Let’s use Labour’s plain-speakers to expose the ugly reality of UKIP politics

Paul Nuttall, leader of UKIP, comes across as man entirely without charm – but Donald Trump demonstrates that charm is not a prerequisite to win at the polls. As long as ordinary people are suspicious of traditional politicians, they can easily revert to populism. To circle the wagons. To view the Labour Party as pursuing an agenda which is not in their interests.

This is what Nuttall wanted to tap into when he used his leadership victory speech to highlight Jeremy Corbyn’s failure to sing the national anthem and to claim that Diane Abbott “advocates unlimited immigration”.

“They have lost touch. They are more at home talking about the issues that swirl about the Islington dinner party than the issues that matter in working class communities,” Nuttall said of Labour.

“So while Jeremy Corbyn and his Labour Party debate the Palestine question, fair trade and climate change, we instead will debate issues that concern real working people.”

Now Nuttall is standing in Stoke-on-Trent Central, where Labour members chose their candidate last night.

We know why Nuttall is taking this approach. In the US, an academic conducted a study on morality, in which focus groups were told a fictional scenario of a woman who found an American flag in her attic and cut it into squares to use to clean her bathroom. She caused no harm. She just didn’t need a flag.

Jonathan Haidt questioned the focus group on this story and the middle class participants saw nothing wrong. The working class participants were offended and created reasons to object. One man said, “The neighbours might see and be offended.” Another said, “The rags will clog up her toilet and cause it to overflow”. Another said, “I know it’s wrong but I just can’t think of a reason why”. He conducted the same experiment in Brazil and got the same outcome from both middle and working class participants, as he explained in his book.

Even if Jeremy did bow to the Queen when he was sworn in as a privy counsellor, Nuttall aims to tap into the instinct that Haift describes. He would be happy to hear the British working class say of Jeremy: “I know he’s wrong, but I just can’t think of a reason why”.

Nuttall plans to use  Corbyn as a stick with which to beat Labour, and it will likely have a broad effect, because he will have considerable sections of the media behind his efforts.

Corbyn could tackle this attack directly by seeking to be disruptive. By appealing to the tribe. If he were to wrap himself in the Union Jack, it would certainly make people sit up, but I can’t see him doing this. He simply wouldn’t be himself by acting in such a way.

The life story of his junior shadow minister, Clive Lewis, who joined the Territorial Army and served a tour in Afghanistan would appeal to them. They would listen if Clive were to argue that they shouldn’t blame foreigners, but should blame the bargain-basement labour market under the Tories. Nuttall last ran for elected office under Conservative Party colours, so we know where his sympathies lie.

Luckily for Labour, we have many politicians who ordinary people in the north do listen to. Even if UKIP attacks the Labour leadership, the vast bulk of Labour MPs and councillors are deeply embedded in their communities and have the respect of their people.

Let’s hope that Nuttall and his plans are just a passing fad. Let’s hope our defences are strong enough to hold him off in the elections to come.