This is actually ground breaking stuff for UK politics, first time in history a right wing popularist party is gaining this kind of significant ground.The leader of which is a self confessed admirer of Putin.
Farage has been compared to ron paul,but I think this is a poor comparison these days, apart from them both believing in an isolationist foreign policy, ukip is actually despite their claims a big spending party, wanting a huge increase in defence spending and reversing for instance some of the current conservative governments welfare cuts. ,they also want to build more prisons.
I do not believe they are a racist party but they certainly will attract some unsavory types who are . I am pleased at this news though, as britains poliical machine is broken and I believe UKIP will eventually cause a split in the current conservative party and a true realignment in british politics, I also believe destroying the current conservative party will mean it's more likely the UK will leave the EU which Iam in favour of. Will be an interesting few years here.