It is stories such as these that test my faith in humanity. The new UKIP leader, Lord Pearson, has resolved to target a hung parliament at the next general election. Speaking after his appointment was announced, Pearson said “My ambition is for UKIP to do well enough at the next parliament so that we can force a hung parliament and a realignment in British politics.”
Brilliant.
Not to be completely unfair to Lord Pearson, I do see his rationale; targeting a hung parliament is to target a break up in the two-party dominance seen at Westminster since at least the early 1980s and arguably long before. To do so would shift the balance of power towards minority parties and grant them greater freedom to enact their policies. But what Lord Pearson so obviously ignores is that UKIP will find little success in persuading any of the major parties to form a coalition with them or, even if they did, to commit to the binding pledge of an “in-out” referendum. Cameron and Brown have both had ample opportunity to signal this intention and neither took it up.
Moreover, to “target” a hung parliament is risky business indeed. Since nobody can be mathematically certain that this is what we are heading for, it follows that to target a hung parliament entails running the risk of the vote swinging too far back to the Left. All this would serve to do would be to prolong Labour rule and, in turn, see the Conservatives relegated to the sidelines of British politics for four or five more years. It is a perverse form of politics indeed that seeks highly improbable outcomes at the probable expense of pragmatic reform. Were we to be presented with a hung parliament in 2010, the more likely outcome would be a Lib-Con government.
This would place doubts over the ability of the Conservatives to enact their (albeit tame) Sovereignty Act. But if you think that act isn’t going far enough, then the hung parliament spells even more inactivity on the Eurosceptic front. In fact I suspect what we will see is the Euro argument rearing its ugly head once again. The only referenda we’d likely get in that situation would be on electoral reform and entry to the Euro zone. UKIP are walking a political tightrope, risking a fall that could have grave implications for the nation. Paradoxically, a party which seeks action on matters European is running the very real risk of jeopardising the only tangible effort by a British administration to limit the law-appropriating powers of Brussels in history. Baby steps they may be, but at least its movement.
A hung parliament in 2010 will grind it to a resounding hault and, with it, the best chance for 27 years to at least begin to redefine our relationship with the EEC/EC/EU institutions.
Brilliant.
Not to be completely unfair to Lord Pearson, I do see his rationale; targeting a hung parliament is to target a break up in the two-party dominance seen at Westminster since at least the early 1980s and arguably long before. To do so would shift the balance of power towards minority parties and grant them greater freedom to enact their policies. But what Lord Pearson so obviously ignores is that UKIP will find little success in persuading any of the major parties to form a coalition with them or, even if they did, to commit to the binding pledge of an “in-out” referendum. Cameron and Brown have both had ample opportunity to signal this intention and neither took it up.
Moreover, to “target” a hung parliament is risky business indeed. Since nobody can be mathematically certain that this is what we are heading for, it follows that to target a hung parliament entails running the risk of the vote swinging too far back to the Left. All this would serve to do would be to prolong Labour rule and, in turn, see the Conservatives relegated to the sidelines of British politics for four or five more years. It is a perverse form of politics indeed that seeks highly improbable outcomes at the probable expense of pragmatic reform. Were we to be presented with a hung parliament in 2010, the more likely outcome would be a Lib-Con government.
This would place doubts over the ability of the Conservatives to enact their (albeit tame) Sovereignty Act. But if you think that act isn’t going far enough, then the hung parliament spells even more inactivity on the Eurosceptic front. In fact I suspect what we will see is the Euro argument rearing its ugly head once again. The only referenda we’d likely get in that situation would be on electoral reform and entry to the Euro zone. UKIP are walking a political tightrope, risking a fall that could have grave implications for the nation. Paradoxically, a party which seeks action on matters European is running the very real risk of jeopardising the only tangible effort by a British administration to limit the law-appropriating powers of Brussels in history. Baby steps they may be, but at least its movement.
A hung parliament in 2010 will grind it to a resounding hault and, with it, the best chance for 27 years to at least begin to redefine our relationship with the EEC/EC/EU institutions.
political party going for votes shocker !!!!
ReplyDeleteof course UKIP are out for votes, and of course that will affect voting patterns and results.....it's what political parties do. It would be unrealistic to expect UKIP to win many seats but they can influence politics. Malcolm Pearson has a desire to make politics more localised.... I thought that might find favour here.
We don't need a Sovereignty Act as a sop, we want Sovereignty. ... and just who do you think will trust Dave to fulfil any promise ?
Haddock,
ReplyDeleteThe localism does find favour here. But all the while the Conservatives (who genuinely have a chance of achieving a majority in 2010) are espousing the same policy, then all UKIP is doing is standing in the way of the progress that they propound so readily.
trouble is Zach they also espouse many of the same policies as Labour
ReplyDeletesame spending plans, to within a smidgin
same overseas aid
same green boloney
same windmills
same war
same stance on EU( but hiding behind different words)
If the Conservative Party wants votes from people inclined to vote UKIP the answer is so simple even Dave and George should be able to spot it