A Right get together in the EU.

[Workingman]

Quietly announced and then quickly dropped came the news that Marine Le Pen from France's Front National and Geert Wilders from the Dutch PVV had joined forces to form a new right wing grouping within the EU parliament.

Doing that in itself does not change things much, but if they can get 25 MEPs from seven countries to join (easily possible) they can form a caucus and gain access to funds, secretarial support, committee seats and chairs, and more prominent speaking rights - they can become "organised".

The new potential grouping is already being branded, even before it has formed. It is being described as racist, extremist, xenophobic, fascist and, worst of all, populist.

Of course these people are 'populist', that is because the 'unpopulist' big parties do not listen to their electorates. If they do gain a foothold it will not be the fault of the people, it will be entirely the fault of mainstrteam politicians past and present.

[TheOstrich]

I believe UKIP are keeping their distance from it as they don't want to be associated with the overt "racist" elements. Which is an astute move from Farage at this point in time - don't give your opponents a stick to beat you with ....

[Workingman]

Ossie, I also thought that Farage was playing the long game. If things go the way they look likely to he will have by far the biggest cohort on the Right and will be able to use that influence independently.

[Suff]

Farage is certainly playing a careful game.

One thing nobody can accuse him of, right now, in reality, is the racist tag. Mainly because he's not banging on about other ethnicities. He's banging on about white Europeans and anyone can complain about them.

Very interesting socio political picture isn't it? He's using a stick they have crated for themselves and he's beating them with it lustily. They can't call him a racists without also calling themselves racists.

I love it.

[Workingman]

Widers and Le Pen are also being clever in using the club rules to get their voice(s) heard.

Interesting.

[cromwell]

Ah, populism! The worst thing one UK politician can call another.

Which should show just how much we are ruled by un unrepresentative elite.