United Kingdom Independence Party
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In the European Parliament, the UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom decided to call former UKIP MEP Nikki Sinclaire "a queer".<ref>[http://www.theparliament.com/latest-news/article/newsarticle/eu-parliament-investigates-alleged-homophobic-attack-on-mep/ EU parliament investigates alleged 'homophobic attack' on MEP], TheParliament.com</ref> | In the European Parliament, the UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom decided to call former UKIP MEP Nikki Sinclaire "a queer".<ref>[http://www.theparliament.com/latest-news/article/newsarticle/eu-parliament-investigates-alleged-homophobic-attack-on-mep/ EU parliament investigates alleged 'homophobic attack' on MEP], TheParliament.com</ref> | ||
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| + | It has been reported that UKIP leader Nigel Farage supports Father [[Tadeusz Rydzyk]], a Polish priest who has been described as both homophobic and antisemitic and who said of the election of the first openly gay Polish MP "the sodomites are coming; this is a very serious matter".<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/dec/15/nigel-farage-ukip-anti-gay-groups Nigel Farage heads for row over Ukip's anti-gay allies], ''The Guardian'', 15 December 2012</ref><ref>And reporting of this led to UKIP members going all out in a homophobic rage on forums. See [http://i50.tinypic.com/33o79yq.jpg this screenshot], for instance.</ref> | ||
===Race relations=== | ===Race relations=== | ||
Revision as of 19:48, 16 December 2012
| A guide to |
| God Save the Queen? |
The United Kingdom Independence Party (usually shortened to UKIP or Ukip, commonly pronounced "YOU-kip") is one of the UK's minor political parties. As their name implies, they want Britain to leave the European Union, and their origins were as a single issue party dedicated to that goal (although precisely what they would replace it with and how the transition would be effected is not always apparent.
A significant cross section of the British population is antipathetic towards the EU, and a moderate party presenting a half-way sensible anti-EU agenda might conceivably achieve some electoral success, but UKIP has to date avoided this trap by being careful not to convey any appearance of moderation or sensibility. Of conservative bent, they very effectively limit their appeal by espousing such things as global warming denialism, a flat tax and other policies of great concern to wealthy Wingnuts and their Astroturfed political movements. By this means they do manage to steal some votes from the Conservative Party (who are too mainstream and pro-European) and the BNP (who are too vulgar and working class, and perhaps also just a little bit too overtly racist).
UKIP does have a number of seats in the European Parliament, but make a point of never voting on anything. So that was useful, then. They also have a number of councillors. Quite how Britain's membership of the EU is to be undermined by having a UKIP member elected unopposed to Much-Dogging-in-the-Woods Parish Council has never been publicly explained.
With the Conservative Party currently being too pro-European for her, it seems Margaret Thatcher has been meeting with the leader of the party to give them tips. Seriously.[1] Dave Cameron described them in 2006 as "fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists, mostly."[2]
Contents |
Policies
Science
They are very scientifically illiterate, as demonstrated by an interview published in the Guardian, in which Christopher Monckton, their science spokesman (and now deputy leader), proposed that they would cut funding for climate science unless, as they see it, sufficient evidence should arise to change their mind on anthropogenic global warming, which he claims "large sums now squandered on addressing." In the same interview Monckton went on to say that health risks associated with excessive salt consumption are merely "unjustifiable fears" in regards to just one example. When asked on stem cell research, Monckton compared embryonic stem cell research to "the killing of very small children."[3]
Gay rights
Sensing an opportunity to attract the traditionalist wing of the Conservative Party over to UKIP, in 2012, Farage and Co. decided to strongly oppose plans to implement equal marriage rights for same-sex partners.[4][5][6]
A number of UKIP candidates have expressed some rather homophobic views, with one candidate saying gay adoption is "unhealthy"[7] and is a form of "child abuse"[8]. Another UKIP candidate has suggested that gay people should "stop complaining and start thanking straight people". Apparently gay people need to show a bit more gratitude for being born in the first place.[9]
In the European Parliament, the UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom decided to call former UKIP MEP Nikki Sinclaire "a queer".[10]
It has been reported that UKIP leader Nigel Farage supports Father Tadeusz Rydzyk, a Polish priest who has been described as both homophobic and antisemitic and who said of the election of the first openly gay Polish MP "the sodomites are coming; this is a very serious matter".[11][12]
Race relations
To quote Paul Wiffen, the former UKIP London chairman:
You Left-wing scum are all the same, wanting to hand our birthright to Romanian gypsies who beat their wives and children into begging and stealing money they can gamble with, Muslim nutters who want to kill us and put us all under medieval Sharia law, the same Africans who sold their Afro-Caribbean brothers into a slavery that Britain was the first to abolish.[13]
UKIP's contributions to the 2010 UK General Election
- Having a candidate die too close to the election, forcing a by-election at a later date.
- Nigel Farage being flown around in a light aircraft towing a banner on election day: the plane crashed injuring pilot and passenger.
- Nicking enough votes from the Tories' troglodyte wing to significantly reduce the number of seats the Tories won - possibly depriving them of a clear majority - thus driving Dave into Nick's arms.[14]
UKIP and the BNP
The BNP hate UKIP for stealing their anti-EU thunder and devoted considerable effort in UKIP's early days to messing them up. Fortunately, UKIP were sufficiently incompetent to do quite a good job all on their own. At least UKIP aren't racists by policy (just passively by culture).[15] UKIP and BNP stated policies are very similar,[16] the difference being that the BNP are Nazi chancers and UKIP are horribly sincere about everything.
Criticism
Amongst the party's current critics is its original founder Alan Sked, who called it "morally dodgy" accused it of focusing too much on opposing Islam and immigration rather than on other issues such as the current economic climate.[17]
In 2012 the council of Rotherham decided to take two children away from their foster parents on the grounds that the latter belonged to a racist party - in actuality, UKIP. The move was condemned on both left and right.[18]
UKIP is also one of the only parties to receive substantial criticism on aesthetic grounds, largely as a result of its unfortunate decision to pick fuchsia as an official colour. Reading their garish, multicoloured campaign material[19] can cause temporary blindness.
It's also probably worth some serious thought that UKIP is an anti-EU party, with seats in the EU Parliament. It may very well be the case that UKIP is just a bunch of hipster trolls.
In 2010, Lord Pearson, then a UKIP leader, told voters in Somerset to avoid UKIP candidates and vote for Conservatives instead. It's quite a feat when your own Lords are telling people not to vote for you...[20]
Footnotes
- ↑ http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/alexsingleton/100068746/exclusive-thatcher-advised-ukip-on-party-morale/
- ↑ http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/oct/07/theresa-may-cat-ukip-leader
- ↑ UKIP answers questions about its science policy
- ↑ Gay marriage row: Ukip plans to derail David Cameron, The Guardian, 12 December 2012
- ↑ http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/12/12/uk-independence-party-aims-to-exploit-tory-equal-marriage-divide/ UK Independence Party aims to exploit Tory equal marriage divide], PinkNews
- ↑ ‘No intention to support same-sex marriage’ says UKIP, PinkNews
- ↑ UKIP By-election candidate: Gay people should not be allowed to adopt, PinkNews
- ↑ UKIP Culture Spokesman: Same-sex adoption is ‘child abuse’, PinkNews
- ↑ UKIP candidate suggested gays ‘stop complaining and start thanking straight people’, PinkNews
- ↑ EU parliament investigates alleged 'homophobic attack' on MEP, TheParliament.com
- ↑ Nigel Farage heads for row over Ukip's anti-gay allies, The Guardian, 15 December 2012
- ↑ And reporting of this led to UKIP members going all out in a homophobic rage on forums. See this screenshot, for instance.
- ↑ London chairman of Ukip suspended over racist remarks, Evening Standard
- ↑ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/ukip/7693877/General-Election-2010-Ukip-challenge-cost-Tories-a-Commons-majority.html
- ↑ However, note how Robert Kilroy-Silk was elected as a UKIP MEP in 2004 (he later left the party). Yes, that Robert Kilroy-Silk.
- ↑ UKIP and the BNP - What's the difference? (Symon Hill, Ekklesia, 25 Mar 2010)
- ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/11/26/ukip-founder-alan-sked-morally-dodgy_n_2190987.html
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20476654
- ↑ In this example they invoke the spirit of Winston Churchill, who is famous for going into Europe.
- ↑ UKIP asks voters in Somerset to back the Tories, BBC News