Sunday, September 23, 2018
The defenestration of UKIP
Two Daily Mirror journalists came to the Liberal Democrats conference determined to find material that would label us as marginalised and irrelevant. The best they came up with were a couple of songs from the Liberator song book that were rather rude about the leader, his predecessor and well, pretty much everybody associated with the party really.
From my perspective all that they managed to demonstrate is that the Liberal Democrats are as cynical as everybody else, but with a unique ability to laugh at ourselves. It would not be tolerated at any other party conference, which is why I am a member of the Liberal Democrats.
A similar exercise appears to have been carried out for the UKIP conference, but the results are much more disturbing, in so many ways. As this piece illustrates, the reporters found evidence of the bizarre, the offensive and the downright unsettling.
First up is a book entitled 'The Health Hazards of Homosexuality' (note the capital 'h's) which is for sale on the table run by the 'Support 4 the Family' group, which the paper says, is the source of a lot of UKIP's most shockingly socially conservative stuff. It aims to "alert the public on the serious physical and psychological health dangers inherent in adopting a 'gay', lesbian or bisexual identity." The paper presumes that the chief physical danger is being beaten up by homophobes.
Secondly, is a book about 'curing' 'unwanted same-sex attraction'. The Mirror suggests that this advocates the controversial 'gay-cure' therapies that every other party is distancing themselves from.
There is a booklet from the hard-line Support 4 the Family group - titled "the transgender delusion" - which brands people's legal right to change their recognised gender" as a direct attack on matromony" (sic). The booklet claims: "The 'transgendered' and their allies would rule us." There is also a booklet that blames the EU for the Grenfell Tower fire and a 'wake up sheeple!' book about Islam.
And then there is the branded merchandise. This includes a souvenir photo of Nigel Farage and Donald Trump, Nigel Farage condoms, UKIP beermats, actual Brexit fudge and Brexit thongs adorned with the slogan 'I heart UKIP'.
The rest of the list is pretty standard UKIP including Neil Hamilton talking for 15 minutes about 'political correctness gone mad' (apparently he is still the leader of UKIP in Wales, despite being deposed as Assembly group leader), and an exchange about immigration in which members shouted "send them back" as General Secretary Paul Oakley unveiled the party's new hard-line immigration policy.
It is little wonder that UKIP have joined the fringe parties on the far right of the UK political spectrum.
From my perspective all that they managed to demonstrate is that the Liberal Democrats are as cynical as everybody else, but with a unique ability to laugh at ourselves. It would not be tolerated at any other party conference, which is why I am a member of the Liberal Democrats.
A similar exercise appears to have been carried out for the UKIP conference, but the results are much more disturbing, in so many ways. As this piece illustrates, the reporters found evidence of the bizarre, the offensive and the downright unsettling.
First up is a book entitled 'The Health Hazards of Homosexuality' (note the capital 'h's) which is for sale on the table run by the 'Support 4 the Family' group, which the paper says, is the source of a lot of UKIP's most shockingly socially conservative stuff. It aims to "alert the public on the serious physical and psychological health dangers inherent in adopting a 'gay', lesbian or bisexual identity." The paper presumes that the chief physical danger is being beaten up by homophobes.
Secondly, is a book about 'curing' 'unwanted same-sex attraction'. The Mirror suggests that this advocates the controversial 'gay-cure' therapies that every other party is distancing themselves from.
There is a booklet from the hard-line Support 4 the Family group - titled "the transgender delusion" - which brands people's legal right to change their recognised gender" as a direct attack on matromony" (sic). The booklet claims: "The 'transgendered' and their allies would rule us." There is also a booklet that blames the EU for the Grenfell Tower fire and a 'wake up sheeple!' book about Islam.
And then there is the branded merchandise. This includes a souvenir photo of Nigel Farage and Donald Trump, Nigel Farage condoms, UKIP beermats, actual Brexit fudge and Brexit thongs adorned with the slogan 'I heart UKIP'.
The rest of the list is pretty standard UKIP including Neil Hamilton talking for 15 minutes about 'political correctness gone mad' (apparently he is still the leader of UKIP in Wales, despite being deposed as Assembly group leader), and an exchange about immigration in which members shouted "send them back" as General Secretary Paul Oakley unveiled the party's new hard-line immigration policy.
It is little wonder that UKIP have joined the fringe parties on the far right of the UK political spectrum.
