Self-respecting Brits should leave the country if UKIP start taking seats in Parliament, claims one Lib Dem candidate from Rochdale.
Castleton candidate Anthony Smith, who failed in his bid last night to claim a seat at Rochdale’s elections, also argued that UKIP have had disproportionate media coverage.
“The BBC has given them more fucking air time than is sensible, but what can you do,” he said.
“If they start winning seats in Parliament then it’s serious; time to get out of England.”
Mr Smith also suggested that the population are being told by UKIP that the cut backs in the economy are due to foreigners who are putting a strain on the UK.
“History tells us that when times are tough it’s easier to point to the guy down the street who’s a bit different and say ‘it’s all your fault’, and that’s what worries me,” he said.
“Nigel Farage, for me, is that type of nasty character with an affable charm and it’s a very dangerous mix,” he added.
“What does Nigel Farage want? We don’t know do we? We don’t know whether he’s a closet fascist or anything do we?”
Other politicians also believe the vast majority of people ‘think like’ Nigel Farage as UKIP have won a considerable amount of seats.
Conservative Group Leader for Wardle and West Littleborough, Ashley Dearnley, and Labour MP for Heywood and Middleton, Jim Dobbin, believe that the vast majority of the population secretly agree with UKIP.
Mr Dearnley told MM that the ‘metropolitian, elite, socialist BBC set-up’ were partly to blame for swaying Brits towards UKIP’s views.
“The more they say about Nigel Farage, the more it gives him votes,” he said.
“They seem to have this view that if they say these things (about UKIP) the public will be against them but they’re not, because the public actually think like that; the vast majority anyway, that’s my understanding.”
Mr Dobbin made similar claims when he stated that there is an ‘anti-European thing going on at the present time’ and that jobs are the reason behind it.
“Some places are fine but in other places all you’re getting is UKIP, I’d say people who are normally voting labour, or non-voters,” he said.
“I think that the UKIP thing is all about immigration and Europe; I think that Farage, for one individual, has done remarkably well in getting his case across even when he’s talking rubbish.
“For some reason he gets it across, and of course he’s had such a lot of media coverage without even trying and that’s had an impact.”
When asked if he believed the majority of the population secretly agree with Farage, Mr Dobbin said: “Yes – (UKIP) brought the issue up about all these people coming into this country particularly from across Europe and of course there is an anti-European thing going on at the present time.
“Jobs – I think that’s the reason; people coming in and taking jobs.”
Lee Seville, UKIP candidate for West Middleton who placed second, said at the local elections that his campaign had received a good reception and that it was down to UKIP’s honest approach.
“The party is on the up,” he said.
“Everybody I speak to had really good words for us, I think we’re talking honestly and I think it’s been a bit of a dated campaign from the other parties.
“I think people can see through it.”
When asked whether the media had impacted positively on UKIP’s popularity, Mr Seville argued that the press hadn’t helped at all.
“I think really what’s happened with the media is a lot of the papers are affiliated to the main parties and have been towing the party line.
“They have been highlighting things that some of the parties have been saying (about UKIP) and I think it’s helped us at the ballot box, but it’s not really put a fair story to the party.”
Image courtesy of Catham House, with thanks
