The results say it all. UKIP have topped the European Election results with a 27.5 percent share of the vote, beating both the Labour and Conservative Parties (with 25.4 percent and 23.9 percent respectively). Not to mention the collapse of the Lib “party of in” Dems, losing ten MEPs and only managing to keep 1 MEP!
The Great British Public has resoundingly endorsed the idea of a British exit from the European Union, instead of supporting the “no change” option offered by Labour and the Lib Dems and the “little change” option offered by the Conservatives. But what will be the effects on the two main parties?
Conservative backbenchers will be increasingly desperate to win votes back from UKIP by moving further to the right on Europe on issues such as immigration and welfare. Whether Cameron will follow his backbenchers’ advice and listen to the grassroots is less clear.
If Cameron’s previous attempts to stem the flow of support to UKIP are anything to go on, the most we can expect are a few more statements about honouring his referendum pledge following so-called ‘renegotiation’. Not that anyone is listening as these results have proved.
The idea of a Conservative-UKIP electoral pact has already been resurrected by several Conservative Eurosceptic MPs including Douglas Carswell and Jacob Rees-Mogg. It is unlikely Cameron will agree to this pact however, as letting UKIP MPs into Westminster will further entrench them as a respectable party. He may have no choice though, as UKIP leader Niger Farage has stated he will be unveiling strategic plans for gaining seats in Westminster for his party.
The effect on Labour is to further undermine Miliband’s abysmal leadership. He gave an interview to Sky News this morning in which he never once mentioned either the EU or Europe! Labour MP for Blackley and Bloughton, Graham Stringer, has already spoken out against Ed Miliband’s “unforgivably unprofessional” campaign. This is unsurprising. After all the majority of Labour MPs never wanted Ed in the first place.
By resisting calls for a referendum, Labour and the Lib Dems have brought these dismal European results upon themselves, whilst Cameron’s deceitfulness in the past over Europe has led to the Conservatives poor showing. These results have confirmed what we’ve known for years; the Great British Public want to Get Britain Out of the EU.
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