Farage Ltd and Similar Watch

[Paddingtonwolf]

Why are UKIP getting a place at these debates? They have one elected MP. So if Farage is in why aren't

SNP - 6 MPs
Plaid Cymru - 3 MPs
DUP - 8 MPs
SDLP - 3 MPs
Green Party - 1 MP
Sinn Fein - 5 MPs

??????

 

[Tom Hark]

Cameron isn't running Germany...

Keep up, Pad

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/09/us-germany-economy-idUSKCN0HY0DN20141009

 

[Penk Wolf]

I'm not sure that's entirely true - at least it wasn't when Thatcher was PM. Her stance was exactly to pick and choose. Cameron, as head of probably the EU's economically strongest member, could do the same, if he had the balls.

There wasn't even an EU when Thatcher was around.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Lol.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Why are UKIP getting a place at these debates? They have one elected MP. So if Farage is in why aren't

SNP - 6 MPs
Plaid Cymru - 3 MPs
DUP - 8 MPs
SDLP - 3 MPs
Green Party - 1 MP
Sinn Fein - 5 MPs

??????

Strange circumstances though aren't they, they are expected to win a sizeable portion of the vote for depressing reasons, what they did four years ago isn't really relevant any more. A parallel I suppose would be the SDP back in the early 80s, no-one voted for them in the 1979 election because they didn't exist but you would expect them to be given a platform ahead of the next one. I realise it's pretty unpalatable for a Conservative voter but UKIP is to a large extent an offshoot of the Tories' nutjob right wing. That's where they're cannibalising the bulk of their support from, that's where they'll attract further defecting MPs from and that's where their policy is aligned.

That's what Cameron has to learn quickly, he can never go far enough right to appease that lot. Not without becoming fundamentally unelectable anyway. He needs to let them get on with it and fight them rather than lurching his own policy that way in a pretty transparent attempt to hold on to power which probably won't work anyway.

 

[Kenny]

I agree with Stephen Mangan

Stephen Mangan ‏@StephenMangan 57s57 seconds ago
It’s months away but the thought of watching Cameron, Miliband, Clegg & Farage debating makes me want to set fire to my head.

 

[Tredman]

Quotes from the Daily UKIP about Malala winning the Nobel prize

 

[Templeton Peck]

Jesus wept. Sums the publication up.

 

[andyc225]

I'm not left-leaning by any stretch of the imagination but I think some of these people are simply missing the point with regards to Malala Yousafzai. She came to this country in the gravest of circumstances seeking genuine help; she's not one of these joke asylum seekers who is claiming to have established a family life on the basis of owning a cat. She's brought more to the world than the financial value of her care from the NHS. She is going to be a huge success in life one way or the other and she'll put back far more into this country than she would ever wish to take from it.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Excellent summary Andy. The comments on the Daily Fascist article are terrible.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

If those of us on the left and centre left are having a problem with our parties (we are) then you lot on the right must feel the same way, arguably more so. It's all been hijacked by that gawping loon and his crazy agendas. I suppose the difference is I can shun Labour and the Lib Dems and vote Green, as previously stated that is my current intention. If you disavow Cameron - awful job that he has done - where on earth do you go?

 

[Tredman]

I'm not left-leaning by any stretch of the imagination but I think some of these people are simply missing the point with regards to Malala Yousafzai. She came to this country in the gravest of circumstances seeking genuine help; she's not one of these joke asylum seekers who is claiming to have established a family life on the basis of owning a cat. She's brought more to the world than the financial value of her care from the NHS. She is going to be a huge success in life one way or the other and she'll put back far more into this country than she would ever wish to take from it.

This is part of my problem with the right leaning media in general, their whole ethos seems to be to encourage the hysterical reactions against immigration / Europe, rather than present a genuine capitalist egalitarian outlook.

By any stretch of the imagination I should be a Tory voter, but while they pander to the UKIP viewpoint they will never get anywhere near my vote.

Edit - what DW said above really.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

It is a bloody difficult one. My views on Farage and his party, and those of their policies that are currently known, are clearly documented here. So there is no way I can possibly consider a vote for that party.

Voting labour is total political anathema to me. Sorry, I respect them as a party and always have, but I just don't believe in those values that the party has so I can't vote for that.

Liberal Party - same as for labour except without the respect bit these days. Clegg sold the party's soul to get into bed with the Conservatives, and purely for the reason of a little bit of power that was always going to be fleeting and at the same time massively damaging for the party in the eyes of their core support. That sort of political betrayal isn't worthy of respect, or indeed votes.

I might look at the Green Party manifesto with interest. I doubt I will find a lot I agree with in there, but my impression is that it will have policies written with great integrity.

So that leaves me with two realistic choices. Vote Conservative as I always have, or spoil my ballot paper.

Not really sure which route I will take at the moment.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

So it is up to Cameron to make his party appealing to centre right voters. I fear though he will aim for double 18 when he should be going for double 9.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

If I had any doubt as to which way my vote would go, then the prospect of the two Ed's in power would quickly bring me back to my senses.

 

[andyc225]

If those of us on the left and centre left are having a problem with our parties (we are) then you lot on the right must feel the same way, arguably more so. It's all been hijacked by that gawping loon and his crazy agendas. I suppose the difference is I can shun Labour and the Lib Dems and vote Green, as previously stated that is my current intention. If you disavow Cameron - awful job that he has done - where on earth do you go?

In truth, if the election were tomorrow I'd have no idea who to vote for and probably wouldn't bother. The Tories have proven over the course of the last Parliament that they have nothing to offer with regards to reducing this country's debts, tackling crime, tacking unskilled immigration or reducing EU involvement in British affairs. I couldn't tell you what UKIP has to offer because they've not produced any kind of policy document since 2010, and even Nigel Farage said the 2010 election manifesto was utter dross.

This is part of my problem with the right leaning media in general, their whole ethos seems to be to encourage the hysterical reactions against immigration / Europe, rather than present a genuine capitalist egalitarian outlook.

By any stretch of the imagination I should be a Tory voter, but while they pander to the UKIP viewpoint they will never get anywhere near my vote.

Edit - what DW said above really.

I wish there was news available in this country from a classical liberal/capitalist egalitarian point of view. The media in this country is either left-leaning or verging on the paranoid. Sensible, thoughtful centre-right types don't seem to get an airing.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Lurching the party to the right to try and rescue extremist votes that may be leaked to UKIP may not be the most sensitive policy. Maybe holding position and picking up votes from labour in the centre ground is actually the way to go.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

If I had any doubt as to which way my vote would go, then the prospect of the two Ed's in power would quickly bring me back to my senses.

To be brutally honest my personal vote makes absolutely cock all difference in that respect. I live in a solidly labour constituency.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

To be brutally honest my personal vote makes absolutely cock all difference in that respect. I live in a solidly labour constituency.

And I live in Toryville. It's like a bad sitcom idea

But yeah, the Tories lurching to the right to appease the lunatic wing is crazy. Just take them on and debunk them!

 

[Tredman]

If I had any doubt as to which way my vote would go, then the prospect of the two Ed's in power would quickly bring me back to my senses.

Unfortunately you probably wouldn't notice any difference than if you'd have voted for the current public school boys we have in charge now