Euro Elections

[jeff oakley]

So next week what will be the outcome?

I predict that UKIP will get a huge amount of votes which will shock the main parties into facing up to the lack of faith in the way Europe is going.

The net result will be that immigration will become a major battlefield for next years general election with promises to wrestle back power from the EU.

Any views?

[Dibby]

Loving Stewart Lee's take on it

 

[Deanspoors]

Maybe it is just my young naivety, but I have watched quite a few of Nigel Farage's Speeches in the European Parliament, his interviews and televised debates and I must say he has made me a lot more interested in politics and how much influence the European Parliament has on our Country. Watching the debates against Clegg, Farage seemed to handle himself a lot better, which was also reflected in the Post debate opinion polls. He seems passionate in what he believes in and I think that rubs off on people.

He does have a lot of opposition at the moment, even being likened to the likes of the BNP by some, but I think they, as Jeff said, will surprise a few people in the coming weeks. 

 

Dean

[Deanspoors]

Just to add, there are a few of his policies that I do not agree with, or do not make sense. For example I am very much against any smoking bans being lifted in public places. And although a flat rate of tax would benefit me I don't think it could work. 

[ALLADDIN]

So next week what will be the outcome?

I predict that UKIP will get a huge amount of votes which will shock the main parties into facing up to the lack of faith in the way Europe is going.

The net result will be that immigration will become a major battlefield for next years general election with promises to wrestle back power from the EU.

Any views?

That's what I'm hoping for anyways.

[ALLADDIN]

Loving Stewart Lee's take on it

He may well be correct, but if that's what it takes to get a clean bed every night for the rest of my life :..........

[Dibby]

Farrage scares me, it worries me about the intelligence of Britain that there seems to be a lot of people can't see through the thin veil of "I'm not a racist, but ..."

 

I can see what he's trying to get at but we only have hoards of nasty outsiders coming taking our jobs because there are so many job vacancies in Britain - at the same time as we have huge unemployment. Why aren't we already doing these jobs? It's the British that caused the problem, not the Europeans

[Lawrie]

One of Farage's good points is that he says that all politicians are now rubbish as they are "professionals"  - do a degree in politics, work in central office and then get a safe seat, and hence have no experience of real life.  I think he has a background as a city trader.  He's shooting himself in the foot.

 

And I'd never trust a comedian, or other performer.  They can afford to be Gucci socialists with the fortunes they earn and their tax avoidance schemes.

 

At least 4 of the parties in the European election are anti EU.  It was a good idea, but its run by politicians (see above)

[stephenh]

Regarding immigration,  there is a lot of "mis-information" put about by the likes of Farage etc.

I remember some years ago, a client of mine who ran a small fleet of long distance (ie continental) lorries. He couldn't get British drivers to do the job because they didn't like the admittedly unsocial very long distance travel, being away from home for weeks on end. So he started employing Polish drivers. He paid them the (British) going rate, and they were very happy and very reliable. So who is losing out there?It was clearly good for the Polish drivers who earned much more than they then could back home, but it was also good for my client because he got the jobs done efficiently and profitably. It was also good for the British economy because the drivers were paying UK tax and NI, and it was a British company (paying its taxes here) who was earning to move goods around in and out of the continent, rather than a continental company.

Another example, I know someone who is one of the biggest growers of lettuce in this Country. It is hard work physically, cutting and boxing the lettuces on that scale. It is a job for young people because of the nature of the effort involved. He would employ British youngsters if they wanted the work and were reliable, but he finds Lithuanian students, either just before they start their university course or when they have just finished it, are the ones who are happy to do the work and are reliable and hard working. He provides them with on-site accommodation in static caravans, And he pays them well, so they come over for a few months, then go back with a nice tidy sum to set themselves up back home in Lithuania. Is that hurting the UK economy?

What would Farage say to those 2 examples which are within my own personal knowledge? He just ignores the facts, and works on emotions of the voters.

[M444TTB]

I can't say i like any of the political parties anymore. However I wouldn't ever consider a 'protest vote' for UKIP. I'll quite possibly spoil by ballot paper in a way that amuses me.

[Captain Colonial]

I shall be letting my ballot paper do the talking.  They're all really as bad as each other, only in different ways, and that pretty much applies worldwide.  Overgrown schoolchildren arguing and refusing to compromise or pull together towards a common good, just trying to score points and find fault to say "I win".  Can't stand any of them, but will still vote for the person or party I believe will do the least harm in any election.

 

But what really gets me is the number of people who agree with Farage about getting out of Europe, but whose jobs are directly dependant upon our exports to Europe, buy European made cars and appliances, go off on holiday to Europe, retire to Europe while drawing UK pensions and using a foreign health service they never paid into, and enjoy cheap food harvested by European workers because UK workers don't want to do it.

 

Farage is a dangerous, self-serving, power-seeking hypocrite IMO - but he's far less dangerous than people who will believe anything politicians tell them because it matches their cultural upbringing and background, instead of thinking it through.  It's some of the voters who need watching even more than the politicians.

 

I'd be happy if it were done the way the ancient Greeks did it - like jury duty.  Letter drops on your doormat, hey presto, you're a MP for a year, just long enough to do something without really getting to grips with becoming corrupt.

[Barry Ashcroft]

I don't have any issues with immigration I welcome those who want to come here to work to better themselves. What I do have issues with is those who just come here to abuse the welfare state, including those who work but then can claim child credits etc to send back home it's just ridiculous. Also I have the same issues with those born here who have no intention of ever putting anything back and just sit on the arses with there hand stretch out. This is the problem that needs solving.

[jeff oakley]

I have no issue with workers who come here, however there would be no need if we made our feckless work for a living instead of having an option not to work.

There never was a problem of seasonal workers in the past as benifit payments were a safety net, but for too many who know the system they can work to a level where they thrive.

 

I do not think Farage is a racist, however many in his party are, I think he understands that the EU has good aims but has been taken over by those who want a super state with control in Brussels not in the UK.

 

If you look at the way the EU works, we pay money into it, so it can be given as grants and aid to the likes of Romaina, who can then build factories to take jobs from the UK. It is trying to curb this sort of situation I hope that will be the outcome after the elections.

 

Farage is one of the best debators and orators we have seen for a long time and has shown this time after time.

 

I too will vote for who has the best vision for the UK in Europe as we do need to be able to trade with them freely and the one thing the EU has done is to deliver the longest period of peace for many years (if you forget Bosnia)

[ALLADDIN]

Unfortunately untill you do something to force those party's to act for you ir will remain just that , a VISION. They (the career politicians) have no intention of following up on their empty promises.

Simple question , if you vote conservative or labour - does it matter which ? Answer - no

Bunga bunga all the way .

[Dibby]

We hear all about these foreigners who come in to claim our benefits, take our jobs, change our laws, steal our children's tears from sensationalist journalism pumped out by the likes of the Daily Mail. But nobody knows these people, do they actually exist? The only foreign people I know are hard working people and work harder than a lot of native Brits, it's our own people who take advantage of welfare state they have never paid into, help themselves to a free council house for their multitude of children they can't afford, abuse the health service with self-inflicted illnesses caused by smoking and obesity. We shouldn't go around throwing stones at the foreigners if we live in a big glass house. We do exactly the same in the middle east, move out for a few years, rake in the money and go home. We are living in an increasingly globalised society and Farage wants to close us down so we can't see beyond the end of our snooty noses. We don't stand a chance in the big wide world if he gets his way.

 

We feel it's fine to moan about 'Oh, they come in here, forcing their laws on us' but it's fine for the white people to turn up in the middle east, built hotels and started selling alcohol in countries where it is illegal? . We've stomped over the world removing governments in the name of democracy because our system is 'best'. We have a long history of crusades, raping and pillaging, but that was fine, that was a long time ago.

 

UKIP want Britain and British jobs for the British, but who are the Brits? What arbitrary point in time do we pick? Are fresh immigrants allowed to use the NHS? What about second generation foreigners who have been here >10 years? Do we send back the Italians who settled after the war? No, we'll keep them, I like bolognaise. What about the Indians from the 60s? Do we take it right back and all dark haired people can go back to Rome, all blonde people can go back to Scandinavia and all we are left with are genuine ginger celts? Do we have all the Australians and Americans back?