EU corruption "equivalent to the bloc's annual budget"

[KentPhilip]

So I get a feel of fairly anti-UKIP sentiment in this thread. Which I find surprising since I would have thought many contractors would benefit from their policies being implemented. For example fewer bobs to compete for our contracts, and lower tax.

[darmstadt]

If they had turned up to the "olive oil" vote, do you think they would have won? I don't know the details, but I suspect the answer is no.
Had the answer been yes then I would have agreed with you.



I voted for them to help get the UK out of the EU, and promote a more libertarian and small-state environment. I am very pleased with the job they are doing, and I suspect that most UKIP votes are too.


Well I would love to continue this chat, but there is a risk my client will not be pleased with the job I am doing at clientco, so I better get off line

Just out of interest there was a debate a couple of weeks ago in the House of Lords regarding the European Union (Referendum) Bill which you may have read about in the papers of is presumably of great interest to the UKIP, in fact they probably caused this bill to be brought about. Why is it then that Lord Pearson, the previous leader of the UKIP and still a force in the party, couldn't be bothered to attend=

[MicrosoftBob]

UKIP are a single issue party. Nobody would actually want them in charge of the economy, NHS, schools, war etc, it's only about a protest on the one issue. It's ridiculous to suggest they have any kind of chance.

From what I know of coalition politics (watching Borgen), it always ends with the extremists having much more power than their level of public support warrants, because the moderates end up having to do deals to get their extremist coalition partners to vote with them. I used to be in favour of PR, but I've changed my mind (plus it would mean permanent Lib Dem government).

As opposed to the Labour Party only existing to get the unions into government, isn't really a single issue party

[Zero Liability]

UKIP are a single issue party. Nobody would actually want them in charge of the economy, NHS, schools, war etc, it's only about a protest on the one issue. It's ridiculous to suggest they have any kind of chance.

From what I know of coalition politics (watching Borgen), it always ends with the extremists having much more power than their level of public support warrants, because the moderates end up having to do deals to get their extremist coalition partners to vote with them. I used to be in favour of PR, but I've changed my mind (plus it would mean permanent Lib Dem government).

I don't want any of the other three parties in control of the economy, either. If you could specify why "nobody would actually want them in charge of the economy", I'd be much obliged, but that would only convince me further to vote for "none of the above", although I would still vote in favour of UKIP were they to act on their promise of a referendum for leaving the EU. The 3 main parties are so identical to each other that a bit of 'extremism' (whatever that is) to force them to offer some sort of differentiation is welcome.

I'd rather a 'single issue' party than a bunch of technocrat nutcases and robbers, who feel qualified to manage an entire society from top down.

[BlasterBates]

A Labour party supporter knows taxation levels Labour are targeting, their health and education policies, and everyone else knows too. The same goes for the Conservatves.

When you ask a UKIP supporter what the UKIP's policies, he generally doesn't know but will quickly google to find out, just to pretend it isn't just about Europe.

[Zero Liability]

So I get a feel of fairly anti-UKIP sentiment in this thread. Which I find surprising since I would have thought many contractors would benefit from their policies being implemented. For example fewer bobs to compete for our contracts, and lower tax.

They're not necessarily representative of contractors in general.

[darmstadt]

The UKIP do have policies, they're on their website: UKIP - UK Independence Party (not a co.uk domain as that diverts to ukip.com, an Internet consultancy) under the Issues hyperlink although they don't seem to have a general election manifesto, although they did have and I have a copy somewhere. Reading through it all reminds me of the Tory party way way back. Mind you there is one section which explains all the 'Walter Mitty' types: What We Stand For

6 Free Speech and Democracy

• Political correctness is stifling free speech.

[doodab]

So I get a feel of fairly anti-UKIP sentiment in this thread. Which I find surprising since I would have thought many contractors would benefit from their policies being implemented. For example fewer bobs to compete for our contracts, and lower tax.

India isn't in the EU you plum. The influx of Indian IT works is purely the work of the UK government, if we left the EU the problem would probably get worse as more would be needed to replace all the Europeans.

The main problem that I have with UKIP is that they and their supporters generally come across as a bunch of dimwits who have little understanding or knowledge of what they are talking about and are incapable of critical thought.

[Zero Liability]

They favour the notion of work permits. For those Europeans already here, there would be no difference. For those who sought to move here or work here and managed to find employment, why would there be any issue of them leaving?

You can generalise your commentary re: UKIP supporters to the entire electorate. How many voters really understand the parties they vote for, or the policies they espouse (and the very different ones they ultimately deliver)? So I don't see it as particularly symptomatic of UKIP's voter base.

The fact that the other three parties are predictably lethargic doesn't mean they have any policies that will steer the UK in a better direction.

[doodab]

They favour the notion of work permits. For those Europeans already here, there would be no difference. For those who sought to move here or work here and managed to find employment, why would there be any issue of them leaving?

So they wouldn't actually do anything about the immigrants from within the EU who come here and take jobs then?

You can generalise your commentary re: UKIP supporters to the entire electorate. How many voters really understand the parties they vote for, or the policies they espouse (and the very different ones they ultimately deliver)? So I don't see it as particularly symptomatic of UKIP's voter base.

Agreed. The difference is that occasionally you get intelligent, educated, well thought out people who support one of the other parties. Those people seem to be absent from UKIP support.

The fact that the other three parties are predictably lethargic doesn't mean they have any policies that will steer the UK in a better direction.

Oh they are all fairly useless. The only worthwhile policies I have seen are the tax reforms that came from the lib dems and they don't go far enough IMO. Education, health, energy and environmental policies all seem like disasters waiting to happen to me. That's why I don't vote for any of them.