UKIP: The Rise of UKIP Continues After Election

If the conservatives weren't afraid of the rise of UKIP, they are now.

(Politics) UKIP: A Party increasing in popularity and enemies in equal measure

It may concern some and perplex others as to why UKIP is experiencing a rise in the polls of late but what is clear is that UKIP scare the hell out the Conservatives. The Conservatives have been tearing into UKIP with current Minister without portfolio Ken Clarke publicly branding UKIP a “collection of clowns”[1] .Prime minster David Cameron went even further and branded UKIP as group of "fruitcakes and closet racists”[2].

You may rightly ask why such hastily for what is effectively a two issue party and the answer is dead simple, UKIP represent a serious threat to the Tories in 2015. UKIP have growing in the polls thanks to their effective two track strategy of  exploiting the  British public’s almost inbred euroscepticism and long term anxiety about immigration to the hilt and should they maintain or continue their growth in the polls, they may split the conservative vote in 2015.

David Cameron has a personal stake in quashing the UKIP surge as there has been a number of hints that should UKIP perform well in Thursdays upcoming local elections, Cameron’s party leadership could face a challenge. So with this in mind, he couldn’t have been too pleased scanning for the latest polls last Friday evening and finding out that UKIP party leader Nigel Farage, according to a YouGov poll, was found the “best leaders out of the four parties”[3]. 

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His mood hardly would have improved upon the news of an article where London mayor Boris Johnson, the favourite to succeed Cameron should 2015 bring electoral disaster, described Farage as a “rather engaging geezer”[4].While other prominent party members have sought to cut the Ukip to pieces in the press, Johnson broke the party’s line of attack established by Clarke and Cameron and chose to stress the similarities between the parties pointing out that Farage “is essentially no different from the conservatives”[5].

However if there is one major threat to continued growth of Ukip it is clearly the party itself. Ukip has long been accused as being a party full of fascists, racists and right wingers who wouldn’t look out of place at a mental hospital by its enemies and the party has gone some way to deal with this perception but with the supercritical eye of the media glaring at them, the cracks at the seams of the party are laid bare.  

With the fall of the BNP, former members of the troubled extreme  right party have turned to Ukip to continue their political careers such as Susan Bowen, who was  chucked out of Ukip was found out forcing Farage to admit that some BNP members “may have already slipped through the  net” and reveal a weakness in his party’s organisation by revealing that “we don’t have the party apparatus in a very short space of time to fully vet 1,700 people [6].

UKip’s perceived reputation as being a party full of racists were not helped by one of it council candidates suggesting on her social media page that “Second World War had been "engineered by the Zionist jews", adding: "Only the Zionists could sacrifice their own in the gas chambers"[7]. Reprehensible and incredibly stupid comments like these is hat could ruin or at least put a dent in Ukip’s rise in the polls  and could put paid to their larger ambitions ensuring that they share the same fate as the Nick Griffin led BNP.

In sum, only time will tell what is to become of UKip in the very near future but what is for sure is that the Conservatives and the media will be watching carefully every step of the way.

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[1] A.Osborn, 2013, Conservatives turn on UKIP before vote,  

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/04/29/uk-britain-politics-election-idUKBRE93R08120130429

[2] Ibid

[3] W.Dahlgreen, 2013, Farage Tops Leader Poll,

 http://yougov.co.uk/news/2013/04/26/farage-tops-leaders-poll/

[4] Huffing Post Uk, 2013, Boris Johnson Claims Ukip Leader Nigel Farage ‘Essentially A Conservative’, http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/04/29/ukip-nigel-farage-boris-johnson-tory-_n_3176408.html

[5] Ibid

[6] M. Brown, 2013, BNP members ‘slipped into Ukip’,

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/394823/BNP-members-slipped-into-Ukip

[7] T. Moseley, 2013, Anna-Marie Crampton, Ukip Candidate, Suspended From Party But Denies Anti-Semitism, http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/04/25/anna-marie-crampton-ukip-candidate-suspended_n_3154709.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

(Politics) Maduro Claims Victory as Political Pressures Increase in Venezuela

The situation in Venezuela the past few months has been interesting to say the least. Notwithstanding the inner turmoil and domestic anxiety felt by the passing of their longstanding former president, Hugo Chavez, the struggle for power has led to much uncertainty. Nevertheless, the Venezuelan presidential race can finally claim resolution as Nicolas Maduro –Chavez’s “next-in-line” guy –secured a victory yesterday by a rather slim margin. This, however, is causing quite a stir.

Henrique Capriles, Maduro’s presidential opponent, is speaking out against the newfound president. The presidential race, which was more of a mudslinging competition than an equally balanced political match, resulted in competitors trying to convince the people how they would reclaim the reigns of the Chavez legacy in order to lead their country into its great destiny. Capriles, on the other hand, was skeptical. Campaigning in opposition to the Chavez regime, and the years of bad politics which he claimed destroyed their oil rich nation, Capriles was not impressed with the statistics that declared Maduro the victor. “It is the government that has been defeated”, he poignantly proclaimed, “[this is] a result that is different from the results announced today.”

Regardless of popular belief, the struggle truly lies in the honest public opinion of who the Venezuelan people want as their president. Although Maduro had been acting as Chavez’s surrogate since his illness and subsequent March 5 death, the actual numbers were not so overwhelmingly in favor of the acclaimed successor. Official electoral votes put Maduro’s number at 50.7 percent of the popular vote, in comparison to Capriles’ 49.1 percent. The rising discontent of the country’s increasingly dismal situation is being coupled with power outages, crime and violence –making the Bush v. Gore drama back in 2000 look like smooth sailing.

In the same way, Capriles is demanding a recount: a fair and unbiased look at the gross numbers. As he calmed his supporters, he said that their campaign would push for a just reexamination, and although the electoral officials may not even permit it, Maduro said he was open to the idea. On this Capriles remarked: "We are not going to recognize a result until each vote of Venezuelans is counted…This struggle has not ended." Contrariwise, the Maduro headquarters is not showing any signs of backing down: "Let 100 percent of the ballot boxes be opened,” Maduro commented back, “We're going to do it; we have no fear."

So what’s next? Although many have been throwing around the terms “conspiracy” and “sabotage,” the consensus is becoming more orthodox among the people. It is easy to look for the “savior” of Venezuela: a one man redeemer to cure all their woes. “This country has learned a lot and today,” commented Jose Romero, a middle-aged layman, “we know that one person can't fix everything." Nevertheless, with the increasing $30 billion dollar financial debt, declining industry, and increasing bankruptcy, the Venezuelans are ready to move towards more practical solutions.

The Carnage Report // http://thecarnagereport.blogspot.com // 2013

Brent McCulley on Twitter // http://twitter.com/brentthewalrus

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