Not like the rest at all ?

[Serial_Apologist]

Moving right on... as I said it shouldn't really matter to Farage et al. what the percentage of EU laws affecting life in the UK is because extracting the UK from the EU isn't going to change it. Regarding UKIP's policy towards immigration, I don't believe that they have any objection to "big business benefitting from, and demanding a plentiful supply of labour to keep operating costs down" - various of them seem quite happy to use immigrant labour themselves, as we've seen recently, and I would imagine that their general attitude towards big business is to lick its corporate behind just like the major parties do.

So in the end what it's all about is whipping up prejudice against foreigners for no reason other than that they're foreign, right? And whether Farage himself is or isn't a racist (I have the impression it rather depends on who he's talking to), this policy surely encourages racism. Which is why I think it's entirely legitimate to see UKIP as a symptom of a tendency towards racism and far-right politics in Europe. IMO this is a far more serious problem than whether Britain is or isn't in the EU.

It would seem that the young woman who led their youth section and then left the party would agree

[Beef Oven!]

Moving right on... as I said it shouldn't really matter to Farage et al. what the percentage of EU laws affecting life in the UK is because extracting the UK from the EU isn't going to change it. Regarding UKIP's policy towards immigration, I don't believe that they have any objection to "big business benefitting from, and demanding a plentiful supply of labour to keep operating costs down" - various of them seem quite happy to use immigrant labour themselves, as we've seen recently, and I would imagine that their general attitude towards big business is to lick its corporate behind just like the major parties do.

So in the end what it's all about is whipping up prejudice against foreigners for no reason other than that they're foreign, right? And whether Farage himself is or isn't a racist (I have the impression it rather depends on who he's talking to), this policy surely encourages racism. Which is why I think it's entirely legitimate to see UKIP as a symptom of a tendency towards racism and far-right politics in Europe. IMO this is a far more serious problem than whether Britain is or isn't in the EU.

Leaving the EU will enable the UK to determine its own laws, through its own parliament as before, rather than being 100% tied into the requirements of what our legislation should look like.

I think that you are right that UKIP would fall into the same power relationship with big business that befalls all governments; but that's not saying much, is it?

You can place UKIP into any scheme you want, doesn't mean you are right in so doing. Talking about tendencies towards racism and far right politics in Europe is a distraction, not the finger-on-the-pulse thinking, you think it is. The UKIP is hardly a racist party and it's not far-right.

I would agree with you that there are bigger political issues than the UK leaving the EU. Racism is certainly a world-wide issue that must be addressed. We are also facing the biggest challenge to free-expression, individual freedom, liberty and democracy, since The Third Reich, in the form of a globally organised highly militant Islamist and takfiri movement. The current situation in Iraq, for example, is shocking. At least we can agree on that.

[MrGongGong]

Leaving the EU will enable the UK to determine its own laws, through its own parliament as before, rather than being 100% tied into the requirements of what our legislation should look like.

Nice to see that fantasy is alive and well

WE ARE EUROPEANS

You should realise that
LISTEN TO MUSIC FFS

The UKIP is hardly a racist party

I'm sure YOU aren't but there are many who are drawn to the kippers because there are plenty of racists in the party.

[Beef Oven!]

Nice to see that fantasy is alive and well

WE ARE EUROPEANS

You should realise that
LISTEN TO MUSIC FFS


I'm sure YOU aren't but there are many who are drawn to the kippers because there are plenty of racists in the party.

You have to be realistic. Any right-wing political party will attract its fair share of people who have an irrational approach to race. It goes with the territory. The real test comes when the party has to deal with these people, and all eyes will be on the party's response. And quite rightly.

I believe that the UKIP has dealt with each and every case, as it has come up, in a professional and appropriate way. Whilst I do worry about the number of odd-balls, low-voltage racists, homophobic attitudes etc, that the party I'll be voting for attracts, I am pleased with the party's response.

If the UKIP ceases to expel undesirables, I will not be voting for them.

[amateur51]

You have to be realistic. Any right-wing political party will attract its fair share of people who have an irrational approach to race. It goes with the territory. The real test comes when the party has to deal with these people, and all eyes will be on the party's response. And quite rightly.

I believe that the UKIP has dealt with each and every case, as it has come up, in a professional and appropriate way. Whilst I do worry about the number of odd-balls, low-voltage racists, homophobic attitudes etc, that the party I'll be voting for attracts, I am pleased with the party's response.

If the UKIP ceases to expel undesirables, I will not be voting for them.

Do you agree wih Nige's comments about it being acceptable to be homophobic over the age of seventy?

http://theconversation.com/farage-and-his-candidate-in-newark-are-wrong-about-older-people-and-homophobia-27601

Sir Ian McKellen's comment on this was "I think Mr Farage needs to get out more". Sir Ian is both gay and over seventy.

[Flosshilde]

You have to be realistic. Any right-wing political party will attract its fair share of people who have an irrational approach to race. It goes with the territory.

Well of course it does, when that party's policies & pronouncements encourage them. If UKIP & Farage weren't so focussed on immigration then perhaps they wouldn't attract the racists?

(what is a party's "fair share" of racists?)

[jean]

Beefy does have these flashes of insight every so often...why on earth does he continue to vote for them?

[MrGongGong]

Beefy does have these flashes of insight every so often...why on earth does he continue to vote for them?

I think it's the promise of the beer that does it
given his (rather fine in many ways) taste in music I doubt he gets much chance to discuss that with his fellow herrings

[french frank]

(what is a party's "fair share" of racists?)

I very seldom laugh out loud ... :-)

[MrGongGong]

I very seldom laugh out loud ... :-)

Last time I had a party there didn't seem to be anyone with "an irrational approach to race". There were, however, several folks with an irrational approach to intonation

[Flosshilde]

It does rather conjour up the vision of a party saying "That's not fair - we haven't got as many racists as we should have."

Perhaps there's a European regulation about how many racists a party should have?

[MrGongGong]

It does rather conjour up the vision of a party saying "That's not fair - we haven't got as many racists as we should have."

Perhaps there's a European regulation about how many racists a party should have?

Another dastardly plot by the evil clowns in Brussels

[Beef Oven!]

Well of course it does, when that party's policies & pronouncements encourage them. If UKIP & Farage weren't so focussed on immigration then perhaps they wouldn't attract the racists?

(what is a party's "fair share" of racists?)

The Conservative Party has had the same criticisms and issues, down the years.

Immigration is not taboo, it can be talked about these days. The UKIP isn't 'focused' on immigration, it welcomes a sensible, managed approach.

'Fair share' is about what the UKIP has to contend with, at the moment.

[MrGongGong]

. The UKIP isn't 'focused' on immigration, .

They hardly mention it at all ......... erm

[Beef Oven!]

It does rather conjour up the vision of a party saying "That's not fair - we haven't got as many racists as we should have."

Perhaps there's a European regulation about how many racists a party should have?

I think that if parties claimed that they hadn't enough racists, and that it was unfair, it would be a vote loser, so don't expect them to make such a cry.

Many other things are prescribed for us by the EU so, who knows?