Its now possible

UKIP winning the European elections in the UK has been spoken about for at least a year. Many, including leading figures in the EU, have tried to set expectations high for UKIP to reduce the shock and hopefully make the result look like  a bit disappointing when it arrived.

But we can see the cold hard counting of ballot papers creates facts on the ground in a way that opinion polls just don’t.

UKIP is now being taken seriously, though the concerns of UKIP voters most clearly aren’t. ( The response of the Conservative party has been of the Blair “give me initiatives that” variety. Not born of conviction or principle, but rather a hard calculation of what they think might be required to keep the political careers on the road. )

There’s further growing up needed for UKIP. The more established parties have good canvassing records and still have ground organisations that can turn the vote out. But as Crick points out on his channel 4 blog that will come.

There will also now be interest from sources who live to influence policy, foreign governments, business etc in the party. Lobbying may start. Even some of the more life long career minded bright young things doing PPE at Oxford may decide to bet their careers on UKIP ( frankly I view this with horror – but its likely to occur ).

Great care needs to be taken to avoid capture by the establishment.

UKIP must remember its primary aim and purpose – to restore the sovereignty of our country. But its now clearly possible, and credible, that UKIP may in time deliver this end, rather than either Labour or the Conservatives.