Bloom’s blast as Tory warns of Ukip threat

Writing in today’s Yorkshire Post, the former Ukip member says “the genre is essential to politics” because such individuals are “often right” and “especially valuable when the two main parties are almost identical”.

Meanwhile Elizabeth Peacock, the longstanding former Tory MP for the marginal Batley & Spen seat, has called for “Common Sense Politics” if her party is to see off Ukip’s electoral threat.

“Politicians need to measure the views of the people with greater diligence and then fight for their implementation,” says Mrs Peacock who warns that Ukip’s rise threatens to put “the wrong Miliband in Downing Street”, an unflattering reference to the Labour leader.

Opinion and Saturday Essay: Pages 17&18.