I saw David Cameron's conference speech on the web this afternoon. It reminded me of Thatcher in 1978: Conviction, self assurance, determination, risk-taking, wit and humour -- the stuff leadership is made of. Cameron deserves to win, honestly, he really does. The fact that he's not eurosceptic is largely UKIP's fault, not his - it hasn't been made important enough to force his hand. It has to be said however that he's yet to put his money where his mouth evidently is - what will the Tory policies be, and what's their big idea? Maude warned about lack of vision earlier in the week, and Cameron has a little time before the accusations of style over substance begin to strike home.
UKIP is going nowhere in comparison.
I'd like to know why Roger Knapman thinks he's worth another ten minutes in office, let alone ten months. Talk about attacking a well defended hill! For the first time in years the Tories look like they've got their act together and Knapman's speech to the UKIP faithful is what? Oh yes, 'lets remind the Tories they're wrong on the EU - that'll rattle them!' Sorry Roger, wrong message; wrong target.
UKIPs membership will either be dead or in its dotage by the time of the next election. It's tragic really - I know some brilliant souls who've given their all to a cause they believed in - they've been horribly let down by the likes of Farage, Nattrass et al, self-servers the lot of em.
Because of the lack of focus, UKIP's thrown away the progress it has made in the euro-elections. Because of going native, it's proven its leaders are simply untrustworthy and lacking in backbone. Whitewash conference all you want lads, it just makes a good surface for the graffiti artists...
... so lets get out the spray can. Here's a little checklist I saw elsewhere that might look good on the wall, especially if its writ two feet high in 3D letters (my best graffiti style):
Code:
UKIP SANITY CHECK:
=================
Time allowed: considerably less than three years.
[do not write on both sides of the paper at once]
1) Do you have membership from the 20-30 age group
in double figures in your branch?
2) How many of your branch will be:
(a) over 70
(b) over 80
(c) dead
at the next general election?
3) [one paragraph per section]
(a) Why are our MEPs who they are, and why are they doing what they are now?
(b) What process will we have for selecting candidates next time?
(c) Why does it matter?
(d) (i) How many staff are employed in Brussels?
(ii) How many actually work there?
(e) Why should we care one jot about the place?
4) Explain in less than 100 words what advantage we gain
from leaving the EU, without mentioning either the EU
itself or any of its rules.
5) Explain why, when almost all polls put the EU issue
as 12th or lower on the public's list of priorities,
it is the most prominent plank of UKIP's public
activity? Do not mention the Conservative party.
6) Describe the ideas that UKIP has that will compel
urban voters to flock to our cause. Take as much time
as you like, but don't hold your breath whilst writing -
we don't want any more fatalities than absolutely necessary!
7) If we did ever become effective, what is our plan is
to counter opposition moves to neutralize us.
This is a two-part question:
a) what ARE the opposition's moves - can you identify them?
b) what would we do about them?
If you can't see the point of all this, don't worry. Neither it seems can UKIP's leadership.