Complacent parties caught kipping

It continually feels like British politics is its very own Game of Thrones. Except without soldiers and war, we have pollsters and spin doctors.

Sometimes, though, it’s more like The Hunger Games, where the Westminster elite feast in excess while the rest of us are left to look on and despair.

Ok, that’s enough of my love of fantasy – of the film and TV variety that is, not whips and chains – but there was a point in there.

You only have to look at last week’s episode of Question Time to see the point. On the panel was Conservative party chairman Grant Shapps who I’m sure by accident carries an air of superiority over those around him.

Accompanying him was Labour’s shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna, a man who is baby-bottom smooth but also someone who appears to have no problem with allowing his Wikipedia page to be changed so that it compares him to Barack Obama.

These well-spoken Westminster politicians were fronted by an audience who live in the real world. For years they have been patronised by ministers and MPs who do not believe they can handle strong opinion or honest debate.

The centre ground is the safe ground where David Cameron and Tony Blair hid out. Anyone who dares to act outside this safe ground is deemed dangerous. Cuts, by their very nature, are automatically swingeing. It is often remarked that even Maggie Thatcher had never gone so far as this coalition government.

Commons’ debates descend into pissing contests and a stage to see which leader has the best gag writer. It’s cheap politics, full of gimmicks and petty points-scoring as both sides trade childish insults and triumphantly declare victory over their opposite numbers. In terms of relevance, these trade-offs must rank alongside the Anglo-Italian cup.

These are the same people, remember, who stole from us through expenses. Many of those at the top are the ones who play the Game of Thrones the best, sucking up to the party hierarchy to earn promotion and failing to offer any thought which does not feel like it has been vetted by legal minds in case it might somehow cause an unflattering headline.

You only have to read any political journalist to hear of the squabbling, back-stabbing, power struggles and leaks between rival factions to wonder how any policies ever get put forward.

Meanwhile, the rest of us get on with our lives. The hard-working poor suffer through inadequate wages and live in fear that bad health or legal difficulties could cripple them financially.

They suffer through the very real cost of living difficulties (not that Labour can say much with their record in government) and have to watch the rich and privileged Cameron and George Osborne triumphantly taunt their opposite numbers over the fact the economy isn’t quite as crap as it was a few months earlier.

So it’s no wonder that many turn to Ukip. A country which resisted turning to fascism or communism in the 30s, unlike many in Europe, is looking to stick the knife into the three main parties.

Ukip is a phenomenon, although whether it continues to be relevant will be a tough test of the leadership when it comes to writing its manifesto for next year’s general election.

Ukip is not some right-wing, anti-government party like the Tea Party in America. Defining Ukip is difficult, but one moment offers a clue as to why its popularity continues to grow.

A recent Guardian article was put up documenting 10 reasons not to vote Ukip. It was terrifically researched and I was sure the commenters would be joining the writer in abusing those hapless, out-of-touch racists.

But to my surprise they instead turned their ire on the writer. Back off Ukip was the cry, just as it was on the comments sections on the Mail, Express, Times and Independent websites.

One of its candidates wants Lenny Henry to leave the country. So what? Who cares? I’m voting Ukip anyway.

One of its candidates defends slavery. No matter, I’ll still vote Ukip.

The people are fed up. They are fed up of being treated as kids. They are at their teenage rebellion stage and they are enjoying watching the grown-up parties squirm.

Cameron in particular is feeling the heat. Handicapped by election boundaries and necessary cuts which extend Labour a huge advantage, he has been bullied into negotiating a tougher position on Europe and promising a referendum in 2017. Although since the chances of the Conservatives winning a majority is slim, he will either not be afforded the chance or will do little in terms of renegotiating the UK’s continued membership.

A week ago I put together an article on the EU, using conversations with Jackie Minor – the EU’s representative to the UK – and Gawain Towler, a Ukip MEP candidate and party spokesman.

Both were interesting for different reasons. Minor calmly and assuredly put forward many reasons why the UK benefitted from EU membership, including: increased trade, research funding and reduced roaming charges.

Towler, who had no idea of my name and had no inclination he would be meeting me, gave 30 minutes of impassioned, quote-worthy material before walking off and half-joking that he had probably said something really controversial.

He said he grew up in Germany, his parents lived in France and he liked Europe, but he wanted to be governed at home. He lambasted media coverage on Ukip. He talked enthusiastically of the differences in campaigning now compared to the same election five years ago. 

He laughed at mention of his party’s 2010 manifesto and said it should be kept as an historical monument to be enjoyed in many years’ time. He even candidly stated that now they were much more in the public spotlight, Ukip would engage more thoroughly in the policy-making process in Europe.

Towler was loving life. He was glad to see racists exposed and kicked-out, but he didn’t want his candidates censured. If the public don’t like that person then they won’t vote for him or her was his verdict.

Ukip might have the appearance of a working men’s club, but the unpopularity of the main parties means they have time to reform. Young and minority candidates are being integrated. The next general election manifesto is being taken deadly seriously with auditors brought in to make sure it adds up properly.

In the meantime, their European prospects continue to grow and the anti-establishment crowd loves it. They see broken promises, gimmicks like all-women shortlists or friends of the party leadership pushed into safe seats nowhere near where they live. Then they see Ukip and people who speak the same way as they do and without fear of political correctness.

The fact they seem to have fewer policies than racist members is not an issue. Just as long as they can vote for the party of Nigel Farage and not the one of Cameron or Ed Miliband whose every movements appear stage-managed to garner votes.

Farage is, remember, the man promising a referendum. Ever since I can remember we have been demanding a say on our EU membership, but politicians seem to think they know better. Sovereignty has ebbed away, budgets continually expanded and our borders thrown open, but we are always better in we are told. Westminster knows best after all.

An economic market has evolved into a super state where power lies in the unaccountable and expensive politicians. And it is only thanks to Ukip’s pressure that we are learning more about what EU membership means. It turns out that there are many benefits, but the effect of uncontrolled immigration brings many sets of problems.

Boris Johnson said that more than 42,000 homes need to be built in London every year for the next 20 years. Social housing waiting lists are long and the number of households living in temporary accommodation is rising.

The argument of foreigners coming in and taking our jobs – a line cynically taken by Ukip – is partly true, but most are skilled workers or taking jobs we would not do ourselves. Regardless, the strain on resources is not going to get better any time soon.

Europe is an extremely complex topic to get your head around and the exaggerated claims, overuse of statistics and misleading comments brought out in the debates between Farage and Nick Clegg does not help to clarify how it operates.

We will find out in a few weeks whether the Ukip bubble will burst or not. A win in the European polls, gains in local elections and a sitting MP in Newark are all goals and each would continue the momentum.

Stutter now, though, and the chance of causing Cameron a bloody nose in 12 months’ time looks unrealistic.

Nevertheless, Ukip’s rise has stirred something in the political ocean. It’s asked questions, focussed minds and made some raise their game. Farage may not deserve a full platform in next year’s debates, but he has earned his moment in the sun.

And, you know what, I know Ukip are a populist party with few policies and too many candidates holding questionable and at times awful views. I know they resemble a pub team who have suddenly had to play in the professional ranks and are not ready for their new, elevated level.

Yes, they are the laziest MEPs in the European Parliament.

I’m sure there are hundreds of other reasons people could throw at me for ignoring Ukip and in the time you've read this something else has kicked off. But I don’t care. I have no faith in the main parties and it’s only when facing intense media scrutiny that they tend to act on any wrong-doing.

I am suitably annoyed and fed up in the system we have now, and so unimpressed with what we are being offered, that I have no shame in admitting that I want to see what the alternative has to offer. When it comes to Europe, I will be voting Ukip.

I want a say on our relationship with Europe and if that makes me a fruitcake, loony or racist then so be it.

None of those would be the worst thing I’ve been called…