I am not sure that the defection, from the Conservative Party to UKIP, is really such a surprise. Carswell is refreshingly independent and has pursued issues in such a manner. He has long been an opponent of the continually encroaching nature of the European Union and its repeated erosion of the long held rights of Britons.
What should be worrying for the Conservatives is that Carswell is at the forefront of exploring the new 'e-led' ways of engaging with voters and so his defection represents a real loss.
Equally, it shouldn't be any surprise that Carswell has resigned his seat and so forces a by-election. This is the action of a man of principle and sets an honourable example for others to follow.
There are rumours that up to eight other Conservative MPs are considering defecting to UKIP. Some of these will be based on principles, as was Carswell's and some will be based on fear and political calculation - they expect a high threat from UKIP in the next election.
This defection is a problem for Cameron and the Conservatives.
Labour too, are not immune though its adherents are perhaps more in tune with the leftist/statist policies and direction of the EU. Labour too, has often displayed a country last approach to issues as clearly evidenced by their obsession with the failed multi-culturalist policy.
For Cameron and the Conservatives, this defection is the fruit of a failed policy. Cameron has offered a referendum on the UK's continued membership of the European Union but there is a very strong sense that his heart really isn't in it and that he will present whatever terms he manages to renegotiate as a significant victory and so justifying the UK remaining in the EU. "Today, fresh from all-night discussions with our EU partners, I can announce that the UK has retained the right to have round dustbins and on that victory, I will be recommending that the UK stays in the EU" or something like that!
The election of Jean Claude Juncker showed how ineffectual Cameron has been in Europe and how he was out-maneuvered by Angela Merkel and I have no doubt, by his own advisers. Betrayal would not be too strong a word for how the UK was treated and yet Cameron still thinks he can treat with such people. Either he is a fool or he takes the British people for fools. Carswell can see this and so can the rapidly growing band of UKIP supporters.
The EU is a paper tiger. They led Ukraine to believe that they would support them and now that push has come to shove, they have deserted them in the face of Russian aggression and real-politik. Cameron and the UK government should abandon EU organisations and withhold funds from the EU beast, forthwith. Let the EU take us to whatever kind of court that they want. How many tanks does the European Court have? Tell them to go to the socialist hell towards which they are daily pulling the UK.
Cameron should make it clear that the negotiations have already started and that we will use bully boy tactics to get what we want. If there are counter-measures taken, then we will retaliate. The UK has always prospered in the past, when it has stood by basic principles. We can be taught nothing from the newly found 'democracies' of Europe - and I include Germany and France and Italy as being new! - about doing the right thing and following our long-held traditions.
All we need and want from the EU is a trade agreement. We don't want directives on how long we work - the sovereign government of the UK can decide on that. We don't want orders on what shape is acceptable for a banana or a cucumber or how much of the fish in Britain's waters, we can catch - the sovereign government of the UK can decide on these things. We certainly don't want to rely on a European Army or Foreign Service to represent our interests - we know that they won't!
The EU has no legitimacy and the UK should have no part of it. That is the message that will stop the defections and will restore the Conservatives to power. Oh and by the way, those defections aren't just in Westminster!
October 11, 2014 Update
Douglas Carswell has duly and deservedly won the Clacton by-election. There is much talk of this being a big problem for the Conservatives and David Cameron. No doubt that this is a blow but it can hardly be said that it was unexpected.
Perhaps the biggest issue from the voting on October 9, was what happened in the by-election for the till then always solid Labour seat of Heywood and Middleton. Here, Labour retained the seat though their winning majority was slashed by 90% and they scraped in with a 617 majority. This shows four things to me.
Congratulations to Douglas Carswell and commiserations to John Bickley (UKIP Heywood). I think that Mark Reckless, the later defector from the Conservatives, will have a tougher time in Rochester and Strood but with how UK politics is today, and generally the people's disillusionment with the out of touch elites, anything is possible.
What should be worrying for the Conservatives is that Carswell is at the forefront of exploring the new 'e-led' ways of engaging with voters and so his defection represents a real loss.
Equally, it shouldn't be any surprise that Carswell has resigned his seat and so forces a by-election. This is the action of a man of principle and sets an honourable example for others to follow.
There are rumours that up to eight other Conservative MPs are considering defecting to UKIP. Some of these will be based on principles, as was Carswell's and some will be based on fear and political calculation - they expect a high threat from UKIP in the next election.
This defection is a problem for Cameron and the Conservatives.
Labour too, are not immune though its adherents are perhaps more in tune with the leftist/statist policies and direction of the EU. Labour too, has often displayed a country last approach to issues as clearly evidenced by their obsession with the failed multi-culturalist policy.
For Cameron and the Conservatives, this defection is the fruit of a failed policy. Cameron has offered a referendum on the UK's continued membership of the European Union but there is a very strong sense that his heart really isn't in it and that he will present whatever terms he manages to renegotiate as a significant victory and so justifying the UK remaining in the EU. "Today, fresh from all-night discussions with our EU partners, I can announce that the UK has retained the right to have round dustbins and on that victory, I will be recommending that the UK stays in the EU" or something like that!
The election of Jean Claude Juncker showed how ineffectual Cameron has been in Europe and how he was out-maneuvered by Angela Merkel and I have no doubt, by his own advisers. Betrayal would not be too strong a word for how the UK was treated and yet Cameron still thinks he can treat with such people. Either he is a fool or he takes the British people for fools. Carswell can see this and so can the rapidly growing band of UKIP supporters.
The EU is a paper tiger. They led Ukraine to believe that they would support them and now that push has come to shove, they have deserted them in the face of Russian aggression and real-politik. Cameron and the UK government should abandon EU organisations and withhold funds from the EU beast, forthwith. Let the EU take us to whatever kind of court that they want. How many tanks does the European Court have? Tell them to go to the socialist hell towards which they are daily pulling the UK.
Cameron should make it clear that the negotiations have already started and that we will use bully boy tactics to get what we want. If there are counter-measures taken, then we will retaliate. The UK has always prospered in the past, when it has stood by basic principles. We can be taught nothing from the newly found 'democracies' of Europe - and I include Germany and France and Italy as being new! - about doing the right thing and following our long-held traditions.
All we need and want from the EU is a trade agreement. We don't want directives on how long we work - the sovereign government of the UK can decide on that. We don't want orders on what shape is acceptable for a banana or a cucumber or how much of the fish in Britain's waters, we can catch - the sovereign government of the UK can decide on these things. We certainly don't want to rely on a European Army or Foreign Service to represent our interests - we know that they won't!
The EU has no legitimacy and the UK should have no part of it. That is the message that will stop the defections and will restore the Conservatives to power. Oh and by the way, those defections aren't just in Westminster!
October 11, 2014 Update
Douglas Carswell has duly and deservedly won the Clacton by-election. There is much talk of this being a big problem for the Conservatives and David Cameron. No doubt that this is a blow but it can hardly be said that it was unexpected.
Perhaps the biggest issue from the voting on October 9, was what happened in the by-election for the till then always solid Labour seat of Heywood and Middleton. Here, Labour retained the seat though their winning majority was slashed by 90% and they scraped in with a 617 majority. This shows four things to me.
- Labour are as much endangered by UKIP as are the Conservatives, indeed since Labour are seen as the pro-immigration party, perhaps more so in traditional working class areas..
- For Labour to escape the UKIP threat, they need to commit to offering a referendum on European Union membership. I can't see this happening though, until there is a Labour MP that defects to UKIP.
- The Conservative message of 'Vote UKIP, get Labour' doesn't work in natural Labour areas. There, the argument can be made (as was at Heywood) 'Vote Conservative, get Labour' - The Conservatives polled 3,400 votes and so could have delivered a major blow to Labour had just 20% of these switched to UKIP.
- The Conservatives need to enter into a pact with UKIP - either formally or informally - and agree that pro-referendum candidates will not face UKIP opposition. Also, where UKIP is strong, Clacton, Thurrock, Eastleigh, Heywood, for examples the Conservatives will not oppose them. I know that this goes right against the grain but the reality is, that to do otherwise puts Labour into No. 10 and gives them 5 more years to continue to wreck the UK and the UK economy.
Congratulations to Douglas Carswell and commiserations to John Bickley (UKIP Heywood). I think that Mark Reckless, the later defector from the Conservatives, will have a tougher time in Rochester and Strood but with how UK politics is today, and generally the people's disillusionment with the out of touch elites, anything is possible.
No comments:
Post a Comment