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Labour conference: How to win back UKIP voters? Labour conference: How to win back UKIP voters?
(about 4 hours later)
Labour must take a hard look at itself and the gap that has opened up with millions of people who used to vote for the party.Labour must take a hard look at itself and the gap that has opened up with millions of people who used to vote for the party.
That was the message from a fringe event at Labour's conference in Liverpool which examined the electoral threat from UKIP - and the effect of the marginalisation of working-class communities.That was the message from a fringe event at Labour's conference in Liverpool which examined the electoral threat from UKIP - and the effect of the marginalisation of working-class communities.
While the Conservatives remain the biggest obstacle to Labour getting back into power, Jeremy Corbyn faces challenges on multiple fronts. In Scotland, there is the SNP and across large swathes of England, there is UKIP.While the Conservatives remain the biggest obstacle to Labour getting back into power, Jeremy Corbyn faces challenges on multiple fronts. In Scotland, there is the SNP and across large swathes of England, there is UKIP.
The party is arguably the official opposition to Labour in much of the north west and north east.The party is arguably the official opposition to Labour in much of the north west and north east.
'Fighting emotion''Fighting emotion'
Labour MPs who feel UKIP breathing down their necks are anything but complacent, but dealing with the challenge is another matter.Labour MPs who feel UKIP breathing down their necks are anything but complacent, but dealing with the challenge is another matter.
"For us, it is about how you fight an emotion," says Ruth Smeeth, who won Stoke on Trent North for Labour in 2015 but saw UKIP increase its vote by 18% in the constituency."For us, it is about how you fight an emotion," says Ruth Smeeth, who won Stoke on Trent North for Labour in 2015 but saw UKIP increase its vote by 18% in the constituency.
"They were not politicians in the way we recognise them," she says of her opponents. "They didn't run political campaigns in the way we recognise political campaigns.""They were not politicians in the way we recognise them," she says of her opponents. "They didn't run political campaigns in the way we recognise political campaigns."
UKIP, like Labour, may have had its share of internal strife recently but that doesn't mean it will be any less of a threat whenever the next election takes place, activists were warned.UKIP, like Labour, may have had its share of internal strife recently but that doesn't mean it will be any less of a threat whenever the next election takes place, activists were warned.
"There are some people trying to write off UKIP saying they are busted flush and they have peaked because of the EU referendum and (Nigel) Farage going," says Nick Lowles, founder and director of campaign group Hope Not Hate."There are some people trying to write off UKIP saying they are busted flush and they have peaked because of the EU referendum and (Nigel) Farage going," says Nick Lowles, founder and director of campaign group Hope Not Hate.
"But we should really caution against writing them off or at least writing off a party like that. Even if that party did not exist, there is nothing to say that people who voted UKIP at the last election would come back to Labour."But we should really caution against writing them off or at least writing off a party like that. Even if that party did not exist, there is nothing to say that people who voted UKIP at the last election would come back to Labour.
"Political and culturally, there is a huge and growing gulf between the Labour Party and Labour voters and UKIP voters.""Political and culturally, there is a huge and growing gulf between the Labour Party and Labour voters and UKIP voters."
'Fear of betrayal''Fear of betrayal'
Its research points to a growing divergence between Labour and UKIP voters in their attitudes to immigration and the threat posed by multiculturalism, with Labour voters becoming more "tolerant, open, and relaxed" about immigration and its benefits while UKIP supporters' views have moved in the opposite direction.Its research points to a growing divergence between Labour and UKIP voters in their attitudes to immigration and the threat posed by multiculturalism, with Labour voters becoming more "tolerant, open, and relaxed" about immigration and its benefits while UKIP supporters' views have moved in the opposite direction.
"This is fundamentally Labour's problem," he adds. "Where we are is not necessarily where our voters are.""This is fundamentally Labour's problem," he adds. "Where we are is not necessarily where our voters are."
This is a situation, he fears, which could be exacerbated by Brexit if leaving the EU does not result in lower levels of immigration and a rise in wages.This is a situation, he fears, which could be exacerbated by Brexit if leaving the EU does not result in lower levels of immigration and a rise in wages.
The rise in hate crime incidents after the EU referendum was a worrying portent, Ruth Smeeth says.The rise in hate crime incidents after the EU referendum was a worrying portent, Ruth Smeeth says.
In her constituency, she says there was a 157% rise in racially-motivated incidents following the Brexit vote, with some people - in her words - "looking for a fight".In her constituency, she says there was a 157% rise in racially-motivated incidents following the Brexit vote, with some people - in her words - "looking for a fight".
Coming so soon after the death of her friend Jo Cox, she said it made it even more important that the late Labour MP's legacy was not squandered.Coming so soon after the death of her friend Jo Cox, she said it made it even more important that the late Labour MP's legacy was not squandered.
"There has been too much said about what happened," she says. "It is now a question of making sure everything she stood for, we continue to fight for.""There has been too much said about what happened," she says. "It is now a question of making sure everything she stood for, we continue to fight for."
For Labour to make headway in communities that have turned their back on the party, it will be necessary to confront some "uncomfortable" truths and, in the words of community organiser John Cage, the "narrative of blame" that has been fostered by decades of economic disempowerment and dislocation. For Labour to make headway in communities that have turned their back on the party, it will be necessary to confront some "uncomfortable" truths and, in the words of community organiser John Page, the "narrative of blame" that has been fostered by decades of economic disempowerment and dislocation.
'Racist views''Racist views'
The reality, he says, is that there are towns in England and Wales where refugees are not welcome and the Brexit vote was as much a howl of frustration and anger than a focused political statement.The reality, he says, is that there are towns in England and Wales where refugees are not welcome and the Brexit vote was as much a howl of frustration and anger than a focused political statement.
"If we want to win in these communities, I am thinking of places like Rotherham, Dudley, Merthyr Tydfil and Thurrock, we need to start off with a discussion with people who hold racist views," he says."If we want to win in these communities, I am thinking of places like Rotherham, Dudley, Merthyr Tydfil and Thurrock, we need to start off with a discussion with people who hold racist views," he says.
"We have to distinguish between the hard racists who are off the spectrum and those people who are not inherently racist but have adopted racist views and narratives - those who I would describe as 'I am not a racist, but'."We have to distinguish between the hard racists who are off the spectrum and those people who are not inherently racist but have adopted racist views and narratives - those who I would describe as 'I am not a racist, but'.
"These are the people we need to engage with.""These are the people we need to engage with."
Labour's attempt to shift its position on immigration under Ed Miliband, by admitting it made mistakes in the past - ostensibly did not work, partly campaigners believe, because the nature of discussions it was having were misguided.Labour's attempt to shift its position on immigration under Ed Miliband, by admitting it made mistakes in the past - ostensibly did not work, partly campaigners believe, because the nature of discussions it was having were misguided.
Challenging the economic pessimism that many in Labour believe UKIP feeds off will not be done by attempts at "myth-busting" or ramming facts down people's throats, John Page says.Challenging the economic pessimism that many in Labour believe UKIP feeds off will not be done by attempts at "myth-busting" or ramming facts down people's throats, John Page says.
Listening and learningListening and learning
What is needed, in his words, is a mixture of "empathetic listening and Socratic questioning" - the former designed to encourage people to open up and the latter to help them to make connections of their own.What is needed, in his words, is a mixture of "empathetic listening and Socratic questioning" - the former designed to encourage people to open up and the latter to help them to make connections of their own.
"You have to encourage people to reflect on their own views.""You have to encourage people to reflect on their own views."
This was echoed by Waida Forman, a Labour councillor in Harlow, who says the party has reacted to the challenge posed by UKIP in the town by "talking to people and actually listening to them".This was echoed by Waida Forman, a Labour councillor in Harlow, who says the party has reacted to the challenge posed by UKIP in the town by "talking to people and actually listening to them".
This approach is striking for the absence of any talk of standard policy prescriptions - instead, the focus is on grassroots initiatives aimed at boosting communities' self-respect and sense of identity - ranging from things as simple as setting up a local choir or walking club.This approach is striking for the absence of any talk of standard policy prescriptions - instead, the focus is on grassroots initiatives aimed at boosting communities' self-respect and sense of identity - ranging from things as simple as setting up a local choir or walking club.
"If you speak to people out there, you cannot get people involved in Labour at the moment," John Cage adds. "If you try to start a darts team, you wouldn't get people involved because people are atomised and isolated. "If you speak to people out there, you cannot get people involved in Labour at the moment," John Page adds. "If you try to start a darts team, you wouldn't get people involved because people are atomised and isolated.
"If people start to engage with each other, get out of the house, do some exercise, meet new people and feel a bit better, they are already winning. When people feel they are winning, they are prepared to take more action and have a bigger vision of the change possible.""If people start to engage with each other, get out of the house, do some exercise, meet new people and feel a bit better, they are already winning. When people feel they are winning, they are prepared to take more action and have a bigger vision of the change possible."