You can read more about the UKIP here:
The UK Independence Party
The 5 Essential Freedoms
Regards, Ivan
Posted on 06/13/2004 3:41:09 AM PDT by MadIvan
THE UK Independence Party has won the support of one in five British voters in the European elections and is set to gain four times as many MEPs, senior party figures predicted last night.
They forecast that the party, which wants to pull out of the European Union, has captured 20% of the vote, boosting their strength in the European parliament from three to at least 12 seats. The result would put it in third place just behind Labour, which is expected to poll only a few per cent more, and ahead of the Liberal Democrats.
While the Tories are expected to be the overall winners, with a share of the vote of just below 30%, Michael Howard will have done worse than William Hague five years ago.
“I think 20% is a realistic figure for us,” said Nigel Farage, one of the UKIP’s three MEPs. “And in some areas we’ll have done a lot better. Twelve seats is a very realistic prospect.”
Although the vote was on Thursday, the same day as the local elections, the results cannot be announced before 9pm tonight when voting booths close in the rest of the Europe.
The UKIP has recently won the support of Robert Kilroy-Silk and Joan Collins.
Both Tony Blair and Howard were facing recriminations from senior figures in their parties last night over the “super Thursday” elections.
Meanwhile, Gordon Brown has told colleagues he fears that Blair will this week be forced to surrender Britain’s right of veto over tax as part of a deal to secure the new European constitution.
The chancellor has told the prime minister that he should refuse to sign up to the treaty at this week’s summit in Brussels if provisions to “co-ordinate” economic policies remain.
Brown’s allies say the chancellor is “prepared to die in a ditch” before seeing a constitution that allows any tax harmonisation via the back door.
He is determined to show that Labour is not a soft touch on Europe, as the main political parties brace themselves for a strong showing by UKIP when the results of the European elections are announced tonight.
Howard is under pressure because the results are expected to reveal that the UKIP’s success has come from a significant chunk of would-be Tory voters.
Eric Forth, Conservative MP for Bromley and Chislehurst, said: “The leadership is going to have to think very carefully about how we respond to this. There is a serious groundswell of opinion in this country that the UKIP seems to represent better than anyone else.”
The issue of Britain’s future in Europe will dominate this week as Blair tries to draw a line under his drubbing and succeed in securing a landmark deal on the EU constitution.
Brown has been alarmed by passages in it that will require European countries to “co- ordinate” their economic policies, call for social and economic “cohesion” and establish European Union “competence” over national economies.
Brown, who successfully fought off an EU drive to harmonise savings taxes, is said to be “incensed” by suggestions that Britain should soften its opposition to the constitution.
He is backed by business. “If we give in on any aspect of tax harmonisation we would see it as the thin end of the wedge,” said Digby Jones, director-general of the CBI. “We feel very strongly about this. If Tony Blair does not get agreement on this, he should walk away.”
Yesterday Michael Meacher, Labour’s former environment minister, added to the pressure on Blair by saying: “After these election results, Tony Blair will only regain the confidence of voters if he can show that he is willing to listen to his party and to the electorate and changes course.”
You can read more about the UKIP here:
The UK Independence Party
The 5 Essential Freedoms
Regards, Ivan
Ping!
And Simon Cowell, too, I understand (from The Telegraph).
The article should say England, not Britain. Ukip has had no success in Scotland.
Regards, Ivan
Of course the EU Socialists will claim Bush has used the Dangerous American Brain Ray Machine on innocent Britains!
And me without my tin foil beanie. :)
Regards, Ivan
The SNP are actually rather anti Europe, especially in regards to the Common Fisheries Policy. They did have a vision of becoming independent and scumming off loadsafunds like the Irish did but see now that's a non-starter.
Anyway, Kilroy-Silk would be beaten senseless if he appeared up ae Glesgae strits.
Interesting how a true multi-party system makes as few as 20% of voters a powerful bloc who have a voice in guiding their nation.
And I agree, there needs to be a Scottish representative of the UKIP campaigning in Scotland.
Regards, Ivan
Regards, Ivan
The Scottish people are very well aware of the pro - Europe stance of the SNP. The Scottish people are generally much more pro EU than the English
Most Europeans I know, including some Irish, are saying that the EU is a great idea and will just make everything easier. When I reveal my apprehension about loss of sovereignty they thumb their noses and say that I'm talking about Empire. It isn't all about convenience, though, is it? There are serious problems with the constitution, centralizing of authority, loss of true independence, and a homogenizing of culture coming with the EU. I'm interesting to hear your thoughts, MI. And it's great to see you back online. FR is all the better with you participating.
Remember Ivan, that here in the US our political views are extremely polarized - basically you're either "with us or against us" - with the Democrats being against all that our nation was founded upon.
Also, since we aren't a Parliamentary system, having to form coalitions in order to secure the top leadership position is unheard of here. Until this election, I too thought of Britain as having two parties: Labour and Torie. I'd hate to see your system there devolve into one such as Russia's with so many parties that keeping track of them would be a full time job.
We all wish you the best of luck at staying out of the damned EU - by fully assimilating into that one world government test, your nation will learn what our founders meant about "taxation without representation". Likewise they'll understand why America chose revolution over the King's rule.
If they are unable to report poll results, how is it that they are allowed to report 'forecasts'.....or are they like our own media?
Perhaps it's like a line from the Bard, "a custom more honoured in the breach than the observance." ;)
Regards, Ivan
Salmond thinks Scotland will get loads of money in terms of EU structural funds.
Regards, Ivan
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