Sod what Olly Neville said. It’s what it says about UKIP as a party that’s interesting.
Yes, most of UKIP are opposed to gay marriage. The party is largely composed of right wingers, people with conservative values. We knew all of this. If, like me, you support gay marriage, then UKIP’s position is wrong.
This evening, with the chairman of Young Independence (UKIP’s youth branch) Olly Neville seems to have been ousted because he expressed a view in favour of gay marriage, and he also said some critical things about the European Parliament elections (at least according the screenshot in this tweet from @MShapland supposedly of an e-mail to Neville from Party Chairman Stephen Crowther). The reaction on Twitter has been rather predictable – ooooh look at UKIP – they are so malevolent to be kicking people out as a result of their prejudice!
But what do other political parties, those mainstream parties so disliked by Farage and UKIP, do to their rebellious youth branches? The Tories have twice – in 1998 (The Young Conservatives), and 1986 (Federation of Conservative Students)* – abolished their youth wing, a point that seems to have been missed by Louise Mensch. Labour, most recently over top-up fees, has often viewed Labour Students as a pest. So UKIP, this anti-party party, is behaving like the mainstream they claim to hate.
It was only yesterday in The Guardian that Nigel Farage was saying he would “rather have a party of eccentrics than bland, ghastly people”. Presumably that’s only eccentrics that obey the party line, Nigel, is it?
* – thanks @mk270 for pointing this one out to me on Twitter
@ Richard
On thing I noticed about the UK is that people tend to speak over each other, backing their side with so called polls which (ironically) favor their own position. Polls and statistics tend to be politicized and multiple institutions with their own slant post polls. On one hand it is better, then say American politics, where no polls and statistics are used at all. But on the other hand, it creates bias and misdirection which adds further propaganda and rhetoric.
However, time always who is actually right. And it seems that you are wrong and the rising UKIP is an example of that.
As far as the rest of comment goes, it is pretty laughable that you believe Cameron is “right wing.” The left has moved the center for quite a long time.
It is possible that someone could believe in socialist policies and not believe in mass immigration. In fact the only way you could even have socialism is through very strict to no immigration.
But I do believe that the Front National is bringing France on the right track.
We have very different ideas of what the “right track is” I’m sure.
However, time will tell. Those countries that continue on the path will destroy themselves while others will become better (i.e. Switzerland). European countries are at the end of the road with these policies and people are starting to wake up.
I realise that having the populace have a say is forbidden in the EU and politics generally, you are afreadi of the people and now that they would vote against calling a civil partnership that isn’t between a man and a woman a marriage.
Why so fussed about the word, civil partnerships grante the same rights and is all that the state should be concerned about. Next you’ll be forcing religious groups to perform religious services against their creeds. A sad world you and those lie you are creating
“Farage is right on gay marriage, the majority dont want it, cant be bothered with the lefties trying to hoist it on us”
This would be why opinion polls consistently show overwhelming public support for it, including a majority that think the government should not stop the CofE from having gay marriages if it so wished. Also amused at the idea of Cameron being a lefty but then given that Godfrey Bloom thinks the French National Front are socialists….
UKIP support at record high = poorly composed story meant to embarrass the party. As one commenter aptly states: ‘He was an interim anyway, Farage is right on gay marriage, the majority dont want it, cant be bothered with the lefties trying to hoist it on us, what we want is strong pro working family government not bean crunching sandal wearing lefties which we have now.’
Now. Shall we get back to real issues.