May Local Elections voting intentions and a new third Party?

[Fez]

Pirate obviously.

[GommeInc]

I'd hate Labour to be in control again. I'd hate the Conservatives to be in control again. I'd hate the Liberal Democrats to be anywhere near the House of Parliament. I'm tempted to vote UKIP as they have some sensible policies (biggest obviously being leave the EU which ever Government in the EU should consider). Labour just absorb the money and are bad at understanding growth, and given the Global Economic Climate they will probably panic in the face of the inevitable problems that will persue. The Conservatives are alright, but they've not really done any cutting that is worth while for the whole country.

[-:Undertaker:-]

The thing with UKIP is they don't really have anything beyond "leave the EU"

http://www.ukip.org/page/ukip-manifesto
http://www.ukip.org/content/ukip-policies

But there were far more policy commitments in their Local and General Election manifestos than any of the three main parties.

I like your optimism dan but I think two things will stop them:

lack of media coverage
the 'I've voted for these all the time' mindset

In my region, you could stick a monkey with a red rosette and it'd get all the votes. Admittedly, the majorities are getting smaller and smaller but I don't think the opposition has been able to push as effectively as they would like due to constraints like funding or media coverage so I imagine things to remain the same.

Not entirely sure what the result of next general election should be. I generally end up voting for the person who looks like they'll do the best for my region so it really depends on the leaflets I get through the door.

I'm not saying it will happen, but I do think we are potentially close to a tipping point where something (whether it involves UKIP being a part of it or not) will mirror the Gang of Four moment in the 1980s with the SDP and Labour. It is possible after all, Labour did it to the Liberal Democrats in the 1920s and the SDP came a dust-sized particle away from destroying the Labour Party in the 1980s.

But I agree entirely with the monkey analysis!

also no, I don't think UKIP can become the "3rd party". It's too far from the centre, with labour, theconservativesand lib dems being fairly central. although I do think support for it will get bigger, I don't think there's much chance of it ever being a big party for a while, if ever.

But perhaps thats the appeal, that they actually stand for something other than the status quo?

[Rozi]

I agree that that is why some people are attracted to them

but I think the british public are keen on sticking to what they know and sticking with people who have proved, at some point in the past, that they can do something right especially in this time of economic instability

[Ajthedragon]

Oh forgot to post, I will be voting Conservative.