UKIP...you've got to love 'em

[BillyStubbsTears]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25802437

Farage says he will purge the party of people with "extremist, barmy or nasty" views. That'll leave a lot behind.

Mind, as a lefty, I find this all great sport. In the 1980s, Thatcher had unbridled power, despite being hated by the majority of the country, precisely because the Left committed Hari-Kiri and split between Labour and the SDP on issues of fundamental ideology. Now that the Right has stupidly decided to go the same way, giving the fruitcakes a platform and a party to vote for, the path is clear for a not-very-popular Labour party to repeat the act.

Politics eh? Bloody hell.

[Muttley]

Well worth a listen...

The UKIP Shipping Forecast

[River Don]

Well, I'll be voting for them.

It isn't because I'm a right wing nutter. I just believe we do need a new relationship with the EU. I'm not against the EU but I don't like it in the form it is in and I do not want to see the UK consumed by a European superstate, which is clearly the way it is going. I want parliament to remain sovereign of the UK and I would like to see the EU become what was sold to us as, a common market of co-operating nation states. The Euro currency is proving to be an absolute disaster, it is sinking the southern states in to permanent depression, whilst only Germany seems to benefit.

I also think we have to do something about the flood of immigration into this country. I'm not against immigration but I do think it has to be controlled and right now it isn't.

The problem Cameron has is he fundamentally disagrees with UKIP, he buys into the whole EU project though he can't publicly say so. He can never accommodate UKIP and bring them into a right wing coalition whilst the Conservative party remain a party of the EU.

[IC1967]

Well, I'll be voting for them.

It isn't because I'm a right wing nutter. I just believe we do need a new relationship with the EU. I'm not against the EU but I don't like it in the form it is in and I do not want to see the UK consumed by a European superstate, which is clearly the way it is going. I want parliament to remain sovereign of the UK and I would like to see the EU become what was sold to us as, a common market of co-operating nation states. The Euro currency is proving to be an absolute disaster, it is sinking the southern states in to permanent depression, whilst only Germany seems to benefit.

I also think we have to do something about the flood of immigration into this country. I'm not against immigration but I do think it has to be controlled and right now it isn't.

The problem Cameron has is he fundamentally disagrees with UKIP, he buys into the whole EU project though he can't publicly say so. He can never accommodate UKIP and bring them into a right wing coalition whilst the Conservative party remain a party of the EU.

I'll be voting for them as well. They may have a few odd characters in the party but which one doesn't? The political elite are way out of touch with the ordinary man in the street. Nigel Farage is the only party leader who has got the balls to say we've had too much immigration and we need to sort it out. Labour and the Tories/LibDems do not have anything like a credible immigration policy. While ever we remain in the EU we never will.

It should also always be remembered that as well as  totally wrecking the economy, Labour were also guilty of letting in unparalleled numbers of immigrants during their time in power. They have proved themselves to be incompetent beyond belief and should never be given power again.

[The Red Baron]

Well, I'll be voting for them.

It isn't because I'm a right wing nutter. I just believe we do need a new relationship with the EU. I'm not against the EU but I don't like it in the form it is in and I do not want to see the UK consumed by a European superstate, which is clearly the way it is going. I want parliament to remain sovereign of the UK and I would like to see the EU become what was sold to us as, a common market of co-operating nation states. The Euro currency is proving to be an absolute disaster, it is sinking the southern states in to permanent depression, whilst only Germany seems to benefit.

I also think we have to do something about the flood of immigration into this country. I'm not against immigration but I do think it has to be controlled and right now it isn't.

The problem Cameron has is he fundamentally disagrees with UKIP, he buys into the whole EU project though he can't publicly say so. He can never accommodate UKIP and bring them into a right wing coalition whilst the Conservative party remain a party of the EU.

Very much my feelings, RD. I doubt I will vote for them at the General Election because they have no chance of winning, but I'll definitely be voting UKIP in the Euro elections.

[IC1967]

Very much my feelings, RD. I doubt I will vote for them at the General Election because they have no chance of winning, but I'll definitely be voting UKIP in the Euro elections.

It's also worth voting for them in the General Election in places like Doncaster where it is a foregone conclusion which MP will be elected. At least your vote will be registered to UKIP which will strengthen their argument. I wouldn't vote for them if it was a marginal seat where the Tory candidate could lose.

[River Don]

Very much my feelings, RD. I doubt I will vote for them at the General Election because they have no chance of winning, but I'll definitely be voting UKIP in the Euro elections.

It's also worth voting for them in the General Election in places like Doncaster where is a foregone conclusion which MP will be elected. At least your vote will be registered to UKIP which will strengthen their argument. I wouldn't vote for them if it was a marginal seat where the Tory candidate could lose.

In a constituency like Donny there is no reason at all to vote Tory. In a marginal constituency perhaps you would consider it if the conservative candidate had a proven track record as a Eurosceptic. I've never voted tory though.

[RobTheRover]

so, you'd vote Labour in that situation then, IC? 

Interesting how no one sees the Lib Dems as a viable, voteworthy alternative.  I wonder why? 

[IC1967]

so, you'd vote Labour in that situation then, IC?

Interesting how no one sees the Lib Dems as a viable, voteworthy alternative.  I wonder why? 

The last thing I'd ever do is vote Labour. They would have to radically change for me to consider voting for them. The LibDems are a strange bunch. Given the choice though I'd put them before Labour.

Unfortunately for voters, with our first past the post system, voting only really counts in marginal constituencies. So to make the best of a bad job I'd vote UKIP in Donny to flag up what my views were in the vain hope that the elected MP would take note and do his best to pull us out of Europe.

[The Red Baron]

Very much my feelings, RD. I doubt I will vote for them at the General Election because they have no chance of winning, but I'll definitely be voting UKIP in the Euro elections.

It's also worth voting for them in the General Election in places like Doncaster where it is a foregone conclusion which MP will be elected. At least your vote will be registered to UKIP which will strengthen their argument. I wouldn't vote for them if it was a marginal seat where the Tory candidate could lose.

You might find this article in the Telegraph interesting:

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/timwigmore/100254439/why-labour-should-be-terrified-of-ukip-2/

[bobjimwilly]

Very much my feelings, RD. I doubt I will vote for them at the General Election because they have no chance of winning, but I'll definitely be voting UKIP in the Euro elections.

It's also worth voting for them in the General Election in places like Doncaster where it is a foregone conclusion which MP will be elected. At least your vote will be registered to UKIP which will strengthen their argument. I wouldn't vote for them if it was a marginal seat where the Tory candidate could lose.

You might find this article in the Telegraph interesting:

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/timwigmore/100254439/why-labour-should-be-terrified-of-ukip-2/

how strange, an article knocking Labour from a right wing broadsheet?

[IC1967]

Very interesting article. I agree with all of it.

[RedJ]

In other news, Allies invade Normandy.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I do find it amusing how labour keep getting it wrong - complain about a double dip that didn't happen, complain about an ongoing recession that didn't happen, complaints about a cost of living crisis and wages less than inflation started in the last couple of months - kind of ironic that is now forecast to end aswell.  They have a big opportunity to get rid of a government who were always going to have a nightmare few years and they may not manage that because the labour party is very weak right now in its leadership.

UKIP will likely get my 2nd vote in the euros, I'm not particularly anti europe but given I'm 26 and never had a say on EU membership that has massively changed, I do think it's right to get that say - even if the rest of UKIP are foolish at the very best.

[River Don]

BFYP

There has been a cost of living crisis (in that salaries have fallen behind inflation) since 2008 and it still hasn't ended yet. In fact the fall has been unprecedented, real average wages are now back at 2003 levels.

Whether real wages begin to grow again remains to be seen... And even if it does turn the corner and begin to grow again, we've still got a long way to go before we're back at pre-crisis levels. It's still a long way from 'ending'.

[IC1967]

All that's happened is that wages have fallen to a realistic level. The economy is re-balancing and wages have had to fall back in line with our current level of productivity. Higher wages under Labour were an illusion built on the mirage of excessive consumer and government debt.

[River Don]

 So if Georgey boy bumps up the minimum wage by 10% at a stroke, as he is proposing then that isn't a mirage based on consumer and government debt?

[IC1967]

He shouldn't do that. It would be a mirage.