English politics - U.K.I.P

[michel]

From the BBc news..........http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5336126.stm

Nigel Farage has been elected leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) to replace Roger Knapman.

Mr Farage is an MEP for the South East and already UKIP's leader in the European Parliament.
Mr Farage gained 3,329 votes out of 7,574 cast, Richard Suchorzewski was second, David Campbell-Bannerman third and David Noakes fourth.
Mr Farage pledged to make UKIP a "truly representative party", ending its image as a single issue pressure group.
At a news conference after the count, Mr Farage explained what he hoped to achieve.
"There is now an enormous vacuum in British politics.

UKIP RESULT
Nigel Farage: 3,329
Richard Suchorzewski: 1,782
David Campbell Bannerman: 1,443
David Noakes: 851
Spoiled votes: 169


"David Cameron clearly has decided to abandon Conservatism, and on the big issues of the day you cannot put a cigarette paper between the three major parties.
"There is no real voice of opposition out there today, and the UK Independence Party - I know we're known as being a single issue pressure group - well we're most certainly not going to be a single issue pressure group in the future.
"We're going to be a party fighting on a broad range of domestic policies and together if we're united and disciplined we will become the real voice of opposition in British politics."
He said he intended to make UKIP "a fully-fledged political party that is offering the public a real choice".
'Right of centre'
Mr Farage said UKIP would aim to field 500 candidates at the next general election. He said it was his intention to move away from just the single issue of Europe and campaign on "lower, simpler, flatter taxes", selective education and giving Britain its own independent trade policy.
He said he wanted to give people a voice, particularly those who felt they could no longer vote for the Conservatives. He added: "People may place us as being right of centre, I would place us as being in the centre of public opinion."
Mr Farage's next closest rival Richard Suchorzewski polled 1,782 while David Campbell Bannerman got 1,443 and David Noakes 851. There were 169 spoiled votes.
UKIP's best known policy is a pledge to withdraw the UK from the European Union if it is elected into power.
UKIP has never had anyone elected to the House of Commons, but gained 12 Euro MPs when it finished third in 2004's European Parliament elections, with 16% of all votes. The party did not do as well as it had hoped at last year's general election, losing its deposit in more than 450 seats, but it has begun to establish itself as a force in Westminster by-elections, coming third in two recent contests

I saw this guy being being interviewed on the television this morning.

To my surorise, he came across as being very right wing; some of his policies seemed extremist to say the least.

He would like to see us take a leaf out of Australia's book as far as immigration is concerned. He would like to see us distance ourselves from Europe; be independent, whilst retaining ties as far as business and trade; but he thinks that Europe "Is going down the pan" as far as the proposed new EEC members are concerned. He doesn't want to see England go down as well; he made it plain that he would not want to be part of Europe when Turkey joins us.

What are your thoughts ?

 

[PureX]

Seems to me that the EU is unavoidable and necessary. Independantly, the countries involved are vulnerable militarily and economically. They'll have to join together to survive in the future. But it's also going to be a very difficult union to govern. Each of these countries has a long history of independance, and most of them have at one time or another been enemies of the others. I guess the only thing I can say about it is that you can't join the union and be independant, too. It has to be one or the other, and the countries involved need to recognize this and make up their minds which way it's going to be.

The fact that this politician is trying to claim both paths for England at the same time tells me that he's either liar or a fool. If he believes that England must join the EU to survive, then he should be speaking to help his fellow countrymen understand and accept this path. If he believes that England should not join the EU then he should be explaining to his fellow countrymen why he believes this is the wrong path to take. But pretending that England can both join the EU and then do whatever it pleases, and talking to his fellow countrymen as if this were a viable path, is foolish and dishonest, and serves no one in the end. The EU can't function as a collection of self-determining nations. For it to work, the nations involved will have to give up some independance so that they can work together as one. And there just ain't no gettin' around this.

 

[Fluffy]

I feel that the Euro-sceptic argument of "the richer European countries are making sacrifices for the poorer ones but I am not willing to let the UK make those same sacrifices" is not one that I am prepared to support.

I have always had the impression that UKIP is very right wing since their economic policy is centered around isolationism and, therefore, is very strong for the UK.

For it to work, the nations involved will have to give up some independance so that they can work together as one. And there just ain't no gettin' around this.

Agreed. A United States of Europe would be wonderful and I look forward to that event.

 

[michel]

I have always had the impression that UKIP is very right wing since their economic policy is centered around isolationism and, therefore, is very strong for the UK.

Do you think that has been the case since their inception, Fluffy, or is this a new stance ? (I had -without knowing their policies- imagined that they would have been middle of the road). Having said that, though, do you think that their policies are deliberately outrageous, to contrast between bthe melee of labour, conservative and liberals (who, at the end of the day, are much of a muchness).

 

[porkchop]

Personally, UKIP is the only party i would vote for, as i agree with all the views that i have heard from them. Does anyone in America have a political party similar to them?

 

[Fluffy]

Do you think that has been the case since their inception, Fluffy, or is this a new stance ? (I had -without knowing their policies- imagined that they would have been middle of the road). Having said that, though, do you think that their policies are deliberately outrageous, to contrast between bthe melee of labour, conservative and liberals (who, at the end of the day, are much of a muchness).

Actually I'm not sure what they were like back in 1993 since I only started hearing about them when people started voting for them. I would unsurprised if the further you go back, the more of a single policy party they were and considering this policy was largely about keeping the UK and Europe as seperate entities, it is difficult to place them on the economic axis.

Since in their inception they took with them a large portion of the more right wing Conservatives, this alone places them on the right side of all current major parties in the UK.

 

[titoburito]

As a supporter of the conservative party i feel the need to defend the big Dave. Isnt it obvious that elections are about winning as much of the electorate as possible? Isnt it obvious that parties will do anything to please as many people from as many walks of life as possible to get into power? The point is that during a general election you aren't voting for what is "promised" your are voting for who you fancy being in charge and the best leader. Then when they're in power the policies are formed and implemented.

I fully agree with the policy on Europe, we should not be one under one government etc but we should maintain trade policies and. In addition WE SHOULD NOT HAVE THE EURO(a different arguement but i'm on my soapbox now)- enough people died to keep our country independent and great over the years, too many to sell out and have our economy inexplicably linked to those of countries much different to ours.

i also beleive there is a strong right-wing feeling on certain issues in this country. Unfortunately i think this is fueled by the rise in extremeism from certain groups(once again a different arguement but a sensitive one that i shall stay out of). Last timei checked you move to a country to be part of that nation and live a better life, i am among the majority who think its wrong to be somewhere you hate, and anyone that does should quite simply, leave.

The problem with UKIP is simple, they only have one key topic and no wider policies. "Great we're out of Europe, now what?". Hence the Conservative Party is the only real right-wing option despite being slightly more liberal

In answer to stimpy: in America the Democrats are like our Conservative party and the Republicans are like our Conservative party, just different ends of the sub-spectrum

Ste

 

[Booko]

In answer to stimpy: in America the Democrats are like our Conservative party and the Republicans are like our Conservative party, just different ends of the sub-spectrum

That's pretty much what I tell visitors from across the pond:

The Republican Party is our conservative party, and the Democratic Party is our other conservative party.

Though if UKIP is isolationist in some ways, you might look into the politics of Pat Buchannan.

 

[kai]

any party or anyone that puts britian first is "right wing" or even "racist" these days, i agree with trade links to europe thats what it all started as, "the common market" now its being made into some kind of superstate and quite frankly i dont think we need it and whats the point of it? we have trade agreements we have defense agreements whats the need for a european government/currency/armed forces whos behind all this? and whats the end game? this could be a job for greatcalgarian because theres a conspiracy here somewhere, but seriously do we need it i dont think so?

http://www.ukip.org/