#UKIP – A Few Niggling Doubts

Let me first of all say I’ve been a UKIP supporter since after the last General Election. Our mate Cameron started to make fundamental changes which he never said he would (Top down NHS reform, Decimation of the armed forces etc). Basically, as a Tory supporter all my life I felt let down by them. UKIP stand for everything I believe, so since 2011 I’ve supported Mr Farage and his merry brand of Brits, I’ve even been to a few local UKIP meetings. In that time we’ve seen UKIP support consistently growing, getting bigger and bigger all the time. I still support them, but more and more I wonder if their popularity could ultimately  be their (and the country’s) downfall.

Europe

UKIP’s primary reason for existing is to get us out of Europe something I support. I’m proud that along with a little Yankee help this small country of ours has been the liberator of our continental cousins on two occasions. The sacrifices of our brave heroes on the battlefields of Europe must never be forgotten both by ourselves and the rest of Europe.

I don’t subscribe to the theory that we might have won the war, but we are losing the peace, and that Germany is now ruling the roost through the back door of the EU. Believe it or not I am not anti-Europe but I’m vehemently opposed to any of our laws, rules, defences or controls of our sovereignty being given over to Europe.

I want the UK to trade with our nearest neighbours but I definitely don’t want a single currency or our laws being made by faceless bureaucrats in Brussels or Strasbourg. I’m not old enough to remember Ted Heath taking us into the ‘Common Market’, but fair game, we did have a referendum over it. What I am positive of though is that most Brits who voted then, thought the vote was about joining a common market not forming a United States of Europe, which is what it’s become.

I don’t think wanting to keep control of your borders, your armed forces, your laws, your sovereignty and even your imperial measures is a sign of being either a racist or a little Englander. It’s just proof that you are proud of being an island race, proud of your culture and history and want to remain resolutely British. This is essentially UKIP’s mantra, and I support exit from Europe wholeheartedly. Europe will still trade with us whether we’re in the EU or not, we’ll still holiday there, we just won’t operate under their dictates.

Immigration and Asylum

This country has a proud tradition of inviting and welcoming other nationalities to join us and in fact I truly believe we are the most tolerant and welcoming nation in the World. This proud tradition extends to providing a safe haven for those fleeing persecution and long may that continue. Nigel Farage recently pushed the Government to take our share of Syrian refugees, which proves my point, UKIP aren’t a racist party. Of course it is true that in recent years through our chaotic immigration controls, we have let in people who are playing the system or abusing our hospitality but I would never want us to turn away genuine refugees.

What has gone wrong has been the unfettered, uncontrolled opening of our borders to all and sundry, to an extent where our infrastructure can’t cope, the NHS, social services, housing and education are all splitting at the seams with the population growth in a time of austerity. UKIP advocate controlled immigration to alleviate these problems, I agree, don’t shut the door, but only let in those who will benefit our economy, much like Australia does, nobody calls the Australians a bunch of racists for controlling who enters their country so why should we be classed in that way?

So again, with regards to immigration and asylum seekers I agree with UKIP and trust them to stick to what they say, unlike the other parties.

The Lunatics

UKIP has many members who are passionate about it’s policies and it’s common sense approach, which is great, just what I’m looking for. However it does have its share of ‘lunatics’, these are the people who the press and the other parties jump on to discredit UKIP. What’s worse is there appears to be yet another one appearing every week. They give the wrong impression of the party - or is it the right one ? I’m beginning to wonder !! Nigel Farage has said he wants to clamp down on the “Walter Mitty characters” that too often make UKIP look like a care home for fruitcakes. I’m afraid ““Walter Mitty characters” is too kindly, Nigel.              

Most famous was Godfrey Bloom. Remember the whole “Bongo Bongo Land” outburst and comments about women cleaning behind the fridge. His latest was asking a disabled student at Oxford if he was Richard III, the medieval king with a deformed spine. Bloom is not a Walter Mitty character, he is pond life in a bow tie.

Then there was UKIP Councillor David Silvester who wrote a letter to his local newspaper saying that the deluge of floods was caused because of David Cameron’s successful move to change the law about same-sex marriage. Fruit loop !!

Cast your mind back twelve months to Geoffrey Clark, this is the guy who suggested compulsory abortion in order to bring down the deficit. Another nut job tarnishing the UKIP name and cause.

Then, the most recent – and potentially most damaging – the issue of Mujeeb Bhutto, A man who served as UKIP's Commonwealth spokesman for a year and is the former leader of a kidnapping gang in Pakistan. Bhutto's gang were behind a high-profile kidnapping in Karachi in 2004 and he then took a £56,000 ransom payment in Manchester. In 2005, Bhutto admitted being the gang's "boss" and was jailed for seven years by a UK court. It’s not like UKIP could plead ignorance to this. He may have now resigned but the media have leapt on him therefore soiling the UKIP name further.

Yes, it is better to root out the "loonies" early than to tolerate them only for them to bring the party into disrepute later on. However it’s getting closer to the General Election and they’re still coming out the woodwork. It would be a tragedy if UKIP’s common sense credo were derailed by a gaggle of loony bins like this lot.

A Vote for UKIP is a vote for Labour

This is my biggest concern of all with UKIP. The party and its supporters are largely made up of disillusioned Tories like myself. Admittedly the meetings I’ve been to have had a lot of ex Labour voters there however predominantly its ex-Tory.

My big fear is come the General Election next year, UKIP will split the Conservative vote to a point where neither get in, leaving the door wide open for another Labour Government. This would be a catastrophe for the economy, especially the anti-business rhetoric coming out of Labour at present, penalising high achievers with the higher tax rate, talk of taxing businesses on turnover instead of profit, not forgetting the Unions getting a foot hold back in Number Ten.

I’m confident there is nothing remotely mad about UKIP’s belief that the future of Britain should be decided by the British, that’s a given.

So this is my issue, do I stick with UKIP as they match my beliefs and end up tainted with the loony brush and a Labour government for the next five years, or do I listen to Cameron and his insistence that we’ll have an EU in/out referendum when the country can speak.

A big decision and a year to decide?    The clock’s ticking !!