UKIP's nutty anti-Farageites.

For those of you outside the UKIP bubble, or for those of you lucky enough to have been within UKIP and never come across it's nutty anti-Nigel Farage wing, here's a brief History lesson. I assure you these people would love for me to talk about them on this blog every day, but they are really not worth the trouble. Besides, I have far better things to do.

Nigel Farage has radically changed the image of the party. He has taken it from the Dad's Army outfit it was only a few short years ago and recruited younger members, more credible people (like UKIP's two Peers in the House of Lords) and more members from ethnic minority backgrounds. All are of course vital for the future of the party if it is to go on and elect MPs in the future.

Of course this marginalises the grey haired, Daily Mail-reading single issue brigade who have nothing better to do than spread bile against Farage and spout nasty anti-European bile (for the record, I am a proud European just as I am British and English). They are no longer the only people in the party. To some extent it is no longer their party. But UKIP, and the anti-EU cause, is much, much better for it. The majority of longstanding members the party totally welcome and recognise the fantastic work Farage has done. But for some, like Eric Edmond, Roger Knapman and Piers Merchant, it leaves a bad taste in their mouth. They are not fans of this new 21st century UKIP.

Edmond is the only one who blogs under his name. He wanted to be a UKIP MEP in the South West but thankfully achieved nothing. To look at the calibre of this man simply search one of his lengthy rants on YouTube. I wouldn't recommend it though. Nigel Farage he is not. A better way to understand the calibre of Edmond and other anti-Farage movers and shakers in the party is simply to look at Eric Edmond's MEP candidate campaign website.

I think it is safe to say that the average year 9 ICT student could come up with something more professional.

There have been rumours that some of the tiny, vocal number of anti-Nigel Farage people in the party are linked to the BNP. There is some evidence to suggest this, such as Buster Mottram's alliance proposal. It was reported that Mottram had the backing of several anti-Farage NEC members in the room, which may have in fact included Eric Edmond himself. Perhaps this is why the recording of the meeting that one particular moron took was never released. They would have been exposed.

Whatever their agenda, they have utterly failed. Nigel Farage led UKIP to its greatest ever result last month, beating the Liberal Democrats and Labout nationally in the European Election. These people are doomed to fail as Farage and his leadership team including popular Chairman and potential Farage-successor Paul Nuttall, have almost unanimous support across the party membership. UKIP's present and future really is a contrast with its past.

Thankfully most of those wanting UKIP to be backwards looking have given up and gone to form UK First, a minute rip-off outfit. Good luck to them. Without people like Farage running the show, they've got no chance.

UKIP and Lega Nord.

UKIP's group future looks set to rely on Italy's Northern League. The group that is to be launched today is going to contain 22 MEPs from either Party, well over half of its entire size.

The left-wing press, having rattled Cameron's Conservatives with allegations over their new Euro Parliamentary bedfellows, are obviously now going to aim for UKIP. Do they have cause to?

Well, Northern League, or Lega Nord in Italian, are certainly anti-illegal immigration. This has led to accusations of racism, not dissimilar to the false accusations that UKIP face from some of their political opponents. Yet Lega Nord recently saw Italy's first ever black Mayor elected under its banner.

One would imagine that Nigel Farage has had very stern talks with the League's Leader Umberto Bossi. The League were expelled from UKIP's previous group, the Independence and Democracy group, after distributing questionable material in Italy during a domestic election campaign.

The rumours are that Nigel Farage will be the parliamentary group's sole Chairman. That is certainly a coup for UKIP's profile. But what must not be underestimated is that without this relatively moderate group, the likelihood is that many could have been drawn into an alliance with the likes of the BNP and the French National Front in exchange for the huge privileges being part of a group in the European Parliament brings. That is something very positive indeed.

Stanley Kalms: UKIP Peer?

Though it has gone totally unreported, Lord Kalms, a Conservative Peer in the House of Lords and former President of the retail chain Dixons has been expelled from the Tory Party. The Tory donor was expelled by David Cameron after endorsing UKIP just before polling day for the European Election, just as Stuart Wheeler was.

Aside from the rather odd lack of media coverage for a rather influential man, it really does beg the question: can Lord Kalms be persuaded to cross the floor and sit with Lord Pearson of Rannoch and Lord Willoughby de Broke as a UKIP Peer? If anyone can persuade Kalms, UKIP Leader Nigel Farage is the man.

UKIP must perform well in Norwich North.

The Party is clearly looking to put in a credible performance in the Norwich North by-election, which was called today for the 23rd of July. If there is to be any chance of a breakthrough at the next General Election, Nigel Farage knows that the media must be convinced that his Party is no longer simple a political freakshow, rolled out every five years for the European Election.

Realistically, a fifth place finish would seem likely. This is a Labour/Tory marginal, with a strong Green presence in the neighbouring constituency. This patently wouldn't be good enough though. Percentages matter less than placement in this battle for UKIP. Passing the Greens for fourth place with 5% or 6% would be a reasonable result. If the Party could somehow surpass the Liberal Democrats into third, the result would be sensational.

Taking into consideration the fact that UKIP just came second in the Euro Elections, perception is the key here. The result shall be very interesting indeed. There can be no doubt, however, that Nigel Farage is clearly pushing hard for a solid performance and is taking this by-election very seriously. That is in stark contrast to Roger Knapman's actions after UKIP's breakthrough performance in 2004 and is encouraging for the future of the Party.