UKIP’s sweep to power in Europe makes Labour “the only credible force against the Tories”

Labour is the only credible alternative to the Tories at next year’s General Election given the devastating results of the EU election, in which UKIP, without a single MP, defeated all the main political parties.

That is the view of Chris Watts, the 47-year-old trade union official from Swindon, who is standing next year against Tory MP Claire Perry in the Devizes constituency that takes in Marlborough.

And for the Lib-Dems, who lost all but one of their MEPs, the time has arrived for the party to go back to its core beliefs, according to Fiona Hornby, who was the party’s Devizes candidate at the last general election.

“This is the first time that the Tories have lost a European election and coming third in a national election for the first time in living memory is a disaster for David Cameron,” Chris Watts told Marlborough News Online.

“Add to this another disastrous result for the Lib-Dems and coupled with the possibility that a small proportion of the UKIP vote may stick in a General Election will mean that it is all to fight for in the Devizes constituency.”

And he added: “Labour is the only credible alternative to the four years of smash and grab policies of the Tories that have divided the country.  We know as a nation that we can do better that this.”

Fiona Hornby, who lives in Marden, told Marlborough News Online:  “For the Liberal Democrats to come behind the Greens is disastrous.

“The future for the Lib-Dems is that we will come back but not until we return to our core values and stop trying to ‘play’ by other peoples Westminster rules.

“We must remember that people want to be represented by someone who knows their community and votes as they have promised to do.”

The strong performance of UKIP came as no surprise to Labour when across Europe right wing nationalist parties, including France’s Front National and the Danish People’s Party, capitalised on the economic discontent resulting from the global banking crisis, Chris Watts pointed out.

“Having listened to many people over the last 12 months it has become apparent to me that the UKIP populist vote is as much about a plague on all your political houses than immigration and the EU,” he said.

“It is a message that cannot be ignored but can be addressed, shifting back towards sound economic policies that benefit all as opposed to the Conservative political ram-raid on our public services, NHS and Post Office for the financial enrichment of the few.”

He was delighted by the success of fellow trade unionist Clare Moody, whom he described as a woman of “passion, drive and representation”, in gaining a seat for Labour in the South West.

“Over the next five years Clare will work tirelessly for reform of the European Union to make it work better for Britain,” he said.

“Labour’s vote is up significantly on 2009 — from 16 per cent in 2009 to over 25 per cent now — and we’re on course to see a large increase in our MEPs –13 in 2009 to 20 now.

Fiona Hornby spent polling day last Thursday in Swindon and witnessed a surprise and little commented on result for the Lib-Dems, their candidate Dave Wood holding the Eastcott Council seat.

In Central ward too the Lib-Dem candidate received 1,000 more votes than in 2012 and nearly ousted a Labour councillor.

“In a Tory/Labour marginal area UKIP did not win a seat,” she declared.  “Their success elsewhere is not surprising, when people feel hard up and can’t get jobs or housing easily and find public services cut or under pressure its natural for them to look for someone to blame.

“This time they are blaming immigration and the EU.  I do not think UKIP would have gained so many votes if the economic recovery had reached most people outside London and the cuts in spending on the NHS, transport, education, social care had not damaged front line services.”

She is sad at the loss of Sir Graham Watson as an MEP, and added:  “He is someone who has worked tirelessly for the South West and for Britain.”

Before the Euro vote drubbing for the LibDems was announced, Ms Hornby signed the libdems4change petition calling on Nick Clegg to resign as party leader.  The petition has now (May 27) been signed by more than 300 party activists.