Farage Ltd and Similar Watch

[Johnny75]

That's some lofty ideas..... all the way back to the 19th century.

I agree with Paddy. The nationalization didn't work first time so it's unlikely to work this time. The public sector is to slow as it has to be for transparency and it will always be afflicted by ego's and political whim.

The electorate don't trust politicians to play straight and they don't trust the public sector to spend taxation wisely as history has shown. Too much power to the unions leads to strikes by ideology and the need for power. The electorate have shown socialism the door for those reasons and it'll be a long road back to the Nirvana you wish.

My previous comment didn't carry the sarcasm it seems but you took it literally and proved my point. Still as Voltaire (and the much lesser know Paddy) said, I don't agree with you but I admire you for saying it.

 

[pavlosmacwolf]

Isn't the real problem that all the parties are in the centre ground now with the way Europe has evolved, and are all saying exactly the same things but using different words. it is certainly what i am hearingt over here.

Everyone is going to change the way Europe works if you vote for them, but not one of them is saying how!! damn it's really frustrating

 

[Tyrannosaurus Dan]

I voted Green in the Euro's and it was the first time I've ever voted for them rather than for Labour. It wasn't a protest vote against the main parties, they just happen to be the party that I feel most represents what I believe in. It's unfortunate that they couldn't get a fraction of the media attention UKIP did. Caroline Lucas is one of the hardest working MPs out there.

I only had a choice of Labour or Tory in the local elections but would have voted Labour anyway. IMO they are doing a good job running my local council.

 

[nimrod]

Isn't the real problem that all the parties are in the centre ground now with the way Europe has evolved, and are all saying exactly the same things but using different words. it is certainly what i am hearingt over here.

Everyone is going to change the way Europe works if you vote for them, but not one of them is saying how!! damn it's really frustrating

hardly a surprise, that's what wins elections and usually the same parties are quick to jump on populist policies for the mass appeal it gets them. of course their real dogma is often hidden by the political parties in false elite-ruled democracies. once the people have voted a government in it can generally do what it likes for 5 years if the majority is sufficient, and fuck the manifesto because hardly any of the population read it anyway.

 

[pavlosmacwolf]

sorry guys for being dumb, but surely these are local elections, i/e council elections so is anyone so upset?, oh yes and of course europeean elections,

were yours held, all on the same day (logical), here the local elections were hedld last weekend with the finals this sunday alongside the european elections.

The feeling is here that if people had to return to their villages to vote, (which they have to do by law) they would go only once.

It can cost as much as 300 euros to go home to vote if you live in Athens or Thessalonika, so i guess the thought is they will go for the second round of the local elections and the europeans, or no one would bother with the European elections at all.

No one here actually gives a shit about the Eurtopean elections, and i must admit to feeling somewhat the same, despite the crisis.

 

[Tony Towner]

People from Walsall who voted UKIP were interviewed in soundbite fashion on 5live this afternoon. Essentially if these people are representative of the UKIP vote then it would appear they give an avenue for people who are fundamentally racist but know that they cannot publicly express their views anymore. Using the word immigration when really you know they mean none caucasian, none English allows them to do so again.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

Denial about what?

UKIP.

 

[Kenny]

What are they denying

 

[FrankMunro-371]

Tories and Labour have said all along the a vote for UKIP was a protest vote, and both party leaders refused to engage with Farage. What they need to do is do something to make voters return to their parties rather than being in denial of UKIP.

 

[pavlosmacwolf]

For serious party leaders to engage in debate with Farage would be the equivalent of most of us arguing policy with our garage doors. he has two topics, himself and immigration, or as i see it racism.

seriously Frank why give him the air time?, those that follow him are blind to common sense anyway.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

By not engaging with him, they are doing themselves more harm. Get Farage out in the open and make him spell out his policies.

 

[Kenny]

Policy 1: get out of Europe
Policy 2: make shit up about foreign types
Policy 3: have a pint

Be a short debate

 

[The Saturday Boy]

By not engaging with him, they are doing themselves more harm. Get Farage out in the open and make him spell out his policies.

If he is the leader of a serious political party, as he claims, he should already have policies. Unless, of course, he and his party is just a joke.

 

[NorwayFB]

Tories and Labour have said all along the a vote for UKIP was a protest vote, and both party leaders refused to engage with Farage. What they need to do is do something to make voters return to their parties rather than being in denial of UKIP.

Would you say UKIP have a well rounded complete political program put together?
Wanting out of EU is fine,can they run the country if the public choose to put them in government tomorrow?

 

[NorwayFB]

By not engaging with him, they are doing themselves more harm. Get Farage out in the open and make him spell out his policies.

Exactly,100% this.And this is where UKIP gets extra fuel.Ignoring someone on the up is extremely stupid political-wise.People around the country wants options,and they/we hate arrogant leaders.UKIP gives them that option even though it's probably a worse option.

 

[Tom Hark]

I think it's unlikely that most of those voting UKIP (of whom I wasn't one) would demand withdrawal from the EU an end to immigration and enforced repatriation, let alone desire a UKIP government, although of course those who do think that way will have found a home there. Rather, I believe it's likely that a vote for UKIP says something like, 'I'm uneasy about the apparent lack of control we have about who can come to live and work here, and about the erosion of British culture and identity, and I'd like the party I usually vote for to go some way towards addressing these issues.' Mid-term protests happen regularly. A few decades ago, people were getting similarly worked up about the NF. That came to nothing, and neither will this.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

If he is the leader of a serious political party, as he claims, he should already have policies. Unless, of course, he and his party is just a joke.

Any policies Farage may or may not have are not being put to the test. Messrs Cameron and Miliband must realise that UKIP are anything but a joke. 25% of those who voted did not think he and his party were. They are taking votes away from them both. Confront him head on and see what he has to say.

 

[Penk Wolf]

Anyone voting based on immigration alone should be banned from voting in the future.

UKIP wouldn't be change anything by winning the European election, they'll need to win the GE, which will never happen.

I'd expect UKIP to be involved with the debates for the GE when they come about.

 

[Tredman]

Any policies Farage may or may not have are not being put to the test. Messrs Cameron and Miliband must realise that UKIP are anything but a joke. 25% of those who voted did not think he and his party were. They are taking votes away from them both. Confront him head on and see what he has to say.

17%, which is less than their share of the vote in last year's civil elections.

But let's not let facts get in the way of anything

 

[Templeton Peck]

Local elections tell us naff all about the general election tbh. Labour would lose a lot of councilors under Blair only to come back and trounce Howard, Hague and IDS at the GE.

For all the Guardian shitting themselves over the polls the election is still very much Labours to lose. They're not going to poll as low as they did in 2010 and the Conservatives will not poll as high. Likely worst case scenario for Labour is a hung parliament where they are the largest party. Its highly unlikely the Lib Dems will have any say in who the next government are as they have been on around 9-10% since 2010. Labour would probably try and govern as a minority govt or else go back to the electorate Wilson style.

As for UKIP, people are experiencing a cost of living crisis, poor public services and job insecurity mainly as a result of the neo-liiberal economic agenda broadly followed by every govt since 1979. As these policies only benefit the top 10% a lot of people (rightly) feel ignored by the main parties and have turned to an alternative as a result. Immigration and Europe have always been easy targets and that combined with the fact that Farage gets loads of media coverage and doesn't come across as a posh twat have helped boost their vote. Trouble is UKIP believe the answer to our problems are less worker protection, less spending on public services and far lower taxes for the rich. A ban on all immigration won't suddenly solve all of our problems and tbh nobody knows what would happen if we left the EU. It might be wonderful, it might be horrendous but any politician who tells you they know for sure is a liar and an issue as complex as this shouldn't be left to a simple in/out referendum. IMHO.