Analysis: The Rise and Rise of the House of Farage

by Alex Chalmers
Everyone expected the UK Independence Party to perform well in Thursday’s elections, but few accurately predicted the scale of their apparent surge in support. Almost a quarter of those who voted, seemingly disillusioned with all three main parties, turned out to vote for a party that had previously been dismissed as a collection of “fruitcakes, loonies, and closet racists”, as well as “clowns”. However, in many ways, the government have only themselves to blame for this high protest vote. Whilst it is important not to dismiss UKIP, it is equally foolish to interpret these results as a fundamental realignment of British politics or an end to the three-party system. Such shock results are not without historic precedent and as parties such as UKIP become more successful, greater scrutiny can bring internal problems and divisions to the fore.

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Labour's EU hopefuls in the South East region

Peter Skinner is standing down after nearly 20 years of service as Labour's MEP for the South East but there are ten fantastic Labour candidates who all want to follow in Peter's footsteps.

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Opinion: The Conservatism of the Left

by Alex Chalmers
When the Labour Party loses an election, as it did in 2010, it usually retreats into its shell. Instead of trying to re-engage with the public, refresh its image, and present a credible alternative to the new government, it embraces a toxic mixture of complacency and factionalism. Many in the party adopt the attitude that the electorate 'got it wrong' and will not repeat the mistake, whilst others descend into divisive battles about whether it is time to tack to the right or lurch to the left. Either way, this results in Labour being perceived as the party of 'no change', pursuing the same course as when the electorate rejected them, unrealistically hoping that they can pick up where they left off five years ago. 

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Press Release: Reading Labour Supports Equal Marriage And Calls On Reading's Two MPs To Do The Same

Press Release - 3rd February, 2013

Reading Labour are calling on Conservative MP's Alok Sharma and Rob Wilson to vote in favour of the Equal Marriage Bill coming before Parliament this Tuesday (5th February), which allows same sex couples the right to get married.

"This Bill is about letting couples who want to make a long term commitment to each other get married regardless of sexuality or gender" comment Richard Wood, Reading Labour LGBT Officer. "This is something that the LGBT community has long campaigned for, and it's something that Reading Labour has been proud to support, in the press and with petitions on our stall at Reading Pride."

The Bill expands on the Civil Partnerships legislation introduced by the last Labour government in 2004 by providing for same sex couples to get married, while protecting religions and faith groups who may not wish to conduct a same sex marriage. Thanks to Labour lobbying, the Bill also allows churchs and groups that do wish to conduct same sex marriages (such as Quakers, Unitarians and Regorm Judaism) to do so.

Ben Zielinski, Chair of Reading and District Labour Party, adds "Labour has always had a proud history of supporting LGBT rights, whether its Civil Partnerships, ending the ban on LGBT people serving in the armed forces, giving LGBT couples the right to adopt children, or scrapping the homophobic Section 28 of the 1988 Local Government Act - we believe firmly that if a same sex couple wishes to get married they should have the right to do so".

Victoria Groulef, Labour candidate for Reading West comments "My support for marriage equality is clear. The right to marry is an issue of equal rights and that's why if I was MP for Reading West, I would be voting yes".

Matt Rodda, Labour candidate for Reading East comments "I would vote in favour of the Bill, I think it is very important people are treated equally and I hope there will be all party support for the legislation".

ENDS.

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