Seems UKIP is doing pretty well in the local elections. My guess is they'll do rather better in the Euro ones. Could be interesting times ahead politically.

It's rather worrying in that we could sleep-walk into a Tory - UKIP (ie hard right Tory) coalition due the ineptitude of Labour. That would mean destruction of the NHS, etc, etc. Gove this morning saying UKIP were in tune with Tory policy - on education, welfare reform, immigration (ie trying to say Tory policy is popular with the electorate). Didn't mention that UKIP are essentially a single-issue (ie anti-EU) party. So, in his bid to put positive spin on things isn't he effectively continuing the established party position of ignoring a large element of popular opinion?

Seems the knives are sharpening for Ed Miliband. They should never have let him stay this long. Trouble is, if he goes there is nobody electorally credible to replace him that I can think of. Also, there is a bit of a dilemma in that he seems to be appealing to the middle classes of London (a key election battleground) but putting people off if the rest of the country (where there are lots of key constituencies too). Throw in the Scottish referendum and we could be heading for interesting, if not turbulent times.

The best thing coming out so far is the continuing hammering of the snivelling LibDems and their tuition fee promise reneging leader. Let's hope he goes and soon.

If Miliband goes Mrs Balls for the job.

She is truly, uttlerly, stunningly, pathetic. Even moue unelectable than the unelectable Ed.

I think one reason they have done relatively well on the local elections (except in London where they have not) is because the council elections and euro elections were on the same day. If you are going to vote UKIP for reasons of immigration or EU membership voting for a different party for the council elections would be a bit of a strange thing to contemplate for many. Some might vote two different ways but I think for quite a few it would be as if they were telling themselves they were being stupid for voting UKIP if they voted another way for the council elections.

It will be interesting to see how much difference there will be in their share of the vote in the two elections.



He's ignoring the fact that UKIP are claiming disaffected Labour support as well. I quite like the idea of Gove and other Tories claiming UKIP are in tune with Tory values as that might wake up a few Labour supporters who voted for them yesterday that they voted for a far right party.

UKIP also can't form any sort of pact with the Tories not to oppose each other in 2015 because if they did then it would stand out like a sore thumb that they were indeed a right wing party. I am not even sure if the did the Tory vote would switch to them en-masse. I don't think every Tory is a closet Ukipper.



Labour did very well in London and virtually wiped the Tories out in Croydon. There the Tories are claiming UKIP split the vote but I think that is wishful thinking.



While the tuition fee promise is the headline grabber its things like waving through the NHS reforms and effectively supporting the bedroom tax whatever they say about opposing it (because actually have it) while in government that has killed them.

There was a woman from the "Liberal Left" organisation on TV last night and she was scathing about such things and the party kow towing to the Tories. She felt they should never have gone into coalition with a party with those policies at all and that is certainly was not necessary to do so to "save the country". Listening to the other Lib Dem try and justify the coalition and having to accept being the minor party and how coalition government is about compromise and grown up politics fools no one. If the result of coalition is out and out Tory policies such as what has happened in the NHS they won't convince anyone they have not just enabled a very right wing Tory agenda.

Here's a bit of news for you:we don't elect prime ministers. So I think it's odds on that both Ed Miliband and Yvette Cooper will both be elected in 2015 and a few more elections to come.

As for UPRIK, they won't control a single council, I couldn't give a toss how many European seats they win, the s rarely vote anyway. Come 2015 UPRIK will not win a single seat in Parliament.

They are a bunch of chancers, appealing to the xenophobia of racists and those too stupid to ever be allowed a vote in the first place

Much like Alex Salmond and the SNP.

I would wager hardly anyone who voted UKIP could even guess at any of their policies beyond "out of Europe".

I do think there is a genuine question over the nature of the European Union and our level of involvement in it. But the question can't be allowed to be simply about economic migrants.

Not at all. The SNP actually have some power for a start, Salmond would wipe the floor with the leaders of all the major parties including Farage, underestimate Salmond at your peril.

The question is not wholly about economic migrants. In fact, its not really about that at all. Farage's opponents use that because they can try the "racist" slur. Farage has cleverly played up to it as it IS a major concern to many voters (as it has been for quite a number of years but no party has dealt with those concerns).

As I have said on here in many contexts, the "PC" brigade (for want of a better expression) who like to think they are liberal except when it comes to people expressing different opinions to them are the root cause of UKIP's popularity. Freedom of speech has to be a two way thing otherwise it is not a freedom at all.

I have seen nothing to suggest Farage is any more racist (indeed I would suggest less) than many in the Tory party and MILLIONS of Labour voters.

I didn't vote as I was out last night and got up a bit late in the morning. If I had I would have voted UKIP in the Euros as they are the only party who are likely to try to get us out or pressurise other parties into contemplating it. The EU is, IMO, a major threat to our democracy and "way of life."

I would have voted for another Green in the Council elections.

That's your political viewpoints ignored immediately. You didn't contribute to the democratic system. See your comment below and the question.



Ooooh a goody! Please explain "Our Democracy" and also "way of life".

IMO people who don't vote but whinge like hell are more of a threat to democracy.

So you would be happy to see the NHS completely dismantled and your family charged full-whack for your daughter's care? That is one of the major foundations of UPRIK's manifesto. They are a party of the far-right and if the idiots who vote for them are not also "fascists who shop at M&S and Waitrose", then they really are too stupid to be allowed the vote.

Not a fan of democracy then?

As I said, the rational thing to do if you are anti-EU is to vote UKIP in the Euros and otherwise in the Council elections. That's why I think UKIP will do better in the Euros.