So Nigel “Thirsty”
Farage and his fellow saloon bar proper-uppers have scored a three figure
number of council seats from Thursday’s local elections. Is anyone even
slightly down-hearted at this news? You are? You shouldn’t be: with elections
to the European Parliament (EP) next year, and a General Election the year
after, this is an ideal time for the Farage fringe to get itself a taste of
power.
Because, unlike the power wielded by the Fourth Estate,
which got itself in such a tizzy over how to approach UKIP’s new-found
popularity, getting elected comes with something called responsibility. And
here is where Nige and his pals have every opportunity to come unstuck, because
they have to apply themselves to these jobs if they are to make a success of
them.
But, you may point out, UKIP already has a number of MEPs,
and this must come with responsibility, surely? Think again. Even when the Farage
fan club bothers to turn up at the EP, they frequently don’t make it through
the day. And if they do, this often involves spending some of the session fast
asleep. Much of the time they don’t pay attention to what is being debated.
You find this difficult to take in? It shouldn’t be: the
whole modus operandi of UKIP is to tell anyone who will listen that the EP, as
part of the EU, is rubbish. The average UKIP MEP devotes most of his or her
activity at the EP towards churning out press releases, telling the press why
whatever has been passed that day is an affront to UK sovereignty and puts us
one step nearer to that mythical superstate.
Those MEPs tell how the EP is a colossal waste of money, but
then claim every last Euro in expenses – Farage himself has set the example
here – and leave for home at the end of every week having done very little by
comparison with their counterparts from the mainstream parties. And because
they’re so far removed from the voters, they get away with it.
Serving on the local council is at the polar opposite: there
can be no hiding behind the usual platitudes about how Johnny Foreigner is
imposing straight bananas on unsuspecting Brits. Voters will want to know about
their priorities for schools, the fire service, waste disposal, environmental
standards, noise nuisance, potholes in side streets, pub and club licensing,
and more.
And if those UKIP councillors fail to get off their
backsides and apply themselves, the news will be quickly spread by the other parties,
local press, bloggers, and ultimately the broadcasters and the nationals will
be on to them. Euro-excuses and press releases blaming “Eurocrats” will not
suffice. So don’t think of UKIP’s success this week as anything but A Very Good
Thing.
Because when the voters rumble them, they won’t trust them
again. Ever.
3 comments:
You missed getting elected to the European Parliament on a promise to get the worst possible deal for Britain. Well, that's what it amounts to.
Hmm, don't be so sure. Here in Northern Ireland, people vote for bigoted parties regardless of the fact they have shown themselves to be deficient.
When you said "Because when the voters rumble them, they won’t trust them again. Ever," don't forget that this has been said by all three of the main parties in the last two decides. We have already firmly predicated the Conservatives would never return to power after the post-Thatcher farce, Labour would never return to power after the credit crunch, and the Lib Dems would be wiped out after going into coalition with the Tories. One has been proved wrong, one is well of the way to being proved wrong, and one is beginning to be proved wrong. Never underestimate the power of goldfish memory.
This is an unpredictable situation, without any precedent. The change in the Lib Dems' status from a party of status to a party of government will doubtless have a far-reaching effect on the political landscape - we just don't know what. Really, the only long-term prediction anyone can make with any credibility is "We'll see".
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