- 29% of us think EU membership is "a good thing", with only Latvia lower (look out for support in the PIGS to fall)
- 31% of us think the country has benefited from EU membership (we're bottom)
- 20% of us trust the EU (bottom again)
- Bottom again for "net positive image of the EU" (-20%)
- And we're bottom again for the proportion who think the EU is best placed to regulate the financial markets (10%).
Eric Edmond is on the button, referring to "Farage's appalling spiteful leadership". It's "Farage, Farage and yet more of Farage". Cameron "won't lose any sleep over Farage and his bunch of third rate ex Tory failures".
Now look at the sordid talentless cabal around Farage running UKIP. Why are they there? Well anyone of any talent is perceived by Farage as a threat. They suffer from a torrent of anonymous untrue smears and either walk away or get kicked out on trumped up charges. The aim of all younger members of the cabal is to get on the EU gravy train and indeed many of them are already paid by EU funds.UKIP's cause, he concludes, is always a poor third to Farage's next media appearance and indulgence.
Over the last decade, says Richard North, Farage
... has turned the party into his own personal plaything, dispensing patronage as mood takes him and holding back the party development. Thus, while the Greens prosper, the Farage Party is stuck in the doldrums.But he won't, because his livelihood is more important to him than UKIP's cause. And his hold on the party is secure.
... It looks very much as if he has abdicated his responsibility to create a viable Eurosceptic party. And if he cannot do the job – and clearly he has not so far – he needs to stand aside and make room for someone who can.
So it's essential to move on from this mediocrity. Banging your head against the brick wall is pointless.
North has proposed annual referenda to confirm government budgets. There are practical problems with the idea (a subject for a future post), but we need fresh thinking like this.
1 comments:
John,
I speak as ex-Chairman of Witney UKIP, so believe I have 'authority' for my comments. I resigned my position during May 2010 when the local candidate potentially compromised my position as Election Agent when it came to disclosure of expenses.
If any branch warranted a little 'help' come election time (be that local or national) then surely it was the consitutency in which the incumbent MP was also the party leader and, at the time, Leader of the Opposition. There was none.
Whilst I am of the opinion that Farage is an asset in that he does have charisma and is a good public, off-the-cuff speaker, he administration skills are minimal. Coupled with this he is surrounded with admiring yes-men who also lack administration skills. The party website is a joke and has been for yonks.
As I commented on Raedwald's post, to which you link, the presentation is completely wrong and consequently unacceptable and has been also for yonks. The party do have good policies yet these are not preeented in a clear and concise manner. The idea should surely be to 'sell' those and then to inform potential voters that if they want those implemented, then withdrawal from the EU must follow. The error Ukip make, in my opinion, is they attempt to sell the party the other way round.
Yet any attempt to talk about change to the heirachy is listened to and then promptly ignored. It would appear from personal experience that, like the present Witney committee, those at the top of Ukip are more intrested in being a self-congratulatory talking shop!
As to the effectiveness of the party's message, presented in the right manner and with the right resources, it does resonate with the public - one only has to look at the results in Ramsey Town Council, Cambridgeshire.
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