Why Did Ukip Fare (Relatively) Badly In London?

[sp1814]

A greater number of liberal 'chatterati'

A recognition that UKIP don't represent the voice of London?

Fear that some of us will lose our EU home help?

Or a conspiracy amongst the Guardianistas?

Or a disgusting streak of common sense?


http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/may/23/ukip-results-divide-london-rest-england

[Buenchico]

Perhaps other anti-EU parties fared better in London than elsewhere, splitting the anti-EU vote?

As an aside I've just taken a look at the parties who put candidates forward in London, which is quite a bit different to the list of parties who were seeking votes here in the Eastern Region. I note that one party (with just one candidate) appended a policy description to its title on ballot papers, reading "Zero-Immigration, More Jobs, Anti-Globalization". The name of that party calling for 'zero immigration' is the Harmony Party. Perhaps someone should send them a dictionary?
;-)

[ToraToraTora]

the man himself has been explaining all day, weak team not really targetted etc, sad that you need to try and find something to bang on about, accept it your boys took a beating, try and learn from it.

[Old_Geezer]

Maybe London has a larger percentage of folk voting who originally came from another EU country ? Ah maybe national harmony rather than European harmony ;-)

[Gromit]

Despite their hype that UKiP is stealing Labour votes as well as Conservative ones, the truth is they aren't. They failed to dent Labour in London and I have just just looked up results for Greater Manchester, and UKiP have not done well here. Across Manchester, Oldham, Stockport, Wigan, Salford, Bury, I can find only two new UKiP councillors, and one of those was a gain from the LibDems.

Certainly in the Cities, which are Labour strongholds, the UKiP earthquake appears to have hit a brick wall. It would be interesting to see a map of where the UKiP gains are.

[Brenden]

I do not think UKIP expected to win in high immigrant areas.

[sp1814]

One prominent Ukip candidate, Suzanne Evans, attributed Ukip's failure to gain ground in London to its "more media-savvy and educated" population, in contrast to the rest of the country.

Kinda suggests that UKIP appeals to older, poorly educated voters?

[Gromit]

My own borough returned no UKiP councillors bringing heir total on the council to zero.

I have just looked up Basildon in Essex where UkiP did well. It was a solid Consetvative borough and UKiP took 7 seats off the Conservatives, 3 from Labour and 1 from the LibDems.

It is clear that UKiP are taking most of their votes from people who formerly voted Conservative. Bad news for the Tories, but not great news either for Labour.

[sp1814]

Brenden - I wonder if they did badly in Birmingham, which I am lead to believe also has a high immigrant population...?

If not, why the disparity between London and the rest of the country. 25% vs. 7% is really quite a gulf.

[Gromit]

I just read on a blog so I am trying to verify if it is true, but it reckoned there was a North/South divide to UKiPs distribution of new seats. It claimed 70% of seats are in the South.

[naomi24]

With only about 44% of the population of London classified as white British, I would have thought it fairly obvious.

[mikey4444]

Why did UKIP, an openly racist and xenophobic organisation, do so badly in a city where there are so many people from foreign countries living there ?

I couldn't possibly think of a single reason !

[mikey4444]

Gromit...right of course !

I notice that there is still a scarcity of right-wingers here on AB defending the Tories abysmal performance. As of a few minutes ago, the Tories have lost 201 seats. Yet all the negative concentration in the media is on Labour, who gained 292 seats ! How badly would dave have to do to get noticed ?

[naomi24]

Mikey, //an openly racist and xenophobic organisation//

You're at it again. Are you really that ignorant? People are concerned about uncontrolled levels of immigration - that is clear - and rightly so. That doesn't make them racist or xenophobic. How many more times does it have to be said?

[naomi24]

Mikey, your last post wasn't there when I posted. We spoke about the Conservative's results yesterday - and still you're spinning. No surprise you come across as dizzy! Good grief!

[mikey4444]

Its not just me that are saying it, and I am not going to stop using the phrases just to please you naomi. Whether they really are racist and xenophobic isn't the point. Its the perception that many people, all over the country have, which is why only a small percentage of people support UKIP.

[sp1814]

Birmingham's white population is only 56% of the total populous. Therefore, why didn't UKIP fair badly there too?

Why did London buck the trend?

Is education really a factor?

[naomi24]

Stop kidding yourself, Mikey. Quite clearly, many more people supported Ukip than you want to admit - and whether the party is really racist and xenophobic is the point. If they're not - and they're not - then you are purposefully maligning them. Not good.

[naomi24]

I'm not sure the two cities can really be compared. Perhaps we'll have to wait to find out what the turnout was before we can answer that.

[sp1814]

naomi24

Whilst I don't believe that UKIP as a party are openly racist or xenophobic, I think one could argue that they enjoy support both from people who are genuinely concerned about the EU and the UK's current immigration policy AND people who are racist, sexist and homophobic.

Nigel Farage has explained this last point by pointing to the fact that it's okay for older people to be homophobic because they grew up in a different era. And if you look at the demographics of UKIP's proffered councillors, you can see that they lean towards older people.

I suspect it's a small minority of UKIP supports / councillors who are truly bigoted, but these seem to be the ones who garner most interest in the media and amongst those who do not support UKIP (not just the London 'chatterati).

I think there may be four t's in 'chatteratti'.

Not sure.

[mikey4444]

Naomi...handsome is as handsome does in my book. Farage and UKIP have constantly played the race card at every opportunity, and some of their candidates have been completely barking mad, which even apologists like you cannot seriously deny.

You talk as if I was the only one who holds these views, when they are widely held by many people. I have made my position on the rise of the Far Right many times here on AB, and I have no intention of pulling back now.

Perhaps we should agree to disagree on this issue.