David Holland

There are a few people on this forum who keep on talking about UKIP being a one issue party. Therefore can we make this INTO phpbb_a sticky ?

Personally I think being a one issue party is crazy. Who is going to vote for an MP who does not have any views about crime, health, education etc but wants to leave the EU.

Hopefully these people will come to their senses and stop HELPING THE EU.

(EDIT AND AS IF BY MAGIC, THIS THREAD HAS BECOME THAT STICKY)

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More people + no new homes = housing shortage.

Britannist

I agree that UKIP must try to do more about promoting its range of policies on other issues (which alot of the press/media likes to ignore).

Nevertheless, it's a bit difficult with the name of the party and the logo. Many voters think UKIP is closely connected to the EU issue and would be surprised it has other views.

It's a bit like if the Green Party started a major policy drive on the devolution issue (not an issue with which it is closely associated). Voters would be surprised because they expect - with a name like 'Green' - for the Green Party to stick to environmental issues only. It's party name 'boxes it in'.

It's time for UKIP to break free from the 'one issue label'. Campbell's Fiberal 'Dimoprats' are a one-issue party - their fanatical support for the EU is all that they really stand for. But they have tried to disguise this fact by talking about other things.

UKIP must have a name change as a matter of some urgency. This would be the first step of it (UKIP) breaking free from the one-issue label its opponents try to stick on it.

UKIP has many other issues (not so closely connected to the anti-EU campaign) to campaign on which unite its membership - opposition to ID cards being one. The policy of promoting referendum as a way of the nation deciding key issues (like they do in Switzerland) is another).

There are so many other policy areas upon which UKIP could agree on internally and then campaign on - opposition to speed cameras, opposition to any building on the Green Belt, opposition to higher tax and waste in the public sector.

And then there's energy bills going up and exorbitant council tax demands. Issues the electorate are rightly angry about. Issues ripe for UKIP to take up to use as a stick to beat this horrid europhile government with.

The list of issues abandoned by the pro-EU political establishment (or deliberately avoided by them in the first place) which UKIP could now take up is endless.

David Holland

I don't agree with the name change. However as our name implies that we are anti the EU we need to tell people what we will do when we leave the EU.
At the moment we seem to the public to be a bit like a man who is getting married soon but does not know the facts of life. Which is a bit stupid.

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More people + no new homes = housing shortage.

Millennium3

I do not think a name change is necessary. If we have other policies which are as fundemental as 'leaving the EU' the voters will soon get used to the 'new and improved' Party - I believe such policies are not only available but needed if our democracy is to be repaired.

Biscuitman

Not going to happen.

Its been debated umpteen times.

We are however going to be using the 'pet' name of Independence.

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IF THE EU WAS THE ANSWER, IT MUST HAVE BEEN A STUPID QUESTION!

B.A.Ware

Although I agree with Britanist on the name change there are to many people in Ukip that will never move on this so like Biscuit said we do now have the option Independence. It isn’t great but its an improvement.

Britannist

Thank you for your support, Brendan. I think I'll not discuss a UKIP name change again until next week's local election results are in 8) .

Biscuitman

The word SOLIDARITY was turned into a great concept by the Polish strikers - we need to do the same with the word INDEPENDENCE.

INDEPENDENCE from:-

Brussels.

Interference by Westminster in local affairs.

Interference in everyday life by bureaucracy.

The fear of crime.

The nanny state.

... means taking control and accepting responsibility for our own actions.

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IF THE EU WAS THE ANSWER, IT MUST HAVE BEEN A STUPID QUESTION!

McUkip man

Yes we should not be a single issue party but UKIPShetland are experiencing the following difficulties.

1. Our seat is supposed to belong to the constituents yet this stream of centraly issued pollicies are putting us in a party versus people situation. The people here encluding UKIPShetland members have no interest in spouting a load of guff that is ultimatly decided by members in the south of England.

2. UKIP,s leaderships inability to make a break from their tory roots is very much pulling us down. In many peoples eyes UKIP is simply a party for dissafected tories to carry on a fued with the conservative party.

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Born a free patriot die a free rebel

Britannist

They're wrong to think UKIP is just for Tories unhappy with the Conservative Party. The majority of UKIP members are ex-Labour, ex-LD or people who've never been a member of another party.

Perhaps the answer is to make it clear (in leaflets/literature/local UKIP website) that UKIP consists of people who were once Labour, LD, SNP, Welsh National - plus some Conservatives and a huge number of people who've either been a member of more than one of the above parties or none of the above?

If UKIP members in Shetland/Orkney are mostly ex-Labour or haven't been in any party (or have been a member of more than one other party) then local people should be told so they get a correct picture of what the party (UKIP) really is.

Sounds to me is as if the local Labour Party/LD/SNP are canvassing and telling people that UKIP is just another Tory party. You know - it's hard to believe but years ago they used to say that about the SNP (that the Scottish Nationals were mostly ex-Tories). The SNP no longer has that label (of being linked to another party) and UKIP can get rid of any false labels, too.