The Bigot Bishop

I’ve met Pete Broadbent in a pub some years back.  He seemed an intelligent and affable man.  But recent history reveals he has a problem with not knowing when to shut up.  And that even after his untimely comments before the most recent royal wedding, which surely would have taught just about anyone else to keep one’s mouth shut on occasion.

In the run up to this past week’s local and European elections, the CofE bishop could not restrain himself.  Reminding people to vote wisely was not enough for him.  No, he had to single out the UKIP.

Don't forget to use your hard-won democratic right to vote today. And don't be fooled, Farage and his UKIP crew are simply unacceptable.
— Pete Broadbent (@petespurs) May 22, 2014

Once the results were in, did he respect them and UKIP voters?  Or did he at least keep his highly prejudiced opinions to himself?  No, he did the opposite.

@His_Grace There is no question. UKIP are vacuous. An annoying prejudiced blot on the political landscape. http://t.co/yV96q3sw3I
— Pete Broadbent (@petespurs) May 26, 2014

What more can be said than my reply?

@petespurs And you, sir, are an annoying bigot who ought to learn to shut up. @His_Grace
— WannabeAnglican (@WannabeAnglican) May 27, 2014

Well, more can be said.  Church of England bishops (as well as UK Roman Catholic bishops) have made something of an idol out of the EU beast.  Bishop Pete is probably saying what many of them privately think about those who dare deface their brazen image of “ever closer union.” 

But at least most of those who may be bigoted about Euroskeptics have the decency to keep said prejudice somewhat under their vestments.

Now to be fair, Bishop Pete claims he is not talking about voters…

@paul_romsey @His_Grace No, don't misrepresent. It's UKIP to whom I applied those epithets. Not the voters. And it's spelt "Willesden".
— Pete Broadbent (@petespurs) May 26, 2014

But I for one do not believe that those who vote for a “prejudiced blot on the landscape” are okay with him.

He let loose with his bigotry.  The only appropriate thing for him to do now is repent, apologize . . . and then shut up for a good while.

UKIP Beats Race-baiting Establishment

I have been in England much of this month.  And I saw first hand the blatant race-baiting establishment war against the UKIP.  It was not unlike the ravings of Democrats against the Tea Party.  The torrent of outright bigotry from Leftists against the UKIP also reminds of U.S. Democrats. (Search for “UKIP” on twitter to get a sample if you have the stomach for it.)  And the occasional poorly worded statement by UKIP people, including leader Nigel Farage, was not helping matters.  I was concerned the attacks and gaffes would take their toll.

This morning, I am glad to report my concerns were unfounded.  The UKIP has done very well in local council elections, taking seats from all three establishment parties.  And the EU parliament election results to be announced Sunday will likely be even better for the UKIP.  The establishment propaganda war has failed.  The race-baiting may have even backfired.

It is an impressive election showing for the UKIP, probably the first one not “below radar” and certainly the first one thwarting such a torrent of abuse from the UK establishment.

Let us hope this is precursor of the U.S. ruling establishment being put in its place this year as well.

More on UKIP “Shockwave” UPDATED

This wave of protest . . . sends a shockwave.  UKIP leader Nigel Farage

I find so much of interest in the UKIP breakthrough in UK local elections that I will post a few updates here . . . and perhaps gloat a little.

Hey @david_cameron Those "fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists" just kicked your butt. #UKIP
— Mark (@WannabeAnglican) May 3, 2013

That quote is from the Prime Minister himself recently, by the way.  He is slightly more humble and respectful now.

The UKIP has responded well to the belittling attacks.  After being called “clowns” by Tory Ken Clarke, Nigel Farage retorted, “Send in the clowns!”

As for Mr. Farage, a party leader who regularly goes to the pub for a pint is my kind of guy.  And it’s clear he was won many over in part by not taking himself too seriously.  (I do disagree with him on returning smoking to pubs, however.)

I should note that something I posted earlier may be in error.  The Daily Mail had the UKIP starting out the night with no seats, and that’s what I posted.  But the BBC had the UKIP at 7 seats.  I suspect that is correct.  Nevertheless 7 to 144 at last count is not bad.

The BBC’s projected popular vote is impressive as well.

Labour              29%

“Conservative”  25%

UKIP                23%

Lib Dems         14%

So the UKIP has not only become the UK’s 3^rd party of choice, but is on the heels of the Tories.

By the way, I’ve read somewhere recently (I’m sorry I forgot where.) that the UKIP is taking votes from Labour as well as from the Tories.  I was skeptical when I read that, but the results are bearing that analysis out.  In the current political atmosphere, there is no way the Tories would have almost half the vote without the UKIP.  It is now clear the UKIP vote is not all ex-Tory.

An amusing anecdote:

In Dorset, Ian Smith became UKIP's first ever councillor despite not campaigning or even turning up to the count.

His name did not appear on any leaflets, he does not own a UKIP rosette and only agreed to stand three weeks ago.

He only found out he had been elected by email this morning. 'My initial reaction was "my goodness!" I was shocked but I'm very happy,' he said.

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And this is gloatworthy:

Labour girl who called UKIP disgusting gets 14%, UKIP win with 47%. #Winning democracy.kent.gov.uk/mgElectionArea…
— Michael Heaver (@Michael_Heaver) May 3, 2013

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Nigel Farage over a pint (of course) on how attacks from Tories backfired:

[Farage] said that criticism from Ken Clarke last weekend had added "three per cent to our vote share", adding: "I am going to invite him to be my guest speaker at our annual conference. Please please Conservative party, keep the abuse coming."

And do watch the interview.  It gives a good idea of the appeal of Mr. Farage.

GOP, Take a Good Hard Look Across the Ocean at Your Future

The Republican Party would do well to take a long hard look at what the UKIP is doing to the Tories.  In local elections, the UKIP has gone from ZERO to 74 seats and counting.  The Tories have lost well over 100 seats.

This is what can happen when a “Conservative” Party betrays actual Conservatives to the point of fed up anger.

Republicans, be warned.  And if you think there are not millions close to going 3^rd Party, think again. 

This past Republican official is one of them.

If the Republican Party takes up the banner of freedom, of the Constitution, and of opposition to handing our country over to Big Government, to looters and to those who don’t even belong here, it may have a promising future. 

But if the Republican Party drops the banner out of cowardice or moral bankruptcy, someone else will take it up.  And, as is the case with the UKIP, that could happen faster than anyone imagines.

ALSO:

I cannot keep myself from snarking over the South Shields results, where the Lib Dems just barely managed to beat . . . The Monster Raving Loony Party. And the UKIP doubled the Tory count.

David Cameron Backs Gulag UGay

Like Cranmer, I had not intended to post on the political on Ash Wednesday, but David Cameron’s comments backing the High Court’s ruling against Christians of traditional moral views demands a response.

Cameron said he found the High Court’s ruling against Owen and Eunice Johns “appropriate.” Then he lectured Christians that they must be “tolerant and welcoming and broad-minded” concerning homosexuality. So no sooner that he says it is “appropriate” for traditional Christians to be pushed further to the fringes of society and that they be found unfit to parent that he then turns around and lectures them about tolerance.

I thought only Leftists were capable of this sort of rubbish, of prating about tolerance while attacking the rights of those with whom you disagree.

Well, let me be “intolerant” and state what is not “appropriate.” It is not appropriate for a Prime Minister or President to cheerlead pushing Christians to the edges of society and then have the gall to lecture them about tolerance. It is no longer appropriate for a Christian or for anyone who cares about the rights and place of Christians in UK society to vote for a Conservative candidate who does not denounce Cameron’s comments.

If Christians vote UKIP, maybe Cameron would think twice about pushing the UK into becoming a society hostile to the rights of Christians. Maybe.

Why Cameron Failed UPDATED

The word at this moment is that the Tories and the Lib Dems are very close to an agreement to create a new government in the UK. But I want to address how Cameron got into this mess in the first place.

Since he became the leader of the Conservative Party, he has striven to become the Anti-Thatcher, to remake the Conservative Party into the “Not the Conservative Party”. Not only was this bad policy, it was a political gamble that being inoffensive was more important than not alienating the Tory base.

Sound familiar? *coughRINOScough*

I think one issue in particular kept Cameron from victory. He could have won over Euroskeptics simply by keeping Labour’s broken promise to have a referendum on the EU. The UKIP even offered to stand down in return for such a referendum. But Cameron was too Europhile to do the right thing . . . which was also the politically smart thing. And, with all the problems the EU is now having, think how prescient Cameron would look now if had drawn back from closer ties to the EU.

But instead he further alienated the Euroskeptics in his base, and the UKIP got enough votes from said Euroskeptics to keep Cameron from winning an outright majority of seats.

Yes, I do think there are lessons to be learned here. But for now I’ll point out that is how Cameron blew it, pure and simple.

UPDATE: Gordon Brown has announced he will step down as Labour leader and PM. Chatter has it this opens the door for more Labour-LibDem talks.

Cameron Calls for Stricter Limits on Abortion. Brown Promises . . . Himself.

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it here, but I have on my twitter, that if I were a UK citizen I would vote UKIP. That’s how disgusted I’ve been with both major parties.

But now David Cameron is pleasantly surprising me to the point that I might have to change my mind. First, he has called for lowering the time limit for abortions. He has also spoken against assisted suicide. And his Tories have blocked Labour compulsory sex education proposals.

Gordon Brown, on the other hand, has pledged that he will serve a full five years as PM if Labour wins. . . .

Uh, is that supposed to make British want to vote for Labour?

Betrayal: Cameron Surrenders UK to EU Beast

The Labour Party betrayed the British people by reneging on a promise to hold a referendum on UK participation in an EU treaty. Now David Cameron and the Conservative Party have done the same.

Thus, with Cameron’s cowardly whimper, the UK gives up its sovereignty to Gulag EU. It is indeed a sad and sorry day for Britain. What Guido Fawkes tried to do with gunpowder on the Fifth of November, the two major parties have now done willingly.

Peter Hitchens’ take may be found here.

This betrayal will drive more into support of the BNP and UKIP, for better or worse. But that will not be nearly enough to stop this craven surrender.

When I was a youth, it was fashionable among dispensationalists to suggest that the then European Common Market was the precursor of the Beast of the Apocalypse. Given how the UK and other nations have so easily given up their sovereignty to the EU and its tyranny, I am once again wondering if Hal Lindsey et al were actually right.


MORE: Here is just one example of EU tyranny.

Euro and UK Voters tell Left and EU to . . .

Well, I am not going to complete that sentence as I do not think there is a polite way to describe the strong message European and particularly UK voters sent to the Left and to the EU in EU parliamentary elections.

The UK results are especially revealing – and gratifying. Much attention has been given to the BNP’s gains, but I think it much more significant that the UKIP (which is anti-EU without the racist baggage) has suddenly become the go-to third party in the UK and even polled ahead of Labour. The worthless pro-EU Liberal Democrats, on the other hand, fell behind. Up to now, the Lib Dems have been the main third party, but no more, thanks to their failure to provide a real alternative and their EU sycophancy.

And, of course, Labour got slaughtered, not only losing to the Tories and the UKIP overall but polling behind other parties in a number of regions. You have to go back several decades to find a worse result for Labour.

The message is unmistakable – UK voters have had it with both Labour’s Gulag UK and Gulag EU.

The Tories also had better listen and listen well. Voters do not want a lighter shade of Labour.