Iain Dale, in an unusual departure from his normally relatively unbiased blogging, has tried to implicate some sort of link between the BNP and UKIP.
Now this is nothing new – even the BNP do it – but the “link” is a non-issue.
Basically, the BNP has listed UKIP candidates who are standing in constituencies the BNP aren’t contesting and are encouraging BNP supporters to vote UKIP in their stead. Iain this morning posted to his blog that he would be revealing “further links” between the BNP and UKIP … and this was it. UKIP aren’t returning the favour and they haven’t made any statement about the BNPs actions.
Rather than guess what the story was behind it I spoke to a senior UKIPer and asked the question directly. “They’ve done what?” he blustered. UKIP do not have any agreement with the BNP, they don’t want the support of the BNP and they don’t want any links with the BNP – express or implied.
Despite my own personal political leaning – I recently joined, and am standing in the election for, UKIP – I don’t want to turn this blog into a UKIP blog. I’m quite proud of the “non-aligned” Iain gave me last year because it means that despite my pro-English, anti-EU, “small c” conservative inclinations I have obviously managed to keep my writings objective. However, I see this as nothing more than part of the bigger Tory smear campaign against UKIP.
For those that have any doubt that the Tories are scared of UKIP consider the Conservative Party communication that I saw recently that had been sent out to party candidates with a whole section devoted to fighting an election campaign against UKIP. No other party was mentioned – not even their main rival, the Labour Party, with its well-oiled and ruthless propaganda machine.
Anyway, I’m rambling. Iain asks why would the BNP promote UKIP candidates? The answer, to me, is a simple one. The BNP have been trying to infiltrate UKIP for years – a former BNP supporter might end up inside UKIP where they might be able to be “turned”. The main threat to the BNP is the Conservatives who are, politically, the mainstream party that is closest to them. Encouraging BNP voters to vote UKIP weakens the Conservatives and strengthens UKIP. Instead of having a strong Conservative threat they end up with a weakened Conservative opposition and a strengthened UKIP opposition, neither of which are in a strong enough position but who are concentrating their efforts on each other.
You’ve got to admit, it’s a classic strategy and I’m surprised that anyone within the BNP has the gumption to come up with something like this. Iain and his fellow Conservatives might think that they’re doing damage to UKIP by continuing to try and associate UKIP with the BNP but they obviously don’t realise that ultimately they’re giving the BNP a leg up while handicapping themselves.
Edit:
One of the Conservative candidates standing against me in May is an ex-National Front youth leader and now a Tory candidate (not an ex-BNP candidate as I was previously told). Does this mean there is a link between the National Front and the Conservatives?
A whole section? Just 3 paragraphs. We get 20 page bulletins on Labour and the LibDems so don’t flatter yourselves!
UKIP Wonko? Frankly I am astonished.
Thought the English Democrats would have been more your style.
The UK is dying my friend – long live England.
There are loads of reasons why I joined UKIP. They’re anti-EU for a start and I am prepared to put money on UKIP being the first mainstream party to support an English Parliament. Why UKIP instead of the EDP? There is no EDP in Telford and I don’t know, I’ve just never felt any compulsion to join the EDP.
It’s just a case of what feels right I suppose. I spoke to quite a few people while I was thinking about joining and it took 3 months of being badgered by a UKIP person before I caved in.
Just to clarify,I have never been a BNP candidate. Indeed I have never contested an election for any party other than the Conservatives.
My mistake, I’ll edit the post.
Thanks for that. You ask the question as to whether by the same logic as outlined in your blog that there is any link between the Tories and NF and of course the answer is no. The Conservative Party utterly repudiates any form of Racism. We could go round in ever decreasing circles and ask if their is a link between Labour and the Communist Party of Great Britain for example. I have not myself seen any evidence of the Tory Party suggesting any link between UKIP and BNP. However, what is more likely is that the BNP are seeking to present themselves and UKIP as being, if you like, “fellow travellers” in the sense that there are some areas of policy agreement. They used to do the same thing with the Tories by trying to claim that many of their members held dual membership of both parties-utter nonsense but a tactic possibly effective in seducing one or two of the disillusioned from the other party into signing up with the BNP and keeping its poisonous agenda hidden. The biggest obstacles to a BNP breakthrough are really UKIP and the Tories. Wherever either UKIP (such a at the European Elections) or the Tories are strong the BNP tends to be squeezed out. An analysis of BNP election results at local council level indicates that they tend to do well in what were hitherto safe Labour wards with a weak or non-existent opposition, a vaccum which they are only too keen to fill. The task for the mainstream, and primarily the Conservatives is to themselves fill the political vaccum in those areas without any compromise with racist sentiment. I believe it can be done and in many areas it is being done. I have no doubt that the work that the Tories have done in Telford, by for example, contesting each and every seat even in the Labour Heartland of South Telford has of itself robbed the BNP of the kind of vaccum from which they may have taken advantage.
The suggestion was tongue in cheek because Iain Dale had tried to imply a link between UKIP and BNP on the basis that the BNP had listed UKIP candidates names on their website and called on members to support them if they couldn’t support a BNP candidate.
I have nothing against the Tories, it’s just that wet lettuce in charge that’s the problem. The Tories used to be pro-English, anti-European capitalists but now they’re hug-a-hoody, anti-English, pro-EU, “green” champagne socialists like Liebour. Cameroon is a liability for the Conservatives.
I’m afraid that the Conservatives are going to continue losing members to UKIP and once UKIP get themselves an MP I predict some high profile defections.
While I am an active and committed BNP supporter, I intend to join the Conservative Party shortly. I have not changed my views on immigration or law and order, I simply recognise that joining the party that will, most likely, form the next government is the best way of gaining power and influence. I shall hide my so-called “extremism” under a cloak of moderation. Not that I will really need to do so; I have found that, at grass roots level, the views of UKIP, BNP and Conservative activists are essentially the same, anyway.