What Does UKIP Stand For?

The U.K Independence Party (UKIP) have received praise from some sections of the media for their explosion in popularity in recent months. Nigel Farage and his party are thought to be the third most popular political party in the country, over taking Nick Clegg's sorry Liberal Democrats.

But, why are they doing so well? How far off are they of being in power? Do we even know what they stand for?

Much of UKIPs success has been put down to it's leader Nigel Farage. Picture courtesy of independent.co.uk

The clue is in the name when we say UK Independence Party; their main goal is for Britain to stand independent from the rest of Europe and the rest of the world. To stand as one country in modern times isn't impossible but it puts a strain on their economy - if Britain did stand alone and their currency fell to it's knees no-one would bail us out because we'd be so isolated.

But it's not UKIP's economic policies that worry the public - some of the social remarks make them sound as bad as a brainless teenager who thinks it'll get them more friends to make taboo comments - on the death of Nelson Mandela one UKIP senior figure said: "some ‘base-born’ people were ‘intended by nature’ to be ‘slaves’."

One organisation UKIP seem to stick up for is the extreme thugs who call themselves the EDL - more than one UKIP member has stuck up for the EDL, saying they "agree with what the EDL protest about" another one claimed: "the EDL weren't extremists."

One UKIP member, as recently as yesterday, outrageously said the latest bad weather was down to David Cameron's legislation allowing same sex marriage. Councillor David Silvester is quoted by the BBC as saying: " "The scriptures make it abundantly clear that a Christian nation that abandons its faith and acts contrary to the Gospel (and in naked breach of a coronation oath) will be beset by natural disasters such as storms, disease, pestilence and war."

Councillor David Silverster who's controversial comments have caused outrage. Picture courtesy of BBC.

Amazingly the councillor got 600,000 petition signatures opposing the bill which were sent to 10 Downing Street. What's more astonishing is that UKIP defended Mr Silvester, a spokesperson for UKIP said: "He is more than entitled to express independent thought despite whether or not other people may deem it standard or correct."

So what kind of people does this party attract? Now that the BNP leader (Nick Griffin) is bankrupt one UKIP official said: "We should be picking up 50-75 per cent of those [BNP voters] now." I hope that gives an insight into the kind of party that UKIP is. It seems one far right wing party goes another one comes in and takes it's place.

Now that they are politically popular this gives them more media attention, they are now in the spotlight where journalists are keen to find scandals and controversial stories that raise public awareness - with any luck UKIP will get exposed for the vile, prejudicial thugs they are.

Scottish Independence

This week Prime Minister David Cameron rejected calls from Scottish first minister Alex Salmond to have a live broadcast debate on the Scottish independence referendum.

Alex Salmond has been rallying around Scotland urging his country to vote yes on the referendum which will be held on 18th September 2014. So how would Scottish independence work and would it benefit both Scotland and the rest of The United Kingdom?

Some Scots believe independence will benefit their country greatly. Picture courtesy of the dailydoodle.co.uk

Scotland claim the rest of Britain use up all of their non-renewable resources coming form oilrigs in the North Sea something in Scotland waters (currently owned by Britain if Scotland get independence they will receive 91% of its profits). Scottish ministers allege if Scotland was independent the rest of Britain would be suffering power cuts on a weekly basis, whilst Scotland's energy resources would be far from stretched - with the use renewable sources like hydro power.

The main talking point for this referendum will be the economy - with the U.K economy struggling, like most global economies today, Scotland believe they can sustain an economy by being on their own, despite Scotland receiving more government spending per person (known as the 'Barnett formula) than the average in the U.K.

Something that would worry Scots voting yes would be Alex Salmond's lack of ideas about what would happen to the Scottish currency. The SNP leader has initially told reporters if Scotland go independent he'll join the Eurozone, but with all Eurozone countries suffering crippling economies and one negative story following another, people believe and hope he'll revise his statement yet he has not given anyone a definitive answer. For a politician to want a country to get independence but does not have an answer to what currency they'll use is inexcusable.

David Cameron and Alex Salmond are at the centre of this year's referendum. Picture courtesy of BBC.

One thing that Alex Salmond will be pleased with is the non-political votes that'll vote yes; its not just a generalisation that England and Scotland as people do not get on. For that reason alone some Scottish citizens will vote yes to independence just to get away from England.

So what will the consequences be on the rest of Britain if Scotland vote to self govern themselves? Well straight away Britain can expect to be under Conservative government for the next 20 years, the only place you can be sure the Conservative Party will struggle for any votes is in Scotland.

One consequence that will not please Britain is how England will attempt to dominate Wales and Northern Ireland so a similar thing doesn't happen again. Even though Mr Cameron has agreed to let Scotland decide on their future he won't want to lose any other places (that is a sign of weakness).

Economically I don't think Scotland gets a rough deal from Westminster their students are exempt from tuition fess unlike English students who have to pay £9,000 a year to study at universities in this country. Scotland's business' receive more grants from the government than English business'. Can Alex Salmond promise these grants if independence is voted in?

If Scotland is to be convinced by Alex Salmond's promise for a better Scotland if independence is voted in he has some tricky questions to answer and he has a lot more people to convince. Mr Salmond faces one question he simply cannot answer - how do we know Scottish independence will work? We don't, it's unproven and in these times of economic uncertainty it is extremely risky. If this referendum was done years before the credit crunch then perhaps people may have a differing opinion.