UKIP may be "major party" Ofcom suggests

Categories: Latest News
Friday January 09 2015
The Guardian, The Independent, Daily Mail, BBC News and ITV News all report on Ofcom’s announcement that the Green Party may not qualify as a “major party” in the general election but the UK Independence Party (UKIP) may achieve this status.
The regulator is undertaking a consultation exploring views on whether other parties should be included on their list of “major parties”. Currently, only the Conservatives, Labour and the Lib Dems are on the UK-wide major parties list. Ofcom is assessing whether the Green Party (including the Scottish Green Party), the Traditional Unionist Voice in Northern Ireland and UKIP should be included on the list for the 2015 general election, meaning the parties can avail themselves of party political broadcasts on national television.
Parties on the list are guaranteed at least two party election broadcasts on each of the TV and radio channels regulated by Ofcom, except the BBC. The regulator’s Broadcasting Code requires that “due weight must be given to the broadcast coverage of major parties during the election period. Broadcasters must also consider giving appropriate coverage to other parties and independent candidates with significant views and perspectives.”
In a statement published on its website, Ofcom stated that the Green Party have not “demonstrated significant past electoral support in General Elections” despite opinion poll rating in Great Britain-wide polls indicating support for the party has increased its share of support to 5.9% in December 2014 (4.0% on average during 2014).
Similarly, it observed that UKIP had also not demonstrated significant past electoral support in previous General Elections. However, it noted that the party had received strong support in other forms of election having won two seats in Parliament at recent by-elections and in the European Parliament elections earlier this year.
While the Green Party obtained significant support in Northern Ireland (12.1% of the vote) in the 2014 European elections, UKIP had received 29.2% of the vote in England, 27.6% of the vote in Wales and 10.5% of the vote in Scotland. Ofcom also noted that opinion polls further reveal that UKIP has the third highest rating in polls after the Conservative and Labour parties.
The rise of UKIP is certainly disconcerting considering the racist and anti-Muslim comments espoused by some of its members. Comments have included descriptions of Muslims as “sex slave groomers” and the assertion that “anyone who does not fear Islam is a fool”.
In response to Ofcom’s initial judgement, the Green Party leader, Natalie Bennett, expressed her disappointment saying “The media regulator has failed to grasp the fast-moving, fluid state of British politics today, and the fact that voters are seeking out the choice of real change.
“Ofcom should not be making that option harder to find, but ensuring that voters have the chance to hear and judge the full range of political options today.
“It is also important to note how Ofcom is ignoring the strong support for the Green Party in particular sections of the community, particularly the young and students.”
The Ofcom consultation is open until 5 February and a final decision is expected to be made in early March.