More than 30% of Britain’s voters would choose Eurosceptic party UKIP in the next election, according to a Manchester University academic.
The findings are revealed in the book Revolt on the Right: Explaining Support for the Radical Right in Britain.
The results, to be debated in an event with UKIP party leader Nigel Farage next week, are based on a study of over 100,000 voters and almost 6,000 UKIP supporters.
Dr Robert Ford of Manchester University, along with co-author Dr Matthew Goodwin of Nottingham University, believes that UKIP has a much wider appeal than commonly thought.
“UKIP are currently winning over one voter in ten but their potential far exceeds their current support in the polls and the party have the potential to grow further,” Dr Ford said.
“This revolt has been a long time coming, but may have a long way to run.
“UKIP voters are deeply misunderstood: they are not middle-class, financially secure Tories from the Shires who care only about Europe and securing an EU referendum.
“UKIP’s core voters share an extremely clear profile.”
The authors believe that the party appeals to groups left behind by mainstream politics due to their stance on leaving the EU, hostility towards immigration and dissatisfaction with the established political class.
Mr Farage, who is in the middle of two debates with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg about Britain’s future membership of the EU, will examine the findings along with the authors and Joe Twyman, Director of Political Research at EMEA and YouGov.
A second discussion on UKIP’s threat to Labour will also take place on March 31 in London with former MP Jacqui Smith and political strategist sharing their views.
Dr Goodwin believes potential UKIP voters hold different values to the middle-class majority and are disillusioned with the direction of the country.
“They look out at a country their neither recognize nor want to be a part of,” he said.
Image courtesy of Euro Realist Newsletter, via Flickr, with thanks
