James Frayne

The Tories can do anti-politics too. Here’s how

November marks ten years since the North East voted overwhelmingly to reject Government proposals for a Regional Assembly. While there were signs that the electorate was becoming increasingly disillusioned – Hartlepool voting for a man dressed as a monkey as Mayor in 2002 – the 2004 referendum was decisive proof that the electorate was entering a period of anti-politics.

The North East Says No Campaign (NESNO) was the ultimate anti-politics campaign, tearing into the establishment and turning around the polls from 3-1 in favour of an Assembly, to 4-1 against. NESNO’s business spokespeople stuck to the message that a yes vote just meant higher taxes and more politicians. The campaign team created a stream of TV events: for example, burning fake £50 notes to show how much would be wasted; hiring diggers to ‘start’ the inevitable new building; and taking a huge inflatable white elephant on tour to show what the Assembly was all about.

All four main parties were involved in the campaign. Labour and the Lib Dems lined up with Yes 4 the North East; the Tories and Ukip with NESNO. None of them could have been under any illusions: the Government had been devastated by a small group of competent businesspeople with a brutal anti-politics message. It was clear that anti-politics was a powerful and growing force with the potential to alter electoral politics dramatically.

Yet only Ukip drew this conclusion in the period that followed. Since the mid-2000s, Ukip have owned the anti-politics space, securing public sympathy and, over time, public votes, by positioning themselves as being the only party that will represent their views on issues like immigration and Europe. Ukip’s anti-politics stance hasn’t always been perfect – in fact much of it has been crass and incompetent from a political and professional perspective – but with other parties playing politics as usual, Ukip has secured significant political advantage.

Ukip’s popularity derives as much from its anti-politics style as its specific policies.

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