May 15, 2009

Ukip, not BNP, set to benefit from anti-politics mood at EU elections

Poll puts the United Kingdom Independence party on 15%, compared to 3% for British National party

The UK Independence party rather than the BNP appears to be the main beneficiary of public disillusionment with the political elite, according to polling this week. In a YouGov survey for the Sun published today, 15% of voters said they would vote Ukip in the coming European elections and 3% for the far-right British National party.

Paul Nuttall, Ukip's chairman and a candidate for the European parliament in the north-west of England, said: "This ties in with everything we are seeing when we are out campaigning and everything we are hearing on the doorstep. It is good that people are starting to see that the voice of protest is not the BNP but Ukip."

This week Ukip said they would replace the expenses system with one similar to that of Sweden, where second homes in Stockholm for members who live outside the capital are provided by the parliament, the Riksdag, and let to MPs free of charge.

A Times/Populus poll this week put Ukip on 6% and the BNP on 2%. BNP polling figures may be an underestimate, however, since voters can be reluctant to declare their support for that party.

The BNP launched their local and European election campaign this week concentrating on the expenses scandal. Four men in pig masks appeared on the stage behind Nick Griffin, the party leader, stuffing fake money into their pockets before actors dressed as "workers" wearing fluorescent jackets and hard hats beat them away with placards.

Griffin claimed his party would win six or seven seats in the European parliament at the elections.

About 100 workers have told Royal Mail bosses in Bristol and Somerset that they refuse to deliver BNP leaflets. A Royal Mail spokesperson said: "Where possible we will try to be flexible and sensitive to individual personal circumstances or beliefs. However, we need to balance this with Royal Mail's legal obligations under the Representation of People Act, to deliver election material."

Guardian

8 comments:

Wing&APrayer said...

The hapless Wingfield is telling the BNPs dont worry about this poll as it will be from the Tories taht UKIP will take votes and not affect the BNPs vote, thats not what he said last time, has he forgotten how he penned an article citing that it was the tide turning in favour of UKIP and R K Silk that had stopped the BNP getting elected. He went as far as to claim that it was all a conspiracy and planned.

Wingfield seems to have a memory problem and a problem with consistency.

If UKIP stopped BNP last time why wont an increase in their vote this time have the same effect, Martin?

Anonymous said...

Is this the same "Mr. Pinstripe" Wingfield that Griffin formerly denounced as a Tory and a liar in Attempted Murder?

Anonymous said...

Wingfield blog post this morning 9(Saturday) all but admits they have been blown out of the water by UKIP and will not get elected in June

2 things though

1. Opinion polls always under estimate BNP support by several % points.

2. Who knows where expenses will lead to over next 3 weeks. Its one thing asking for people to vote for anyone but the BNP, but when all other parties (inluding UKIP) have snouts in trough, its hard for them to do this

Anonymous said...

Its the same martin wingfield who was once alleged to have dipped his own fingers in someone elses till when he worked at a bookmakers - now that would be a good story to resurrect, maybe Searchlight remember it better than I.

It is the same Wingfield who dipped his fingers into someone else's wife, Tina Tintin Denny was formerly NFs office manager Roger Denny's partner

Anonymous said...

I just read Wingfields blog and was going to ask has he run up the white flag again over his comments that he wished the expenses row hadnt erupted.

Looks like UKIP will steal the BNPs thunder - well their votes anyway. If nothing else its likely to increase turn out which wont help the BNP

Job done I reckon

Anonymous said...

UKIP have their own expenses scandal to sort out.

Anonymous said...

UKIP may have (or may have had) expenses scandals to sort out but the papers are'nt focusing on that when they've got the higher profile Labour, Conservatove and Liberal Democrats to expose - which is why UKIP are getting the switched support and are thrashing BNP in the polls despite UKIPs own brushes with bogus expense claims.

Life's a bitch aint it?

Anonymous said...

LU and Searchlight have done a very good job so far and I'm sure there's much more to come. But there is no "job done" until June 5th!