It is vital that Ukip continues to shake up Westminster
UKIP has had a quiet time in recent weeks but Nigel Farage was back on form in Canvey Island yesterday as he launched the party's general election campaign by threatening to shake up the establishment
The main Westminster parties are no doubt feeling shaken up enough already thanks to the rise of Mr Farage's insurgent party.
Winning the European elections and gaining two MPs who defected from the Conservatives last year has put Ukip's key issues firmly on the political agenda. Without them it is likely the Westminster parties would not be having the serious conversations about the EU and rampant immigration that they have been.
Nigel Farage's down–to–earth charm has also shone a spotlight on what many perceive as out–of–touch political elites who may never have had a job outside politics and who claim to speak on behalf of the British people.
Ukip has spoken up about the things that really matter to people and that the main parties have shied away from.
We can but hope the party continues in this vein and keeps Westminster on its toes.
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Judges must be tougher
THE behaviour of Corey Savory and Thomas Vernon was absolutely despicable. They were spared jail for a brutal and "completely unprovoked" attack in which they beat a man until he was unconscious after convincing Recorder Sarah Mallett of their remorse.
Soft sentences must not be handed down for violent crimes even if the perpetrator appears to have a crisis of conscience in the dock
Sadly she was taken in by this charade. As soon as they left the court with only a suspended prison sentence and a £100 compensation order each they were grinning and giving a thumbs-up.
How is it safe for these men to be out on the streets? Not only are they capable of extreme violence and feel no remorse for the damage such actions cause, they have also shown that the law courts are easy to hoodwink and unlikely to give them a severe punishment.
This episode should serve as a reminder why soft sentences must not be handed down for violent crimes even if the perpetrator appears to have a crisis of conscience in the dock.
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Cricket goes intergalactic
SOON there will be little green men practising their batting if members of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence get their way.
They hope to begin actively calling out to the cosmos in the hope of finding alien life and think that sending out the rules of cricket will convince anything out there that humans are an intelligent species.
Let's hope it works. With only 10 teams playing test match cricket it would be nice to have some new opponents.
