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UKIP to 'target Labour voters' at May local elections UKIP 'only Westminster alternative'
(about 11 hours later)
The UK Independence Party will be "actively targeting" Labour supporters in upcoming local elections in England and Wales, its leader says. Voters are turning to the UK Independence Party as it is the only party with alternative policies, its leader Nigel Farage has told activists.
Nigel Farage will tell activists at their spring conference later that the party has an appeal beyond disaffected Conservative voters. At UKIP's spring conference, Mr Farage dismissed claims his party's success in recent by-elections was a protest vote.
He is expected to focus on what he sees as the impact of immigration in working-class communities. He said people felt betrayed by a political class who were more interested in their own careers than national interest.
He is also due to voice his criticism of recent press regulation changes. He also called for an "amicable" divorce from the European Union.
"There is a wholesale rejection of the career, political, professional class in this country going on. We have had enough of them," he told the conference in Exeter.
"And they really do all look the same, and sound the same.
"They all go to the same schools, the same Oxbridge colleges. None of them ever had a job in the real world and not one of them is in politics for principle.
"And that's what we stand for. Principle, " he added.
"There are millions of decent people out there who feel betrayed by this political class."
Mr Farage told the audience UKIP would be "actively targeting" Labour supporters in upcoming local elections in England and Wales.
He told activists that the party had an appeal beyond disaffected Conservative voters.
'Voter's re-engaged'
People voting for them had been traditional Lib Dem and old Labour voters, as well as people who had not voted "for the last 20 years".
"We should be proud as a party that we have re-engaged those people," he said.
He focused on what he saw was the impact of immigration in working-class communities and on the European Union.
"We've made the argument for years and now it's a mainstream argument that we want an amicable divorce from the political European Union and its replacement with a genuine, free-trade agreement which is what we thought we'd signed up for in the first place," he told delegates.
He is also criticised recent press regulation changes.
The three main parties - the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats and Labour - struck a deal this week to establish a new press regulator by royal charter.The three main parties - the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats and Labour - struck a deal this week to establish a new press regulator by royal charter.
Mr Farage is expected to condemn the idea as unnecessary state interference in a free press. Mr Farage condemned the idea as unnecessary state interference in a free press.
BBC political correspondent Chris Mason says UKIP is in a buoyant mood, partly due to its candidate coming second in the Eastleigh by-election at the end of February.BBC political correspondent Chris Mason says UKIP is in a buoyant mood, partly due to its candidate coming second in the Eastleigh by-election at the end of February.
The by-election was called after former Lib Dem cabinet minister Chris Huhne resigned as an MP following an admission he had perverted the course of justice over driving licence points.The by-election was called after former Lib Dem cabinet minister Chris Huhne resigned as an MP following an admission he had perverted the course of justice over driving licence points.
Mainstream debate
The seat was won by Lib Dem candidate Mike Thornton, while UKIP candidate Diane James got 11,571 votes, on a 19.3% swing from the Lib Dems.The seat was won by Lib Dem candidate Mike Thornton, while UKIP candidate Diane James got 11,571 votes, on a 19.3% swing from the Lib Dems.
The Conservative candidate won 10,559 votes, representing a 14 percentage points fall in her share of the vote since the general election, while Labour was fourth with 4,088 votes.The Conservative candidate won 10,559 votes, representing a 14 percentage points fall in her share of the vote since the general election, while Labour was fourth with 4,088 votes.
The result was UKIP's best: almost 28% of the vote, and its fourth second-place finish in a race for a Westminster seat in two years.The result was UKIP's best: almost 28% of the vote, and its fourth second-place finish in a race for a Westminster seat in two years.
During the conference, the party also announced that broadcaster and columnist Jon Gaunt had joined it.
UKIP's two biggest policy themes - withdrawal from the European Union and the impact of immigration - enjoy a prominence in mainstream political debate never seen before, our correspondent adds.UKIP's two biggest policy themes - withdrawal from the European Union and the impact of immigration - enjoy a prominence in mainstream political debate never seen before, our correspondent adds.
Mr Farage is expected to focus, in his speech at lunchtime in Exeter, on what he sees as the impact of immigration in working-class communities: putting pressure on public services and squeezing wages.
Local elections will be held on 2 May.Local elections will be held on 2 May.