Huge poll boost for UKIP as a fifth of voters say they will back anti-Europe party in wake of…

Daily Mail (UK) ^ | 19:47 EST, 13 April 2014 | Chris Pleasance and Gerri Peev

[Olog-hai]

The Conservatives could be pushed into third place at the European elections after the party’s poll ratings plunged in the wake of the Maria Miller expenses scandal.

A poll has put the Tories on 23 percent, behind Labour (31 percent) and UKIP (28 percent) just days after the Culture Secretary was forced to resign in an expenses row.

The Liberal Democrats were on a dismal 9 percent, according to analysis of recent polling by Professor Curtice of Strathclyde University.

Levels of support for UKIP are now at a record high as they were the only party to gain popularity in a week of sleaze in Westminster, including allegations of sexual assault against young parliamentary aides. …

[Olog-hai]

Full Daily Mail title:

Huge poll boost for UKIP as a fifth of voters say they will back anti-Europe party in wake of Maria Miller and ‘Sexminster’ scandals

When the Daily Mail wants to make things look good for Labour, it really shows how bad things are.

[SunkenCiv]

> ...the Tories on 23 percent, behind Labour (31 percent) and UKIP (28 percent)... Liberal Democrats were on a dismal 9 percent, according to analysis of recent polling by Professor Curtice of Strathclyde University.

Thanks Olog-hai. These elections are for seats in the European parliament, which is a debate club that merely rubberstamps the decrees of various committees.

> The number of MEPs for each country is roughly in proportion to its population. Under the Lisbon Treaty no country can have fewer than 6 or more than 96 MEPs... The numbers will be adjusted for the next mandate of the European Parliament. For example, the number of MEPs for Germany will thus be reduced from 99 to 96, whilst for Malta this number will increase from 5 to 6.

http://europa.eu/about-eu/institutions-bodies/european-parliament/index_en.htm

[SunkenCiv]

in February:

Labour party to pledge EU referendum - report
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/02/26/uk-britain-politics-labour-eu-idUKBREA1P0KM20140226

in March:

Ed Miliband rules out EU referendum: Eurosceptics accuse Labour of ‘shoddy compromise’
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/no-eu-referendum-under-labour-party-eurosceptics-accuse-miliband-of-shoddy-compromise-9186163.html

[Olog-hai]

Correct about “Europarl” being a toy parliament, mostly for the European Commission.

[Cowboy Bob]

Tories + UKIP = 51%

Interesting.

[SoFloFreeper]

Come on, UKIP!!!

[Winniesboy]

Although the powers of the European Parliament are greater than they once were, it's still broadly true that its ability to control what the EU actually does is very limited. That's why few voters in Britain take these elections seriously (most couldn't even name their current MEP). That in turn explains why they're a traditional opportunity for the currently popular protest vote to show itself, and that the strong showing for UKIP won't necessarily have huge significance for next year's Parliamentary elections in Britain.

[Moltke]

Daily Mail math:

28% = 1/5

[JSDude1]

A UKIP win the European elections would do 3 things:

1) Give UKIP momentum (and voter practice at voting UKIP) going into UK elections.

2) There are local elections in which UKIP hopefully picks up more seats so that their good governance is put into practice and builds a base for UK Parliament.

3) Topping the European elections would give them more people in the EU Parliament with a bigger voice to oppose what the EU is doing.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Would love to see Nigel Farage as Prime Minister.

[Winniesboy]

While there may be the consequences you mention, they're not all that likely. Mid-term local election results here are as poor a guide to performances in a subsequent general election as are European Parliament elections, but for different reasons. The fact that this time they're on the same day will at least boost voter turnout for the Euro elections, as turnout is usually higher for the local ones. If Ukip win a large number of local wards, as is likely, for that to be of long-term benefit to them the quality of candidates will need to be a lot higher than it has been. All too often hitherto councillors elected on a Ukip ticket have turned out to be unimpressive, to put it politely.