to think it proves lots of people want change

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That ukip are making such huge gains in the elections.
If mnetters could temper their hysteria of screaming racism, I think it is a clear indication that the fundamental principals of the party of no toEurope and no to continued mass immigration are very important to a lot of people

I totally agree. It does seem a lot of people want change, which I have to say good on them.

Many people are openly voting UKIP this time as a deliberate protest vote; they have lost faith in the three major parties and their leading politicians because they don't appear to listen to major concerns, which seem to be the increasing influence of Europe, rising immigration, house prices and over development of rural areas,(views heard while canvassing for local councillor). Unfortunately many UKIP candidates have little local knowledge or experience of local politics; many prospective UKIP voters do not even know the name of their local candidate, let alone their track record. This is definitely a wake-up call.

YANBU. I suspect that some UKIP voters don't actually want us to leave Europe, but as they know that's not going to happen any time soon anyway, it's still a safe way to vote against so much immigration and money spent on foreign aid.

YABU. It just proves that there are a lot of people so pig-thick and/or amoral that they'd vote for a party of hate and blame. They need a combination of either a decent education, an assessment for sociopathy or some sort of psychiatric treatment, not the vote.

Oxford what should people do if they are unhappy with how things are then.

I think lots of people want someone to blame.

Rather a hysterical vitriolic over-reaction oxfordbags........(and no, I don't support UKIP)

NOT vote UKIP, puppyfat! It's not like the only choice is Conservative, Labour OR a party that would do stuff like make rape legal within marriage.

BMW, can you explain how anyone intelligent with a normal level of basic empathy could vote for a party like UKIP? I mean, apart from them having something deeply inadequate about their personality. There's nothing more hysterical than voting for UKIP.

Anyone who thinks what I wrote was OTT should really look into what UKIP believes in, and what they would do if they got into power, and into the background of Nogel Farage and his crew, and THEN come back and opine on how 'hysterical' my comment was. Because you'd then be telling me I wasn't harsh enough, believe me.

I'm not a UKIP supporter at all but I can understand why some people would need to make a protest vote.

Hear hear

I don't question people's right to an opinion, however, I do think that in so many cases it is ill informed and based on a lack of knowledge and led by scaremongering. Just because a lot of people have the same opinion really doesn't mean that it isn't xenophobic or misognistic in nature.

Oops my hear hear was to Oxfordbags comment.

They should vote for the Green Party or someone else then, puppyfat. Not vote for a bunch of racists, homophobes, misogynists, bigots and all-round thick, kneejerk tinfoil-hatters. 'Protest vote' is no excuse for demeaning yourself to vote for scum.

I think it shows how little voters understand what parties actually stand for OR the benefits of the EU and aid

it's for other parties to explain this better

protest votes are common in EU and local elections - it rarely transfers to the big one! I remember when the BNP had big gains ...

I wonder how many of the people voting UKIP as a "protest" vote have actually contacted their MPs in the past and shared their views and thoughts on upcoming policy decisions. My guess is that most of them have only ever ranted over the breakfast table and not engaged with anyone other than family/friends. Given that it only takes a couple of minutes to fire off an email using one of the several websites available, there is very little excuse for not engaging with politicians or making your voice heard. When you've done that, and there is no change, that is the time for protesting. A "protest" vote for a party with no policies and no vision other than a dislike of foreigners, Europe, women and poor people, is not really a protest at all.

Its a party for thickies.

There are a lot of thickies about.

I think it's dangerous to dismiss them as thickies ...they appeal to people who want simple answers and quick solutions

this includes people too lazy or not interested in finding out facts and thinking about things more deeply

Unemployed? - well we'll send back all the Polish and you can do their jobs - because you all want low waged cleaning and fruit picking jobs. Overseas Aid ...we'll absorb that back into the general spending budget where it will have cock all impact but it looks good on paper ....EU - fuck em - we'll leave and all the British working in the EU will lose the right to work there ...so come home and take all the jobs you thought you where going to get ....

My view here is that the self serving career politicians who are more concerned with screwing as much out of the system for personal gain are to blame for this shift. The SNP swept into power in Scotland for the same reasons - the voting system here was specifically set up to avoid a majority party like the SNP has now, and it's mainly down to people looking for/needing an alternative to the main parties. The SNP, for all it's flaws, at least is working for the Scottish people and are pretty tuned into general views/opinions/issues.

Unfortunately for the rest of the UK, UKIP appears to be the only alternative (I cannot stand what they stand for, Farage is a twat IMO and could be very dangerous if he got a sniff of actual power). The current/recent batch of Westminster MPs have turned a lot of people off main stream politics because there is no real effort to see things from the point of view of ordinary people. Big business seems to get their ear easy enough. The number of politicians who look after their own vested interests before the country is sickening IMO.

The rot set in with the expenses stuff. Maria Miller's more recent issues highlight just how little has changed and how it's not even about what's right or wrong, but how far you can spin things to try and get away with what your average voter could not. That's a big part of what is pushing people to make this protest vote. And every single one of those mainstream parties/politicians should take this seriously and start to actually listen to people.

Totally with oxfordbags
UKIP are racist, sexist, vile
I don't know how any woman could vote for them. Let alone anyone who has a mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, niece, grandmother, female friend etc
Reading on another friend how apparently Farage is for 'us' because he smokes fags and likes a pint.
Even if I still smoked or liked a pint, he wouldn't be for me, because I'm not an utter cunt.
It is not a protest or an alternative vote, to vote for a 'party' who want to privatise the NHS, ban maternity leave, and think rape within marriage isn't rape. It's a sick vote.
The real criminals are the British media who have given this vile man and this monstrous party more coverage than any of the other parties - this is party with no MP!!! Craziness.

I live in South Wales where the count hasn't taken place so bear in mind I don't know the results yet. However I do expect UKIP to make significant gains and I think its awful. I live in an area which the last census said was over 99% white, yet the xenophobia and racism is hideous. Also, living in a very poor area we have greatly benefitted from huge European funded projects which provide vital infrastructure. My community benefits massively from its relationship with Europe as we have a disproportionate reliance on public sector jobs-many of which created using European convergence funding.

I will never understand those from my area who vote UKIP, in my situation its like the Turkey who votes for Christmas.

UKIP are ghastly, but I do agree the other parties should make more effort to stand up for what they believe in rather than running scared. It wouldn't be hard to stand up and say 'these are the advantages of being in the EU, it's not perfect by any means but leaving would be a disaster for us'. Or 'this is why immigration (up to a certain limit) is a really good thing for the UK'. But no one will do that, apart from Nick Clegg who no one listens to any more.

It seems I live in UKIP heartlands now.

I stand by my thickie comment but yes gordie I agree with you on the people looking for simplistic answers etc.

YABU. This is a really sad day for England, if a quarter of its population think that a motley bunch of charlatans and bigots are the best to represent our people and champion their interests. If you don't like the current political system, it is plain stupid to vote for something much worse as a protest. Shame, shame on everyone who voted UKIP.

I agree with Gordy - it's too simplistic to brand people as thick/ignorant. There is a real problem with Westminster politics right now, and the efforts put into spin and avoiding issues as opposed to actually tackling them while actually listening to people instead are why we are facing the likes of UKIP tapping into the anxieties of people just now.

Food banks - it's as plain as day that government policies over benefit sanctions they brought in are largely to blame for the explosion in the use because people are being cut off with no other avenue to go down. Yet you still have politicians protesting at the collective stance being taken by church groups or charities by arguing that people themselves are to blame for needing to use food banks instead cos they are all just a bit too dim to budget properly/are to feckless to know how to prioritise food over booze n fags etc.

Politicians are only interested in spinning their own agenda, and not listening to people.