Not sure if it is just me but I have the impression that UKIP is the only one really campaigning for the forthcoming EU election. I can explain this to myself using three lines of reasoning: a) the economic one, i.e. they are the only party that can afford large billboards like this one;
b) the political/tactical one, i.e. they are the only one that can win the election in the UK so better saving money for the ‘real’ election in 2015, plus if it looks like one is not even campaigning, then he/she can’t be blamed for losing the election (especially if one happens to be a particularly weak political leader); c) the Political/strategic one, i.e. a part from UKIP, the other parties have nothing to say about the EU (except that it’s good for the economy) and that ultimately even if they had their mouth fully free – i.e. even without gags on their mouths – they would be silent anyway. As a EU citizen, this is rather frustrating as it leaves over 2.3m UK residents with a EU passport without real political representation (unless one fancies voting for Clegg & co., or for a small niche party like the Greens) and it is fair to expect that it will only get worst with the 2015 election where EU residents will have no (electoral) say at all on what gets said on them (as I discussed in this OpenDemocracy piece).
Postcards from ... 
Reblogged this on oogenhand and commented:
The UKIP is very savvy when it comes to politics. As a new party, they don’t have baggage, using outdated tactics.
I think the Green Party are doing their best to prove you wrong on this one!!
Yeah, concise and true analysis… The local labour candidate who showed up at my door did not even try to win my vote. He just left a leaflet saying who labour is against (literally!). It seems that the traditional big parties are failing to take strong stances on issues like Europe (and this is probably true throughout Europe apart some exceptions). One is left with the impression that ukip will win without a real opponent.