Never to be forgotten? The 2013 English local elections

摘要

Of course, it remains to be seen whether Ukip will seize the opportunity its success in these local elections has afforded it to develop the organisational roots and political credibility required to become a major party. In the short term, the party looks set to do well in next year's European elections - these occasions have already shown that they provide the party with a happy hunting ground (though Ukip may well find appealing to the relatively young and ethnically diverse population of London in the capital's borough elections next year rather more of a challenge). On the other hand, sustaining its support in a UK general election, when voters are more inclined to choose than protest, will doubtless prove rather more of a challenge, while the electoral system will treat the party's geographically evenly spread vote with its usual harshness.