Michael Heaver's Blog

UKIP overtake the LibDems

2011-12-10T21:31:00.000Z

A ComRes poll for the Independent on Sunday and the Sunday Mirror shows that UKIP have overtaken the Liberal Democrats amongst those likely to vote, 8%/7% (page 7).

This is an historic occurrence that has been coming and should hopefully get some decent media attention, hopefully not based on how the LibDems are falling in popularity but also how UKIP are gaining. This is a UKIP surge, not an "others" surge. The Greens and BNP still sit on 4% between them.

Could this spell trouble for Nick Clegg?

Cameron the hero delivers what exactly?

2011-12-10T12:38:00.000Z

It seems like David Cameron's veto has won over the newspapers and some Eurosceptic onlookers. On paper it is a PR coup: here a Prime Minister who has stood up to Merkel, Sarkozy and the EU's apparent drive towards full fiscal union.

But scratch the surface, think for a minute here. All Cameron has achieved is stopped Britain getting further sucked in to full fiscal union brought on by the Euro crisis. His stated aim during election time was to repatriate powers, to reverse the EU's dominance over Britain.

Indeed the whole situation exposes something very interesting. EU leaders had no interest in Cameron's demands on the City of London, yet this is the man who claims that the EU is reformable. Can you imagine the reception if a British Prime Minister ever asks that the UK can take back control of its fishing waters or borders from the EU's hands? It shows just how untenable and unrealistic the reformist approach is.

And that reformist approach is still what David Cameron believes in. He still believes that we should hand the EU £50 million per day to be dictated to and controlled in a structure that patently isn't open to reform or shaping into the type of relationship that the British really want.

While David Cameron is drawing some plaudits, lets see if he actually repatriates anything rather than just holding the line. I'm extremely doubtful of that.

The time has come for true Conservatives to come home to UKIP.

2011-10-21T00:34:00.000+01:00

It must be hard being a Eurosceptic Tory. There you are telling the public on the streets that you'll renegotiate this, repatriate that, solve the economy and limit immigration. Meanwhile your Party Leader back in Westminster plays politics, making the odd Eurosceptic murmur but in actual fact handing more powers to Brussels and hailing a £400m+ annual increase in the UK's contribution to the EU's coffers as an amazing achievement.

Worst of all though, David Cameron has finally had to come out and show the world what type of Prime Minister he is. One who supports foreign interventions in civil wars that have nothing to do with the hard-up British taxpayers who of course foot the bill, while denying the British people a say over their own country's future.

Like an out of touch dictator, Cameron isn't simply arguing that majority opinion is wrong and that Britain staying in the EU is vital. He is saying that the public should not get any say in the matter whatsoever.

This is a far cry from the Prime Minister that Tory candidates, members and voters up and down the country were backing to win in 2010. A man so afraid that the UK may withdraw from the EU if a referendum were to be had, and that his potential grandstanding as some sort of European leader may be damaged, that he seeks to shut down any debate or dissent.

It is important to remember that Cameron is not simply opposing an In/Out referendum, but one which would also include the supposed Conservative policy of renegotiation. Here is a man scared to death, reacting with a three line whip that will alienate many of his Party's MPs.

But it is what those MPs and indeed MEPs watching from Brussels do that must set them apart. A number of Conservative Party members have already defected to UKIP this week. They have the advantage of not relying on a Parliamentary salary. Yet it seems rich for Tory MPs with genuine anti-EU feeling who support EU withdrawal to simply sulk and whinge from the sidelines. Things have gone too far.

Cameron and the inner circle at the top of the Conservative Party are pro-EU, anti-referendum. They have achieved nothing with regards to EU renegotiation and pathetically use their alliance with the Liberal Democrats as a feeble excuse. One gets the impression that David Cameron isn't using Nick Clegg as a human shield, more like a human teddy bear.

It is time that those genuinely principled Tory MPs who are going against a three line whip on Monday go further. They must truly put country before anything else and help UKIP become the radical alternative that the British public are crying out for by defecting and giving an outright anti-EU voice in the House of Commons. Arguing for a more hardline EU policy within the Conservative Party has tried and failed just as surely as any policy of EU renegotiation has. They are both arguments which must be consigned to the dustbin of history.

Will Roger Helmer join UKIP?

2011-10-12T13:00:00.003+01:00

The public far and wide on Twitter and elsewhere have long advised Conservative MEP Roger Helmer that he would be far happier in UKIP. He's long been incredibly sound on the issue of the EU, ignoring the pathetic Tory line of reform and going his own way. Beginning his career as an MEP as an EU reformist, it didn't take him long to realise that Britain would be better off out.

Politicians who go against the grain deserve respect. Helmer is clearly a man of strong will and a backbone, two qualities most politicians lack nowadays. Now he is standing down as a Tory MEP, another last remnant of true Tory Euroscepticism is being ripped away. Daniel Hannan now stands alone as the sole Conservative MEP who believes in EU withdrawal.

Will he join UKIP? Personally I think its inevitable. Mr. Helmer probably viewed defecting while sitting in the European Parliament as not right. But I suspect he recognises that now he disagrees with "nine-tenths" of what the Tory Party comes out with, he knows that he has far more in common with Nigel Farage than David Cameron.

Could UKIP become Britain's third Party?

2011-10-11T22:34:00.002+01:00

Whilst the media don't seem to be interested in UKIP's strong polling lately, the truth is that it has been consistent for months now.

Once upon a time it would be big news for UKIP to be level-pegging with the LibDems in one region. UKIP, when I joined it in early 2007, frequently saw 1% - 2% national polling figures. Not any more.

Tonight's YouGov poll has UKIP just 2% behind the Liberal Democrats nationally, on 6%. This includes UKIP having more support among working class voters than Nick Clegg's Party by 2 percentage points.

In addition the Party is level with the LibDems in the joint Midlands/Wales polling region, as well as level on 6% in London. Could UKIP beat the LibDems in the London Mayoral elections next year and lay down a statement of intent for the reshaping of British politics at the next General Election? Don't forget, the 2014 European Elections are likely to be a year before the next General Election. What a launchpad that could prove to be.

Dave's Dam is Cracking

2011-10-11T13:51:00.000+01:00

Tough in opposition, weak in government. David Cameron's game of playing up defence, law and order and Eurosceptic credentials in order to get into government only to then turn his back on such tough stances using the Liberal Democrats as human shields isn't going to work.

The fundamental realignment in British politics over the last decade or so now means that right-wingers in the Conservative Party who feel the leadership has moved away from their beliefs now have a place to go. Politics in Britain no longer rotates around a rigid two or even three Party system. Though some scoff, UKIP's real resilience and growth lies within the fact that it is no longer obsessed only with the EU issue.

What does it mean? Well it means that former senior Tories such as Lord Hesketh now have a viable alternative to funnel their considerable experience and fundraising skills into. As his interview with Simon Heffer reveals, Hesketh joined UKIP because of its stance on defence, human rights, education and taxation in addition to UKIP's anti-EU stance.

That should terrify David Cameron and buoy UKIPers far and wide. If former Chief Whips and Treasurers of the Conservative Party think Nigel Farage's barmy army aren't as barmy as the media like to make out, then it is likely to turn other unhappy Conservative heads. Now wouldn't that be good for our country?

David Cameron's charade of centrist, non-conviction, make it up as you go along politics needs to be consigned to the dustbin. With people like Lord Hesketh deserting the Tory Party, UKIP's momentum could see it breakthrough in Westminster sooner rather than later.

David Cameron's true weakness has just been exposed.

2011-10-06T13:49:00.000+01:00

If you're the Prime Minister and you circulate a speech to the press, you would have thought that everything within that speech you would strongly believe in and support. But that isn't the way Cameroons work.

Instead, they were forced into an embarrassing u-turn, dropping from David Cameron's line at the Conservative Conference about urging people to pay off their credit cards.

This line would of course likely rile those who are finding it hard to make ends meet already due to the current economic situation, as well as being economically unsound. The Institute for Public Policy Research pointed out that if everyone did suddenly rush to pay off credit card debts, the economy would contract in a sudden and negative manner.

This is telling. Such out of touch and economically unsound advice made it into what was to be the final draft of a keynote speech that all of Cameron's army of advisers and speechwriters approved. It is extremely worrying that the man who is trying to present himself as the person who is fit to turnaround the British economy doesn't have the knowledge to not make such statements, or indeed the principle to stand by such beliefs if they are controversial and therefore challenged. A lack of ideological backbone is David Cameron's biggest weakness.

Another Tory excuse for not having an EU referendum.

2011-10-05T14:26:00.000+01:00

That arch-Eurosceptic, our esteemed Foreign Secretary William Hague has mustered another argument for not having an EU referendum: it would apparently hurt the British economy.

What an absolute load of nonsense. Hague and his ilk are starting to resemble desperate men, looking for any and all reasons not to give the people an in-out referendum. The Government who know that if the people were given a say, we'd vote to leave the EU.

And why? Because contrary to what William Hague says, the EU is an economic disaster that costs Britain billions in bailouts and Tory-approved budget increases. We literally pay Brussels billions of pounds to destroy our democracy and heap masses of legislation on small businesses and the judiciary. The people aren't as stupid as to believe tall tales from the likes of Hague about the EU aiding prosperity. It is total nonsense.

Anyone who still thinks Hague, Cameron and the rest of the Tory leadership are truly interested in any notion of EU reform let alone radical change is deluding themselves.

The numbers don't lie when it comes to the EU.

2011-10-03T01:17:00.002+01:00

Jon Gaunt's re-branded UK Out of the EU has commissioned a YouGov poll that David Cameron and many senior Tories won't be thanking him for publishing this week.

The numbers are yet another hammer blow to the pro-EU, anti-referendum Westminster cartel that Cameron leads along with Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband. Key figures include:

74% of Tory voters want an EU membership referendum.
68% of Tory voters would back EU withdrawal in a referendum.
62% of the general public support an EU referendum.
51% of all voters would back EU withdrawal.
65% of British voters oppose any participation in Eurozone bailouts.

The numbers do not lie. The momentum is building and public opinion is reaching fever pitch on the issue of an EU referendum.

The fact that the British public are now clearly so anti-EU is a double-edged sword however. It is likely to scare Cameron, Clegg and Miliband to death. I suspect we would have far greater chance of being granted a referendum if the figures did not suggest such a cutting defeat for the pro-EU camp.

One thing in my mind is for certain: the odds for the pro-EU brigade on winning a referendum are only going to get longer. The longer the farce of no EU referendum for the British people goes on, the more Eurosceptic the public will become. The EU's lethal combination of swallowing billions of pounds of British taxpayers money and imposing obscene and undemocratic laws will guarantee its own increasing unpopularity.

Ron Paul goes too far.

2011-09-30T23:41:00.000+01:00

I'm a Ron Paul guy. Well, I'm a fan anyway. His call for fiscal responsibility, devolved power and anti-war libertarianism is vastly appealing to me. But he went too far this week.

Anwar al-Awlaki's death is a very good thing. This fanatical piece of human excrement is responsible for organising Al Qaeda's sick agenda. Ron Paul's calls that he should have been tried as a US citizen is consistent but stupid. Some go beyond the pale and should not be given the treatment that ordinary citizens receive. This the man represented a highly unusual case and his elimination does make us safer. Paul's purist position is likely to damage his chances of the Presidency in the US. His is a pretty extreme stance on this one.

Where Ron Paul's philosophy does hold up however, is that it did not take an invasion and a huge army on the ground of Yemen to target and eliminate effectively. Us bulldozing into countries as in the case of Libya is not the way forward. Small scale, targeted assassinations that have a clear and obtainable objective are welcome. Good job all round.

Heaver's Hits #2

2011-09-30T13:38:00.002+01:00

Heaver's Hits #1

2011-09-29T15:46:00.002+01:00

EU referendum? Don't hold your breath.

2011-09-21T00:37:00.001+01:00

This week there have been excited tones from some quarters about the intervention of Mark Pritchard, Tory MP and Secretary of the 1922 Conservative Backbenchers group who has called for an EU referendum. As someone who is staunchly anti-EU, I'm finding it hard to work up much enthusiasm.

The big problem with the EU referendum issue is that in reality the only people who could a referendum through the Commons or put the promise of one in an election winning manifesto are David Cameron and Ed Miliband. Both have ruled such a policy out.

Will Labour and Tory MPs thus seek to change the leadership of their Party as a result, so that a pro-referendum Leader who is willing to put such a commitment in the Party's manifesto can take over? Not on your nelly.

The real reason that Mark Pritchard has spoken out is because his relationship with Number 10 broke down spectacularly. He is one of the few Conservative MPs who has now clearly written off any chance of Ministerial promotion under David Cameron's leadership of the Party. Thus, he can speak freely on issues such as championing an EU referendum that will annoy the party leadership.

This is why the rest of the so-called Conservative Eurosceptics are having meetings about backing EU reform, which is err, already in the Tory manifesto and has already been shown to be a completely farcical position. A modest £450m per annum increase in the EU budget was apparently an example of "spectacular" Conservative reform. Not example impressive is it?

Ultimately though, signing lots of backbench MPs up to supporting an EU referendum doesn't actually change anything, except perhaps for keeping the topic on the agenda. In my opinion, there are only two ways in which we will ever get a referendum on EU membership or EU withdrawal as most supporting a referendum really want.

The first will be if we get a UKIP government. People chuckle when I say this and yes this could take a few decades to achieve, but then we have already gone since 1975 without a vote so in that context is it really impossible to believe that the pro-EU cartel in Westminster won't go on ignoring the public's will? And if they do, that UKIP cannot rapidly become a sizeable Party in the House of Commons?

Secondly will be if a Leader of Labour or the Conservative Party becomes pro-referendum. Suddenly that first option doesn't seem so out there, does it?

There is one huge massive whopping great point that most anti-EU people forget. Lets say we live in a Great Britain in 2011 that is outside of the EU; would those such as myself be keen to gamble our democracy and prosperity on a referendum as to whether we should join? Why would I when I already have what I want?

This is the point. Cameron, Miliband and Clegg all firmly believe that the UK must remain inside the EU. Therefore any potential popularity they could secure by promising a referendum is more than off-set by the gamble of their side losing and the people voting for the UK to become an independent self-governing nation once more. No more Euro grandstanding for them.

Though I would love for these men to be democrats who do listen to the public, and who do listen to their backbench MPs who dare to represent their constituents opinion that it is time for a referendum, that is not the reality. It is for this reason that the ultimate focus must stay on applying pressure at the ballot box and by voters using their electoral currency to bring down the stock of the pro-EU old parties and instead voting for a Party that represents their view on Europe, in the form of UKIP.

The likes of David Cameron would find it far harder to ignore the anti-EU cause if he had a dozen UKIP MPs to face in the House of Commons rather than a ragtag of 30 backbench rebels in his own Party who he can and has left isolated by calling in the Whips. And hopefully by then the momentum would be such that he would fall and his new adversary, not answerable to his Whips' threats and that champions democracy, binding referenda and low tax could triumph.

Working class swing towards UKIP.

2011-09-15T22:18:00.001+01:00

The latest YouGov shows once again tonight that UKIP are consistently polling between 5% - 7% nationally which is unheard of at this stage of the electoral cycle.

A bigger breakthrough is the Party's 8% showing among working class people - out-polling the Liberal Democrats among this social class of voters.

This may be a shock to some but it is the secret to UKIP's resilience. Far from being a Party with strongholds only in suburban Tory territories, UKIP is also sustaining and gaining support in working class areas.

That's why the Liberal Democrats should be worried: their credibility as the alternative choice among many hard working poor people looking for an electoral alternative is in tatters. UKIP's big strength is that is attracts a blend of ex-Old Labour, traditional Tory and rebellious Liberal voters. Hence UKIP is seeing an elevation in the polls that has gone as high as 7%/8% whie the Greens and BNP remain each on 1% and 2%.

Lets hope the Eurozone disintegrates.

2011-09-15T11:18:00.000+01:00

It just was never going to work. A currency Union involving countries as diverse as Greece and Germany could never work. Their economies, in terms of wealth, size and composition were just too different. Those who bravely made the case that Britain's prosperous future lay with retaining its own currency were derided as inwards looking and backwards, much as many who want to see Britain take back control of its democracy from Brussels still are today.

The Euro is an economic nightmare that has had masses of political capital invested into it by supposedly clever and powerful people from right across the continent. They however are now reduced to bail outs and subsidies of billions to keep the old dear going. But it has no future, certainly not as a mass currency union including anywhere near as many countries as currently sit within the Eurozone.

The longer the Euro limps on, the worst the catastrophic fallout will be. If Greece and later Portugal and Italy left now it would be damaging. Very damaging. But that is no reason to argue against them taking off the shackles of Eurozone membership if the alternative is to carry on and succumb to an even worse fallout later.

The destruction of the Euro will be a defining moment in European politics. It will hurt the EU fanatics who have insisted that their brand of anti-democratic nationalistic supranationalism is the way forward. The credibility of the EU its direction and its very existence will hopefully all be called into question.

Now is not the time to hope against hope that countries like Greece that have been devastated by false promises and bungling idealistic pro-EU politicians somehow cling on inside the Eurozone. The Euro's inevitable judgement day is fast approaching. It will be the EU itself which is next.

Newsflash: Tory Eurosceptics talk some more about "EU reform".

2011-09-14T15:18:00.000+01:00

The big news on Europe that seems to have some right-wing commentators and writers excited is the fact that a group of around 90 - 100 Conservative MPs have had a meeting. This meeting largely seems to be about talking about more reform of the European Union. Yawn.

Tory MP Bernard Jenkin recently wrote about the group, praising an agenda whereby Britain would stay in the EU but somehow not have open borders, would make its own laws and regain full control over agriculture and fishing policy. Jenkin and others seem to want to have their cake and eat it. This smacks of more Tory navel-gazing to me.

After all, the Conservatives are led by a Prime Minister who talked of big things. An EU reform agenda, a cast-iron guarantee of a referendum and such like. Of course now they are in power the Tories are whipping their MPs to vote for everything from EU Embassies to a large increase in the UK's financial contributions to the EU. Out of the 90 Conservative MPs who are now talking about reducing the UK's contribution to the EU's coffers, only 37 took the opportunity to recently vote for such a thing. Funny how quickly principle can be stamped out of these politicians when pressure is put on. Actions speak louder than words.

Young people such as myself have grown up in a country where Tory MPs repeatedly talk of change coming to the EU. But they achieve nothing. Literally nothing Even when so-called Conservative hardliners have the opportunity to vote for a strongly worded Eurosceptic proposal, they soon fizzle out under the Whips' scrutiny. Others who are explicitly anti-EU inside the Tory Party are stuck inside a circle of around a dozen, all of whom are barred from serving on David Cameron's front bench as a result. How can these people stand on a Tory manifesto that urges EU expansion and open borders with Turkey?

For my generation the EU question now centres around one of membership, not simply tinkering and talking about fanciful tweaks that are pure fantasy. The only way that Britain can realistically take control over its waters ever again in terms of fishing policy will be to leave the EU. Talking about any other solution is an utter waste of time and I have no respect for those Conservatives who have spent a career talking tough and achieving nothing except earning a career out of being a rebel talking to a brick wall of contempt from their own Party leadership. It is for this reason that those who have had the guts to join a Party that represents a viable alternative argument in UKIP, deserve praise for principle.

Not only are the new reformist Tory MPs out of touch with the public (55% now reguarly poll wanting full withdrawal), they are out of touch with Conservative Party members. 60% of Tory members recently polled want Britain to end its membership of the EU. This is a logical position, though apparently too hardline for the ever-ambitious mass of Tories who now occupy Parliament.

Whilst some may get excited about more Tory meetings and chit-chat, it is simply farcical and represents a lack of connect with ordinary voters. For most people in this country, the 21st century EU debate is one of membership, one of in vs. out. Anything inbetween has been shown in history to lead to some cushedy careers and theoretical articles, but very little action. The line in the sand is down - do you support the EU's domination of our national legiislature or not? If you support membership, your answer is yes, no matter what theory for unworkable reform Tory backbenchers wish to cook up this time.

Shreela Flather's non-PC tirade.

2011-09-14T13:00:00.000+01:00

Britain's first female Asian peer Baroness Flather launched an incredibly non-politically correct attack today on some Pakistani and Bangladeshi families who she accuses of exploiting the welfare system, having large families to collect large welfare cheques.

The incredible thing is that her points would have been deemed as an attack on a community had she herself not been Asian. In fact they may have been branded as lazy stereotyping and probably racist had Baroness Flather been a white middle class politician. That is the problem with political correctness: you are attacked regardless if your point is valid or not, purely because it may offend.

Instead Flather's points seem to be taken seriously by the media, with the BBC not featuring quotes from anti-fascist groups who would have been foaming at the mouth had a UKIP official for example, made the point.

It's an interesting story that demonstrates in society nowadays how a point made can be reported and debated with a different degree of seriousness and radically different tone based on the background of the person making the point. And that's seriously unhealthy.

Whether families from these particular backgrounds tend to exploit the welfare system more than others, I don't know. What I do know is that many people across the country do fiddle the welfare system and have kids they can't afford and expect the state to pay for. That I'm afraid is just a fact.

Blog closed.

2011-07-11T11:20:00.000+01:00

I now blog at Dale and Co. Come and join the debate!

EU to expand to 35 countries by 2018?

2011-06-06T20:16:00.000+01:00

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. The President of Romania foresees a European Union with a massive 28 nation states by 2018, and has discussed such an expansion with David Cameron.

This would be devastating for a number of reasons. Firstly, it would lead another wave of mass immigration from countries like Turkey. More broadly, it would see another power grab in Eastern Europe, as the EU would effectively turn the whole of Europe into a democracy free zone.

Presumably there would be referendums and this is what British Eurosceptics, more specifically those in UKIP, must get involved in. While the Conservatives claim to be critical of the EU, they want Turkey to join the EU and would promote membership as a positive thing as would nearly all establishment politicians from nearly every country.

The EU fanatics desire for total control over the European continent is unrelenting. It is these battles that must be fought by an international Eurosceptic group. Suddenly a Pan European Party sounds like a damn good idea to fight with, doesn't it?

Pan-European Parties: a battle of pragmatism vs. conspiracy?

2011-06-06T09:32:00.001+01:00

Ever heard of the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists? No? You might be surprised to hear then that it comprises of two national Prime Ministers and eleven political parties EU-wide including Britain's co-governing Conservative Party.

That is perhaps testament to the fact that Pan-European Parties really matter very little. Even as a politico I'd only recently even heard of the fact that the Tories, Labour and LibDems are all in Pan-European Parties. They certainly seem to benefit though - the Tories have a think tank funded to the tune of £500,000 per year as a result.

It seems to me that these would be the type of resources UKIP, a far smaller and less wealthy Party, could do with. Surely bringing in such resources and funding via a PEP would be one tangible thing that UKIP MEPs could help deliver? Well, maybe. But maybe not.

In true UKIP democratic style, it is going to a ballot of the membership. I'm not entirely sure this was necessary: if Nigel Farage had stood with a commitment to form a PEP in his leadership campaign, would he really have ceded much of his 60% of the vote? I somehow doubt that.

Having watched a live hustings debate yesterday over the PEP, I must say it came across as a debate of pragmatism (use the EU's own resources against it for a think tank and potential membership referendum fund), versus ideological purism (the EU is a conspiracy and thus anything we have to do with it gives it a grip over us).

The truth I think is that the latter argument has already been proven to be nonsense. If UKIP hadn't taken up its MEP seats in 1999, 2004 and 2009 as some wanted then it'd be dead in the water by now. People vote to be represented properly, and MEPs have meant resources and media exposure. The formation of the Ind/Dem and now EFD Groups in the European Parliament have seen UKIP speeches mainly from Nigel Farage go viral and bring in hordes of young UKIP members who cite such speeches as their initial spark of interest into the Party. I imagine the vast majority of UKIP voters would be screaming for UKIP to do anything it can to claw back British taxpayers money to give a greater voice, potentially based in Westminster where the national media await, to the pro-withdrawal cause.

Those who stand against PEPs are of course entitled to be so; but surely such logic extends to not taking up seats in the European Parliament, not voting on EU issues, not sitting on EuroParl committees, not using EU money to fund offices and staff and of course, not using the money the EU takes from British taxpayers to fund an MEPs own wage and expenses? If joining and forming a PEP is playing into the EU's hands, how is making one minute speeches to an empty European Parliament not? Both are a matter of having a voice heard within the EU's system as long as we remain inside it. A voice that wants out.

If we had taken such a purist route of rejecting using the EU's own resources (read: our cash) against it, then I'm fairly certain the Party wouldn't be picking up close to 1 million votes in General Elections or picking up Councillors up and down the country. I think on balance, UKIP joining a Pan-European Party could bring in some much needed resources and would aid Eurosceptic groups right across the continent. And if I'm wrong and the introduction of PEPs is all a big conspiracy, I'm sure we can dissolve it and leave if we like.

One thing is for sure: I'm pretty much certain that the EU would love for UKIP to stay away from a PEP and the chance to gain crucial resources to promote its message further. Will a conspiratorial approach play into their hands or will cooler heads of pragmatism prevail?

Tory localism is a busted flush.

2011-05-25T19:42:00.001+01:00

Oh the Conservative Party, that great hope for localists nationwide. Erm, no. As some locals are now finding out, the Tories are as anti-localist as Labour were.

Residents of King's Cliffe near Peterborough recently held a local referendum where 96% of them rejected plans for a new nuclear waste site, where 250,000 tonnes of waste will be dumped every year.

But the Tories' Local Government supremo Eric Pickles has proven his Party's anti-democratic credentials by ignoring the result and driving though the site anyway.

UKIP's policy on binding local referenda is the right one. Just as the EU was with Ireland, the Tories are happy to have referenda until the result doesn't go their way. Then they simply ignore the result.

Alex Singleton joins DCBless UKIP.

2011-05-24T14:38:00.002+01:00

A positive to take out of today's goings-on: Alex Singleton, a former Telegraph journalist and now public relations man has joined UKIP today thanks to the defection of David Campbell Bannerman.

Alex has told me that he has long sympathised with UKIP but with the likes of Bannerman now leaving he feels comfortable in joining the UK's fourth largest Party. An individual with some considerable media experience and economic knowledge as a former Research Director at the Adam Smith Institute, he is a great addition to the Party.

UKIP members deserve better.

2011-05-24T13:16:00.002+01:00

David Campbell Bannerman is someone I knew fairly well, having been based in the same region that he is an MEP in, helped run his website and spent the evening with him when he was elected.

But his actions have shown that David Cameron is welcome to him. Bannerman has decided to suck up to the Conservatives having dissed them and Cameron just a year ago. He shows as much backbone as your typical Tory MEP, defending the indefensible.

What this is really about of course is not UKIP failing; indeed the Party is advancing and gaining votes everyone it stands. This is about a pathetic ego from a man who stood twice for the leadership of the Party and twice came a distant third.

UKIP deserves better. It was UKIP members, activists and senior Party officials who led the Party like Nigel Farage who all helped get David Campbell Bannerman where he is now. In European Elections, nobody voted for Bannerman or any one individual, they voted for a UKIP MEP. That is what they deserve. The fact that an individual like Bannerman has decided to deprive them of a UKIP voice shows an utter lack of decency or principle.

Of course he won't give the seat back to the people who won it. And that is an utter crime. Come 2014, I just hope that UKIP can get some more MEPs who are "we, we, we" and not "me, me, me".

Ken Clarke was put in charge of law and order by David Cameron.

2011-05-18T12:26:00.001+01:00

Surely they can't deflect it that easily? Tories seem already keen to palm away Ken Clarke's slashing of the length of prison sentences by insisting that Ken Clarke is a maverick and not representative of feeling at the top of the Party.

I think not. While Clarke's wording may have been a bit over the top for Cameron's liking, he was put in charge of law and order by the Tory leadership. Putting a wet like Clarke in charge of sentences for murder, rape and so on was always bound to result in such a softly softly approach, even if it flies in the face of evidence that longer, harsher sentences deliver results.

I imagine that Clarke may be turned into the fall guy. Not because of his soft on crime stance which the likes of Cameron agree with, but because he delivered it in a matter to blunt and clumsy. The real debate here is the death of the Tories as a Party that resembles anything like being tough on criminals.

Power to the people: first UKIP-controlled Council has big ideas.

2011-05-17T12:03:00.001+01:00

My good friends Cllr Pete Reeve and Cllr Lisa Duffy have big plans for Ramsey Town Council, the first ever UKIP-controlled Council in the country.

It is a blueprint for a much more democratic society. While some Tory backbenchers write books and talk about localism, UKIP Cllrs are now practising it.

So, UKIP's plans for Ramsey? Youngsters from all of Ramsey's schools having control over a small budget. Community groups making presentations to the Town Council directly. Public participation at Town Council meetings extended from a paltry 2 minutes to 15 minutes. Open politics. Citizen's truly empowered and give a voice.

Those who dismiss UKIP as being just about the EU are either incredibly ignorant or burying their heads in the sand. This is hopefully the first of many UKIP Councils up and down the country that turn the way local government operates upside down.