Ukip Wiped Out?

[EDDIE51]

Gains for the conservatives from Labour but UKIP lose all their seats.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39810488

[ichkeria]

Of course Le Pen is FN. She stood down temporarily in an attempt to con voters but she'll be back there after Sunday. I see she is now the subject of a second police investigation as Macron is suing her
Yes UKIP are done for. But the PM is siundung more like Farage every day. As soon as the Tories have sucked the carcase dry they'll start sounding like the lib dems again

[ToraToraTora]

very predictable, I salute UKIP for freeing us from EU tyranny but they must see that they are no longer needed, their work is done, they should disband and support the Tories.

[mikey4444]

TTT....but that is exactly what they are doing !

Going by yesterdays results, UKIP voters are crawling back to the Tories as fast as their knees will let them !

[ToraToraTora]

not crawling mikey, have you not an ounce of respect for their achievements? Certainly the most successful party in history, your constant refusal to recognise that marks you out badly.

[mikey4444]

TTT....as a REMAIN voter, why would I want to give any support to an organisation that did its best to rabble-rouse enough, to persuade some people to want to leave ?

I see nothing to celebrate at all. I am wedded to the fact that we are leaving the EU, and as a democrat, I respect the will of the people, but I still haven't changed my mind on the issue, nor will I.

[Berniecuddles2]

yes Ukip have gone ..but as long as labour doesnt get back in to govern this country in the next 50 years i'll be happy

[mikey4444]

Bernie....history shows that that isn't going to happen !

[ToraToraTora]

not support mikey, acknowledgement. I hated New Labour but I do acknowledge their achievements in making Labour electable in 1997.

[mikey4444]

TTT...I have acknowledged, many times, that UKIP are responsible for us leaving the EU. But I will never respect them for that.

[ichkeria]

I'm not actually sure that is true. The right wing Tory eurosceptics were the people Cameron was trying to pacify. UKIP just accidentally found themselves holding a banner that became popular.

[ichkeria]

Furthermore had the tories not had a majority there would have been no referendum, not yet anyway. And the main reason for that was the collapse of the lib dems

[ToraToraTora]

Cameron was forced to offer an in out referendum in the run up to the 2015 election because of the gathering support for UKIP, he bought that victory with the referendum, he did not expected to "lose" it!

[jim360]

I dare say that Ukip's role in all this will be the subject of many theses to come. As has been pointed out, though, there's also the story of the collapse of Labour in Scotland, and the Lib Dems everywhere, both of which contributed to the Tory's majority. For sure, Cameron may have offered the referendum primarily because he was scared of Ukip -- or, more likely, of the Tory right deserting in their droves to join Ukip -- but he still only had the opportunity because anti-Tory Lib Dem supporters/protest voters deserted that party as well.

Politics is a messy business and I don't think it's as clear cut as Ukip's rise directly leading to the Leave vote. Still, they must have some credit (or blame?) for getting Brexit. But it's all indirect and now they are being brutally exposed as nothing but another "protest vote" party.

All of which feels rather ominous for the coming election. Taking Electoral calculus seriously, right now the Tories are heading for a strong majority. If Ukip's vote continues to flood back to the Tories, it'll just get stronger still of course -- the current Ukip vote share (predicted) being difference between majorities of around 150 and around 250.

Of course, as pointed out by many, local election voting patterns and general election patterns are different, even when only five weeks apart, but I think Tories could be forgiven for feeling hugely optimistic about the General Election after yesterday's results.

[cassa333]

Not surprised in the least.

When you are a one policy party and the policy ison the way you don't have much to offer.

It is a pity but hopefully they might (haha) get a couple at the general. It is the only Party not putting obstacles in the way of Brexit.

Labour want to pay through the nose for a eu favoured trade deal and spend money we don't have and won't be able to generate because of their stupidity.

[Jackdaw33]

I'm not surprised at the UKIP losses. They have done their work and deserve respect for that. Having laid the foundations, and the Tories being only too willing to build on them, they can sit back with dignity and let Theresa finish the job.

[Jackdaw33]

I think the main issue here is that at the present moment you would be hard-pressed to put a cigarette paper between Farage and May, so people are voting for the Big Beast who has much more chance of getting things done.

[hereIam]

RIP UKIP, I will miss you .....

[mikey4444]

Cassa....I don't think UKIP will get a single MP, but even if they get a "couple"....so what ? It will just prolong the agony of a Party that is in the throes of dissolution.