ukip

Tories take on UKIP’s policies to win UKIP voters. Vote Labour!

8th May 2017 Socialist Action 0

By Ian Richardson

The run up to the local elections on 4 May saw a clarification in Theresa May’s election strategy – or more accurately Lynton Crosby’s strategy: a pitch to mop up the UKIP vote by rebranding the Tories as the anti-European, ‘hard Brexit’ and anti-immigration party. Her ‘strong and stable’ mantra is of course chiefly inflected against the alleged ‘dangers’ presented by a Labour-led coalition government, but it also works as a banner for a reinvented hard right Tory party that promises to drive through a full and thorough Brexit.

Labour needs to confront UKIP’s agenda

31st May 2015 Socialist Action 0


The following article by Barry Gray, on Labour’s response to UKIP’s rise, originally appeared on Left Futures.

In the wake of UKIP’s electoral advance, both at this year’s General Election and last year’s European Parliament election, the Labour Party has come under growing pressure, from inside and outside its own ranks, to adapt to UKIP’s anti-immigrant and English nationalist agenda.

How to fight UKIP

8th May 2014 Socialist Action 0

By Jo Mullins

UKIP and its politics are dominating the forthcoming European and local elections. In part this reflects the coverage of the mainstream media who have assiduously promoted its racist agenda. But it also reflects the unwillingness of the main parties to challenge UKIP politically. In politics whoever sets the agenda wins.

Labour has nothing to gain from concessions to UKIP

20th February 2014 Socialist Action 0

By Paul Roberts

There is no significant electoral threat to Labour from UKIP. The real danger arises from adaption to its politics.

The balance of support of Britain’s political parties, confirmed by opinion polls and actual voting, including last week’s Wythenshawe and Sale East by-election, indicates Labour remains on course to become the largest party at next year’s general election. This is being achieved on the back of divisions on the right between the Tories and UKIP plus disgust at Lib Dem acquiescence with the Tories.

Photo by jon smith

The right turn in politics and crisis of the Tory party

24th May 2013 Socialist Action 0

By Jane West

No one should underestimate the depth of the crisis now confronting the Tory Party, which has snow-balled from the moment in January that Cameron conceded to the Eurosceptic wing of his party and made a pledge for an in-out referendum on Europe if the Tories won in 2015.

This was an enormous miscalculation, undoing all the work that Cameron had done in turning the Tory Party towards the centreground in British politics with his mantra that ‘banging on’ about Europe had alienated the voters.