Ukip is on rise
Allan Massie’s article on Ukip (Perspective, 9 January) puts me in mind of a tongue-in-cheek saying we used in the Royal Artillery: artillery adds dignity to what would otherwise be a vulgar brawl. He has, in a poor attempt to resurrect Tory confidence, descended to vulgar brawling.
Little surprise that he uses soft innuendo, as did David Cameron, in trying to slur without having the guts to be direct. Of course, that is necessary as he and Cameron need to avoid defamation in this day and age.
Anyway, Massie might like to know that he is right that we appeal to a wide range of people – his mixed bag – and I do not regard that range of backgrounds as something to deride.
We have many former Tories, some classy and some not, a host of former Liberals/Liberal Democrats, many former Labour supporters, and just a week ago I was surprised to learn that a still paid-up member of the SNP has been secretly voting for Ukip.
Our membership across the UK has risen dramatically in the last quarter, and even in Scotland we are seeing a surge. Yes, Massie, we are still quite small in terms of paid-up members, but we have seen a significant increase in Scotland since October.
Massie is right to note that our rise in the popular vote, as seen in polls, is more dramatic – in February 2012 we had to be pleased with 2 per cent; that latest figure in Scotland is about 8 per cent and we have at times topped the Lib Dems in Scotland, not just in the UK as a whole.
In north-west England, by the way, Ukip has even topped the Tories.
So Mr Massie has good cause to scrape the barrel for insults in defence of the currently empowered political class. His article is a bit transparent; he ought to withdraw his nasty comments.
Meantime, Ukip will continue to add dignity and common sense to the brawl by deploying policies fit for an independent sovereign United Kingdom, and welcomes further recruits and converts from all backgrounds to that cause.
Mike Scott-Hayward
UKIP Scotland
Kemback Bridge
Fife
Anyway, Massie might like to know that he is right that we appeal to a wide range of people – his mixed bag – and I do not regard that range of backgrounds as something to deride.
We have many former Tories, some classy and some not, a host of former Liberals/Liberal Democrats, many former Labour supporters, and just a week ago I was surprised to learn that a still paid-up member of the SNP has been secretly voting for Ukip.
Our membership across the UK has risen dramatically in the last quarter, and even in Scotland we are seeing a surge. Yes, Massie, we are still quite small in terms of paid-up members, but we have seen a significant increase in Scotland since October.
Massie is right to note that our rise in the popular vote, as seen in polls, is more dramatic – in February 2012 we had to be pleased with 2 per cent; that latest figure in Scotland is about 8 per cent and we have at times topped the Lib Dems in Scotland, not just in the UK as a whole.
In north-west England, by the way, Ukip has even topped the Tories.
So Mr Massie has good cause to scrape the barrel for insults in defence of the currently empowered political class. His article is a bit transparent; he ought to withdraw his nasty comments.
Meantime, Ukip will continue to add dignity and common sense to the brawl by deploying policies fit for an independent sovereign United Kingdom, and welcomes further recruits and converts from all backgrounds to that cause.
Mike Scott-Hayward
UKIP Scotland
Kemback Bridge
Fife
No comments:
Post a Comment