Get Nigel Farage talking about Ukip and its political strategy, and you’ll soon notice how he uses the phrase ‘New Ukip’ to describe the party’s more targeted approach. It is a sign that, unlikely as it may seem, Farage is a moderniser.
Farage knows that Ukip needs MPs at Westminster if it is to become a permanent presence on the political scene. He also knows that to win these seats it is not enough to just appeal to disillusioned Tories. So, Ukip trying to broaden its reach, to win over disaffected Labour voters even at the risk of alienating some of its existing support.
The party made some inroads into the Labour vote during the European Election campaign with its talk of how immigration had held down workers’ wages and its argument that only withdrawal from the EU could stop mass immigration. But it knows that come the general election, Labour will try and win these voters back by attacking Ukip as a ‘Thatcherite’ party who’ll charge you to see your GP.
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