Britannist

I think, if you do not mind me pointing out, BB, that "massive" is rather an unsuitable word to use to describe UKIP media coverage over the last year. UKIP got what some might call "massive" coverage after its spectacular gains at the last EU Election (in 2004) - but since then media coverage (of UKIP) has been sporadic (or even very poor) and certainly only substantial when the notoriously pro-EU BBC and leftist newspapers have eagerly reported negative publicity about UKIP.

If UKIP are on "some show at least once every three weeks" it tends to be brief appearances or 'soundbites' on low audience radio and television programmes. There has been no 'big' publicity for UKIP on a main news bulletin (on ITV 1 or BBC 1 Television) for some time. Even when UKIP gets a mention on a main news bulletin watched by millions of people - the report is brief and often 10th or 11th in the ranking in news items (if not further down). Remember that a news bulletin starts losing viewers within minutes of it being on air - a political party needs to get a mention in the first five minutes if it is to benefit fully. UKIP has not topped a major news bulletin since 2004.

B.A.Ware

I think one of the main reasons we do better than the BNP in the European elections and not in nationals/locals is we are seen as mainly concerned about Europe and the BNP are seen as a full political party.

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We’re not just about Europe.

Britannist

UKIP gets invited onto programmes partly because the biased pro-EU broadcasters have to provide some coverage for a party which has 9 MEPs in the EU 'Parliament'. Parties with less (or no) seats in the EU 'Parliament' may get less (or no) publicity.

This is one of the benefits for the anti-EU movement of UKIP winning big at the last EU Election - the pro-EU BBC can't ignore the rising tide of anti-EU opinion in our country any more.

For_England

But is it not true that you were doing better than them in the local elections as well at the time of the last Euro elections? Your use of the present tense seems out of place to me. Of course the next elections might bring UKIP some relief, but we just don't know.

Britannist

As I implied a bit earlier in this thread - the BNP vote is higher (in the latest opinion poll) than that of UKIP (and not much higher - 2% compared to 3%) because more voters have probably had a leaflet recently from BNP than from UKIP. The obsession of our europhile/liberal/leftist media with alleged global warming is probably boosting the 'Green' vote a bit - but the Greens are about to get 'squeezed' by Labour which is increasingly desperate to get votes from wherever it can in view of its current opinion poll slump.

When voters hear of UKIPs policies (including its new one on stopping all immigration for five years) more people will decide to support UKIP and the party's share in the opinion polls (nearly as high as its actual vote share at the last General Election in the latest poll) will rise.

Britannist

The enemies of UKIP said that (above) about the party in the years before the 1999 EU Election (result 3 UKIP gains) and in the years before the 2004 EU Election (result 3 UKIP holds; 9 UKIP gains and more votes for UKIP than for the europhile Liberal Dims).

They also said it in the years before the last London Assembly Election (result 2 UKIP gains).

Britannist

It is true that the electorate see UKIP as particularly relevant in an election about the EU.

Wolfie Smith

If you want to vote for out of date Tory ideals, then you might as well vote Tory. Why bother voting for Farage's UKIP, which is a sort of retro Tory-lite?

Britannist

I know people in UKIP who regard the Cameron-Conservatives as not so much Tory-'lite' - but so 'lite' they are not Tory at all.

B.A.Ware

I don't think you are correct,I can only speak for my own area which had the following results.

Birmingham 2004 results
-------Party -------------------------------Seats --------Votes


British National Party ----------------0 ------------21896
Conservative Party ------------------39---------- 198920
Independent -----------------------------0 ------------11529
Legalise Cannabis Alliance ------0 ----------------123
Liberal Democrat ---------------------28 ---------195734
National Front ---------------------------0 --------------1153
People's Justice Party ---------------0------------ 23225
Socialist Labour Party ---------------0---------------- 848
The Green Party -----------------------0 ------------25733
Labour And Co-operative---------- 0 --------------1798
The Labour Party ---------------------53 ---------233745
The Socialist Alternative -----------0---------------- 508
UK Independence Party -------------0 -----------11672

Also if we did do better which my results say we didn't it would probably be down to the huge euro leafleting campaign

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We’re not just about Europe.