Out-Ukipping Ukip

Of course, Labour cannot hope to win elections by trying to out-Ukip Ukip, and "such thinking" is, as Dianne Abbott says, "completely misconceived" (Morning Star,03/12/16). Stressing the benefits immigration has always brought to this country has to be Labour`s priority, but exposing Ukip`s policies for what they really are is also essential. History has shown that making minorities scapegoats for a country`s ills is extremely dangerous, but that is exactly what Farage and Nuttall   have been doing for years, with far too much success, and with far too much sympathy and support from the right-wing media. 

     Paul Nuttall clearly regards white, working class voters in the north of England as easy electoral pickings, but Ukip will not win many of their votes provided Labour and the media publicise their policies accurately. How many of Ukip`s target group, for example, will support the idea of a flat rate income tax of 31%? Not only are they extremely unlikely to support their own tax level going up 11%, the fact that the same level would be paid by the rich, the very rich, and the obscenely rich is hardly an electoral selling-point!  

 What has happened with Farage, and indeed to a similar extent with Trump in America, is that the media generally gave them an easy ride. Too often the publicity they received was on chat and panel shows, when they were given free rein to spout forth right-wing views without interrogation, which would have delved deeper, and revealed the more extreme elements.

    It is up to the Labour MPs to show a united front, and attack right-wing views, whether they belong to the Tory government, or to Ukip.