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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/shortcuts/2013/aug/25/ukip-gaffe-prone-summer-get-worse
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Can Ukip's gaffe-prone summer get any worse? | Can Ukip's gaffe-prone summer get any worse? |
| (21 days later) | |
| Even Nigel Farage admits they need to "get a grip on things". Because this is the month when politics goes on holiday, when politicians generally have no more to worry about than flying eggs and portly tummies, yet Ukip have been making crises for themselves on an almost hourly basis. | Even Nigel Farage admits they need to "get a grip on things". Because this is the month when politics goes on holiday, when politicians generally have no more to worry about than flying eggs and portly tummies, yet Ukip have been making crises for themselves on an almost hourly basis. |
| Crash! One of the party's leading figures, Godfrey Bloom, has to apologise for the racist overtones in his speech on foreign aid. Clang! Ukip is revealed to be using a psychometric exam – dubbed "the fruitcake test" – to sift the nuttier nutters from among its candidates. Bonk! The party's new chief executive, Will Gilpin, steps down just eight months into the job. Ouch! Gilpin derides Ukip's shambolic practices behind the scenes, calling the party "a bunch of enthusiastic amateurs". Smash! Feeling ignored, Bloom swings back in with a radio interview in which he says that employers should be able to sack women for becoming pregnant. (Women are also good in pantries but bad at parking, we hear.) Splat! The party's assistant treasurer, Hugh Williams, is found to have written a book in which he explains, among other things, that people make too much fuss about the child abuse perpetrated by the Catholic church and that, when you look at it, the Nazis had a bad rap too. | Crash! One of the party's leading figures, Godfrey Bloom, has to apologise for the racist overtones in his speech on foreign aid. Clang! Ukip is revealed to be using a psychometric exam – dubbed "the fruitcake test" – to sift the nuttier nutters from among its candidates. Bonk! The party's new chief executive, Will Gilpin, steps down just eight months into the job. Ouch! Gilpin derides Ukip's shambolic practices behind the scenes, calling the party "a bunch of enthusiastic amateurs". Smash! Feeling ignored, Bloom swings back in with a radio interview in which he says that employers should be able to sack women for becoming pregnant. (Women are also good in pantries but bad at parking, we hear.) Splat! The party's assistant treasurer, Hugh Williams, is found to have written a book in which he explains, among other things, that people make too much fuss about the child abuse perpetrated by the Catholic church and that, when you look at it, the Nazis had a bad rap too. |
| Needless to say journalists, myself included, should be very grateful to Ukip at this difficult time. Next to David Cameron's long trudge towards recovery, or Ed Miliband's quest to be taken seriously, the party's political narrative looks more like Mr Bump trying to pick his way out of a darkened cellar. Which is to say, much more entertaining. | Needless to say journalists, myself included, should be very grateful to Ukip at this difficult time. Next to David Cameron's long trudge towards recovery, or Ed Miliband's quest to be taken seriously, the party's political narrative looks more like Mr Bump trying to pick his way out of a darkened cellar. Which is to say, much more entertaining. |
| Interestingly, it seems to be more endearing too. Because enthusiastic amateurishness may not be what the public look for in a prime minister, but it is lovable when the stakes are low, such as in a European election – and currently Ukip are favourites to get the most votes of any party in next May's poll. Over time, lovability may also be parlayed into credibility. The current mayor of London – and joint-favourite to be next Tory leader – could vouch for that. | Interestingly, it seems to be more endearing too. Because enthusiastic amateurishness may not be what the public look for in a prime minister, but it is lovable when the stakes are low, such as in a European election – and currently Ukip are favourites to get the most votes of any party in next May's poll. Over time, lovability may also be parlayed into credibility. The current mayor of London – and joint-favourite to be next Tory leader – could vouch for that. |
| • This article was amended on 28 August 2013 to correct the date of the 2014 European elections, which have been brought forward from June to May. | • This article was amended on 28 August 2013 to correct the date of the 2014 European elections, which have been brought forward from June to May. |
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