I've deleted that party political broadcast on behalf of UKIP. I considered just pointing out the flaws in it, but it felt like a total waste of time.
Let me guess: UKIP represent real change, as evidenced by the people of Clacton re-electing their local MP.
It wasn't an actual UKIP broadcast, just a dubious comment! Sorry, I probably should've realised that most people hadn't read it.
I'm no great supporter of UKIP. It was just an extremely ignorant comment, whatever your political affiliation.
Scotland's Labour leader Johann Lamont spent £19,697 on bills including travel, hotels and office costs - double that of the country's First Minister Alex Salmond. According to government filings, the Scottish National Party's (SNP) Alex Salmond claimed £9,691 (€12,301, $15,591) for expenses including travel, stationery, mobile phone charges and newspapers. MSP expenses rose more than £12.5m in 2013 overall. Conservative's Ruth Davidson was the second biggest spender on the taxpayers account as a political party leader in Scotland after claiming £17,184 of travel, office and accommodation costs. Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie claimed mainly for travel expenses, mounting up to £16,394. Overall, Scottish politicians spent an extra £262,140 in the 2013-2014 tax year. Party leader allowances fell but staff costs rose. "The 2.14% rise in members' expenses last year broadly reflects the effect of inflation on office costs and on staff salaries," said a Scottish Parliament spokeswoman.
Why is Farage being invited to a TV debate prior to the general election when the Green Party, which also has 1 MP, is not The Green Party won it's seat at a General Election whereas UKIP only won at a by- election with a defecting Tory gathering a normal mid-term stupid protest vote.
The BBC's coverage of UKIP has been appallingly sycophantic recently. For example, this year UKIP have been on Question Time as many times as the Greens, the SNP, Sinn Fein and Plaid Cymru combined, even though they didn't have a single MP until last week compared to the 18 the others have between them.
Farage Rocher has a fair bit of political momentum behind him (there could be more to come) . The Greens never have had such momentum (their MP win was truly meh in its significance) .
RDBD The Greens win was only 'truly meh' to the right-wing press. It would not have been good for the established parties if it had been properly digested. Here was a party winnining in a general election without outrageous sensationalist headlines, unlike UKIP. If they had received as much publicity as Farage gets they would be in a stronger position right now when CO2 emissions and climate change are just beginning to get off the science pages and onto the news pages
Whilst not a UKIP supporter in any way, they have polled more than 20% in national elections. For Local and Europe they poll way more than the Greens. SNP have an even bigger gripe. That said, the Greens should be invited to 1 debate, but it would get hard to control/watch if you have 6/7 people debating.
"The Greens win was only 'truly meh' to the right-wing press." Truly meh in that there was no grass-roots momentum behind them. Their key focus (valid as it is) is just not of concern to the electorate.
SD In other countries they manage to have debates where all parties are involved. The difference is that in those countries the leaders are trying to put their policies across rather than deliver sound bites to score points over their opponents. Watch Prime Minister's Questiontime for examples of the latter.
UKIP are clearly an attempt to drag the Tories back to their traditional right-wing bigotry, via the BNP and NF. It's the Daily Mail in the form of a political party. I don't doubt for a second that their current popularity is largely based upon two things: Genuine anger by various sections of the population at being ignored or betrayed by the current parties and the backing of certain parts of the media. The Eurosceptic elements of the Conservatives will reemerge soon and then the press will destroy UKIP as a legitimate threat to anyone via scandal and innuendo as the election approaches. Anyone that looks like they might win a seat for them, Farage excepted, had better have a skeleton free closet.
The underlying control by corporations, banks and duplicitous politicians is the real issue and that will not be solved by the populace watching contrived and facile debates on TV. The people need to wake up.
"The underlying control by corporations, banks and duplicitous politicians is the real issue and that will not be solved by the populace watching contrived and facile debates on TV. The people need to wake up." And watch "The revolution will be televised" on BBC freeview ??
Farage has only to point at what's been happening in Calais for ages now. I know from talking to Brits here that people are pissed off at what they see as a Gvt free for all hand out.
"Farage has only to point at what's been happening in Calais for ages now. I know from talking to Brits here that people are pissed off at what they see as a Gvt free for all hand out." I am astounded by the hanging on for dear life on the cars and trains and planes by people to get here. But you do have to question the extent to which they must be detected at EU inter/intra borders (I have long suspected anyone caught at say Marseille is allowed unhindered passage to Calais if they answer "UK" to "Ou allez-vous ??" ) .
I think I posted about the Calais situation on this thread a while ago and it's clear that the whole thing's a bloody mess. I'm sure that most of those trying to make the trip over from France are genuine asylum seekers looking for away out of crappy circumstances, but what's wrong with France? Some sort of quota system between EU countries or an enforcement of the current regulations would presumably solve most of this problem. If there is a Government handout that's drawing people here, instead of other EU countries, then the issue is clearly with this country and not the EU. Farage's whole bit about EU immigration costing British nationals jobs and pay is somewhat ironic, as his wife's German, works for him and is paid by the taxpayer. That's different, though. Obviously...
