Should UKIP re-brand itself as The Libertarian Party?

Populist Lee · 24-02-2007, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anthony Butcher

Also, I agree with Matt; most of the party members don't fit into the libertarian category. The other problem is that the only binding element UKIP has is that it is anti-EU. Take that away as the main focus and you will have a hard time keeping the membership together.

I would say that is the correct analysis.

And we can see that when elections are related to the EU Issue UKIP can do very well.

Beyond that; at local level, for example, the Voters are savvy enough to see UKIP as it is.

mkpdavies · 24-02-2007, 11:12 PM

Every party is exactly the same.

EVERY one. Just the divisions are on different issues.

Populist Lee · 24-02-2007, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkpdavies

Every party is exactly the same.

EVERY one. Just the divisions are on different issues.

That is not my experience of most parties.
Most parties' members are able to coalesce around a broad range of Issues - - it is usually just the one or two Issues where divisions may occur.

UKIP does it the other way round.

mkpdavies · 24-02-2007, 11:19 PM

Name me one party and I will show you how wrong you are.

devilskitchen · 24-02-2007, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkpdavies

I'm not particularly pro any of those things, but I am pro the freedoom to choose to do those things, backed with a clear and enforced set of rules that you will be held massively responsible for any abuse of them.

That's pretty much the libertarian position, yes.

As a minarchist libertarian, I believe in almost no government, but the one thing that is most important is a strong judiciary.

Alex McKee · 24-02-2007, 11:24 PM

While I agree that many, indeed maybe most, members are not libertarian (or at least do not think of themselves as libertarian) I believe that the freedom-loving doctrine of libertarianism is much more compatible with small c conservatives, which is arguably the larger part of UKIP, than any other political theology.

I think that it would work fairly well. Much of what the party has already gone for (flat tax, et cetera) is well suited to a libertarian party.

devilskitchen · 24-02-2007, 11:29 PM

Indeed, and there a massive bunch of political libertarians looking for a home. By far the strongest wing of the pollitical blogosphere are the libertarians.

Populist Lee · 24-02-2007, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkpdavies

Name me one party and I will show you how wrong you are.

Ok.
I'll play fair and not mention one party with less than 1,000 members.

Shall we put Democratic Unionist Party into the machine and see what comes out?

mkpdavies · 24-02-2007, 11:44 PM

DUP are united around one particuar cause, just like UKIP, which is remaining in the Union. If that cause disapears, a huge chunk of the raison d'etre disapears.

Luckiliy for them, the next big uniter is the protestant faith. That on it's own won't be enough to hold them together, when the EU dissolves Britain and we all just become regions anyway.

The values that religion brings will unite them to a certain degree, but even the church is massilvely divided on some issues now.

They may morph to fit the new, post UK landscape, but then so will UKIP probably.

Richard Allen · 25-02-2007, 12:18 AM

While I have considerable libertarian leanings I think it would be a mistake. I fear the name would frighten off more than it would attract and it would confuse many of those who have voted for us in the past.

View Poll Results: Should UKIP re-brand itself as The Libertarian Party?
Yes	13	40.63%
No	19	59.38%
Voters: 32. You may not vote on this poll

24-02-2007, 11:12 PM	#12 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 32,078 Party: Libertarian Party	Every party is exactly the same. EVERY one. Just the divisions are on different issues. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Lib Dems

24-02-2007, 11:19 PM	#14 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 32,078 Party: Libertarian Party	Name me one party and I will show you how wrong you are. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Lib Dems

24-02-2007, 11:29 PM	#17 (permalink)
devilskitchen Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: London Posts: 419	Indeed, and there a massive bunch of political libertarians looking for a home. By far the strongest wing of the pollitical blogosphere are the libertarians. __________________ Unio Europaea delenda est

24-02-2007, 11:44 PM	#19 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 32,078 Party: Libertarian Party	DUP are united around one particuar cause, just like UKIP, which is remaining in the Union. If that cause disapears, a huge chunk of the raison d'etre disapears. Luckiliy for them, the next big uniter is the protestant faith. That on it's own won't be enough to hold them together, when the EU dissolves Britain and we all just become regions anyway. The values that religion brings will unite them to a certain degree, but even the church is massilvely divided on some issues now. They may morph to fit the new, post UK landscape, but then so will UKIP probably. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Lib Dems

24-02-2007, 11:24 PM	#16 (permalink)
Alex McKee Moderator Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Gloucester Posts: 6,666	While I agree that many, indeed maybe most, members are not libertarian (or at least do not think of themselves as libertarian) I believe that the freedom-loving doctrine of libertarianism is much more compatible with small c conservatives, which is arguably the larger part of UKIP, than any other political theology. I think that it would work fairly well. Much of what the party has already gone for (flat tax, et cetera) is well suited to a libertarian party.

25-02-2007, 12:18 AM	#20 (permalink)
Richard Allen Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 584	While I have considerable libertarian leanings I think it would be a mistake. I fear the name would frighten off more than it would attract and it would confuse many of those who have voted for us in the past.

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