Should Ukip Be Represented At The Cenotaph?

[sp1814]

Two questions...

1. Despite having less than the required number of MPs in Parliament to qualify (which is six), should the organisers change the rules so that UKIP can lay a wreath at the Cenotaph during Remembrance Sunday?

Should there now be a ceasefire on publishing unflattering pictures of Nigel Farage? Note how in this shot, he seems to be morphing into one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nigel-farage-claims-government-snub-ukip-from-remembrance-sunday-event-9848538.html

[Zacs-Master]

To have Farage at the cenotaph before they've got the requisite number of MPs would be giving undue credence to UKIP. Why should they have special treatment?

[Gromit]

No.

The Greens or Respect never whinged.

UKIP are a party of whingers, who moan about everything but have very few policies.

[jno]

alongside Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael and Donatello, I'm afraid he'd have to be Damien or Tracey.

But the short answer is No. A threshold of six MPs seems reasonable enough; "did well in a by-election" isn't much of a qualification.

[Kromovaracun]

If the rules are that you need six MPs, they should probably stop moaning and get 5 more.

[mikey4444]

SP...Question number One. If the authorities allowed every loony-tune who called themselves a political party to attend, the queue in Whitehall would be almost as long as the one outside Harrods in the first day of the Sales.

Question Two...more difficult than question one. How on earth do you take a snap of Farage that isn't unflattering ? Extraordinarily difficult I would have thought ! I suppose you could Photoshop his fags and pints out, but would that be enough ?

[janbee]

They may only have one MP at the moment but it's one more than the LIMPs will have after May 2015.

[mikey4444]

Kromo...perhaps Farage could borrow another 5 from the Tories, just to tide him over ? He didn't seem to find a problem getting the first one did he ?

[Gromit]

UKIP will probably double their tally of MPs by Friday morning.

Be interesting to see if any more Tories are then encouraged to jump ship.
Farage hinted at a string of by-elections going into the new year.

[humbersloop]

actually sp, I was disgusted by the man's shameless attempt to make some cheap political mileage out of this morning's ceremony, but there you have it

[Svejk]

But not SPs shameless attempt, eh, humber?

[Baldric]

///but have very few policies.///

They do seem to have the odd policy or two

http://www.ukip.org/policies_for_people

[Brenden]

Nothing to stop him joining the hoi polloi at the Cenotaph, rules are rules.

[jno]

my goodness, Svejk, you are a busy bee today running around telling people what they should and should not post!

So we mustn't criticise politicians' shamlelessness because that would be shameless too?

Sounds like hooey to me.

[ToraToraTora]

No need to change the rules.

[mikey4444]

I agree TTT, but according to some here on AB, Farage will be walking out as PM come next November !

[ToraToraTora]

well if he gets enough MPs he can go next year!

[ChillDoubt]

The Greens or Respect never whinged.
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Neither of whom obtained 4.4 million votes though in a recent election.
They (UKIP) should have been allowed a representative if they so wished, as should the others, though I doubt Respect would have taken up the invitation.

[sp1814]

Chilldoubt

I don't think the recent elections count, because that was for MEPs, rather than MPs.

Perhaps the best idea would be for Farage to be patient and wait until November 2015. I'm sure UKIP will have more than the minimum required number to attend then.

divebuddy - this is not a manufactured story.

He did an interview, spoke his mind and now people are choosing to react to it, either supporting him or as in my case, not.

Why is it that some people believe that UKIP politicians should be immune from any criticism?

[ChillDoubt]

Perhaps the best idea would be for Farage to be patient and wait until November 2015. I'm sure UKIP will have more than the minimum required number to attend then.
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But I'm sure(as did so many others) that he would have particularly liked to have attended this one, given its added significance this year.
I've no doubt that any sentiments he expressed would have been far more relevant and heartfelt than some of the attendee's.