Godfrey Bloom, classy as ever

[LeftishBrit]

http://www.cherwell.org/news/topstories/2014/01/25/godfrey-bloom-insults-disabled-student-at-the-union

[Anarcho-Socialist]

1. This is what happens when you have a particular activist base

The core of the UKIP candidate and activist base come from two sources:

* ex-NF activists
* ex-Tory palaeo-con Powellites.

If Farage wants to truly purge UKIP of the embarrassing bigots then he'd end up with no party.

[T_i_B]

2. "If Farage wants to truly purge UKIP of the bigots then he'd end up with no party."

Indeed. Looking at discussion boards where UKIP supporters are vocal you see that they just think he's being endearingly "politically incorrect" when he does stuff like this in spite of all evidence to the contrary.

As bad as Godfrey Bloom is, his views are viewed very sympathetically by a large portion of UKIP supporters, many of whom seem unaware that UKIP have actually purged him for being an embarassment.

[Jeneral2885]

3. Goodness me

He's still around?!

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. MEPs keep their job until the next election, no matter what their ex-party says

even though they were elected on a closed party list. As I'll never tire of pointing out on the internet, Ashley Mote, one of my 2004-2009 MEPs (elected as UKIP, naturally), went to prison for 6 months for fraud in the middle of his term, and continued to draw his large MEP salary. Only a sentence of more than a year disqualifies an MP or MEP (though, strangely, a sentence of 3 months or more any time in the previous 5 years stops you from standing as a local council candidate. I guess MPs have admitted they're worse than councillors).