The UKIP factor: the insurgency shaking up British politics

The rise of the UK Independence Party over the last two years, driven by support from older, lower income voters, signals the beginning of truly multi-party politics in Britain. UKIP makes the outcome of the May 2015 UK general election very hard to call, even if the party may not achieve its ambition of being kingmaker and there is a ceiling to its rise. UKIP is also powerfully shaping British policy on both migration and Europe. For the Conservatives and Labour, UKIP’s rise is making it very tough to build broad electoral coalitions to secure a parliamentary majority.