...received a UKIP leaflet through the door today.
Must say it is distasteful. Immigration this, foreigners taking our jobs that.
I am a fan of UKIP in principle, and have sympathy for those who genuinely want out of the EU and to have a sensible immigration debate, only to be patronised by the so-called intelligentsia.
But the leaflet is ugly and Farage's gob on the back of it associates him with this ugliness. It harks back to the worst days of the NF and BNP and as such will alienate many people; those it attracts well, let's just say that they and I would not be comfortable conversational partners.
If I were UKIP I would pretty quickly include a few things about jobs, health, defence, and tone down the anti-foreigner, anti-immigrant rhetoric or the whole thing could backfire. Go the NOTA route fine, sweep up votes there, but looking at this thing sympathy evaporates quickly.
Topping, every post I have seen you make on here on the subject has been vehemently opposed to UKIP. I am hardly surprised you have not a good word to say about their leaflet.
I have never believed UKIP to be anything other than the new NOTA now that the previous NOTA is in govt. I also have doubts that they will have the patience to create a comprehensive policy platform that people can understand and vote for.
I believe their vote share will sink to 3-5% come GE2015.
I also believe their views (although I have understood them in only the broadest brushes) on Europe and immigrants to have some merit (as articulated by the Kippers on here).
But this leaflet takes them out of the reasoned Kipper debate which the likes of you and @Sam expound and into something much uglier.
It seems I may have got UKIP wrong, believing from your posts, that it was a more balanced, not to say reasoned view.
The leaflets are pretty horrible in the language and tone they use.
Richard, I posted only the first paragraph of this article along with a link for no other reason than to save OGH and the site moderators any hassles with that publication!! If you had been around the site more in recent months, you would aware that we have been asked not copy and paste too much of such articles on this site any longer!! I won't hold my breathe for an apology for the totally wrong assumption you then jumped to the minute I posted the article!!
"We’re losing, we Get-Outers. Every opinion poll shows that opposition to EU membership has fallen over the past 12 months. Most now have a majority for staying in and, while one or two still have secessionists in front, all show the same trend."
Ooooo Partial quoting there Fitlass. The whole article is basically designed to attack UKIP and set out an alternative vision for Britain outside of the EU. It shows that the argument can and will be won on the basis of the economic benefits of leaving the EU rather than immigration.
I don't claim that Hannan is wrong but your partial posting does rather give a false impression of the tone of his article.
Pointless question because as far as I know no one is advocating every immigrant leaving. Some people have too much time and not enough basic common sense.
I agree with the first part (at least outside the BNP and similar nutjobs). But it might be nice if occasionally UKIP supporters actually had something nice and/or positive to say about immigrants, especially the kind they'd like in the country.
The same for Europe. As a silly example: "Hey, I love going to Spain for holidays, and I'd love the Spanish to come over here to enjoy our rain. But I think that it's in both of our countries' best interests to control the number of low-skilled people moving between them.", or somesuch.
Instead, and for understandable reasons, it sometimes concentrates a little too much on the negative, at least in my eyes. Then again, I'm biased ...
The fact that the leader is married to, and has two children with, a German should be a bit of a hint that the party doesn't stand for hatred of Europe/Europeans
That doesn't follow in the least.
And I repeat: it would be nice occasionally to see UKIP supporters being more positive about Europe, whilst saying our paths lie apart in friendship. And the same goes for immigration.
Why doesn't it follow? The popular leader of a party that wants out of the EU is married to a German. I presume he is in love with her. What could be more positive?
Well, for one thing a leader is not a party.
For another, it is easy to be positive about an individual whilst being negative about the majority. I see this sometimes with respect to my good wife, particularly from older people: "Oh, I never think of her as foreign (/an immigrant). She speaks such good English." Indeed, it can be used as an excuse: because they like one or two individuals, it excuses a dislike of the majority.
As an aside, if the ability to come here to live and work from the EU is severely restricted, as is, I believe, UKIP's position, then he will be denying other people the opportunity to marry the EU foreigner they love.
But my main point remains: a more positive, friendly view of both Europe / immigrants, whilst stating that we want to be apart / limit numbers), would be helpful to UKIP, in my eyes at least.
Richard, I posted only the first paragraph of this article along with a link for no other reason than to save OGH and the site moderators any hassles with that publication!! If you had been around the site more in recent months, you would aware that we have been asked not copy and paste too much of such articles on this site any longer!! I won't hold my breathe for an apology for the totally wrong assumption you then jumped to the minute I posted the article!!
In which case you should have also posted something of a precis to balance out the misleading quote. I did it in a couple of sentences, so could you have done if you were really interested in balance.
The fact that the leader is married to, and has two children with, a German should be a bit of a hint that the party doesn't stand for hatred of Europe/Europeans
That doesn't follow in the least.
And I repeat: it would be nice occasionally to see UKIP supporters being more positive about Europe, whilst saying our paths lie apart in friendship. And the same goes for immigration.
Why doesn't it follow? The popular leader of a party that wants out of the EU is married to a German. I presume he is in love with her. What could be more positive?
Well, for one thing a leader is not a party.
For another, it is easy to be positive about an individual whilst being negative about the majority. I see this sometimes with respect to my good wife, particularly from older people: "Oh, I never think of her as foreign (/an immigrant). She speaks such good English." Indeed, it can be used as an excuse: because they like one or two individuals, it excuses a dislike of the majority.
As an aside, if the ability to come here to live and work from the EU is severely restricted, as is, I believe, UKIP's position, then he will be denying other people the opportunity to marry the EU foreigner they love.
But my main point remains: a more positive, friendly view of both Europe / immigrants, whilst stating that we want to be apart / limit numbers), would be helpful to UKIP, in my eyes at least.
Oh right
Well personally I don't think I have said anything negative about any foreigners or anything positive about English people. I wouldn't see myself as particularly patriotic, but its not the point really. The pace of change has to be gradual enough so the existing people in a country aren't put out by the immigrants. I am talking about England because I am English, but the same would apply anywhere in the world.
Kind of thought it was taken for granted that we are all clever enough to accept that people don't hate entire nations just for being different nationalities. If we have to start every post with reassuring platitudes we will start sounding like politicians on Question Time!
...received a UKIP leaflet through the door today.
Must say it is distasteful. Immigration this, foreigners taking our jobs that.
I am a fan of UKIP in principle, and have sympathy for those who genuinely want out of the EU and to have a sensible immigration debate, only to be patronised by the so-called intelligentsia.
But the leaflet is ugly and Farage's gob on the back of it associates him with this ugliness. It harks back to the worst days of the NF and BNP and as such will alienate many people; those it attracts well, let's just say that they and I would not be comfortable conversational partners.
If I were UKIP I would pretty quickly include a few things about jobs, health, defence, and tone down the anti-foreigner, anti-immigrant rhetoric or the whole thing could backfire. Go the NOTA route fine, sweep up votes there, but looking at this thing sympathy evaporates quickly.
Topping, every post I have seen you make on here on the subject has been vehemently opposed to UKIP. I am hardly surprised you have not a good word to say about their leaflet.
I have never believed UKIP to be anything other than the new NOTA now that the previous NOTA is in govt. I also have doubts that they will have the patience to create a comprehensive policy platform that people can understand and vote for.
I believe their vote share will sink to 3-5% come GE2015.
I also believe their views (although I have understood them in only the broadest brushes) on Europe and immigrants to have some merit (as articulated by the Kippers on here).
But this leaflet takes them out of the reasoned Kipper debate which the likes of you and @Sam expound and into something much uglier.
It seems I may have got UKIP wrong, believing from your posts, that it was a more balanced, not to say reasoned view.
The leaflets are pretty horrible in the language and tone they use.
"I believe their vote share will sink to 3-5% come GE2015."
I feel you're wildly wrong there. UKIP's vote will be nearer 10% at GE2015 (I'm not willing to say above or below at this stage). They've hit a series of genuine points of concern for many voters, as well are the NOTA vote. Some voters will come for the NOTA vote, and stay when they see UKIP's policies in outline.
Those points of concern are easy to address whilst in opposition (as UKIP are), but harder for the established parties. Labour and the Conservatives because they may actually have to do them, the LD's because it is generally and genuinely against their mindset.
Love them or loathe them, UKIP are a political force, and are here to stay for the foreseeable future. The question is whether they hurt the Conservatives or Labour most in the long term.
For another, it is easy to be positive about an individual whilst being negative about the majority. I see this sometimes with respect to my good wife, particularly from older people: "Oh, I never think of her as foreign (/an immigrant). She speaks such good English." Indeed, it can be used as an excuse: because they like one or two individuals, it excuses a dislike of the majority.
As an aside, if the ability to come here to live and work from the EU is severely restricted, as is, I believe, UKIP's position, then he will be denying other people the opportunity to marry the EU foreigner they love.
But my main point remains: a more positive, friendly view of both Europe / immigrants, whilst stating that we want to be apart / limit numbers), would be helpful to UKIP, in my eyes at least.
And yet that opportunity is, on the basis of your argument at least, denied to those who might fall in love with anyone from outside the EU. All that is being suggested by UKIP is that the field should be levelled and that migrants from both inside and outside the EU should be treated the same way. The actual level of migration is then a different question but we will at least be treating everyone equally.
Before you left you said you'd politically moved away from the LibDems. IIRC as an illustration you said that the Yellow part of your moniker wasn't relevant longer. Is that still the case?
Excuse me?! I linked to an opinion piece in the Telegraph, you didn't like it so attacked the messenger who posted the link. Do you realise just how pompous you sound?! No wonder this site is becoming an ever more unwelcome place!! As I thought, there was no point holding my breath waiting for an apology for the way you rushed to make such an ill judged assumption.
Richard, I posted only the first paragraph of this article along with a link for no other reason than to save OGH and the site moderators any hassles with that publication!! If you had been around the site more in recent months, you would aware that we have been asked not copy and paste too much of such articles on this site any longer!! I won't hold my breathe for an apology for the totally wrong assumption you then jumped to the minute I posted the article!!
In which case you should have also posted something of a precis to balance out the misleading quote. I did it in a couple of sentences, so could you have done if you were really interested in balance.
(NB: Source is Daily Mail so usual caveats apply.)
Further proof of the south east and London being showered with goodies that have been stolen from the rest of the UK. And then people wonder why there's such a fury and resentment towards the south east, most vividly on display in Scotland but fast bubbling away under the surface in northern England too.
Without train loads of cash being sent west of Offa's Dike, the Welsh economy would collapse to about Portugal's GDP per head I would imagine. Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan are about UK average, everywhere else less, many parts of the Valleys lots less. Take out the back room jobs such as RAF Valley, Companies' House, DVLA, Patent Office etc and the devastation would be even greater. There is NO doubt Wales is economically better off as a result of transfers from London and the S East.
I think there was a US study (of pork barrel gov't spending) that showed gov't spending in an area had a negative effect on private sector jobs.
Woudnt some kind of fiscal autonomy be good for Wales though? Allow them to find their niche and compete?
...received a UKIP leaflet through the door today.
Must say it is distasteful. Immigration this, foreigners taking our jobs that.
Topping, every post I have seen you make on here on the subject has been vehemently opposed to UKIP. I am hardly surprised you have not a good word to say about their leaflet.
I have never believed UKIP to be anything other than the new NOTA now that the previous NOTA is in govt. I also have doubts that they will have the patience to create a comprehensive policy platform that people can understand and vote for.
I believe their vote share will sink to 3-5% come GE2015.
I also believe their views (although I have understood them in only the broadest brushes) on Europe and immigrants to have some merit (as articulated by the Kippers on here).
But this leaflet takes them out of the reasoned Kipper debate which the likes of you and @Sam expound and into something much uglier.
It seems I may have got UKIP wrong, believing from your posts, that it was a more balanced, not to say reasoned view.
The leaflets are pretty horrible in the language and tone they use.
"I believe their vote share will sink to 3-5% come GE2015."
I feel you're wildly wrong there. UKIP's vote will be nearer 10% at GE2015 (I'm not willing to say above or below at this stage). They've hit a series of genuine points of concern for many voters, as well are the NOTA vote. Some voters will come for the NOTA vote, and stay when they see UKIP's policies in outline.
Those points of concern are easy to address whilst in opposition (as UKIP are), but harder for the established parties. Labour and the Conservatives because they may actually have to do them, the LD's because it is generally and genuinely against their mindset.
Love them or loathe them, UKIP are a political force, and are here to stay for the foreseeable future. The question is whether they hurt the Conservatives or Labour most in the long term.
Without a manifesto 12 months out? Hmm. Yet to be convinced. None of them are as far as I can see political operators, excepting Farage, so I don't rate the chances of them pulling a rabbit out of the hat policy-wise. At least the LDs were pretty straightforward left of Labour, and far to the left of New Labour.
Of course this came to bite them in the bum in the coalition but UKIP aren't anything apart from an anti-EU/anti-immigration party.
They are a pressure group albeit one that has tapped into the zeitgeist.
Given that UKP got 3% when they weren't the NOTA party in this country, it's hard to see them getting below 5-6% as a minimum with that voter base too. As for how much above 5% they get I wouldn't like to speculate on with any confidence, but I have a sneaking suspicion they are building up a more loyal core than we thing. I wouldn't rule out 10%+, not by a long shot.
For another, it is easy to be positive about an individual whilst being negative about the majority. I see this sometimes with respect to my good wife, particularly from older people: "Oh, I never think of her as foreign (/an immigrant). She speaks such good English." Indeed, it can be used as an excuse: because they like one or two individuals, it excuses a dislike of the majority.
As an aside, if the ability to come here to live and work from the EU is severely restricted, as is, I believe, UKIP's position, then he will be denying other people the opportunity to marry the EU foreigner they love.
But my main point remains: a more positive, friendly view of both Europe / immigrants, whilst stating that we want to be apart / limit numbers), would be helpful to UKIP, in my eyes at least.
And yet that opportunity is, on the basis of your argument at least, denied to those who might fall in love with anyone from outside the EU. All that is being suggested by UKIP is that the field should be levelled and that migrants from both inside and outside the EU should be treated the same way. The actual level of migration is then a different question but we will at least be treating everyone equally.
"And yet that opportunity is, on the basis of your argument at least, denied to those who might fall in love with anyone from outside the EU."
Well, I managed it! :-)
I have a small amount of sympathy with the 'levelled playing fields' viewpoint. But I do not want any such levelling to harm Britain, it's industry and business, or its relationships with other countries, or existing citizens. This is why we got into the whole sorry saga a week or so ago of what UKIP think a skilled migrant is.
For another, it is easy to be positive about an individual whilst being negative about the majority. I see this sometimes with respect to my good wife, particularly from older people: "Oh, I never think of her as foreign (/an immigrant). She speaks such good English." Indeed, it can be used as an excuse: because they like one or two individuals, it excuses a dislike of the majority.
As an aside, if the ability to come here to live and work from the EU is severely restricted, as is, I believe, UKIP's position, then he will be denying other people the opportunity to marry the EU foreigner they love.
But my main point remains: a more positive, friendly view of both Europe / immigrants, whilst stating that we want to be apart / limit numbers), would be helpful to UKIP, in my eyes at least.
And yet that opportunity is, on the basis of your argument at least, denied to those who might fall in love with anyone from outside the EU. All that is being suggested by UKIP is that the field should be levelled and that migrants from both inside and outside the EU should be treated the same way. The actual level of migration is then a different question but we will at least be treating everyone equally.
I am dating an Australian girl, and she reckons that even though she has been here 12 years, it is aggro every time she comes back from holiday through immigration. She has paid taxes, has unconditional leave to remain etc etc
Why should she go through all that yet a Bulgarian/French/ etc lady just bowl through?
Mind you last night she introduced me to a Jamaican bloke as "one of those BNP supporters".. could've been messy!
"EU membership has not given the UK any "insider advantages" in trade with other European countries, a report by social policy think tank Civitas says.
It says trade with fellow EU nations makes up no more of the UK's trade with all top economies now than it did when it first joined the EEC in 1973.
The benefit of collectively negotiated EU free trade deals is also questioned."
Excuse me?! I linked to an opinion piece in the Telegraph, you didn't like it so attacked the messenger who posted the link. Do you realise just how pompous you sound?! No wonder this site is becoming an ever more unwelcome place!! As I thought, there was no point holding my breath waiting for an apology for the way you rushed to make such an ill judged assumption.
Get off your high horse Fitlass. You are quite quick enough to go on the attack with others when you disagree with them but apparently don't like being caught out yourself. I used no bad language and simply pointed out your posting gave a very false impression of the article. If you don't like the obvious being pointed out then that is tough. I am not going to lose any sleep over your thin skin.
"Numerous media sources reported in mid-August 2013 that Rupert Murdoch's corporation 21st Century Fox had invested US$70 million in Vice Media, resulting in a 5 percent stake. Following the announcement, Smith explained, "We have set ourselves up to build a global platform but we have maintained control.""
Young,vibrant Murdoch hacks. Doing their master's bidding.
Maybe so but in a young and vibrant way.I had not noticed any obvious bias, as many of the articles were experiential scientific research,the reporter gets to take lots of drugs.Thanks for the information but 5% is not the controlling stake.
Without a manifesto 12 months out? Hmm. Yet to be convinced. None of them are as far as I can see political operators, excepting Farage, so I don't rate the chances of them pulling a rabbit out of the hat policy-wise. At least the LDs were pretty straightforward left of Labour, and far to the left of New Labour.
Of course this came to bite them in the bum in the coalition but UKIP aren't anything apart from an anti-EU/anti-immigration party.
They are a pressure group albeit one that has tapped into the zeitgeist.
I make 10% too high.
Fair enough; I may well be over-estimating. I agree about the lack of canny political operators: they appear to have no-one on Mandelson's level, for instance, and Farage is only on the level below him. But there aren't many Mandelson's about, thank goodness.
I've blasted UKIP about their 2010 GE manifesto in the past, and will continue to do so. It was a mess entirely of their own doing. But it's unlikely that it will impinge one iota on the average UKIP voter's mind at GE2015. This is not true of the Lib Dems, who will be bashed around the head with the 2010 tuition fee pledge.
As we've been seeing, UKIP's current Achilles heel is it's candidates, and Farage has admitted their vetting isn't good enough. If this can be got into order, without upsetting too many people, then UKIP would be in a much stronger position. And to be frank, they only need to get their vetting up to the standard of the other parties', which is hardly high.
Without a manifesto 12 months out? Hmm. Yet to be convinced. None of them are as far as I can see political operators, excepting Farage, so I don't rate the chances of them pulling a rabbit out of the hat policy-wise. At least the LDs were pretty straightforward left of Labour, and far to the left of New Labour.
Of course this came to bite them in the bum in the coalition but UKIP aren't anything apart from an anti-EU/anti-immigration party.
They are a pressure group albeit one that has tapped into the zeitgeist.
I make 10% too high.
Fair enough; I may well be over-estimating. I agree about the lack of canny political operators: they appear to have no-one on Mandelson's level, for instance, and Farage is only on the level below him. But there aren't many Mandelson's about, thank goodness.
I've blasted UKIP about their 2010 GE manifesto in the past, and will continue to do so. It was a mess entirely of their own doing. But it's unlikely that it will impinge one iota on the average UKIP voter's mind at GE2015. This is not true of the Lib Dems, who will be bashed around the head with the 2010 tuition fee pledge.
As we've been seeing, UKIP's current Achilles heel is it's candidates, and Farage has admitted their vetting isn't good enough. If this can be got into order, without upsetting too many people, then UKIP would be in a much stronger position. And to be frank, they only need to get their vetting up to the standard of the other parties', which is hardly high.
There's everything to play for, on all sides.
The betting would suggest UKIP will get about 9-10%
It's well-known that copying and pasting large amounts from articles can get the site in trouble. It's helpful to post a summary, but it's not hard to click the link if you want to read the story. Must we argue about that?
(NB: Source is Daily Mail so usual caveats apply.)
Further proof of the south east and London being showered with goodies that have been stolen from the rest of the UK. And then people wonder why there's such a fury and resentment towards the south east, most vividly on display in Scotland but fast bubbling away under the surface in northern England too.
Without train loads of cash being sent west of Offa's Dike, the Welsh economy would collapse to about Portugal's GDP per head I would imagine. Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan are about UK average, everywhere else less, many parts of the Valleys lots less. Take out the back room jobs such as RAF Valley, Companies' House, DVLA, Patent Office etc and the devastation would be even greater. There is NO doubt Wales is economically better off as a result of transfers from London and the S East.
I think there was a US study (of pork barrel gov't spending) that showed gov't spending in an area had a negative effect on private sector jobs.
Woudnt some kind of fiscal autonomy be good for Wales though? Allow them to find their niche and compete?
Interesting point. Carwyn Jones, Welsh First Minister, has made some very lukewarm noises about tax varying powers, stating most people would think varying equals raising. I'm sure he's right. But having power over the other half of the fiscal equation might in my opinion bring home to Welsh politicians how poor Wales is, and try to do something about it, rather than just argue about how to spend the "English donated welfare cheque", so to speak. Mind you if they played silly buggers on raising tax too the English border is only 25 mins from the outskirts of Cardiff so they'd have to be careful folk didn't just go and shop/work/move there.
Mr. Isam, much of the grumpiness was about Scotland's referendum, and the recent stuff seems to be somewhat on the trivial side. Not sure UKIP's the cause.
For another, it is easy to be positive about an individual whilst being negative about the majority. I see this sometimes with respect to my good wife, particularly from older people: "Oh, I never think of her as foreign (/an immigrant). She speaks such good English." Indeed, it can be used as an excuse: because they like one or two individuals, it excuses a dislike of the majority.
As an aside, if the ability to come here to live and work from the EU is severely restricted, as is, I believe, UKIP's position, then he will be denying other people the opportunity to marry the EU foreigner they love.
But my main point remains: a more positive, friendly view of both Europe / immigrants, whilst stating that we want to be apart / limit numbers), would be helpful to UKIP, in my eyes at least.
And yet that opportunity is, on the basis of your argument at least, denied to those who might fall in love with anyone from outside the EU. All that is being suggested by UKIP is that the field should be levelled and that migrants from both inside and outside the EU should be treated the same way. The actual level of migration is then a different question but we will at least be treating everyone equally.
I am dating an Australian girl, and she reckons that even though she has been here 12 years, it is aggro every time she comes back from holiday through immigration. She has paid taxes, has unconditional leave to remain etc etc
Why should she go through all that yet a Bulgarian/French/ etc lady just bowl through?
Mind you last night she introduced me to a Jamaican bloke as "one of those BNP supporters".. could've been messy!
It is a strange state of affairs when Australians are queuing up in the "others" lane at Heathrow.
Mr. Isam, much of the grumpiness was about Scotland's referendum, and the recent stuff seems to be somewhat on the trivial side. Not sure UKIP's the cause.
Same applies really...
If UKIP continue to do well and Yes to Scottish independence looks like winning we will see some desperate stuff from the establishment and their supporters
For another, it is easy to be positive about an individual whilst being negative about the majority. I see this sometimes with respect to my good wife, particularly from older people: "Oh, I never think of her as foreign (/an immigrant). She speaks such good English." Indeed, it can be used as an excuse: because they like one or two individuals, it excuses a dislike of the majority.
As an aside, if the ability to come here to live and work from the EU is severely restricted, as is, I believe, UKIP's position, then he will be denying other people the opportunity to marry the EU foreigner they love.
But my main point remains: a more positive, friendly view of both Europe / immigrants, whilst stating that we want to be apart / limit numbers), would be helpful to UKIP, in my eyes at least.
And yet that opportunity is, on the basis of your argument at least, denied to those who might fall in love with anyone from outside the EU. All that is being suggested by UKIP is that the field should be levelled and that migrants from both inside and outside the EU should be treated the same way. The actual level of migration is then a different question but we will at least be treating everyone equally.
I am dating an Australian girl, and she reckons that even though she has been here 12 years, it is aggro every time she comes back from holiday through immigration. She has paid taxes, has unconditional leave to remain etc etc
Why should she go through all that yet a Bulgarian/French/ etc lady just bowl through?
Mind you last night she introduced me to a Jamaican bloke as "one of those BNP supporters".. could've been messy!
If she has lived here for 12 years and has ILR, why does she not apply for British citizenship?
isam maybe 2 newcomers, the Greens were leading the LDs' in the yougov in the ST yesterday for the Euros, and unlike UKIP they already have an MP, we are certainly a long way from the 1950s when around 90% voted for the Tories and Labour compared to only 65% in 2010
Oh Liverpool. A decent goalkeeper and two good defenders and the league was there for the taking. As it is, we got lucky with many wins after conceding a lot, and the luck has run out in the final three games. Still, I suppose Man City could drop 4-5 points in their final 2 games, right? Oh wait, Aston Villa and West Ham, never mind.
For another, it is easy to be positive about an individual whilst being negative about the majority. I see this sometimes with respect to my good wife, particularly from older people: "Oh, I never think of her as foreign (/an immigrant). She speaks such good English." Indeed, it can be used as an excuse: because they like one or two individuals, it excuses a dislike of the majority.
As an aside, if the ability to come here to live and work from the EU is severely restricted, as is, I believe, UKIP's position, then he will be denying other people the opportunity to marry the EU foreigner they love.
Surely this is a bit of a straw man argument, any sensible immigration policy would include arrangements by which the foreign spouses of British citizens can come and live here.
For another, it is easy to be positive about an individual whilst being negative about the majority. I see this sometimes with respect to my good wife, particularly from older people: "Oh, I never think of her as foreign (/an immigrant). She speaks such good English." Indeed, it can be used as an excuse: because they like one or two individuals, it excuses a dislike of the majority.
As an aside, if the ability to come here to live and work from the EU is severely restricted, as is, I believe, UKIP's position, then he will be denying other people the opportunity to marry the EU foreigner they love.
But my main point remains: a more positive, friendly view of both Europe / immigrants, whilst stating that we want to be apart / limit numbers), would be helpful to UKIP, in my eyes at least.
And yet that opportunity is, on the basis of your argument at least, denied to those who might fall in love with anyone from outside the EU. All that is being suggested by UKIP is that the field should be levelled and that migrants from both inside and outside the EU should be treated the same way. The actual level of migration is then a different question but we will at least be treating everyone equally.
I am dating an Australian girl, and she reckons that even though she has been here 12 years, it is aggro every time she comes back from holiday through immigration. She has paid taxes, has unconditional leave to remain etc etc
Why should she go through all that yet a Bulgarian/French/ etc lady just bowl through?
Mind you last night she introduced me to a Jamaican bloke as "one of those BNP supporters".. could've been messy!
If she has lived here for 12 years and has ILR, why does she not apply for British citizenship?
I know someone who can beat that. 40 years in Australia with ILR, and no application for citizenship, even though they joke that to get Aussie citizenship when they arrived and you were British was about as simple as handing over a tenner.
Oh Liverpool. A decent goalkeeper and two good defenders and the league was there for the taking. As it is, we got lucky with many wins after conceding a lot, and the luck has run out in the final three games. Still, I suppose Man City could drop 4-5 points in their final 2 games, right? Oh wait, Aston Villa and West Ham, never mind.
Rest assured Kle, the Hammers will do their very best to stop Man City walking away with the trophy..... not of course that it will make much difference if Liverpool play the way they did this evening.
Surely this is a bit of a straw man argument, any sensible immigration policy would include arrangements by which the foreign spouses of British citizens can come and live here.
Not the case at the moment. I have an anguished constituent who is desperate to marry his long-standing girlfriend from the Phillippines, but doesn't earn the £22K that he says is needed to make the Home Office satisfied. He sees no prospect of ever getting her over, and is thinking about emigrating to join her. He would be happy to provide years' worth of evidence that the relationship is genuine.
No YG tonight because of the Bank Holiday?
By the way, O/T - what is the law if you park overlapping someone's drive entrance? I did so tonight, after checking that there was plenty of room to get in, and he left a note saying if it ever happened again he'd have the car towed away. I can imagine that he's in his rights to call the police to fine me for parking improperly, but can he acxtually hijack the car? Just academic curiosity, as I don't need to go back there anyway.
For another, it is easy to be positive about an individual whilst being negative about the majority. I see this sometimes with respect to my good wife, particularly from older people: "Oh, I never think of her as foreign (/an immigrant). She speaks such good English." Indeed, it can be used as an excuse: because they like one or two individuals, it excuses a dislike of the majority.
As an aside, if the ability to come here to live and work from the EU is severely restricted, as is, I believe, UKIP's position, then he will be denying other people the opportunity to marry the EU foreigner they love.
Surely this is a bit of a straw man argument, any sensible immigration policy would include arrangements by which the foreign spouses of British citizens can come and live here.
It's not exactly easy in the UK at the moment, if it's from without the EU.
As an aside, Mrs J's mother's coming to visit in June/July, and the process to get a visa for her to enter the country to visit family isn't exactly quick, or particularly easy.
Without a manifesto 12 months out? Hmm. Yet to be convinced. None of them are as far as I can see political operators, excepting Farage, so I don't rate the chances of them pulling a rabbit out of the hat policy-wise. At least the LDs were pretty straightforward left of Labour, and far to the left of New Labour.
Of course this came to bite them in the bum in the coalition but UKIP aren't anything apart from an anti-EU/anti-immigration party.
They are a pressure group albeit one that has tapped into the zeitgeist.
I make 10% too high.
Fair enough; I may well be over-estimating. I agree about the lack of canny political operators: they appear to have no-one on Mandelson's level, for instance, and Farage is only on the level below him. But there aren't many Mandelson's about, thank goodness.
I've blasted UKIP about their 2010 GE manifesto in the past, and will continue to do so. It was a mess entirely of their own doing. But it's unlikely that it will impinge one iota on the average UKIP voter's mind at GE2015. This is not true of the Lib Dems, who will be bashed around the head with the 2010 tuition fee pledge.
As we've been seeing, UKIP's current Achilles heel is it's candidates, and Farage has admitted their vetting isn't good enough. If this can be got into order, without upsetting too many people, then UKIP would be in a much stronger position. And to be frank, they only need to get their vetting up to the standard of the other parties', which is hardly high.
There's everything to play for, on all sides.
The betting would suggest UKIP will get about 9-10%
Surely this is a bit of a straw man argument, any sensible immigration policy would include arrangements by which the foreign spouses of British citizens can come and live here.
A sensible one would. It took my friend years (frankly I dont know how the relationship survived) to finally get the UKBA to allow his wife to join him in the UK.
Mr. Isam, much of the grumpiness was about Scotland's referendum, and the recent stuff seems to be somewhat on the trivial side. Not sure UKIP's the cause.
Same applies really...
If UKIP continue to do well and Yes to Scottish independence looks like winning we will see some desperate stuff from the establishment and their supporters
You are right there Mr. Sam. Indeed, I think the process has already started. How well it will work is another matter, I am already tuning out at least 50% of the "news" and articles about UKIP because so many of them seem to be nothing more than smears and/or silly attacks.
For another, it is easy to be positive about an individual whilst being negative about the majority. I see this sometimes with respect to my good wife, particularly from older people: "Oh, I never think of her as foreign (/an immigrant). She speaks such good English." Indeed, it can be used as an excuse: because they like one or two individuals, it excuses a dislike of the majority.
As an aside, if the ability to come here to live and work from the EU is severely restricted, as is, I believe, UKIP's position, then he will be denying other people the opportunity to marry the EU foreigner they love.
Surely this is a bit of a straw man argument, any sensible immigration policy would include arrangements by which the foreign spouses of British citizens can come and live here.
Well, going back in time that used to be the case, but it was changed. Must have been changed for a reason, I wonder what it was.
Surely this is a bit of a straw man argument, any sensible immigration policy would include arrangements by which the foreign spouses of British citizens can come and live here.
By the way, O/T - what is the law if you park overlapping someone's drive entrance? I did so tonight, after checking that there was plenty of room to get in, and he left a note saying if it ever happened again he'd have the car towed away. I can imagine that he's in his rights to call the police to fine me for parking improperly, but can he actually hijack the car? Just academic curiosity, as I don't need to go back there anyway.
I would have thought taking a car without authorisation would be theft (but I am not a lawyer).
Well, going back in time that used to be the case, but it was changed. Must have been changed for a reason, I wonder what it was.
My friend's experiences pre-date the Tories "tens of thousands" net migration madness. But for years the UKBA seems to have been on a completely different page to the rest of government when it comes to inward investment, tourism, basic human rights. Even our friend Tapestry had serious run ins with them.
A strange case where the less publicity "An Independence.." get the more votes they are likely to earn.
It's a bit odd that they are diluting the very theme that they claim to represent. Equally though it's odd that UKIP may well make an in/out referendum less likely by their success.
The Tories should try to hold a referendum prior to the next GE - obviously though they won't.
And Labour need to worry what sort of victory they might have in 2015 - with a clear majority of the country disagreeing with their view on the main election issue.
This surely then must play into the LDs hands in that it makes the argument for PR clear, and yet they'll perhaps be the biggest losers of all.
Surely this is a bit of a straw man argument, any sensible immigration policy would include arrangements by which the foreign spouses of British citizens can come and live here.
Not the case at the moment. I have an anguished constituent who is desperate to marry his long-standing girlfriend from the Phillippines, but doesn't earn the £22K that he says is needed to make the Home Office satisfied. He sees no prospect of ever getting her over, and is thinking about emigrating to join her. He would be happy to provide years' worth of evidence that the relationship is genuine.
The relationship might be "genuine" but it appears he can't support her. Tough.
Great result by Palace against Liverpool - scraping a 3-3 draw after being 3 down.
Tony Pulis now manager of the season?
He already deserved it, but Liverpool winning after so long would have seen Rodgers pip him. Now that Liverpool have virtually no chance (sigh), Pulis has it sewed up.
For another, it is easy to be positive about an individual whilst being negative about the majority. I see this sometimes with respect to my good wife, particularly from older people: "Oh, I never think of her as foreign (/an immigrant). She speaks such good English." Indeed, it can be used as an excuse: because they like one or two individuals, it excuses a dislike of the majority.
As an aside, if the ability to come here to live and work from the EU is severely restricted, as is, I believe, UKIP's position, then he will be denying other people the opportunity to marry the EU foreigner they love.
Surely this is a bit of a straw man argument, any sensible immigration policy would include arrangements by which the foreign spouses of British citizens can come and live here.
Well, going back in time that used to be the case, but it was changed. Must have been changed for a reason, I wonder what it was.
Surely this is a bit of a straw man argument, any sensible immigration policy would include arrangements by which the foreign spouses of British citizens can come and live here.
Not the case at the moment. I have an anguished constituent who is desperate to marry his long-standing girlfriend from the Phillippines, but doesn't earn the £22K that he says is needed to make the Home Office satisfied. He sees no prospect of ever getting her over, and is thinking about emigrating to join her. He would be happy to provide years' worth of evidence that the relationship is genuine.
No YG tonight because of the Bank Holiday?
By the way, O/T - what is the law if you park overlapping someone's drive entrance? I did so tonight, after checking that there was plenty of room to get in, and he left a note saying if it ever happened again he'd have the car towed away. I can imagine that he's in his rights to call the police to fine me for parking improperly, but can he acxtually hijack the car? Just academic curiosity, as I don't need to go back there anyway.
You can be issued with a fixed penalty notice by the local authority under the Traffic Management Act 2004 or the London Local Authorities and Transport Act 2003. It is also in contravention of the Highway code rule 243. And yes, if a fixed penalty notice is issued the authority also has the right to tow away your vehicle.
Surely this is a bit of a straw man argument, any sensible immigration policy would include arrangements by which the foreign spouses of British citizens can come and live here.
A sensible one would. It took my friend years (frankly I dont know how the relationship survived) to finally get the UKBA to allow his wife to join him in the UK.
In many ways we don't have a sensible immigration policy. For example, ex-soldiers who are Commonwealth citizens do not for some reason get granted citizenship when they have completed their service. And we do not seem to discriminate in favour of those who can support themselves/will not be a drain on the public purse.
Well, going back in time that used to be the case, but it was changed. Must have been changed for a reason, I wonder what it was.
My friend's experiences pre-date the Tories "tens of thousands" net migration madness. But for years the UKBA seems to have been on a completely different page to the rest of government when it comes to inward investment, tourism, basic human rights. Even our friend Tapestry had serious run ins with them.
Mr. Neil, I think you'll find that the change regarding spouses goes back a long way (the seventies) and was changed again under Blair (Dr Palmer might know the detail as he would have voted for it). Why was what used to be an automatic right taken away? I can't recall but it was probably something to do with a perceived widespread abuse of the system. Until we allow immigration officers to have some discretion (which we can't because that might be racist) then the innocent are going to get caught up in the arcane rules that people are trying to apply.
Without a manifesto 12 months out? Hmm. Yet to be convinced. None of them are as far as I can see political operators, excepting Farage, so I don't rate the chances of them pulling a rabbit out of the hat policy-wise. At least the LDs were pretty straightforward left of Labour, and far to the left of New Labour.
Of course this came to bite them in the bum in the coalition but UKIP aren't anything apart from an anti-EU/anti-immigration party.
They are a pressure group albeit one that has tapped into the zeitgeist.
I make 10% too high.
Fair enough; I may well be over-estimating. I agree about the lack of canny political operators: they appear to have no-one on Mandelson's level, for instance, and Farage is only on the level below him. But there aren't many Mandelson's about, thank goodness.
I've blasted UKIP about their 2010 GE manifesto in the past, and will continue to do so. It was a mess entirely of their own doing. But it's unlikely that it will impinge one iota on the average UKIP voter's mind at GE2015. This is not true of the Lib Dems, who will be bashed around the head with the 2010 tuition fee pledge.
As we've been seeing, UKIP's current Achilles heel is it's candidates, and Farage has admitted their vetting isn't good enough. If this can be got into order, without upsetting too many people, then UKIP would be in a much stronger position. And to be frank, they only need to get their vetting up to the standard of the other parties', which is hardly high.
There's everything to play for, on all sides.
The betting would suggest UKIP will get about 9-10%
For another, it is easy to be positive about an individual whilst being negative about the majority. I see this sometimes with respect to my good wife, particularly from older people: "Oh, I never think of her as foreign (/an immigrant). She speaks such good English." Indeed, it can be used as an excuse: because they like one or two individuals, it excuses a dislike of the majority.
As an aside, if the ability to come here to live and work from the EU is severely restricted, as is, I believe, UKIP's position, then he will be denying other people the opportunity to marry the EU foreigner they love.
Surely this is a bit of a straw man argument, any sensible immigration policy would include arrangements by which the foreign spouses of British citizens can come and live here.
It's not exactly easy in the UK at the moment, if it's from without the EU.
As an aside, Mrs J's mother's coming to visit in June/July, and the process to get a visa for her to enter the country to visit family isn't exactly quick, or particularly easy.
The easiest way around the rules is for him to take up residence in another EU country, bring her over and establish either legal marriage there or long term cohabitation. I understand that after three months they can come to the UK as EU residents.
One of my colleagues did this recently, being an Australian citizen, with French boyfriend.
Surely this is a bit of a straw man argument, any sensible immigration policy would include arrangements by which the foreign spouses of British citizens can come and live here.
Not the case at the moment. I have an anguished constituent who is desperate to marry his long-standing girlfriend from the Phillippines, but doesn't earn the £22K that he says is needed to make the Home Office satisfied. He sees no prospect of ever getting her over, and is thinking about emigrating to join her. He would be happy to provide years' worth of evidence that the relationship is genuine.
No YG tonight because of the Bank Holiday?
By the way, O/T - what is the law if you park overlapping someone's drive entrance? I did so tonight, after checking that there was plenty of room to get in, and he left a note saying if it ever happened again he'd have the car towed away. I can imagine that he's in his rights to call the police to fine me for parking improperly, but can he acxtually hijack the car? Just academic curiosity, as I don't need to go back there anyway.
I'm not convinced Pulis is a shoe-in for manager of the year. Fellow managers can't speak highly enough of Rodgers in public, press conferences have been slightly full of it to be honest. Plus the Pulis vote might be split by Poyet, who took a team in even more trouble than Palace to safety too. Betvictor are offering 5/1 on Rodgers, and I reckon that's value.
Tremendous stuff from Mark Selby tonight. An exceptional performance. He has a real Midlands way about him. Reminds me of a lot of blokes around here in terms of his personality.
I've been leaving it up to the wonderful Mrs J to sort out as it is her mother who is visiting, but she had to provide a letter to the British Embassy in Ankara stating why she was coming over.
A decision alone takes up to three weeks, and costs £83.
3. Documents you must provide When you apply you’ll need to provide:
a current passport or other valid travel identification 2 passport-sized colour photographs enough money to support yourself during your trip, eg bank statements or payslips for the last 6 months details of where you plan to stay and your travel plans - you shouldn’t pay for accommodation or travel until you get your visa You’ll need to have a blank page in your passport on which to put the visa.
Family documents You must also provide proof of the family member you’re visiting in the UK, including:
a letter of invitation from them evidence of their financial and employment circumstances, eg bank statements or payslips evidence of their immigration circumstances in the UK showing they’re permanently settled or have asylum humanitarian status in the UK, eg a valid visa or immigration stamp in their passport You must provide the original plus a photocopy of every document you provide.
You must also provide a a certified translation of any documents that aren’t in English or Welsh.
Read the guide for a full list of documents you can provide.
Not exactly simple, quick or easy. And this is just a mother coming over to visit her daughter for a few weeks, ffs.
"EU membership has not given the UK any "insider advantages" in trade with other European countries, a report by social policy think tank Civitas says.
It says trade with fellow EU nations makes up no more of the UK's trade with all top economies now than it did when it first joined the EEC in 1973.
The benefit of collectively negotiated EU free trade deals is also questioned."
The first point (no insider advantage) is standard excuse stage 2.2 ("Much of the evidence is inconclusive") or 3.2 ("Not sufficient information on which to base a valid assessment")
The second point (the benefit is questioned) is standard excuse stage 2.5 ("Some of the main conclusions have been questioned. If they haven't, question them yourself; then they have").
You could make the same points, without looking, at any given text.
I'm not convinced Pulis is a shoe-in for manager of the year. Fellow managers can't speak highly enough of Rodgers in public, press conferences have been slightly full of it to be honest. Plus the Pulis vote might be split by Poyet, who took a team in even more trouble than Palace to safety too. Betvictor are offering 5/1 on Rodgers, and I reckon that's value.
Surely the value is 5/1 Pellegrini? Looks like he is going to win title in first season
I'm not convinced Pulis is a shoe-in for manager of the year. Fellow managers can't speak highly enough of Rodgers in public, press conferences have been slightly full of it to be honest. Plus the Pulis vote might be split by Poyet, who took a team in even more trouble than Palace to safety too. Betvictor are offering 5/1 on Rodgers, and I reckon that's value.
Surely the value is 5/1 Pellegrini? Looks like he is going to win title in first season
True, though he hasn't exceeded expectations that much. Time will tell in any case.
Today is Cinco de Mayo, with traditional cinco de mayo weather, almost 90 degrees.
So like many folk, I went to a nice Mexican restaurant for lunch - a nice place in Dahlonega, one of my favorite towns.
The servers all had their "El Jimador Mex-cellent Cinco de Mayo" t-shirts on, Spanish language network on all the TVs etc.
I ordered from the lunch menu - number 1, La Favorita. It includes 1 burrito, one taco, one chalupa and 1 enchilada, and comes on a big oval dish with lots of guacamole, pico de gallo, salad suff, black beans etc.
I can now prove one of my long held theories - all Mexican food tastes exactly the same: only the way it's folded is different.
On Mondays I usually meet my daughter for a drink and a chat at my local Applebees, and today was no exception. In my defense I can only say their prices on Sam Adams beers are fantastic.
They had the place done out big time - all banners and sombreros, mariachi music etc, and special Cinco de Mayo menu items.
I can now prove one of my long held theories - all Mexican food tastes exactly the same: only the way it's folded is different.!
That is certainly my experience, but, to be fair to Mexico, my experience is based entirely on Mexican restaurants in the US, so maybe the real thing is different.
I learnt long ago a simple rule which works very well when anyone suggests Mexican: Just Say No.
But the leaflet is ugly and Farage's gob on the back of it associates him with this ugliness. It harks back to the worst days of the NF and BNP and as such will alienate many people; those it attracts well, let's just say that they and I would not be comfortable conversational partners.
If I were UKIP I would pretty quickly include a few things about jobs, health, defence, and tone down the anti-foreigner, anti-immigrant rhetoric or the whole thing could backfire. Go the NOTA route fine, sweep up votes there, but looking at this thing sympathy evaporates quickly.
I wonder if UKIP will rue the day that they went hard with the xenophobic stuff. They were doing fine as it was as the party of the anti-EU intellectual case. Such is their zeal to mop up all things vaguely un-Cameron that all sorts of darkness is now getting thrown in the mix. I was scornful at first of the far-Left's diagnostic, but to my horror they might be right. UKIP are starting to look a little strange.
My theory is that the rich bloke who paid for the posters insisted on dictating the content. They don't seem to fit in with the rest Farage's strategy at all.
I can now prove one of my long held theories - all Mexican food tastes exactly the same: only the way it's folded is different.!
That is certainly my experience, but, to be fair to Mexico, my experience is based entirely on Mexican restaurants in the US, so maybe the real thing is different.
I learnt long ago a simple rule which works very well when anyone suggests Mexican: Just Say No.
I've ony been to Mexico a few times, but my impression is that Mexicans don't eat US syle Mexican food, and I assume that the Chinese don't eat US style Chinese food either.
For their sake I hope they don't eat UK style Chinese food either.
I've ony been to Mexico a few times, but my impression is that Mexicans don't eat US syle Mexican food, and I assume that the Chinese don't eat US style Chinese food either.
When I've been in Beijing, I've found a huge difference between restaurants with menus including English (which were pretty much like London Chinese places) and restuarants which didn't (so you had to choose by pointing). The latter were spicy with a capital S.
The easiest way around the rules is for him to take up residence in another EU country, bring her over and establish either legal marriage there or long term cohabitation. I understand that after three months they can come to the UK as EU residents.
I've ony been to Mexico a few times, but my impression is that Mexicans don't eat US syle Mexican food, and I assume that the Chinese don't eat US style Chinese food either.
When I've been in Beijing, I've found a huge difference between restaurants with menus including English (which were pretty much like London Chinese places) and restuarants which didn't (so you had to choose by pointing). The latter were spicy with a capital S.
My favorite chinese here has degrees of spicey 'hotness'. The hottest is REALLY spicey!
I can now prove one of my long held theories - all Mexican food tastes exactly the same: only the way it's folded is different.!
That is certainly my experience, but, to be fair to Mexico, my experience is based entirely on Mexican restaurants in the US, so maybe the real thing is different.
I learnt long ago a simple rule which works very well when anyone suggests Mexican: Just Say No.
I've ony been to Mexico a few times, but my impression is that Mexicans don't eat US syle Mexican food, and I assume that the Chinese don't eat US style Chinese food either.
For their sake I hope they don't eat UK style Chinese food either.
Isn't it more accurately described as Tex-Mex food? I've only been to Texas once, but it seemed to me that it was very much a local cuisine.
Comments
I believe their vote share will sink to 3-5% come GE2015.
I also believe their views (although I have understood them in only the broadest brushes) on Europe and immigrants to have some merit (as articulated by the Kippers on here).
But this leaflet takes them out of the reasoned Kipper debate which the likes of you and @Sam expound and into something much uglier.
It seems I may have got UKIP wrong, believing from your posts, that it was a more balanced, not to say reasoned view.
The leaflets are pretty horrible in the language and tone they use.
For another, it is easy to be positive about an individual whilst being negative about the majority. I see this sometimes with respect to my good wife, particularly from older people: "Oh, I never think of her as foreign (/an immigrant). She speaks such good English." Indeed, it can be used as an excuse: because they like one or two individuals, it excuses a dislike of the majority.
As an aside, if the ability to come here to live and work from the EU is severely restricted, as is, I believe, UKIP's position, then he will be denying other people the opportunity to marry the EU foreigner they love.
But my main point remains: a more positive, friendly view of both Europe / immigrants, whilst stating that we want to be apart / limit numbers), would be helpful to UKIP, in my eyes at least.
I feel you're wildly wrong there. UKIP's vote will be nearer 10% at GE2015 (I'm not willing to say above or below at this stage). They've hit a series of genuine points of concern for many voters, as well are the NOTA vote. Some voters will come for the NOTA vote, and stay when they see UKIP's policies in outline.
Those points of concern are easy to address whilst in opposition (as UKIP are), but harder for the established parties. Labour and the Conservatives because they may actually have to do them, the LD's because it is generally and genuinely against their mindset.
Love them or loathe them, UKIP are a political force, and are here to stay for the foreseeable future. The question is whether they hurt the Conservatives or Labour most in the long term.
Before you left you said you'd politically moved away from the LibDems. IIRC as an illustration you said that the Yellow part of your moniker wasn't relevant longer. Is that still the case?
Not watched much snooker for ages. It might provide some advert-break entertainment during Battlestar Galactica.
During training, the manager told the staff to remember that the customer was always far right.
Woudnt some kind of fiscal autonomy be good for Wales though? Allow them to find their niche and compete?
Of course this came to bite them in the bum in the coalition but UKIP aren't anything apart from an anti-EU/anti-immigration party.
They are a pressure group albeit one that has tapped into the zeitgeist.
I make 10% too high.
He has a great eye for mood and analogy.
Well, I managed it! :-)
I have a small amount of sympathy with the 'levelled playing fields' viewpoint. But I do not want any such levelling to harm Britain, it's industry and business, or its relationships with other countries, or existing citizens. This is why we got into the whole sorry saga a week or so ago of what UKIP think a skilled migrant is.
Why should she go through all that yet a Bulgarian/French/ etc lady just bowl through?
Mind you last night she introduced me to a Jamaican bloke as "one of those BNP supporters".. could've been messy!
It says trade with fellow EU nations makes up no more of the UK's trade with all top economies now than it did when it first joined the EEC in 1973.
The benefit of collectively negotiated EU free trade deals is also questioned."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27284489
I've blasted UKIP about their 2010 GE manifesto in the past, and will continue to do so. It was a mess entirely of their own doing. But it's unlikely that it will impinge one iota on the average UKIP voter's mind at GE2015. This is not true of the Lib Dems, who will be bashed around the head with the 2010 tuition fee pledge.
As we've been seeing, UKIP's current Achilles heel is it's candidates, and Farage has admitted their vetting isn't good enough. If this can be got into order, without upsetting too many people, then UKIP would be in a much stronger position. And to be frank, they only need to get their vetting up to the standard of the other parties', which is hardly high.
There's everything to play for, on all sides.
http://www.oddschecker.com/politics/british-politics/next-uk-general-election/ukip-vote-percentage
It's well-known that copying and pasting large amounts from articles can get the site in trouble. It's helpful to post a summary, but it's not hard to click the link if you want to read the story. Must we argue about that?
If UKIP continue to do well and Yes to Scottish independence looks like winning we will see some desperate stuff from the establishment and their supporters
No YG tonight because of the Bank Holiday?
By the way, O/T - what is the law if you park overlapping someone's drive entrance? I did so tonight, after checking that there was plenty of room to get in, and he left a note saying if it ever happened again he'd have the car towed away. I can imagine that he's in his rights to call the police to fine me for parking improperly, but can he acxtually hijack the car? Just academic curiosity, as I don't need to go back there anyway.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/15/uk-immigration-policy-britons-spouses-trauma
As an aside, Mrs J's mother's coming to visit in June/July, and the process to get a visa for her to enter the country to visit family isn't exactly quick, or particularly easy.
Liverpool left themselves open pushing to many players forward,trying to improve they goal difference,just crazy.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/matt/
It's a bit odd that they are diluting the very theme that they claim to represent. Equally though it's odd that UKIP may well make an in/out referendum less likely by their success.
The Tories should try to hold a referendum prior to the next GE - obviously though they won't.
And Labour need to worry what sort of victory they might have in 2015 - with a clear majority of the country disagreeing with their view on the main election issue.
This surely then must play into the LDs hands in that it makes the argument for PR clear, and yet they'll perhaps be the biggest losers of all.
Odd times.
Nick Sutton ✔ @suttonnick
Tuesday's Daily Star back page - "Exclusive - Spurs want Martinez" #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/ICLYnHS1j9
For the spurs fans ;-)
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/may/05/jobseekers-zero-hours-contracts
This is from the Nottingham City Council website:
http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/article/23149/Enforcing-Dropped-Crossings
But I see they may ban employers claiming exclusivity, which is surely a restraint of trade.
One of my colleagues did this recently, being an Australian citizen, with French boyfriend.
Looking on the 'net (as Mrs J is asleep) it is probably a 'Family Visit Visa'.
https://www.gov.uk/family-visit-visa
A decision alone takes up to three weeks, and costs £83. Not exactly simple, quick or easy. And this is just a mother coming over to visit her daughter for a few weeks, ffs.
The second point (the benefit is questioned) is standard excuse stage 2.5 ("Some of the main conclusions have been questioned. If they haven't, question them yourself; then they have").
You could make the same points, without looking, at any given text.
There's a very funny "Yes, Minister" episode about this: http://www.jonathanlynn.com/tv/yes_minister_series/yes_minister_episode_quotes.htm
So like many folk, I went to a nice Mexican restaurant for lunch - a nice place in Dahlonega, one of my favorite towns.
The servers all had their "El Jimador Mex-cellent Cinco de Mayo" t-shirts on, Spanish language network on all the TVs etc.
I ordered from the lunch menu - number 1, La Favorita. It includes 1 burrito, one taco, one chalupa and 1 enchilada, and comes on a big oval dish with lots of guacamole, pico de gallo, salad suff, black beans etc.
I can now prove one of my long held theories - all Mexican food tastes exactly the same: only the way it's folded is different.
On Mondays I usually meet my daughter for a drink and a chat at my local Applebees, and today was no exception. In my defense I can only say their prices on Sam Adams beers are fantastic.
They had the place done out big time - all banners and sombreros, mariachi music etc, and special Cinco de Mayo menu items.
Unfortunately they were all Asian stir fry items!
I learnt long ago a simple rule which works very well when anyone suggests Mexican: Just Say No.
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/are-we-fair-game-for-harassment-because-we-support-ukip-9302366.html
For their sake I hope they don't eat UK style Chinese food either.