[Escapee]

Originally Posted by Damien

They view Farage as the continuation of the status quo. UKIP's funding comes from disaffected Tory donors. Their two sitting MPs are defections from the Tory party. Farage has been a MEP since his mid-thirties (16 years) and has been active in politics his whole life.

UKIP aren't really proposing any major change to the role of the state or economic policy. Their alleged spending plans would mean there aren't any radical changes to taxation or the size of the NHS, Police or Army. Their economic outlook, at least as far I can discern, follows the same path as every Government since Thatcher. Their substantive policies that make them differ is a EU referendum and immigration. Popular but hardly revolutionary in the grand scheme of things.

Now, other than the fact they claim to be so, what makes them a change from the status quo? Continuing in the same vain with a different name is not exactly a big shake up is it? I am not sure UKIP supporters actually want to shake up the status-quo. I just think UKIP's policy on the EU appeals to them, they want to 'send a message' or they are disaffected Tories. However I don't think any of them really want radical reform. UKIP are only breaking up the status quo if you think the status quo is limited to the people rather than the policies.

The SNP want to break up the Union, drastically cut the military, and scrap trident. The Green Party (who these protesters likely support) want to turn us into a Scandinavian style nation, put us in a permanent recession (literally, they say it's not environmentally sustainable for GDP to rise) and decimate the banking industry. Now that is breaking up the status-quo.

I think everyone needs to be less concerned about the handful of seats UKIP might win and alarmed at the 40-50 seats the SNP will win. They really are proposing a overhaul of the status quo only it's not one you would like.

It's not often that I agree with you, but on this occasion I agree with you 100%