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[jereboam]

..and if you thought voting for anyone other than UKIP will bring change, ponder this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmK-f88gcx8&feature=player_embedded

 

So, despite your antipathy towards Gordon Brown, you would risk allowing him back in by voting for a minority party which stands no chance at all of becoming part of the next government?

Personally, I have no problem whatsoever with the dubious fact that the European Legislature is providing 75% of our laws.  Given the makeup of the last House of Commons, they're probably somewhat better at it.

And given Mr. Farrage's immoderate behaviour when representing a British constituency in Europe, I think one would do better to avoid this shower altogether. 

Look, we're geographically part of Europe, we're ethnically part of Europe, and since 1974, we've been economically part of Europe.  Our national defences would not be viable outside of NATO.  Withdrawal from the EU would achieve nothing positive. All our expats would have to come home, all 5m of them.  A significant proportion of them would be pensioners who would struggle to get by with the higher cost of living in the UK and would therefore need to avail themselves of the benefit system without actually making any contribution to the economy.  On the other hand, all the Eastern European tradesmen and unskilled workers doing all the nasty jobs we are too fastidious to do would have to go back to their countries of origin, leaving us in something of a mess.

So don't waste your vote on UKIP.  Vote either Conservative or Lib Dem depending on whichever has the best chance of unseating a Labour candidate. 

I live in a safe Conservative constituency.  While I prefer the Lib Dem's policies (and leader, for that matter), I shall probably vote Conservative, just to make sure that there's not a surprise Lib Dem surge that allows a situation whereby Labour come back to power.

Well I DO have a problem with the European Legislature making up 75% of our laws. The EU is undemocratic, despite pretensions to the contrary. If we vote for a certain administration here in the UK, it won't make one iota of difference if the majority of laws are passed elsewhere, thus making a mockery of our Parliament. Remember, this is an organisation that for the past 14 or 15 years (can't remember the exact number) has been unable to get off its accounts signed off. If it was a commercial company, it would have long since been subject to investigation.

Secondly, the ex-pats would not be sent home like persona non grata. The fact is that they provide their domiciled country with income. The same goes for trade, no EU company would suddenly stop trading with the UK if we were not in the EU. Besides which, UKIP is calling for a free-trade EU, not the political monstrosity that we now have.

Thirdly a vote for UKIP is NOT a wasted vote. If we all thought that way there would never ever be a change from the two/three party farce we have now. Each party must earn my vote; they do not get it by default. None of them have. I know UKIP won't form a government, but that's not the point. Rather, if they do well, it will send a clear signal to the political classes that the issue of the EU, amongst others, must be addressed.

I want to see the back of Brown as much as anyone else, but don't be fooled that either a Cameron or Clegg administration would be that much different, especially when we are at the beck-and-call of the bureaucrats in Brussels. 

I will vote according to my conscience, anything less would be a betrayal.

PS
Nato has nothing to do with the EU. Nato was originally conceived in 1949 and has as much to do with the US as it does with Europe, so has nothing to do with the UKIP policy of leaving the political union of the EU.

Please vote according to your conscience - I would not have it any other way.  All I say is vote tactically according to your conscience.

Now, I was careful to use the word "dubious" about the 75% figure.  According to The Times, there have been 4300 new laws introduced by the Labour administration since 1997. 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7061148.ece

I don't believe that 75% of these originate from European legislation, although I will concede that a fair number of them are probably enacting European regulations.  Incidentally, who is this chap Pottering who is banging on about the European laws and where does he get his information from?   And, while I admit that my German is a bit rusty, I don't think he was saying exactly what the subtitles were saying.

Have a look at this: http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/?p=2230

By the way, I agree with you completely about the administration of the European Union - it's a disgrace, and it leeches money away at a phenomenal rate.  I once had the misfortune to take a job with the European Commission - I left after four weeks of watching a variety of buffoons on inflated salaries screw up straightforward tasks on a daily basis.

As for the expats, you may be right about the pensioners, but I'm fairly sure that if the UK left the EU, then UK citizens would need work permits to work in EU countries, and they would not necessarily get them.  And as for what happens in the UK - well, we all know how big an issue immigration is, even if everyone is trying to ignore it in this election.  For the record, as a descendant of 19th century immigrants to Britain, I'm all for an open-door imigration policy, but nobody seems to be advocating that.

Good grief - I've run out of space...

[Nickbat]

For the record, as a descendant of 19th century immigrants to Britain, I'm all for an open-door imigration policy, but nobody seems to be advocating that.

There's a vast difference between allowing immigration and having an open-door policy. I would not support the latter. The US, Australia, New Zealand and many others allow immigration, but on a points system. I don't see much criticism of their policies in the press.

[Nickbat]

An open-door immigration policy is tantamount to throwing a party at your house and advertsing it as

"Party at my place, free drink & food, stay as long as you like."

Guaranteed, at 2.00 am, you'd be on the phone to the local plod, pleading for help 

[cem_devecioglu]

For the record, as a descendant of 19th century immigrants to Britain, I'm all for an open-door imigration policy, but nobody seems to be advocating that.

There's a vast difference between allowing immigration and having an open-door policy. I would not support the latter. The US, Australia, New Zealand and many others allow immigration, but on a points system. I don't see much criticism of their policies in the press.

votes=fx(immigrants, govt control) 

[Banjax]

For the record, as a descendant of 19th century immigrants to Britain, I'm all for an open-door imigration policy, but nobody seems to be advocating that.

There's a vast difference between allowing immigration and having an open-door policy. I would not support the latter. The US, Australia, New Zealand and many others allow immigration, but on a points system. I don't see much criticism of their policies in the press.

votes=fx(immigrants, govt control) 

votes=fx(immigrants, govt control)^personality   

[cem_devecioglu]

For the record, as a descendant of 19th century immigrants to Britain, I'm all for an open-door imigration policy, but nobody seems to be advocating that.

There's a vast difference between allowing immigration and having an open-door policy. I would not support the latter. The US, Australia, New Zealand and many others allow immigration, but on a points system. I don't see much criticism of their policies in the press.

votes=fx(immigrants, govt control) 

votes=fx(immigrants, govt control)^personality   

 

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Labour must be desperate!

The latest Party Political Broadcast today features Ross Kemp extolling the virtues of Labour!

I thought when they wheeled in Tony Blair it was bad enough, but Ross Kemp!

[albitz]

The Liebore candidate for Norwich said today that GB is the worst PM in history and his policies are a complete disaster.

[Lizzie_Zoom]

The Liebore candidate for Norwich said today that GB is the worst PM in history and his policies are a complete disaster.

Indeed Albs, and how right that man is!! 8-) 8-)

[albitz]

The really funny part is that his local party tried to deselect him last year, but the national council wouldnt allow Mr. Mianish Sood to be deselected.It would appear that their zealous pursuit of diversity/positive discrimination etc has bit them on the bum - hard. Love it.

[Banjax]

I wonder if Mr Sood would have the same view if Labour were 10 points ahead in the polls? 

[albitz]

Im sure he would have the same view, everyone else in the Labour party has held that view for years. I seriously doubt he would have expressed it in a newspaper interview though,

[Banjax]

The Liebore candidate for Norwich said today that GB is the worst PM in history and his policies are a complete disaster.

I wouldn't bang on about any Norwich candidates remarks if you insist on voting UKIP, Albs 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/england/8660823.stm

almost statesmanlike in his grasp of foreign policy, quality 

actually.........I'll take a wild stab in the dark here......I reckon most you kippers probably agree with him