Comment at the UKIP Conference

Our Chancellor seen here signing off on last week’s budget.
Photo Credit: pdicko via Compfight cc

Earlier in the week, we asked Ben Bradshaw (Labour MP for Exeter) for his views on UKIP and he tweeted, “Europhobic socially conservative right wing party with incoherent economic policy currently boosted by protest voting”. With that in mind Exeposé Comment decided to spend the day at the UKIP Spring Conference at The University of Exeter’s own Great Hall to investigate that claim.

Throughout the day we were witness to a variety of party speakers, only one of which didn’t know the difference between the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne and  former two-time World Heavyweight Champion turned grill advocate George Foreman. Although there was no substantive mention of the word, “deficit” in any speech amid a wash of arguably half-baked environmental, transport and educational policy, it was made quite clear that, unsurprisingly, UKIP are quite vehemently anti-EU. 

We took advantage of our increasing Facebook following to ask if it was in Britain’s national interest to leave the European Union. Of those polled, 63% responded that, no, Britain’s interests in fact lie in remaining in the EU. Of the members of the audience at the conference who we interviewed, Will Himms of Somerset and Joan Martin of Cinderford both strongly disagreed.

A majority of those polled by Exeposé Comment favoured remaining within the EU.

“I like all of the countries in it, but I don’t think that it’s the right thing to try and force them all to be together”, said Will. Joan agreed and added, “I look at the state of the other countries in the EU and I don’t want that for us.” On the other hand Joel Mason, Vice President of Exeter University Liberal Democrat Society, weighed in saying, “I’m not going to argue that the EU’s perfect; far from it, it’s got many problems but I think it would be a very rash thing to overlook a lot of the benefits that we get from the EU. [Business and crime among other issues] exist across borders…we need to try to adopt a transnational approach which is what the European Union allows us to do.” It seems clear that there is a need for a degree of reform concerning our role in the EU, but the balance of cost versus reward remains unclear: are we paying too much in for little in return?

Almost three quarters of students polled agreed that a vote for UKIP is nothing more than a protest vote.

Nigel Farage was quick to dismiss UKIP’s recent surge in popularity as a protest vote, however the overwhelming response from the Exeter student community has seen it as just that. Of those polled, just 28%  believed that UKIP could now be considered a major force in British politics. We caught up with Jonno White, chairman of the Debate Society, who said in no uncertain terms that, “For the first time in a very long time the right is split in this country. [UKIP] seem to think that they can change politics…it is really a protest vote, now [the Liberal Democrats] are in government there’s no real other party to vote for in protest.” This sentiment was echoed by politics graduate Rob Owen who said, “They are a splinter group which is out of touch with most people in this country. They only have one major point in their manifesto and they will get swallowed back into the Conservatives within two years.” In a response to the aforementioned poll, UKIP sympathiser and Exeter student Nick Best stated that, “Whatever you think of their policies you cannot deny they are a major party. They are going to do very well in future elections. They have a huge impact in Tory marginals, that is a major force.”

Farage may need to extend his reach out past the stereotypical UKIP voter.
Photo Credit: Paul Russell99 via Compfight cc

UKIP were taking the opportunity at their Spring Conference to prove how diverse a political party they are, with a presentation from candidate Winston McKenzie on UKIP’s contribution to, “the black and ethnic community” and a rather oddly scripted speech from extreme-right Bulgarian MEP Slavcho “Slavi” Binev concerning his professed friendship with Farage and his promises not to, “claim benefits while here” or, “bring his horse and cart”. There was a tangible tension on the topic of immigration which might lead many to think that UKIP’s anti-EU sentiments may not come from such an economic standpoint. There was  definitely an observable demographic in the conference audience; the majority of attendees were ageing and white. The challenge for UKIP is to increase their popularity with a new generation. Until then, as seen in our own polls, younger people will arguably still consider them nothing more than a minor party.

Dave Reynolds and James Bennett, Exeposé Comment.

For further reading see  This isn’t the protest vote you’re looking for: Why we should say no to UKIP and UKIP: Filling the Void and Here to Stay. You’ve read the views of a variety of students and UKIP supporters. What, if anything, resonated with you or do you strongly disagree with? Leave a comment below or write to the Comment team at the Exeposé Comment Facebook Group.

Euroscepticism: another British quirk?

Photo credits to the European Parliament.

As UKIP makes Devon news, Features Editor Imogen Watson takes a look at euroscepticism across the rest of the European Union from her current base in France.

With the arrival of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) onto our sunny Exeter campus some might suggest there has been a darkening of the landscape in bright and shining Devon, and not just because of the rain. Whether true or not, there is some argument that perhaps there is a change of the British political scenery, and that our three main parties are now becoming four.

It is easy to get lost within the borders of your own country, however, and forget about the events and political situations abroad. We spend time looking at our British affairs and how they affect the European Union, but the vast majority gives no time to examining the political make-up of those other European countries, and how they react to EU actions.

Here in France where I currently find myself, like the UK, who is in power generally tends to alternate from a stable centre-left government to a stable centre-right one. On the whole, it is difficult for outside parties to step in and interrupt the success of these coalitions, but there is a party which has grown in success. Try not to be alarmed by the name, as it may well look familiar to you. It is the Front National. Perhaps the name Marine Le Pen also rings some bells, as it is under her leadership that the Front became much more focused in its immigration policy on the attack on Muslims for their apparent threat to the French Republic.

Whilst the Front National resembles more the British National Party than UKIP, like the BNP, it too has an anti-European Union wing, calling for the end of French involvement in the Union and a return to the Franc over the Euro. The more-equivalent party to UKIP is Mouvement pour la France (MPF) and is considered a moderately conservative party. In the 2009 European elections, however, it proved much less popular than UKIP by gaining just 4.80% of the popular vote.

Until recently, Euro-sceptic parties seemed to be scarcer in Germany, with vocal detractors coming from populist right-wing parties but in the last few months, there has been the emergence of a new party named Alternative für Deutschland (Alternative for Germany). It is a single-issue party in that it is anti-euro but not actually anti-European Union; its success is yet to be seen, but it does have some prominent supporters who worked against the Greek bail-out. No doubt it will be the state of the single currency in the run-up to the next European elections in 2014 that will decide its fate, although one in four voters appears to currently support the end of German involvement in the euro.

Euroscepticism is in existence in every country throughout the Union, and indeed has kept countries like Norway from ever joining in the first place. Every country has at least one party in favour of at least EU reform, if not complete withdrawal. Yet it is importantly more prominent in the United Kingdom than any other country and UKIP is closer to becoming a strong political force than any of its European equivalents. Simply put, why?

Quite honestly that little stretch of water – and I call it little as we have managed to branch it with a train – is key. Physically disconnected as we are from the mainland, our hearts and mindsets have never properly lain with continental Europe, and as such we have been slightly reluctant passengers in the Union, never really having grasped the chance at taking up the driving seat of Europe, to quote Eddie Izzard. Our culture differs greatly from our nearest continental neighbour, France, despite that small distance between our coast lines, and so does our politics. Even if UKIP’s ascent is just a protest vote, it is a sustained one happening over many years that does not happen “on the continent”. Just that common phrase sets up an image – they share borders, you can live in Germany and go shopping in Poland without a passport. It is an image and an attitude we are just not used to on our island.

No European countries, except perhaps France and its ever-friendly relationship with Britain, actually want the UK to leave the Union. Yet no pro-European British politician takes the time nowadays, even before the euro crisis began, to explain to the public what benefits we are actually gaining from our EU membership, instead leaving the Eurosceptics to reign supreme. The situation might well look different if someone took a moment to do so.

Imogen Watson, Online Features Editor

UKIP conference to be held on-campus

Image credit: GUZELIAN

The Spring Conference of a rejuvenated UK Independence Party will take place in the Great Hall this Saturday.

The event, which is likely to attract interest from the national media, will be followed by a reception and Gala dinner in the evening, before a training day takes place on Sunday.

After their surprise second place finish in the Eastleigh by-election, UKIP are now seen by some as a rising force in British politics and a threat to the Conservative party. The announcement of a possible referendum on EU membership and pressure on David Cameron to move his party to the right have indicated to many UKIP’s increasing influence.

With the party now sitting in third place in many polls, Saturday’s conference will likely focus on the party’s successes this year.

Criticism of Wednesday’s budget can also be expected, with party leader Nigel Farage suggesting earlier this week that “we need to cut spending far more radically than we have done.”

UKIP, who have increasingly gained membership from disillusioned Conservatives over the EU and gay marriage, propose dramatic spending cuts on foreign aid, quangos and the EU.

Farage, the father of a former Exeter student, will be returning to the city for the second time in recent years, having attended a question and answer talk organised by the politics society in 2011.

His leader’s address will take place at midday on Saturday, whilst party members host a number of training events around campus throughout the day, including public speaking training in the Peter Chalk Centre.

Concerns have been raised by some about the University being seen to host, and even endorse, any political party. First year politics student and UKIP sympathiser Alicia Mosley was more perturbed by the party’s choice of location for electoral gain and also hoped “that the University could reallocate funds for students’ benefit.”

Tickets for the conference, dinner and training day are available here until Friday, costing £20, £35 and £10 respectively.

Harrison Jones, Online News Editor