Britain's UKIP vows 'earthquake' in European polls
Source: AFP |
May 6, 2013, Monday
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BRITAIN'S eurosceptic and anti-immigration UK Independence Party will cause an "earthquake" in European 2014 elections, its leader predicted yesterday after its success last week in local polls, piling pressure on Prime Minister David Cameron.
Nigel Farage also confirmed that he would stand in Britain's next general election in 2015 as UKIP seeks to translate growing public support into seats in parliament at the expense of the three main political parties.
"June 2014 we have a European election - that is the day on which I believe that UKIP can cause an earthquake in British politics," Farage, who has been a member of the European Parliament for 13 years, told BBC television.
"I want to lead the party into that, thereafter yes, I will stand for a seat in 2015."
UKIP dealt the governing coalition a bloody nose in local authority elections in England on Thursday, securing more than 130 council seats with a projected national vote of 23 percent.
Cameron's Conservatives appeared hardest hit by the party he once derided as "fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists", although UKIP also took support from his Liberal Democrat coalition partners and even the opposition Labour party.
But UKIP still does not have a single member of parliament and faces an uphill struggle because of Britain's first-past-the-post electoral system, in which the candidate with most votes in each constituency wins outright.
Farage however said that the political landscape had changed.
"To succeed in Westminster in 2015 we've got to grow and build a lot from here. But please don't think that it's impossible, and I promise you this: UKIP is here to stay."
Nigel Farage also confirmed that he would stand in Britain's next general election in 2015 as UKIP seeks to translate growing public support into seats in parliament at the expense of the three main political parties.
"June 2014 we have a European election - that is the day on which I believe that UKIP can cause an earthquake in British politics," Farage, who has been a member of the European Parliament for 13 years, told BBC television.
"I want to lead the party into that, thereafter yes, I will stand for a seat in 2015."
UKIP dealt the governing coalition a bloody nose in local authority elections in England on Thursday, securing more than 130 council seats with a projected national vote of 23 percent.
Cameron's Conservatives appeared hardest hit by the party he once derided as "fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists", although UKIP also took support from his Liberal Democrat coalition partners and even the opposition Labour party.
But UKIP still does not have a single member of parliament and faces an uphill struggle because of Britain's first-past-the-post electoral system, in which the candidate with most votes in each constituency wins outright.
Farage however said that the political landscape had changed.
"To succeed in Westminster in 2015 we've got to grow and build a lot from here. But please don't think that it's impossible, and I promise you this: UKIP is here to stay."
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