Time to talk about a problem like Ed

LABOUR's recent boost in the polls may not be enough to counteract the "Ed Miliband problem" according to political analysts.

In the latest survey conducted by polling agency YouGov Labour had a six point lead with 38 per cent of the vote, compared the the Tories 32 per cent.

While this is being hailed as a sign of support for the party's policies there are fears that if Ed Miliband remains as leader the results will not translate into a General Election victory.

Mr Miliband is currently at his lowest point in ratings according to the alternative Guardian ICM poll at the weekend, which saw his satisfaction rating drop from -25 to -39, lower than Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg at -37.

Despite the results Mr Miliband still appears to have the support of party stalwarts to keep threats of a leadership contest at bay.

Rachael Reeves, Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, told the Guardian: "I am incredibly proud to serve under Ed. It would be with huge pride that I would serve in a Labour government under his leadership. When Ed is prime minister, we will see change we haven't seen for a generation. That change will profoundly change the lives of people who, for too long under governments of all colours, have been really struggling and left behind."

Also weighing in to defend his party's leader Former Home Secretary, David Blunkett, was reported in Huffington Post as saying: "He is the only man and he is the only man because he is our leader. Nobody is going to challenge him, he is in a unique position, actually because Tony Blair was bedevilled and in the latter days so was Gordon Brown. Ed is free of that," he said.

Mr Miliband's poor ratings may not be affecting the Labour leader now but as the election draws closer it could start to be a different matter.

According to research conducted by the Centre for Research in Elections and Social Trends: "Leaders have become the human face of election campaigns, while electorates have become dealigned. This has lead to the suggestion that in parliamentary elections many voters now vote for the party leader they like best in much the same way that in presidential elections they vote for the candidate they like best."

With 60 per cent of those polled by YouGov thinking that Mr Miliband would not be up to the job of Prime Minister and 56 per cent believing that he is out of touch with voters he could find that he becomes more of a hindrance than asset for the party in May.

Speaking in Wales on Saturday Mr Miliband told reporters: "I am not only determined, but I am confident that we can win the next election. We need to because the stakes are incredibly high for the country."

If the polls stay as they are though Mr Miliband might be leading the party to a catastrophic defeat in the next General Election. One which Mr Blunkett has warned could see Labour relegated to the political wilderness for the next 15 years.

The threat from UKIP falters as inexperience shows through

WITH little more than a week until voters cast their ballots in European and local elections new polls show a shift in the views of the British electorate.
Two seperate polls have placed the Conservative party ahead of opposition Labour for the first time in two years. ICM has placed the Tories ahead with 33 per cent of the vote, compared to Labour's 31 per cent. Meanwhile a second poll commissioned by Lord Ashcroft has Labour lagging two points behind its Conservative opponents on 32 per cent.
It is the place of the Liberal Democrats and the United Kingdom Independence Party which has been most notable, however. Nick Clegg's Liberal Democrat party has seen its place as Britains' third party threatened by the right wing UKIP, under the leadership of Nigel Farage. In three out of four key polls the Liberal Democrats have failed to break the two digit mark while UKIP have accrued between 14 and 15 per cent of the vote.
Despite appearing flustered on the BBC Sunday Politics programme over his party's manifesto promises Mr Farage has dominated the news in recent weeks with his anti-European rhetoric. A recent poll ahead of the European elections put UKIP ahead with 31 per cent of the vote.
While UKIPs rise has concerned some political commentators its inexperience and right wing views may not translate as well in local, and particularly general, elections as they do for those in Europe, seen by many in Britain as an opportunity for a protest vote without affecting the country.
The apparent inability of some members of the party to engage in the political process and face opposition comments has highlighted the lack of ability the party actually holds in more mainstream politics.
Emphasis has been placed on the lack of political sense by some members of UKIP, which claims in its manifesto that it wants to see more front line policing and prioritises fighting crime, after one of its councillors called the police on blogger Michael Abberton for posts he made on social media. Officers informed Mr Abberton that they had to respond to the complaint despite no laws being broken and requested that he remove the tweets, something he was unable to do after they have been reposted by numerous others.
The posts allegedly relate to Mr Abberton posting a political swipe at UKIP in which he highlighted potential reasons to vote for them including its pledges to raising income tax for 88 per cent of the poorest in society and scrapping paid maternity leave.
Recently Mr Farage has attempted to reinvigorate the party's reputation as a political force by refuting accusations of insitutional racism within its ranks. UKIP, which campaigns on an anti EU, anti-immigrant agenda has been wracked by racist comments from its members and allegations of xenophobia over its attitudes to anyone entering Britain. These claims have been further supported by the departure of one of its youth members Sanya-Jeet Thandi today.
Ms Thandi has been used by UKIP as a figurehead in its campaign to appear inclusive. Leaving the party today, however, she stated of concerns over its "aggressive anti-immigrant rhetoric."
Writing in the Guardian newspaper Ms Thandi stated: "The direction in which the party is going is terrifying. UKIP had descended into a form of racist populism that I cannot bring myself to vote for."
In a further damaging statement Ms Thandi urged UKIP supporters to not vote in the upcoming European elections.
Despite recent populist polling figures it appears as though reality is catching up with Mr Farage's party. As the cracks appear it seems more likely that once people have used it to highlight their discontent with the establishment it will sink into obscurity once more.

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