Is it time that we took a closer look at UKIP?

First topic message reminder :

The UKIP vote in Eastleigh rose from 3.6% in 2010 to 27.8% in the by-election on Thursday. It may have been because the party is mopping up the mid-term protest votes which traditionally went to the Liberal Democrats before they climbed into bed with the devil in May 2010. It may be because many people – wrongly - feel that the three main parties in Westminster are “all the same”, a feeling which the Tories have helped to create by transferring so much real power from democratic accountability to unelected and unaccountable corporations as they privatise everything on which they can lay their grubby hands. What I don’t believe is that this bubble of support for UKIP is because of the party’s reactionary, right-wing policies, which aim to take us back to the 1950s.

The one policy which everyone associates with UKIP is withdrawal from the EU. UKIP has claimed that by leaving the EU, the UK would save over £45 million a day plus £60 billion a year, conveniently ignoring any EU rebates and regional grants. I’m not sure where it gets those figures from, since the Treasury says that the UK paid £8.9 billion into EU budget in 2010/11 (out of £706 billion of public spending). The European Commission puts the UK's net contribution at £5.85 billion.

The EU is the UK's main trading partner, accounting for 52% of our total trade in goods and services; if Britain went for a clean break from the EU, its exports would be subject to EU export tariffs. Millions of jobs could be lost as global manufacturers move to low-cost countries within the EU, and Britain's foreign-owned car industry might well shift into the EU. However, withdrawal from the EU was the issue which UKIP exploited and which put it on the political map. With his half-baked promise of a referendum at some point in the future, the idiotic Cameron has increased UKIP’s credibility by showing that he’s afraid of it.

Cameron also said that UKIP is “full of fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists", and perhaps on that last point he could now be right. The Eastleigh by-election showed that UKIP is appealing to racists, causing one person on Twitter to refer to it as “the BNP for the Notting Hill set”. UKIP may be more subtle than the BNP, but it wants to freeze immigration, pandering to the Alf Garnetts who see all foreigners as problems, and has even thrown in the contentious claim that “multiculturalism has split our society”.

In December 2011, the UK had 88,179 people in prison, more per head of the population than any other country in Europe, yet UKIP wants to double the number of prison places. UKIP says that the £2 billion cost of building new prisons is negligible compared to the cost of crime, but it hasn’t factored in the cost of keeping prisoners in jail, which amounts to at least £40,000 a year for each of them. Yet UKIP would refuse to accept European Arrest Warrants, which could well mean delays for the UK in extraditing suspects from other European countries.

The NHS would be no safer with UKIP than it’s been with the Tories, since the party believes that “other models are worth considering to see whether lessons can be learned from abroad”. On education, UKIP wants to bring back grammar schools, so that we can once again tell about 80% of eleven-year-olds that they’re failures, while at the same time giving parents education vouchers, which would be a way of subsidising private school fees.

The cornerstone of UKIP’s tax policies is to roll the employee national insurance and basic rate income tax into a flat rate of income tax of 31%. There would be no higher rate tax, since UKIP perpetuates the Tory lie that the 50% income tax rate cost the economy money; it hasn’t, it has brought in £2.7 billion a year. UKIP’s policy would be a massive tax cut for the rich, far bigger than the one that’s being introduced by the Tories in April. Even greater inequality would be created by abolishing national insurance for employers.

UKIP policies, like so many Tory ones, amount to an attack on our rights. UKIP would put an end to most legislation regarding matters such as weekly working hours, holidays, overtime, redundancy and sick pay, while leaving it up to each employer to decide whether to offer parental leave. It says it would also scrap most ‘equality and discrimination’ legislation.

If you need any more reasons not to vote for UKIP, it denies climate change and would make increased defence spending “a clear priority, even in these difficult times”. It opposes equal marriage, would hold a referendum in each county on ending the hunting ban and would allow smoking in allocated rooms in public houses, clubs and hotels. It’s no wonder that UKIP has been likened to “the political wing of a Home Counties golf club”.

You may not like the EU, and you may think that after 38 years it’s time to hold another referendum on our membership. However, before you vote for a party that makes that its flagship policy, look a little more closely at what else you would be voting for at the same time.

Sources used:-

http://www.ukip.org/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20448450

"Nothing has been ruled out"

And most especially not even the painful prospect of a coalition with UKIP, one imagines...

Phil is that one of the worst things you could imagine, Cameron as P.M. And Farage as his deputy running the bloody country?

Any electorate which would willingly have Farage in any sort of ministerial position to represent the nation would be just as likely to happily put dogs' mess in their curry...

Well that has put me off my madras Phil thanks

UKIP would not approve of your dinner, Stuart -stick to fish and chips...

Sod what UKIP think Phil, I will eat what I like thanks.

I have to admit to one of Mrs Hornby's Mexican creations this evening...but it's cottage pie tomorrow.

And if Mr Farage should happen to turn up for lunch, I am sure we can rustle up some ebola eclairs for dessert...

I'm sure if he turned up here Phil, Tula my dog could provide the topping for some.

On 27 November, when the latest net migration figures were published, Nigel Farage was on TV frightening people with his nonsense that we have an open door policy to 500 million people – as if all the inhabitants of 27 other European countries are likely to come and live here! However, Farage was supposed to be in Strasbourg on that day, voting on a motion of no confidence in Jean-Claude Juncker (President of the EU Commission) which he and other right-wing extremists like Marine Le Pen had proposed. He didn’t even turn up for the debate on the motion on 24 November.

Guy Verhofstadt, the leader of ALDE  (the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe) spoke against the motion:-

“To come forward now with a motion at a time when we are asking the Commission to look into the matter and when we are actually about to set up a parliamentary committee – what is this nonsense, to start with a motion of censure before we have even started to investigate? For me, the only interesting thing about this motion is not its content; it is the fact that, finally, Mr Farage and Ms Le Pen are now finally outing their hidden relationship. That is the most important thing about this motion: their hidden relationship; the fact that they are actually following the same populist strategy, contrary to what Mr Farage said to his voters in Britain. Indeed it is proof of the fact that UKIP is hideous, racist, xenophobic and islamophobic. Those are not my words; they are the words of the founder of UKIP, Mr Alan Sked himself.”

Catherine Bearder, the sole British Lib Dem MEP, commented:

“We all know UKIP MEPs are notorious for doing very little work, but this time Nigel Farage has failed to turn up and vote on his own motion. This shows that this proposal was never anything more than a shameless media stunt. While UKIP clown around, hard-working MEPs are determined to hold Juncker and the Commission to account by holding an in-depth and independent inquiry.”

http://www.libdemvoice.org/nigel-was-there-something-you-forgot-to-do-43552.html

Well Ivan, we here on this forum I do believe, already know what UKIP stand for, but they are so two faced with regards to everything that they do and say are they not. You could ask them about one comment and they would accuse you of lying, because they had said something totally opposite elsewhere to cover there tracks of which they could refer to.

In Ukip 2010 Manifesto two of there policies where ; Privatize OUR NHS and have a flat rate of tax of 31p for earning over £12,500 up too the ones earning loads-of-cash.

But with Ukip who are nothing more than a second hand Tory party they like the Tories would forget there promises once they get into power.

I rather hope Farage's failure to vote on his own motion may help people to realise that his agenda is less straightforward than it seems and that ordinary people really can't trust him

Nobody can trust UKIP, they are just hypocrite's full stop.

However, we need publicity that will make this obvious even to Sun readers

can they read boatlady?

My neighbour reads the Sun - really quite bright but likes the breezy style. Trouble is, the reporting is SO biased and no balance from other media.

BBC used to do balanced reporting but now seem afraid to lose their license - no mass media offering an alternative view currently - which is why social media is important

I suppose there are exceptions boatlady

It is of course true that UKIP has received a great deal of publicity from all branches of the meejah during the past year, but we need to know a lot about a new kid on the block who bears more than a passing resemblance to one of the fascist movements active in the 1930s.

Depends which one of those you are comparing too OW?

Heard one of my local councillors on the radio this morning - what a dipstick!

Despite the sincere efforts of the interviewer to help him give good account of himself, he failed utterly - could not cite a single UKIP policy, only complained in a shouty way about the other political parties.
He was reminded more than once that he is a politician and not a member of a pressure group, but just didn't get it

Did he belong to the UKIP BOATLADY?

Why voting for UKIP is an act of self-harm

From an article by Gary Bainbridge:-

“It's five months to the general election and nobody has a clue how it's going to turn out, just as in the last one. The most likely outcome is another coalition, stitched together over a hellish few days. And the most worrying outcome is a coalition of the Tories and UKIP.

I don't understand why working class people would vote for UKIP, unless it is an intentional act of self-harm. I get that UKIP are promising to sort out immigration, and that immigration is a big issue in some areas. You're wrong to be worried about immigration, by the way. It's not immigrants who are to blame – it's employers who won't pay decent wages and exploit immigrants from poorer countries who will work for less than you.

Voting for UKIP because you don't like immigration is like employing a tiger to sort out your mouse problem. UKIP will drag us out of Europe because they don't like the EU regulations which give us minimum paid annual leave, maternity leave, equal pay, and maximum working time.

UKIP will make Tory policy even more mean-spirited, cutting public spending because they believe in a low-tax, cut to the bone state, where people who need help can get lost. The only thing right now standing between that bunch of swivel-eyed fanatics leading the slightly less swivel-eyed fanatics of the Tory Party to the right-wing fringes and you is sandwich-spilling Ed Miliband. If you don't want to see Cameron and Farage waving from the front door of Number 10 next spring, you only have one alternative: the man who can't eat a bacon butty.”

For the whole article:-
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/voting-ukip-act-self-harm-4746086

Ivan I have been saying that for ages but no one seem to have the answer: "Why do Working Class People vote Ukip". Even here in Scotland people voted for a Ukip MEP, which I will never understand because Scots do not vote Tory EVER.

Unless you vote labour you will have Cameron and Farage waving from the doorsteps of number 10 will you not, a sight that you had better have a puke bucket handy.

You may have heard that Nigel Farage has suggested breastfeeding mothers should "sit in the corner" of restaurants in case what they're doing causes offence to others. That's a bit rich from a man who wants smoking to be allowed again in public places; at least breastfeeding can't give other people lung cancer. Maybe this sign should be displayed in all restaurants and cafes:


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B4HNBXUCQAEZxTp.jpg

Pity that could not have read utter tw@ Ivan as it may have been more appropriate.

Thank goodness we have Nigel Farage around to help maintain standards of public decency.....


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B4C1oUzCYAAOv-S.jpg

Under a UKIP administration whatever was not forbidden would be compulsory.

True OW.

The little dog laughed, to see such fun, and the dish ran away with the spoon ....



Disgraced former Tory MP Neil Hamilton in line to make Commons comeback for Ukip

It looks like we will have a HOC full of ex-Tory MPs OW, the polls for the seat that Farage intends to stand for does not look so promising for him according to the polls it looks like the Tories will take it.    On twitter a few weeks back the "Women of Thanet" had got up a petition to stop Farage from being there MP I just heope the women suceed in stopping him in his tracks that would be a turn up for the books if Farage did not manage to win his seat.

Neil Hamilton and UKIP. Rarely did two entities deserve each other more.

And as for Farage's proposed Parliamentary seat - what a hoot if he failed to get elected ( even if a rancid Tory takes it). No doubt it will all be the fault of those immigrants again...

HAHAHAHA

Well said PH I would like to see his face when it was announced that a Tory had won that seat.

" I demand a recount...and a safer seat..."

Has he not got his parties safest damn seat anyway Phil?

Once people find out what Ukip really stands for that is when there will never be a safe seat for UKIPERS.

Presumably the UK STANDS for united kingdom redflag?

stu. I think Redflag was referring to the policies which UKIP has - such as scrapping all workplace rights, legalising handguns and blowing up wind farms - rather than what the letters in its name represent…..

UKIP has only two seats, from by-elections won by recycled Tories, and only one of those, Clacton, can be considered ‘safe’. Places which look like fertile territory for UKIP are jaded seaside resorts and fishing ports on the east coast. Farage has decided to stand in South Thanet, which includes the Kent coastal towns of Broadstairs, Ramsgate and Sandwich and fits the ‘winnable’ profile for UKIP. As by far and away the most well known member of UKIP, and as he comes from Kent, Farage might well win the seat. However, in a general election, when voters are likely to focus on whether they want Labour in government or five more years of Cameron, he may struggle to get elected.

You are of course right Ivan, mistake is mine for not reading the post correctly, apologies.

Disgraced former Tory MP Neil Hamilton in line to make Commons comeback for UKIP

Not any longer..... caught with his fingers in the UKIP till this time!

Neil Hamilton withdraws from UKIP candidacy after expenses controversy

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/dec/10/neil-hamilton-withdraws-basildon-south-ukip-expenses-claim-controversy