WESTMINSTER WATCH GARETH MORGAN
WILL TRANSPORT GET A KIPPERING?
UKIP MUST NOW TRANSLATE POINT-SCORING INTO POLICIES T
he most frequent topic of conversation in the bars of the party conferences has
been the rise of UKIP. Following their victory in Clacton, they end the year with an elected MP, Douglas Carswell, while the narrow defeat in the Heywood and Middleton by-election suggests they can take Labour votes in its Northern heartlands. A victory in the Rochester and Strood by-election on November 20 has the potential to make other MPs in susceptible seats more than a little nervous.
All this and a consistent polls support of 10-15 per cent demonstrates that UKIP are, momentarily at least, serious political players. But do their transport policies stand up to scrutiny? In short, the answer at present is a resounding “no”. Currently, their policies are a long list of what they oppose with very little on what they are in favour of. And this goes to the nub of the issue with UKIP. On rail, their flagship
policy is opposition to High Speed 2 (HS2). They argue it will destroy the countryside for little economic gain – a policy
To what extent should resources be pointed towards trying to lobby UKIP?
which is extremely popular with the Tory base in areas such as the Chilterns – yet little is said by UKIP about alternatives. On aviation, their nimbyism goes up a notch, ruling out
expansion of Heathrow and Gatwick. They support the expansion of Manston airport, but are sketchy on the details. No doubt their comparative strength in the south-east/ eastern regions of England lead them to believe obstructive policy positions are likely to yield votes next year – and in all probability they will. However, it does pose a conundrum for those focused on policy rather than elections: to what extent should resources be pointed towards trying to lobby UKIP? The answer, right now, is very little – they are totally focused on scoring electoral points rather than actually delivering proposals. Arguments that focus on long- term, nuanced positions that require careful consideration are much less attractive than policies that pack an electoral punch. At present you can’t shift UKIP from a position that is electorally popular for one that has the national interest at heart. The lure of votes is too strong. They do have the potential to shift other parties but, even then, this is not necessarily the case – for all the trouble that HS2 causes the Conservatives, they haven’t abandoned it to stop the leaking of votes to UKIP. For now it is a game of wait and see with UKIP: wait and see how they fare when they fight hundreds of seats at once; how they are treated by the first-past-the-post system; but, most importantly, what the impact of a transition from being on the periphery of politics to the inside of the Westminster tent will have.
Hitching a ride to Westminster: UKIP MP Douglas Carswell and party leader Nigel Farage in Clacton, October 10, 2014
Gareth Morgan is a political lobbyist and director with Cavendish Communications (
www.cavendishpc.co.uk). He is an advisor to the Guild of Travel Management Companies (GTMC).
36 BBT NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014
BUYINGBUSINESSTRAVEL.COM
Photo: Will Oliver/Corbis
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100