UKIP hit the doldrums as the Greens Surge

The media story of the European elections has been UKIP - not whether they would win or not, but by how much. Who could stop Farage and his People's Army? Hadn't the fag-and-pint-a-man colourfully captured the nation's zeitgeist (oops, is that German?)? Didn't he articulate the public mood just right?

But after several weeks of Farage overkill on the TV along with a roll-call of dodgy candidates far too long now to dismiss as the odd crank - from the man who thought gay marriage caused flooding, to the one who says women are partially responsible for date rape to the one who called for his opponents to be hanged for treason - the UKIP vote is not soaring, but flat-lining. The latest YouGov polls show that after weeks of spending his multi-millionaire funder's cash, Nigel's vote share for the European elections on Thursday has not altered at all since January and he languishes in second place.

But what the figures also show is the untold story, largely ignored by the media: the rise of the Green Party. From a 5% vote share back in March, the party has risen steadily to now be on 12%, ahead of the Liberal Democrats (the fourth national poll to show this). If the Green vote comes out this week, the party is set for a stunning result with a big increase from its current 2 MEPs.

So let's see the media cover the real story, not the manufactured purple hype.

The Future's Bright, the Future is Green...

Well ok, it's a small sample, but it is UK-wide and it's satisfying to see: contrary to myth, young people remain politically aware and are switching leftwards towards the Greens, eschewing the likes of UKIP and xenophobic nationalists. This evening's YouGov rolling survey gives figures for 18 to 24 year olds' nationwide British party political support as:

Not mincing (vegging?) their words: Young Greens
 in Canada tell a global truth...

Labour 38%
Conservatives 20%
Green Party 19% 
Lib Dem 12%
Nats 6%
UKIP 5%


Little wonder perhaps - it is the coming generation that will face the full brunt of global warming; but there's still just time for the current generation to help them stop the worst of it.


Link to Young Greens here.

  

Saving the Earth: the Greens and Doctor Who

A YouGov poll just published shows that most people - or at least the ones on the YouGov panel - suspect that Time Lord DOCTOR WHO may have a blue Tardis but when it comes to voting for the Gallifrey council, his cross is decidedly verdant in its hue.

23% said they are pretty sure that the Doctor votes Green! This is well ahead of the Lib Dems and Tories who both got 16% with Labour trailing on 10%. In spite of his alien origins and interplanetary outlook, 1% thought he might plump for the British National Party, a reflection perhaps on those voting rather than the good time traveller himself - though doubtless the 7% who suggested he would vote for UKIP would like a ride back in time to perhaps the mid-19th century, or even earlier.

The Tardis - low carbon emission travel, we hope..

It is little surprise really to discover that Dr Who is a Green. Let's face it, as well as regularly saving the earth and taking on monstrous mutants spawned by human pollution and excess, and with a distinctively peacenik theme in the revived series penned by Russell T Davies, Dr Who's ability to regenerate really is the ultimate in recycling. No sign of any nasty exhaust on the Tardis either...

The panel also picked up on good Green Party policy themes for a couple of other fictional characters. Reflecting their strong support for public services, Greens polled well with FIREMAN SAM - 13% reckon he would be careful about what chemicals are used to make fire retardants and plump for a party with an ecologically sane approach.

Likewise, again doubtlessly looking to the Greens' sound policies on keeping the mail service public and supporting local post offices, speculation about POSTMAN PAT'S psephological inclinations found a Green surge to 21%, eclipsing all the others bar Labour up on 29%.

But it was far from a clean sweep for the Greens. Predictably, the Tories got Hyacinth Bouquet as well as Corrie's sweatshop capitalist chancer Mike Baldwin, both on a massive 60%, while Labour got Smithy from Gavin and Stacey and Eastenders Pat Butcher - given the state of politics in some boroughs, Pat's recent death may not necessarily prevent her voting for Walford Labour...

The Lib Dems hang in there with the Vicar of Dibley. Well, everyone likes a good funeral...

AND NOW, RECYCLE, RECYCLE, RECYCLE......