Success of UKIP left 3 major British parties badly wounded

It is difficult to find other elections in which there has been only one winner. The success of the Populist UK Independence Party (UKIP) has left roughly handled the three major British parties to the extent that it is not easy to know which of them has done worse. Conservatives have been third in national elections for the first time in history. Labour has achieved another historical record: the first time the first opposition party does not win the European, an election in which voters traditionally punish the government supporting his principal. And the collapse of the Liberal Democrats has already sparked controversy about the future of their leader, Nick Clegg.

Although in the final days of the campaign was suspected as the  UKIP could win European, nothing suggested a victory of such proportions. Although the results in Scotland are not yet official, it is almost certain that there UKIP has achieved its first seat, defeating the purpose of the independence of the SNP to get a third seat. Assuming these good results in Scotland, and in the absence attributed only three seats in Northern Ireland, the UKIP would have obtained 24 seats (11 more than in 2009), Labour 20 (+7), Conservatives 19 (+7), Green 3 (+1), the SNP 2 (=), the Liberal Democrats 1 (-10) and Welsh nationalist 1 (=).

More than 4.35 million Britons have finished voting for UKIP, which results in a spectacular 27.5 % of the votes cast, a growth of almost 11 points over 2009. Labour has suffered for second place with 25.4 % of votes at the last minute thanks to the advantage gained against the Tories in London and Scotland. That has led the Conservatives to a humiliating third place with 23.9 % of the vote. The collapse of the Liberals has been spectacular: have dropped by half when going from 13.7 % five years ago to 6.8 this year, below even the Greens (7.8%) even though they have lost votes compared to 2009.

A one year ahead of the 2015 general election, Labour appears to have neither the party leadership nor sufficient support in the electorate to think of an absolute majority and perhaps not even a victory in 2015. Dilemma for conservatives is whether to focus on the economy and relegate Europe to subtract the background role to decide whether UKIP and Nigel Farage front strategy has to be confrontation or cohabitation. For the Liberal Democrats, the goal is survival and hope that the electoral arithmetic allows them to remain critical and this time allying with Labour rather than the Conservatives.

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Posted by Maleeha Tareen on May 27 2014. Filed under Europe. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.