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.