Ukip in crisis: Nigel Farage could resign again

Another stellar performance by Monsieur Fromage.
The more he appears on TV, the more votes the Establishment loses.

"Clacton was previously estimated by Revolt on the Right authors Matthew Goodwin and Robert Ford to be the most Ukip-friendly seat in the country (economically deprived, elderly, white, anti-immigrant) and tonight's poll vindicates that judgement. While Carswell's strong personal following has helped, 57 per cent of Ukip supporters say they are voting that way because they "like Ukip", compared to 34 per cent who say they "like Carswell" and 9 per cent who say they are casting a protest vote. Expect these figures to be cited by those who argue that the former Tory MP has cynically jumped ship in order to avoid defeat next year. Immigration is by far the main concern for Ukip voters (57 per cent), followed by the EU (13 per cent) and the cost of living (6 per cent)."

www.newstatesman.com/politics/2014/08/ukip-44-points-ahead-tories-clacton-election-poll

Carswell has ruled himself out as a possible leader for UKIP as far as I know and i think that is a good thing because Carswell couldn't inspire or get enough ordinary people to vote for him. His ideas are too highbrow and he doesn't share the instincts of the people who vote UKIP.

Farage, on the other hand, is exceptional and that is why he has been able to transform UKIP from a fringe party to Britain's 3rd largest party. If the Establishment don't succeed in finishing UKIP and if Farage is still in charge in 2020 then UKIP will be a huge threat to Labour and possibly the Conservatives too if they mess up during their 5 years.

'The Conservatives will not get any short money - it's only for opposition parties. '

Thanks, I didn't know that. Are the Greens taking their short money?

'Since it relates to supporting parliamentary activities, it wouldn't be appropriate for e.g. UKIP to use it for other purposes.'

Is it against the rules to employ 15 staff to do research etc?

'I'm amazed you didn't know who your MP was, when you seem very interested in politics.'

I like politics but I don't particularly care about the individuals. I vote for policies and parties. I didn't know who my UKIP candidate was or who my Tory MP was until a poster said that her UKIP candidate was an Elvis impersonator. I googled it and found that he was my candidate too and that was when I discovered who my Tory MP was, whom I had never heard of in all these years. I don't vote for them because they are good people, I vote for parties.

'Have you become politically engaged after reading that UKIP book?'

I haven't read the book. I don't get enough time to read whole books. I just flip through the net when I get time. I have liked politics since Thatcher was in power.

'What are the chances of the authors predicting UKIP success in Clacton and the existing Clacton MP defecting to UKIP?'

I read somewhere that they gave a seminar in Parliament and Carswell was there and heard them say that his seat was the most UKIP friendly. However, I think Carswell does have principles and believes in them, so it made sense for him to follow his beliefs and to defect at that time. But I don't think Carswell will do too well in UKIP because it strikes me that he does not share enough of the same instincts as most of the people who vote UKIP. But time will tell.

I know he won for the Tories, but in general Essex is Tory.

The authors of 'Revolt on the Right' predicted that Clacton was the most UKIP friendly seat in the country and that was before Carswell defected. I think Carswell and the Tories would have lost the seat. I personally don't believe that the majority of voters vote for an MP, but for a party. I didn't even know who my MP was until last week and I think there are lots of voters like me who don't pay attention to individuals but to parties instead.

'I'm sure 'ordinary people' would approve of his refusal to waste public funds unnecessarily. It would be somewhat 'metropolitan elite' to grab it all.'

I don't and I am sure many UKIP voters don't because our party will not receive that money while Establishment parties will receive the short money which will help them defeat us. We are 4 million voters and the Conservatives and Labour are about 11 million each. I think it is arrogant of idealistic head in the clouds Carswell to decide not to take short money which will help the party when the Conservatives and Labour will get their money.

“No one is bigger than the party..."

When it comes to UKIP, that's not really true, is it?

True, because without Farage there is no party because Farage alone appeals to millions of voters and by 2020 it will be millions more than now. Banks and Desmond understand that and Wheeler (who said he would rejoin the Tories if Boris was leader) doesn't seem to understand that.

Richard Desmond says he supports Farage 101%. Fantastic, he has given £1 million to UKIP.

'But why should he throw himself on the mercy of what will almost certainly be a hand picked anti UKIP audience'

They are always like that and will always be like that because the Establishment has to try and stop UKIP. UKIP will never get an easy time of it and the media would walk all over Carswell, Suzanne Evans or O'Flynn. Only Farage, Diane James and Paul Nuttall have the courage to face them down.

'I think he should not have withdrew his resignation but took the summer to think about it and come back for re-election. Don't know who advised him otherwise.'

I think the serious millionaires who have backed UKIP want no one but Farage. They have put millions into UKIP and they don't want to see their money go down the drain e.g Arron Banks.

'My bet is he'll withdraw'

I hope he turns up and comes out fighting. Without Farage, UKIP is finished.

Notice that the media have only been showing us millionaire Stuart Wheeler who wants Farage to go They haven't put millionaire Arron Banks on TV who supports Farage.

Arron Banks is very good and spot on. He is common sense, UKIP. We want people who are UKIP through and through, not politically correct ex-Tories.

"Exclusive: Ukip donor Arron Banks calls for Douglas Carswell, Suzanne Evans and Patrick O’Flynn to leave the party
...
Banks has called on Douglas Carswell, Suzanne Evans and Patrick O’Flynn, the three main figures who do not want Farage to remain as leader, to be thrown out of the party.

“Everyone who's been involved with it should go,” Banks tells the New Statesman. “It's not very edifying and I don't believe these people should have our support. There's a proper way to do things and we don't do things this way.”

Banks is particularly furious at Suzanne Evans, the author of Ukip’s manifesto who Farage had recommended to be interim leader over the summer and many had assumed would eventually succeed Farage.

“It reflects very poorly on her - this is not the way to do things. Particularly with the party membership, all of this will be frowned upon,” he said. “It's very disappointing – I think yet again maybe someone has got a little bit above themselves. It's a party isn't it and they can't just take over. No one's disputing there's probably some change needed after the election but this is not the way to do it. They should all go on holiday.”

Banks also attacked Douglas Carswell, who he described as viewing himself as “God’s appointed representative” of the campaign to leave the EU and “probably doesn't relish the idea of Nigel being there as well.

.”Carswell’s opposition to accepting the full £650,000 of Short Money that Ukip are entitled to after the general election incited fury among many in the party who believed that the party needed the money to represent the four million who voted for Ukip last week.

“He's shown his intention that he's prepared to do that type of thing and for that reason I'd rather have no MPs than one whose interests don't like with Ukip,” Banks said. “No one is bigger than the party and the kind of shenanigans that are going on don't give me any confidence.”

O’Flynn – “a jumped up little bloke who think he's going to be the next party leader” - didn’t escape Banks’ wrath either. “The thought that Patrick O'Flynn could take over from Nigel Farage is just ridiculous,” he said, likening seeing him on TV to “watching paint dry”.

“Patrick would be well-advised to sit on Nigel's knee and learn,”he continued. “When you've got a ten out of ten, someone like Patrick O'Flynn is probably a five out of ten - it shows him up.”

www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/05/exclusive-ukip-donor-arron-banks-calls-douglas-carswell-suzanne-evans-and-patrick-o

I think Patrick O'Flynn is extremely arrogant to go to the press and criticise Farage like he did. I think he will lose the vote of UKIP voters over time now.

I think Carswell's victory was much more down to the fact that he represented UKIP than being about Carswell. UKIP is about common sense and Carswell isn't. He is an idealist with his head in the clouds about edemocracy etc. and he doesn't have the personality to appeal to large numbers of ordinary people.

'How did Carswell/UKIP win the seat if Carswell's appeal is actually to the 'metropolitan elite'?'

Because the voters there are generally right of centre working class people. But they prefer UKIP to the Conservatives in general because UKIP s more for ordinary people.

Today we have had this

"Moment BBC's Assistant Political Editor flounders after accidentally calling Nigel Farage a c* during live broadcast as he discusses Ukip's in-fighting

Norman Smith accidentally said there's a 'personality c*' at head of Ukip"

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3081492/Moment-BBC-s-deputy-political-editor-flounders-accidentally-calling-Nigel-Farage-c-live-broadcast-discusses-Ukip-s-fighting.html

OK I think I have understood the game. The Establishment want Farage out and they don't want him on TV wiping the floor with Clegg, Cameron and all the rest during the run up to the EU Referendum debates. Stuart Wheeler said he thinks UKIP need someone with a softer approach.

If they get rid of Farage and put Carswelll or O'Flynn up against Clegg and Cameron, then UKIP will lose and the Establishment will win the Referendum.

It is existential, teenager advisers hope Farage will be toppled and the media are giving it full publicity to put the pressure on.

'feck em'

Can we try and treat UKIP voters with some respect please?

"Vote Tory where we can't win, says Farage: Ukip leader calls on backers to 'use their votes as wisely as they can'

He said he wanted to see Tories end up as largest party in the Commons
Mr Farage said the ‘stakes are very high’ in HIS South Thanet constituency
PM last week urged Ukip supporters to ‘come home’ to Conservatives"

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3036241/Vote-Tory-t-win-says-Farage-Ukip-leader-calls-backers-use-votes-wisely-can.html

"Labour figures have admitted they underestimated the threat from Ukip, after it emerged that Nigel Farage’s party may have deprived Labour of victory in many seats in last week’s election"

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-figures-admit-underestimating-ukip-threat-cost-them-seats-in-the-general-election-10245479.html