nope, no racism here.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1174046/Labour-Party-embroiled-race-row-candidate-told-white-Jewish-selected.html
UKIP are in no way a racist party – if you lot on the Left thought about what you’re doing by constantly claiming that we are, maybe you’d stop.
Jacqui is right that we’re snatching voters from under your noses, and right that we are doing that by being seen as outsiders: not of the political establishment. But do you know how we do that? By NOT being of the political establishment. We all have ordinary lives behind us. We’ve all had real jobs, real experiences. You can’t fake that. You cannot fake a lifetime as you fake an estuary accent, or feign an interest in football. Now, look at your leader. Look at the clown you chose. The man has never done an honest day’s work in his life. he has never done a damn thing outside of politics. When I’m on the street or doorstep, and I want to turn a Labour voter, that is what I lead on – and it works.
How are you going to tackle that kiddies?
Hohoho.
so Jackie you have realised the only people you talk to on twitter are people like you (most work at the BBC) i suspect, as for racism, you sat in parliament with anti Semites who were on the liberal benches and still are, i have looked everywhere for a mention of them in any speech or article you wrote (if you did can you point it out) criticising them, yet as soon as you see a risk to labours one party domination in some parts of the country, it becomes a must to oppose it through the use of perceived racism and the use of friends in the media to make the headlines with racist UKIP, then you come out a few days later, pretending to not be part of the establishment get UKIP, really, please its your friends who are running round throwing the mud, you don’t have to look far, they sit on the labour benches, have you spoken to them to ask why there saying these things and as for racists in parties, you don’t want to mention the labour councillor, who admits to wearing swastikas and handing out Nazi pamphlets in luton and he is an elected councillor, only made local papers, kept quite by your friends in the main media, strange that
Who on earth would employ a disgraced MP? Still less take her rantings seriously- although I imagine Guido has increased the amount of visitors to this Marxist remnant.
Yep. That’s the only reason I ended up here….
Ms Smith is employed by the BBC, LBC radio and the NHS, which just goes to show.
It looks like they have held a conference in a Ladies Lav somewhere in La La land, First Tessa Jowell, then Janet Daley at the Telegraph and now Jacqui Smith (of porno movie review fame) have noticed that with every attack on UKIP and its members, their poll results improve. The reasons why still fail to penetrate the obtuse, self-centred mindset of all the wittering and twittering classes. They don’t seem to realise that they have been well and truly rumbled at long last and exposed as liars, perverts, thieves, bullies, traitors and self-centred narcissists who continue to escape punishment for past and present crimes. They really don’t understand the reason for UKIP’s support and scrabble around for explanation–like any narcissist, they blame everyone but themselves. UKIP are “populist” or “divisive” (That’s a bit like being too fat and too thin at the same time). They are “racist” and when that doesn’t work, they are “Euracist”. They are “a one-trick pony”, a “one-man band”; then they blame the voters–the voters are thick, the voters are being fooled, the voters don’t understand. Of course the voters understand only too well.
It’s all a bit like that Labour Party favourite, Muammar Gaddaffi- who, when nabbed by his enemies, beaten, stripped and having a broomstick stuck up his rear end, bewilderedly said “Why are you doing this after all I have done for you?”
Very good. Now watch how this ‘progressive’ website deletes the comments.
Actually, congratulations to Progress – they don’t seem to be mass-deleting.
The constant attacks are a political version of tourettes. They try not to give them the oxygen of publicity but just cannot help themselves. If you do not want to vote for a social democrat party, the choice is down to one, UKIP.
The Liberty Football Stadium is where Farage will talk to the people of Swansea on Wednesday evening. Capacity 20,750, SOLD OUT. Why does Nigel Farage bother, faced with that level of unpopularity?
The Liberty Football Stadium is where Farage will talk to the people of Swansea on Wednesday evening. Capacity 20,750, SOLD OUT. Why does Nigel Farage bother, faced with that level of unpopularity?
The Liberty Football Stadium is where Farage will talk to the people of Swansea on Wednesday evening. Capacity 20,750, SOLD OUT. Why does Nigel Farage bother, faced with that level of unpopularity?
Steve – perhaps Nigel is a masochist?
😉
The Liberty Football Stadium is where Farage will talk to the people of Swansea on Wednesday evening. Capacity 20,750, SOLD OUT. Why does Nigel Farage bother, faced with that level of unpopularity?
Remember that Labour ‘defeated’ BNP by shipping thousands of immigrants into Dagenham, thus marginalising the vote of the British people who had voted the BNP into power. Thousands of previous Labour supporters in the area will never forget how disdainfully and dishonestly they were treated.
Horrible Histories
labour devo bill—page 6
For those that should NOT be devolved to Scottish Parliament
1.financial and economic matters
2.foreign affairs
3.core of welfare state
4.the constitution
5.imigration
6.drug trafficking
7.betting gaming lotteries
8.broadcasting
9.civil service
10.abortion
You’re a part of the problem, Ms Smith. People do not forget that you fiddled your expenses and that you had us pay for your dearly beloved’s interest in porn. Don’t knock on my door.
I don’t know how the thieving cow has the cheek to opine on anything,,,,,,,,,,
anywhere…………………………………………………….
She’s a BBC luvvie now! You get a free ride to air your opinions, regardless of your grasp of a subject.
The days when we had to bend our knee and tug our forelocks to the three major parties is definitely over!
Farage has had the three major parties, the BBC, the Telegraph, Mail, Guardian and the European Union against him. But people will remember that few stood against many, and that the Met Elite hate the common man.
He also has Murdoch against him, for now. But Rupert loves a winner…
Ukip now finds itself in company withthe BBC that has admitted it has pursued a too white policy in employment.
Would the LibLabCon, BBC, the press and other associated EU propagandists please continue to smear UKIP? It’s working a treat 🙂
On the one hand you say UKIP voters are just uneducated, unskilled people who have been “left behind by economic progress”, but then keep claiming there is a “cost of living crisis”. Which is it? Is a “cost of living crisis” what you call “economic progress”?
I have been a member of UKIP since 2011. I speak four languages, make a very good living as a self-employed professional in the technology sector and have a masters degree in mathematics.
But I am grateful to Jacqui for finally making me see that I have been left behind by the economic progress.
Carry on with your analysis Jacqui – it has worked very well so far.
I run / own three companies and am one of the biggest local employers – I too feel positively abandoned by the economic progress!
All the talk seems to be about ‘distracting’ from UKIP policies or devising methods to undermine their growing support. NONE of the talk is about changing the policies that MAKE people want to vote UKIP. It is quite obvious that the electorate do NOT like and do not WANT many of the policies that are IMPOSED on them by LibLabCon.
Look not to change UKIP, look to changing your OWN ways first.
if you think UKIP have a few rotten apples just google “Labour 25”
UKIP are not racist, look wanting sovereignty and border control has NOTHING to do with race, why is this so difficult to process.
Look at Australia, if you wanted to immigrate to Australia you would have to go through visa process (not racist) and criminal checks (not racist) and medical checks (not racist) UKIP want to apply a similar process to Britain, in order to do this we as a country need to get OUT of the EU.
We are a country not just some member state of the EU. Is their anything racist about this ???
Labour have a very narrow simple minded view, I will never vote Labour.
You cannot fault UKIP`s policies that is why politicians and the news media keep ranting on about UKIP being racist,go and look at their policies and print which of them are racist.They are the only party reflecting English views and no the English are not racist just tired of the same old rubbish spouting from politicians like Jacqui Smith and Hunt
Jacqui Smith is sympathetic to your point. She agrees that lazily labelling UKIP and its supporters racist is not going to attract voters away from UKIP. In fact, you are likely to entrench them in their support for UKIP.
Labour didn’t defeat the BNP…. UKIP did! Of the 600,000 people who voted BNP in 2009/10 the vast majority were not fascists, racists or Nazis….. they were decent mainly Old Labour voters feed up with Mass Immigration and New Labour authoritarianism, they new the BNP were vile racists and white scpoasucsts but held their nose and voted for Griffin.
UKIP have provided many these voters legitimate party with is non racist, and outlet for thire anger at the political class, the EU and Mass Immigration.
The majority of Decent people who voted BNP, as soon as a legitimate party came along they dumped the Black/Asian hating BNP like a hot potato, a hard core remain with the EDL and BNP, who it should be pointed out both hate UKIP
UKIP is not racist, and the Left constantly repeating the mantra that it is, is self defeating, If these people wanted a racist party they would have stuck with the BNP!
“UKIP is not racist, and the Left constantly repeating the mantra that it is, is self defeating”
Exactly Jacqui Smith’s point.
well good to see the most useless home secretary in history putting her 2p with in. As a failed politician why is she given the oxygen of publicity. In fact I believe she should be in jail for expenses fraud. The people of Redditch clearly dont want her.
But people wont vote labour because of expenses. Not only did 5 of their MP’s end up in prison, but others were clearly tacking the p1ss. people will have long memories about that.
And they will remember the Dromeys and their links with the PIE. Questions will be asked about Millibands judgement in not withdrawing the whip from them.
People will vote UKIP because of the sameness of liblabcon. we dont have any choice on the EU and immigration as all 3 have the same policy. And they see identikit politicians, few having done a proper job and too many just having a PPE degree.
And UKIP is just not for those left behind. I am sure professionals like me will be voting UKIP.
An interesting piece, and reasonably objective.
One point though: Whatever Goodwin and Ford may think, UKIP voters are not well defined as “left behind”, which implies that the rest of the country went somewhere better and they were not included. Rather Kippers see themselves as bereft and betrayed. Under Labour their country was radically changed in ways the vast majority of the electorate never wanted or voted for, and despite Cameron’s assurances in opposition he has done little to amend it while in power. Furthermore when they object they are called racist, bigots, or worse.
It will take a lot more than half hearted apologies or retractions to win back voters so alienated.
“What is your ethnic background?”. This is a question asked of all who fill in [most] job application forms in UK today. The same question is posed on most, if not all, government and council forms: “How would you describe your racial group?”. and the tick-box shows: White-British, Asian-British, African-British, etc.; and it goes on to ask your religious background.
Pathetic; and why ask the question if we are all equal?
To my mind this information should not be required in a multi-cultural society like Britain. Its illegal to ask that question in [most] African states so why do we need it asked here?
It may be of use to some pollster/statistician over at DWP,, HMRC or BA but is reflective of the antiquated 17th century,core-thinking of the British Whitehall employee over the last 200 years or so. These redundant questions apply to all political parties – whoever is in #10.
If we want racism and u-kippers out the door for good in UK we start scrapping this racist form of vetting; we use a blindfold when employing staff or vetting driver’s licence application forms.
UK already has laws in place which won’t allow discrimination based on one’s ‘colour’. If responsible politicians are convinced that these are ‘good’ Laws they should scrap this one specific question for starters.
UKIPpers would never scrap this question. That’s why I would never in a million years vote for the beggars.
This is a valuable contribution from Jacqui Smith and one she ought to insist that her colleague Barbara Roche takes heed of.
The British public have been left behind by a nefarious and treacherous cultural Marxist elite who sole aim is to deny the British people their inheritance. By British I don’t just mean white people either as some racist bigoted lefty would assume. The arrogance of the left is astounding as they assume that everybody from an ethic minority is a Labour voter and socialist. This I can confirm is not true, there are people of all ethnic backgrounds who are fed of the Marxist, liberal lies. Labour and the left constantly bang on about race trying to divide people along ethnic lines. My experience as an ordinary guy on the street is that racism is not as big an issue for us ordinary folk as it is being portrayed. I personally couldn’t care less, its a persons character I base judgment upon. The left go on about not judging people but they do it all the time, judging whites, judging blacks, judging Christians, judging men, judging heterosexuals. They are just one massive group of judgmental hypocrites pigeon holing millions of people to fit with their failed Marxist dialectic. Sure racism exists but I don’t believe it is huge or exclusively a ‘white’ problem. Jacqui Smith can say what she likes but in reality whatever plan Labour put in place you can be guaranteed its all a sham designed to hook people in and then betray them later on down the line. Labour and the left have no interest in Britain, all their interested in is creating a new Marxist European super state. Many I’m sure will read this and go on about paranoia and what not but a bit of historical research, and I mean research not revisionism, as well as simple observation of the day and listening to what Labour politicians have said past and present with show you that this is not paranoia. Policies that get ratified by the EU are Marxist in nature and unless you bother to look them up you won’t know about it, like the plan to criminalise any criticism of feminism (which may have already gone through). The UAF act like animals at their demos and try to intimidate people, its disgusting. The whole attack on UKIP is designed by a Marxist influenced elite who are afraid of losing their grip. Well, people are waking up and its about time to, hopefully Labour will be eliminated as a viable entity in the future.
people voted UKIP in the Labour Heartlands.these are good decent people.and umunna comparing them today as The Tea Party is only pushing them further to UKIP.they are not racists.they want europe,but a reformed europe.we ‘ve had 2 pollstes calling them of low education.well what a nice way to attack labour voters of decades voting.many of these are ex members.they are sick of the out of touch progressives who think we are the 51st state.we are not.we did’nt riot.no we used democracy.we hit you in the ballot box,and insults will only make us return to UKIP in 2015.listen and learn.