Well hopefully this means that UKIP will now get the same amount of coverage as the Green Party, seeing as they finally have the same number of MPs.
I can't see it decreasing to that level, to be honest. Until today UKIP had fewer MPs than the Greens or the George Galloway Fan Club, but still get acres of coverage.
Mass immigration isn't wildly popular with the Labour base, who would have guessed? When the Labour leader can't even bring himself to defend his parties position at his own conference you know the wheels have really come off. Labour are going to be shafted in their heartlands next year.
Like UKiP or not, this is good for democracy and bad for party politics. Any MP with a slim or even moderate majority will be more worried about his/her constituents views than toeing the party line and that can only be a good thing. Party politics has become far too cosy, distorted our democratic principles and disenfranchised the voting public. You only need to look at the voting figures to realise how fed up voters are of having their view ridiculed and ignored by parties that preach without listening.
If not in the forthcoming election, but certainly in elections to follow the internet and social media will be a distinct force in the debate. There are two major questions, will people schlepp to the polling stations to vote? (maybe it can all be done on smartphones in the future!), and will people vote according to the detailed policies in manifestos? I seems we are in the x-factor world of politics where everybody is relying on spin and not substance...because people are not interested in engaging with the substance because the slogans are more entertaining and easy to remember. I used to wonder how UKIP could succeed with no realistic or discernible plan for the complexities of running the country, but the don't need any plan do they? Nor do any of the parties any more because the plan is not going to get the vote out, or the votes cast.
Good, anyone who slags them off (or an other party for that mater) is one of the reasons people are voting UKIP- the populace have had enough of what has been dished up in the past few decades by the 2 main parties - and a lot of the people who are voting UKIP are simply voting against Labour/Conservative or mainstream poilitical parties as we know it. Personally, i've just had enough of wankers who want to go along slagging other parties and or policies off - UKIP provides an alternative which obviously appeals to the masses - heed it - i'm gonna vote for them simply coz the other tossers dont deserve my vote- and dont slag me off because of that ! - else you run the risk of being a tosser yourself.
If not in the forthcoming election, but certainly in elections to follow the internet and social media will be a distinct force in the debate. There are two major questions, will people schlepp to the polling stations to vote? (maybe it can all be done on smartphones in the future!), and will people vote according to the detailed policies in manifestos? I seems we are in the x-factor world of politics where everybody is relying on spin and not substance...because people are not interested in engaging with the substance because the slogans are more entertaining and easy to remember. I used to wonder how UKIP could succeed with no realistic or discernible plan for the complexities of running the country, but the don't need any plan do they? Nor do any of the parties any more because the plan is not going to get the vote out, or the votes cast.
I think I have made my position clear, I enjoy living in a diverse multicultural society and everything UKIP stands for is anathema to me. But, it is patently obvious that we have a hugely divided and disenfranchised society and the blame for that lies with politicians and us for putting up with their antics. UKIP will win a few seats but they will still not have any real power to change things. If UKIP represents the views of a section of society, then in a sense I am pleased that people feel that someone is listening to them. But what happens if there is no observable change, what then?
I am not party political apart from the Valley Party of course, but has anybody spoken to any local activist of UKip? I have attended a number of shows around the country and it is clear to me that they are not ready for any responsibility, whatever their policies might be. Having said that, it makes politics far more interesting.
A Tory/UKIP coalition...........could you imagine??
If that happens I'm off to Somalia and claiming asylum
Good, well fuck off then I can't wait for people to understand the minimum wage is being held down by immigration. Your average joe is struggling to keep his head above water, whilst those of you that are totally uneffected by this influx scorn those that are.
A Tory/UKIP coalition...........could you imagine??
If that happens I'm off to Somalia and claiming asylum
Good, well fuck off then I can't wait for people to understand the minimum wage is being held down by immigration. Your average joe is struggling to keep his head above water, whilst those of you that are totally uneffected by this influx scorn those that are.
Knowing AUN that was tongue in cheek, so an unnecessary and uncalled for overreaction.
The minimum wage isn't being held down by immigration. The level of the minimum wage is set by Government, and they've chosen not to raise it to a liveable level. The reason why the average joe is having trouble keeping their head above water is housing costs, transport costs and energy costs. If we had rent control, restrictions on buy to let mortgages, and a decent programme of building social housing (rather than affordable housing that patently isn't), then wages wouldn't need to be so high.
What people don't understand is the wages in the construction industry are being driven down by immigration. The average home owner in this country needs to earn a decent wage a day to cover the cost of their mortgage, council tax, energy bills etc whilst supporting their family. When you get a group of 10 Eastern Europeans living in a house together sharing the bills amongst them they may only need £140 a week to cover the cost, this results in them agreeing to work for £80 a day as they don't need to earn as much as me and you. This then means employers know they can get labour for a lower price and so when we walk on a job that is all they are willing to pay hence keeping wages down and to a minimum, I've been quite fortunate I've landed an excellent job but go back two years and I was earning the same as when I finished my apprentaship 14 years ago, when really with growth and inflation I should of been getting a lot more but you can't and that's because immigration drives the cost down, fellow tradesmen are struggling and agencies are as bad.
A Tory/UKIP coalition...........could you imagine??
If that happens I'm off to Somalia and claiming asylum
Good, well fuck off then I can't wait for people to understand the minimum wage is being held down by immigration. Your average joe is struggling to keep his head above water, whilst those of you that are totally uneffected by this influx scorn those that are.
The minimum wage is being held down by rich, mostly white men. Who do you think lets the immigrants in? Who do you think employs them? What is the make up of UKIP, and the hierarchy of the other political parties?
A Tory/UKIP coalition...........could you imagine??
If that happens I'm off to Somalia and claiming asylum
Good, well fuck off then I can't wait for people to understand the minimum wage is being held down by immigration. Your average joe is struggling to keep his head above water, whilst those of you that are totally uneffected by this influx scorn those that are.
You're a very angry chap aren't you. Lighten up ffs. By the way, immigration has nothing to do with the minimum wage. That is down to a system where corporations want to maximise their profits without paying the workers a decent living wage.
Edit: I consider myself an 'average Joe' and my life isn't a bed of roses. I recognise that I'm better off than some but me and my wife are still, like many, stretching out our pay to make it to the end of the month. We live in a semi built in the 30s and I drive a twelve year old Beetle. Holidays are once every two years and a thirty quid takeaway is pushing the boat out. I'd say I'm pretty much slap bang down at the levels where it's all a bit 'dog eat dog'.
I could bitch and moan about my lot and seek to find someone to blame for my position in society but at the end of the day I can't blame the Romanian earning three quid an hour at the car wash. Nor the Nigerian woman scrubbing the floor of my local hospital. Or the near destitute existence of a multitude of nationalities trying to make a better life for themselves by getting off their arses and coming here. Ultimately the reason I am in the position I am in is because I didn't apply myself at school, I didn't work hard enough at bettering myself. I settled for easy instead of pushing myself. Instead of blaming others some of us could maybe look in the mirror.
And last time I checked, the global financial crash wasn't causee by four Poles working cash in hand doing up someone's house.
What people don't understand is the wages in the construction industry are being driven down by immigration. The average home owner in this country needs to earn a decent wage a day to cover the cost of their mortgage, council tax, energy bills etc whilst supporting their family. When you get a group of 10 Eastern Europeans living in a house together sharing the bills amongst them they may only need £140 a week to cover the cost, this results in them agreeing to work for £80 a day as they don't need to earn as much as me and you. This then means employers know they can get labour for a lower price and so when we walk on a job that is all they are willing to pay hence keeping wages down and to a minimum, I've been quite fortunate I've landed an excellent job but go back two years and I was earning the same as when I finished my apprentaship 14 years ago, when really with growth and inflation I should of been getting a lot more but you can't and that's because immigration drives the cost down, fellow tradesmen are struggling and agencies are as bad.
Absolutely spot on.
My son is a self-employed carpenter and would back up absolutely every word you say.
Problem is all these public school idiots like Cameron, Clegg and Milliband live in a world far removed from the realities of the working man. And they are all now surprised to find that people are saying "we've had enough of this".
What people don't understand is the wages in the construction industry are being driven down by immigration. The average home owner in this country needs to earn a decent wage a day to cover the cost of their mortgage, council tax, energy bills etc whilst supporting their family. When you get a group of 10 Eastern Europeans living in a house together sharing the bills amongst them they may only need £140 a week to cover the cost, this results in them agreeing to work for £80 a day as they don't need to earn as much as me and you. This then means employers know they can get labour for a lower price and so when we walk on a job that is all they are willing to pay hence keeping wages down and to a minimum, I've been quite fortunate I've landed an excellent job but go back two years and I was earning the same as when I finished my apprentaship 14 years ago, when really with growth and inflation I should of been getting a lot more but you can't and that's because immigration drives the cost down, fellow tradesmen are struggling and agencies are as bad.
Absolutely spot on.
My son is a self-employed carpenter and would back up absolutely every word you say.
Problem is all these public school idiots like Cameron, Clegg and Milliband live in a world far removed from the realities of the working man. And they are all now surprised to find that people are saying "we've had enough of this".
Maybe a few seats will convince the other parties and their voters that UKIP is not just a protest/racist vote, and that some people are genuinely disgruntled about immigration levels and membership of the EU.
Exactly - restrict freedom of movement so as to safeguard your right to be exploited exclusively by the ruling elite? Divide and conquer, folks. Society exists so that slave labour doesn't - shame about the current government. Eastern Europeans working for peanuts should not be turned away; they should be paid properly, as should all of us. And yet, exploitation may continue, so long as the exploited have grounds to blame one another. What if we all 'made something' of ourselves - a nation of entrepreneurs! What a vision. And yet - who will make the houses?
But apart from stopping immigration and leaving the EU, what are UKIP's policies?
I don't really know, and tbh I don't really care. But if the other parties start to face these two issues head on because of UKIP's popularity then that's a good thing in my opinion.
Been sitting on the fence a bit but edging to voting UKIP over Tory now. Really like Douglas Carswell and his views on politics in general. Will be purchasing his book tomorrow.
Right now, research on some major scientific projects is grinding to a halt because of the immigration quotas. So why don't you quit moaning, invest in your education and get a better paid job?
Comments
There are two major questions, will people schlepp to the polling stations to vote? (maybe it can all be done on smartphones in the future!), and will people vote according to the detailed policies in manifestos?
I seems we are in the x-factor world of politics where everybody is relying on spin and not substance...because people are not interested in engaging with the substance because the slogans are more entertaining and easy to remember. I used to wonder how UKIP could succeed with no realistic or discernible plan for the complexities of running the country, but the don't need any plan do they? Nor do any of the parties any more because the plan is not going to get the vote out, or the votes cast.
Personally, i've just had enough of wankers who want to go along slagging other parties and or policies off - UKIP provides an alternative which obviously appeals to the masses - heed it - i'm gonna vote for them simply coz the other tossers dont deserve my vote- and dont slag me off because of that ! - else you run the risk of being a tosser yourself.
If that happens I'm off to Somalia and claiming asylum
Online voting may be the way to go. The voting system just not keeping up with the social fabric- http://webrootsdemocracy.org/about/
Having said that, it makes politics far more interesting.
I can't wait for people to understand the minimum wage is being held down by immigration.
Your average joe is struggling to keep his head above water, whilst those of you that are totally uneffected by this influx scorn those that are.
You're a very angry chap aren't you. Lighten up ffs. By the way, immigration has nothing to do with the minimum wage. That is down to a system where corporations want to maximise their profits without paying the workers a decent living wage.
Edit: I consider myself an 'average Joe' and my life isn't a bed of roses. I recognise that I'm better off than some but me and my wife are still, like many, stretching out our pay to make it to the end of the month. We live in a semi built in the 30s and I drive a twelve year old Beetle. Holidays are once every two years and a thirty quid takeaway is pushing the boat out. I'd say I'm pretty much slap bang down at the levels where it's all a bit 'dog eat dog'.
I could bitch and moan about my lot and seek to find someone to blame for my position in society but at the end of the day I can't blame the Romanian earning three quid an hour at the car wash. Nor the Nigerian woman scrubbing the floor of my local hospital. Or the near destitute existence of a multitude of nationalities trying to make a better life for themselves by getting off their arses and coming here. Ultimately the reason I am in the position I am in is because I didn't apply myself at school, I didn't work hard enough at bettering myself. I settled for easy instead of pushing myself. Instead of blaming others some of us could maybe look in the mirror.
And last time I checked, the global financial crash wasn't causee by four Poles working cash in hand doing up someone's house.
My son is a self-employed carpenter and would back up absolutely every word you say.
Problem is all these public school idiots like Cameron, Clegg and Milliband live in a world far removed from the realities of the working man. And they are all now surprised to find that people are saying "we've had enough of this".
Who do you two reckon pays the wages?