Poll Puts Tories In Third Place In Euro Elections...

[Gromit]

...behind UKiP!

// A damning new poll reveals the Tories are on course to come behind Labour and the UK Independence Party – the first time it would be outside the top two in election history.
If the findings were repeated on May 22 with a uniform swing, they would see Conservative representation at the European Parliament slashed by 11 to 15 MEPs.
Tory strategists are working to limit the damage on Mr Cameron if the party loses MEPs.
Today senior Conservative Mr Fox declined to say whether his party could beat Ukip. //

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2540438/Euro-elections-headache-Cameron-Tories-course-come-THIRD-Mays-poll-Labour-Ukip.html

Will Europe once again be the downfall of the Tories?

[jno]

that would be something, the firrst time since, uh, the execution of the Earl of Strafford or something.

The idea of Ukip voters sending MEPs to Brussels bewilders me, though.

[Baldric]

So the BNP in Suits are likely to win then?

[jno]

that's what Farage says, not what the poll says.

[Baldric]

Ah, that chain-smoking, beer-swilling man of the people!

Just not any of the People I know.

[VHG]

>>>>So the BNP in Suits are likely to win then?

That is as stupid as saying the Labour party are "Communists in suits".

Of course, when you cant argue fairly resort to abuse.

[anotheoldgit]

Won't make any difference when we are no longer members.

[Baldric]

//Of course, when you cant argue fairly resort to abuse.//

You omitted three vital words;

Of course, when you cant be ar5ed to argue fairly resort to abuse

[jake-the-peg]

It's been bouncing about a bit

http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/european-elections

Note the BNP are up significantly too

Given the research was done at the end of November I'd imagine we're seeing the result of all that "We're about to be invaded by Bulgarians and Romanians" nonsense.

It'll probably drop back down a bit now that people have seen solitary Romanians at Luton airport bemused and outnumbered by journalists.

But UKIP are still likely to be well up on existing numbers

[Gromit]

// It'll probably drop back down a bit now that people have seen solitary Romanians at Luton airport bemused and outnumbered by journalists. //

The Poll in the Mail link is from the Sun conducted Jan14/15. If anything, it has gone up since the hordes of Romanians failed to materialise.

[sandyRoe]

And being forced to pose for the cameras while taking coffee with Keith Vaz would put quite a few off.

[Gromit]

// Won't make any difference when we are no longer members. //

Labour and the LibDems will not bring us out of Europe. The Conservatives are deeply divided between those who want us to stay in, and those that don't. If the Conservatives do badly and UKiP benefits, that will make Farage's mob more credible at the General Election. If UKiP harms the Conservatives, it will be Labour that benefits.

[mikey4444]

Well done Gromit...said it all there. And where will that leave Dave in May 2015 ? Up a creek, without a paddle.

[youngmafbog]

Well hopefully it will wake up cameron the spinless. but I wont hold my breath.

I think you will find though EU elections are treated y the public like council by-elections; very useful for giving the current incumbents a deserved bloody nose.

Come General Election many will falter when going to put the X next to UKIP. UKIP will probably get many votes but I doubt they will translate into seats.

[dave50]

I can't believe there are still such a large number of people still voting Labour. Still I suppose if their father and his father before him voted Labour than of course they have to.

[jake-the-peg]

Yes dave

And of course there's no tribalism amoungst Tory voters at all!!

Ex-Liberals are voting Labour after Clegg's backdown on tuition fees

In hindsight that policy will almost certainly have cost Cameron re-election.

He could have survived the UKIP swing but not when dissatisfied Liberals are voting Labour and breaking the tuition fee promise was the one that Liberals really cared about.

[LazyGun]

"I think you will find though EU elections are treated y the public like council by-elections; very useful for giving the current incumbents a deserved bloody nose."

I think this is very true; But also the growing popularity mirrors the growing scepticism and appetite for the EU within the UK public.

Speaking purely from my own experience though, MEPs are all but invisible back here in the UK. I cannot recall seeing any literature or emails or even press releases from my MEP(s) down here in Hertfordshire; I am not even sure if they have constituency surgeries. The only time I see any news at all about the MEP is when the parties put forward their candidates. It is a specious form of democracy as it stands right now; Lip services, but that is just about it as far as constituency representation goes - and for this non-service they get the princely sum of 200K a year? something like that.

[Gromit]

LazyGun

Nick Griffin is my MEP. There's irony.