'British Tea Party' Ukip surging despite racist gaffes

[pampango]

Ukip support surges in run-up to Britain's European elections

Ukip’s campaign for the European elections, which saw a dozens of billboards spring up across Britain with overtly anti-European Union and anti-immigration messaging, was widely criticized as alarmist and xenophobic.

The stakes are particularly high this year as it’s the first time in many countries that far-right, anti-EU parties are likely to pose a major challenge to traditional parties. Given that trend, Ukip’s impressive result in the YouGov poll isn’t a shock. What is perhaps surprising, though, is that the party still managed to finish in first place after a slew of bad press in recent weeks.

These aren't the first cases of controversy for Ukip, sometimes referred to as Britain's answer to the American Tea Party Movement. But rather than harm the party's electoral chances, analysts say the negative press might actually be helping.

When asked which politician he most admires, Farage said Russian President Vladimir Putin ... He has also made misogynistic comments in the past, speaking publicly about the fondness he once had for lap-dancing clubs and saying that women are worth less to their employers than men due to “biological reasons” because they have babies.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/ukip-support-surges-in-run-up-to-britain-s-european-elections-1.2629413

[okaawhatever]

1. Yep definitely the UK's version of the Tea Party. nt

[Blue_Tires]

2. and like the teabaggers

they will be counting on anti-incumbent sentiment to cruise their way into office...

[Skidmore]

3. Who is their Koch brothers?

Follow the money.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. While they do have some rich supporters, their rise is due to a lot of xenophobia

Political advertising is not allowed on British TV, so there is a lot less influence from money. They are popular because they're anti-immigrant, and, sadly, so is a significant part of England (UKIP have almost no following in Scotland, and little in Wales).

[T_i_B]

7. They have spent a lot of money on their campaign this year.

So somebody is paying a lot of money for their billboard posters.

As must as I loathe UKIP, I can see why they are doing well. Unfortunatly the 3 main parties are not really engaging with voters at all right now, and that has created an opportunity for a blatant charlatan like Nigel Farage to exploit.

[DavidDvorkin]

5. "Despite"?

Surely those "gaffes" contributed to the party's support.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

6. They're only far-right by British standards; they're a long way left of the Tea Party.

They're severely xenophobic, but - for example - most of them support the NHS in at least some form, (albeit not properly funded) and not many of them want to criminalise abortion.

Essentially, UKIP is a ragtag and bobtail of people from across the political spectrum whose sole uniting principle is sticking two fingers up to Johnny Foreigner.

The British political spectrum is a long way left of the American one.