George Santayana once said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Is UKIP (United Kingdom Independence Party) leader Nigel Farage guilty of doing this? Over the last few months the campaign for the general election has been sizzling in the background, with some parties dedicated to actually doing some politics whilst Farage and his brood are scheming away to steal some seats from both the Tories and Labour; and it’s working. It’s how UKIP are gaining support that intrigues me; are they just simply expressing their views and promising their promises or is there something darker behind it all?
Back in the 1930s, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party used the circumstances of a Germany that was in chaotic economic problems, twisted the truth and blamed it on a group of people that were already distrusted by many of the general public, but were too afraid to say it: the Jews. By blaming the Jews for their economic strife, Adolf Hitler managed to create paranoia and fear amongst the German people, making them truly feel like it was because of their Jewish neighbours. Hitler also drummed on about he was against the establishment and the Weimer Government, saying that he was something different and something that represented the people of Germany and their views.
Today, Nigel Farage and UKIP are using the circumstances of a declining Britain that is in mass amounts of debt. UKIP have blamed the large numbers of immigrants and foreigners who are now living in Britain for the economic decline, stating that they are “benefit cheating”, abusing the welfare system and stealing YOUR jobs. Before UKIP was even a party there was already paranoia that illegal immigrants were swarming into the UK and ruining the “ethnic Briton’s” livelihood. Nigel Farage has feasted on this paranoia to stir up fear within the general public, making people genuinely fear for their jobs and tradition. ‘LibLabCon’ is a phrase that Ukippers use very often, using it as a way of showing that Ukip is not like them and a protest against the British establishment. Ironic considering that Farage was a banker who benefited from Westminster’s policies.
Seems oddly similar doesn’t it? One of them is a smooth talking; fear-mongering racist who will happily want to categorize the people of their country, the other is Adolf Hitler. Nigel Farage has been held up by admirers (and mass media) as this charismatic “bloke you’d have a pint with at the pub”, instead of a politician with a racist agenda – no matter what way you try to hide it.
However that’s exactly it; Ukip are a party who keep their policies and ideals secret; they do not wish for the public to know about their true intentions for the NHS, workers’ rights, freedom of speech, and the welfare state.
What bewilders me even more is that networks such as the BBC will happily plaster Farage’s face all over our television screens, gaining him more publicity no matter what he says. As much as Farage and UKIP are a serious problem in British politics at the moment, the BBC is just as much to blame because of their constant want to have him shown every week; whether it be Question Time, Paxman or even Have I Got News for You.
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