Ukip (UK Indpendence Party) attracts anti-immigrant vote as polite alternative to BNP

[pampango]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ukip-attracts-antiimmigrant-vote-as-polite-alternative-to-bnp-2268617.html

The UK Independence Party is picking up wide support from voters who are hostile to immigration but regard it as a "polite alternative" to the far-Right British National Party, new research concludes.

Ukip is at pains to stress it is not a racist party, but fresh academic research suggests it will benefit from Islamophobic and xenophobic sentiments within the electorate.

It argues that Ukip appeals to similar groups of voters as the BNP, but manages to capture their support because many people are deterred from backing Nick Griffin's party because of its "stigmatised" image. Almost half of Ukip's core support is female, unlike the male-dominated BNP, suggesting it is attracting women sensitive to "party reputations for racism and intolerance". At last year's general election, Ukip stood on a platform of slashing migration levels and deporting illegal immigrants, while the party has also called for restrictions on the burka being worn in public.

One of the study's authors, Matthew Goodwin of Nottingham University, said yesterday: "It is not an out-and-out far-right party. It's more subtle than that. But underneath the gentlemanly Euroscepticism, there is no doubt they are picking up voters who are concerned about immigration." "Hostility to immigrants and disaffection with mainstream parties are associated with significantly higher Ukip support. This is evidence that Ukip is mobilising voters anxious over immigration and rising diversity, and that some voters consider Ukip a 'polite alternative' to the BNP."


The PM's speech on immigration may have sought to court Ukip supporters

[WatsonT]

1. Ah good, people do it over there too

Conflating illegal immigration with immigration.

Glad it's not just here.