DEM not gonna CON dis NATION: Rolling UK politics in the short-lived post-Murdoch era

South Shields is about as safe a Labour seat as you can get so I wouldn't read too much into it, but UKIP managing to pick up nearly a quarter of the vote there should be worrying for almost everyone.

Why isn't there a prominent internationalist/left-leaning protest party? Too much like hard work to rationalise a modicum of broad-mindedness or compassion?

Or is it because the Greens are beyond-useless twats with not one clue about gaining support and influence

thank god ukip are here to sort out the wright way chumps in our local councils

they're just there to fuck the hand-driers

i like to know where they stand on things like europe i.e. standing behind its arse and pulling a sex face

Why isn't there a prominent internationalist/left-leaning protest party?

According to Nick Clegg, that's the Labour Party

groovy

According to me, Nick Clegg should die in a fire.

we're up all night to get clegg annihilated

i was listening to some hand-wringing debate on Radio 4 the other day about "how can we persuade the yoot to vote?" and Ann Widdecombe - Ann Widdecombe, mind - said "it's not about the young and the old, the real issue is that a lot of people don't see any difference between the main parties. There used to be this broad ideological struggle between Socialism and Capitalism but now most voters don't see any real difference between Labour and the Conservatives". cheered meself hoarse.

Hugh Annand (Liberal Democrats) 352 votes 1.4%

Keep up the good work, Nick

Why isn't there a prominent internationalist/left-leaning protest party?

WHY INDEED! The closest thing we have are the Green Party who are suffering from a long-term image problem and Respect who are doing their utmost to dig themselves into a long-term image problem.

Face it, we're a bunch of right wing cunts

the solutions probably lie outside party politics as we currently know them tbf

in that parliamentary democracy is a tool of the capitalist oppressors, yes

The oncoming death of the newspaper industry will probably be the most significant factor. One of the main reasons UKIP gain ground is that the sentiments they're (officially) articulating are near identical to most tabloid editorial stances. That said the tabloids will be with us for a while yet.

That said if this lot get their way we'll have the British equivalent of Fox News by then and that way lies catastrophe.

It's nice that in the USA, Fox News can be all "Obama is the evil man" and the US population go out and VOTE HIM IN, DAMMIT!

have actually fantasised at length about f1r3bomb1ng The Sun (with every human and animal* evacuated on some jumped-up pretext, of course)

*possibly except for Kelvin Mackenzie even though he doesn't edit it any more

That's only happening because it's Obama, most Democrat presidential hopefuls would be a lot easier to take down. And Labour won't be electing an Obama any time soon.

not unless they can persuade EMil to black up

Also as I've mentioned countless times, politicians are still clinging to the "centre ground", proudly stating this while going "see, we're on your side, we're on everybody's side", as if it's a badge of honour. But increasing numbers of people can see that the "centre ground" has failed, massively, and the vacuum of political leadership or even real debate leads to votes flooding to nutters and racists.

fuck yes. truth.

"when you believe in nothing you'll believe in anything" etc

In fairness, the only places electing local councils yesterday were exactly the places you'd expect ukip to do well. Drive-thru country.

uh, what?

the uneducated morons of south shields will have been unamused by bananaman begins' comments

old school friend on Facebook the other day was torn between voting Green and voting UKIP. this is why the Greens can get tae fuck tbh.

Lady Dorothy Macbeth Brookes (BNP) 711 votes 2.9%

Is this person for real? I saw her on TV last night, and honestly thought she must be the Monster Raving Loony candidate or something.

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/028fbNG3wgd6W/x350.jpg

I mean, it looked like she was in blackface.

guys, we shd not sneer at people because their tastes are proletarian and beneath us. we shd sneer because they're crackpot fucking racists.

not unless they can persuade EMil to black up

This probably wouldn't be a good idea

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/028fbNG3wgd6W/x350.jpg

http://seriable.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/tyrion-lannister-got-600x350.jpg

I don't see it, tbh.

so she's a lock for chancellor

am uneasy with ilx resorting to judgement-by-appearance tbh, especially of women

She's a member of the BNP, I'm pretty sure we've all judged her for several more important reasons first.

Also - please don't write-off everyone outside of cities as tractor-driving xenophobes. Many of us hate those cunts.

1250: Patrick O'Flynn, Daily Express, tweets: A couple of years back I was the only national newspaper hack who bothered to go to UKIP conferences. Bet there'll be plenty at the next one

Oh Really? You do surprise me.

lookin forward to the wannabe Hunter S Thompson on the campaign trail dispatch from Vice already

xp that's because newspaper hacks know now that Farage makes hilariously bonkers quotes.

Farage is saying this is "a sea-change in British politics" which seems apt because his party is full of Cs

Of course, Tories will fall into line and vote Tory again in the general election

Poor old BNP, where did all go wrong?

"Labour is under pressure to win back hundreds of seats lost in 2009 and make progress in the south of England."

Turns out that was fair comment. Labour didn't exactly capitalise on government dissatisfaction eh? One council gained so far and only 68 councillors regained from those hundreds lost.

Looks like UKIP has the none-of-the-above protest vote cornered along with the crackpot racist vote. It's a powerful combination.

Labour appear to be doing better the more councils declare, they've added 142 now.

Tories are down to third in Witney, Cameron's constitutency, behind UKIP and Labour. Woah.

What does UKIP stand for?

Send the buggers back isn't it?

DEFENCE: According to a recent policy paper, UKIP would increase defence spending back to 2010 levels. It would build more warships and carry out an urgent review of the case for replacing Trident, including the option of a new British-built nuclear missile system capable of launch from air, sea or sub-surface vessels.

jesus christ

just in case the germans try it again