Alistair Darling's budget

[ghanimah]

Because in my view the few good policies(on paper) they have just cover up the nasty side of the party....there whole agenda seems to revolve around the EU,s activities and we all know you have to have more on the table than that..they will get alot of votes from the farmers etc but have no chance of getting a real foothold in parliament.

UKIP are the first party to release their manifesto this year and for the first time have a full manifesto on all the major issues not just EU ones (although the EU does affect most things either partly or completely)

http://www.ukip.org/media/policies/UKIPManifestoWeb.pdf

As an aside a lot of farmers are not actually that anti-EU / pro-UKIP mainly because they get generous subsidies via the CAP.

[DiV]

I think Andrew Fitton should run the country.

[Don Rogers Shop]

I used to love politics...i have fallen out of love with it now,i used to religiously watch question time and listen to the wednesday in parliament live on radio every week.....but you ask any labour voter who voted in the last election if they are happy with what they got...war in two countries wasnt on the agenda for a start...not just labour though..my views are total dislike thatour country being run by other countrys in the EU....the two main parties wont budge on that and the alternatives UKIP etc are not feasable.
Our farmers and fisherman cant do there buisness without some EU document telling them what to do.
I may decide to vote but deep down i know it will not  be because i see great hope for my kids and grandchildren in the future.

So basically Gordon Brown has fucked up my future

[jonny72]

UKIP are the first party to release their manifesto this year and for the first time have a full manifesto on all the major issues not just EU ones (although the EU does affect most things either partly or completely).

I don't get the logic of UKIP. Obviously I get the fact they want independence for the UK from the EU but its how they're going about it. Most of their votes are going to come from Tory voters, which lessens the chances of Tory MP's getting elected and increases the chances of another Labour government. Which seems pretty dumb when the Tories are the most Euro-sceptical and Labour are the most pro-EU. Or am I missing something?

[Nemo]

I don't get the logic of UKIP. Obviously I get the fact they want independence for the UK from the EU but its how they're going about it. Most of their votes are going to come from Tory voters, which lessens the chances of Tory MP's getting elected and increases the chances of another Labour government. Which seems pretty dumb when the Tories are the most Euro-sceptical and Labour are the most pro-EU. Or am I missing something?

Their new leader, who is an ex-Tory Peer, has said that they won't stand against proper Eurosceptic Tories- which he said would be 7-8 at most, so I'm guessing he's talking about the Bill Cash school of Euroscepticism, rather than any old Tory.

[Power to people]

I see that with Michael Wills the sitting labour MP in N Swindon is standing down at the next election and that they have parachuted some chap in from another area of the country who does not live in Swindon, does not work in Swindon, and obviously does not know the area, and they want people to vote for him.....

[Arriba]

tomlinson will win that seat quite easily i think.i wonder if he will give up going to the old skool nights and raves when he's elected?

[BANGKOK RED]

The parachuted in a chap from another part of the country? Why did they not just tell him to catch the train?

[reeves4england]

The parachuted in a chap from another part of the country? Why did they not just tell him to catch the train?

He refused to travel standard class.

[jonny72]

Their new leader, who is an ex-Tory Peer, has said that they won't stand against proper Eurosceptic Tories- which he said would be 7-8 at most, so I'm guessing he's talking about the Bill Cash school of Euroscepticism, rather than any old Tory.

I still don't see the logic, all they are going to do is push us further in to the EU by helping Labour. Though I still think there is a very good chance they will do a deal with Cameron - a few safe seats for Eurosceptic Tories and a referendum of some kind in exchange for them not standing in the election. Not that I really give a flying fuck as I'm as pro-EU as they come.

[Colin Todd]

Read something earlier that indicated that the 3p fuel rise would actually equate to 7p by the time of the 3rd staggered increase due to VAT being added to the duty and an increase in biofuel duty or something.

That and the NI increase is a great way to tax jobs. And not to foget that the non taxable allowance for everyone is staying static which means an effective tax rise if you get any kind of pay rise this year.  Well done again Nu-labour.  Let not worry about the national debt at all, lets continue in your tax and spend bubble I'm sure it will work out well in the end.

[ghanimah]

I don't get the logic of UKIP. Obviously I get the fact they want independence for the UK from the EU but its how they're going about it. Most of their votes are going to come from Tory voters, which lessens the chances of Tory MP's getting elected and increases the chances of another Labour government. Which seems pretty dumb when the Tories are the most Euro-sceptical and Labour are the most pro-EU. Or am I missing something?

The Tories are not Eurosceptic. By judging a man by his deeds not his words then it becomes clear that the Tories love the EU project. They were the ones that took us into the EU (Common Market), signed the Single European Act and the Maastricht Treaty. More power has been given away under a Tory administration than any other.

Regarding the comment about "most of the votes come from Tories" - not true. UKIP draws its support from right across the political spectrum. It in fact has just as many ex-Labour voters as ex-Tory ones - not to mention that UKIP is particularly strong in the South West (typically Lib Dem territory)

All 3 parties are divided on the EU issue, it's just the Tories seem to be more vocal about it.

[iffy]

Most of what UKIP says it would do is crackers, fantasy-land stuff. It's primarily a negative manifesto - just list of things they don't like. Fringe parties will do well in the  election only because of the dissatisfaction with the performance of the main parties.

The best thing about UKIP is that it provides an alternative place for the protest vote that may otherwise go to the BNP.

Another thought. Much of the anti-EU stuff talks about power being "given away". But power doesn't work like that. For example, the main reason we aren't reforming our banking system is because the Americans haven't decided what to do yet. When they do, the UK will follow them. We haven't "given away" power to the US, they've got it already.

Most big decisions in the world happen in international organisations like the UN or WTO, or they are made by the US. Your choice isn't whether you "give power away" or not, it's whether you play the game or not. And if you don't play, you don't count.

[leefer]

So basically Gordon Brown has fucked up my future

Well DRS i would apportion all the blame to him!
On the point arriba mentions about Tomlinson i have to applaud him..my sisters poll tax was messed up badly and she started getting bailiffs knocking on her door for money she had paid...it made her pretty ill so as a last resort i emailed him as she lives in his area of work....within two days he had sorted it...dont pretend i know to much about him but he got my thanks on that occasion.

[ghanimah]

Most of what UKIP says it would do is crackers, fantasy-land stuff.

Wanting self governence and democracy is crackers?...ok best I tell Emily Davidson

It's primarily a negative manifesto - just list of things they don't like.

Not true, clearly you haven't read UKIP's manifesto.

Fringe parties will do well in the  election only because of the dissatisfaction with the performance of the main parties.

Good, the main parties have let us down. What's wrong with lending your vote to someone who may do a better job?

The best thing about UKIP is that it provides an alternative place for the protest vote that may otherwise go to the BNP.

Ahh the classic BNP smear. FYI UKIP was founded by a homosexual Lib Dem. There's only one party that has been sued for its discriminatory manifesto and it's not any of the main parties or indeed UKIP.

Another thought. Much of the anti-EU stuff talks about power being "given away". But power doesn't work like that. For example, the main reason we aren't reforming our banking system is because the Americans haven't decided what to do yet. When they do, the UK will follow them. We haven't "given away" power to the US, they've got it already.

Most big decisions in the world happen in international organisations like the UN or WTO, or they are made by the US. Your choice isn't whether you "give power away" or not, it's whether you play the game or not. And if you don't play, you don't count.

Not sure if you're aware but much of our banking laws are decided by the EU not America - the run on Northern Rock for example was a direct result of an EU Directive. The main issue is that either the UK is accountable to its electorate or not - that's how power should work not how you play the game.