UK parliamentary by-elections 2014

[Cassius]

UKIP have almost got a Lib-Dem style (or at least back in the day it was) thing going on, where they run as almost an 'old-style' Labour party in Labour seats, and an 'old-style' Conservative Party in Tory ones.

[Cassius]

Why Helmer? What possible reason could there be to pick him? I mean, UKIP have a chance (a small one, but nonetheless, a chance) of winning this election, and yet they commit to a non-local candidate, who, at the same time, doesn't really seem to have much going for him. Don't get it.

[Cassius]

I wonder if I can block Dan Hodges blog posts from the Daily Telegraph. Probably not

[Cassius]

According to UKIPologists Matthew Goodwin and Rob Ford (not that one),

You forgot to add 'champion bullsh!t merchants'.

I'm only vaguely familiar with them; why in particular are they bullsh*tters? Sensationalising UKIP in order to sell their book?

[Cassius]

Matthew Parris currently at his most loathsome regarding Clacton.

[Cassius]

There's an article about Heywood & Middleton on the Guardian website by Helen Pidd (do they have anyone else who can cover Northern by-elections?).  Its premise seems to be that Labour's mistake was not turning themselves into some sort of UKIP-lite.  Possibly the one thing to be said for it is that it isn't as bad as the comments below it.

By the way, does anyone think that a falling out between Carswell and Farage at some point is quite likely?

I'd imagine so, given that Carswell seems to place (at least publically) a very high value on his 'principles'. Add to that the fact that UKIP seems unable to sustain more than one large personality, well...

Anyway, fantastic result in both seats of course. Particularly gratifying to see the yellow mongrels pushed down to only 1.4% in Clacton.

Of course, it will also be interesting to see how Dan Hodges attempts to write up these results as a strategic triumph for David Cameron and a failure for UKIP.