Farage is back as UKIP leader

[immense]

Aha! After his attempt at trying to get a commons seat. A failed attempt that is.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...ed-ukip-leader

[MrPinkPanther]

Aha! After his attempt at trying to get a commons seat. A failed attempt that is.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...ed-ukip-leader

EU stopped him, was fixed by immigrants and Labour.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Speaking of failure Jake, remember back last year when UKIP beat Labour in a national election?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11700220

Nigel Farage and now former leader Lord Pearson

Nigel Farage has been re-elected as leader of the UK Independence Party.

Mr Farage, who led UKIP from 2006 to 2009, took just over 60% of votes in a ballot of party members.
He beat fellow MEP David Campbell-Bannerman, economist Tim Congdon and former boxer Winston McKenzie. He will take over from Lord Pearson of Rannoch, who stood down after only nine months in the job. The leader of the party in the European Parliament, Mr Farage was injured in a light aircraft crash on 6 May - the day of the general election. He then failed in his attempt to get elected to Westminster in the seat of the Commons Speaker John Bercow.

All 18,000 members of UKIP had a vote in the postal ballot. The party has long campaigned for the UK to pull out of the European Union, but failed to make its hoped-for breakthrough in May's election. However, its share of the vote did increase by nearly 1% as it polled more than 919,000 votes which led to a hung parliament.

What i'd like to know Jake is, why do people like yourself often go on about how bad the Tories are when they are the exact same? can anybody for that matter name one major policy difference between David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg? at least Nigel Farage and UKIP actually stand for something and don't beat about the bush with broken promises time and time again. Of course none of this will matter, because provided something is red - you'll vote for it.

Well done to Farage and totally agree with what he said at the news conference (see below);

The MEP and former leader beat David Campbell Bannerman, Tim Congdon and Winston McKenzie in the members' ballot. Mr Farage, who received more than 60% of the vote, used his acceptance speech to criticise the Government and call on disillusioned voters to switch to UKIP. He said the Conservatives' policy in Europe could be summed up as: "Surrender, surrender, surrender."

"Patriotic eurosceptic Tories are beginning to realise that under David Cameron and under William Hague, their party has ceased to exist," he said. He mocked the Government for cutting almost every budget while increasing the amount of money spent on the EU. Mr Farage told supporters the political class had "never been more out of touch" and he did not have the "foggiest" idea what Mr Cameron's 'Big Society' policy meant. A former leader of the party, he stepped down to stand for Parliament but failed to unseat Speaker John Bercow.

The eurosceptic politician survived a plane crash on election day, which he described as "nothing short of miraculous". Ex-leader Lord Pearson welcomed Mr Farage's re-election and said: "The UKIP crown returns to it rightful owner." He joked that as leader, he would be best remembered as the "toff who didn't bother to read his own manifesto". When he quit, Lord Pearson said he was "not much good" at party politics.

Nigel Farage - 60.5%
Tim Congdon - 20.2%
David Campbell Bannerman - 14%
Winston McKenzie - 5.3%

[MrPinkPanther]

Speaking of failure Jake, remember back last year when UKIP beat Labour in a national election?

A national election with far lower turn out than the general election that was based on EU Issues? Its got nothing to do with who people prefer as a political party, rather whether they are for and against the EU, just as it has always been. And before you say it, I am for a referendum on membership of the European Union so don't try to bring that up.

What i'd like to know Jake is, why do people like yourself often go on about how bad the Tories are when they are the exact same? can anybody for that matter name one major policy difference between David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg? at least Nigel Farage and UKIP actually stand for something and don't beat about the bush with broken promises time and time again. Of course none of this will matter, because provided something is red - you'll vote for it.

The communists stand for something, doesn't mean they are right.

[-:Undertaker:-]

A national election with far lower turn out than the general election that was based on EU Issues? Its got nothing to do with who people prefer as a political party, rather whether they are for and against the EU, just as it has always been. And before you say it, I am for a referendum on membership of the European Union so don't try to bring that up.

The communists stand for something, doesn't mean they are right.

Because both the political system and the media are an obstacle, not to mention the fact that many people purely vote out of habit - but not to matter, because it is dramatically changing. The biggest voting group (although the polls dont show it) is 'none of the above' and the main political parties are rapidly losing members (I believe the Tories have lost around 40,000 in the past few years and are down to 250,000 members and Labour is even lower). Whether the change comes from UKIP or some other party I really couldn't care less and nor does Farage, but at the present time UKIP is the best party for civil liberties, small government, independence and honesty.

As a Liberal Democrat though, i'm really interested to hear your view on Clegg now being part of a government which is going to possibly raise University fares? Again as time just proves me right time and time again, the Lib/Lab/Con are the exact same.

I also heard Francis Maude the other day was stating that a possible merge/permanent coalition between the Tories and the Lib Dems is on the cards - they'll do anything for power.

[MrPinkPanther]

Because both the political system and the media are an obstacle, not to mention the fact that many people purely vote out of habit - but not to matter, because it is dramatically changing. The biggest voting group (although the polls dont show it) is 'none of the above' and the main political parties are rapidly losing members (I believe the Tories have lost around 40,000 in the past few years and are down to 250,000 members and Labour is even lower). Whether the change comes from UKIP or some other party I really couldn't care less and nor does Farage, but at the present time UKIP is the best party for civil liberties, small government, independence and honesty.

I'd argue that the decline in membership has little to do with moving affiliation to other parties, more that people are either disillusioned or no longer feel the need to join a political party. The fact is that since the 1980's average people have become less and less politically motivated and those who remain politically motivated have moved to the left or the right whilst the 3 main parties have converged to the centre. However obviously support for the two main parties is falling and i think thats a good thing because it's more balanced that way but the fact is together they do still represent the vast majority of views in the UK.

As a Liberal Democrat though, i'm really interested to hear your view on Clegg now being part of a government which is going to possibly raise University fares? Again as time just proves me right time and time again, the Lib/Lab/Con are the exact same.

It doesn't prove anything. Look at any country where coalitions exist between two parties and you'll find that both parties almost always go back on major manifesto ideas, the fact is when in government they almost have to temporarily become one party because if they are seen to argue in public then it will adversely affect faith in government and the stock markets. That said I personally see Tuition Fees as an immovable pledge and it disgusts me that Clegg and Cable have gone back on it and since then I have left the Liberal Democrats and I doing some stuff to help organise the mass student protest in London on the 10th November (which I urge everyone to come to by the way ).

I also heard Francis Maude the other day was stating that a possible merge/permanent coalition between the Tories and the Lib Dems is on the cards - they'll do anything for power.

Admit it, even you know that that is ******** ^^

[clueless]

urgh he's so creepy

[-:Undertaker:-]

I'd argue that the decline in membership has little to do with moving affiliation to other parties, more that people are either disillusioned or no longer feel the need to join a political party. The fact is that since the 1980's average people have become less and less politically motivated and those who remain politically motivated have moved to the left or the right whilst the 3 main parties have converged to the centre. However obviously support for the two main parties is falling and i think thats a good thing because it's more balanced that way but the fact is together they do still represent the vast majority of views in the UK.

So what are these views?

higher taxation?
more EU?
less civil liberties?
costly and morally wrong wars?
lax punishment for criminals?
unlimited mass immigration?
a futile energy policy?

On the other hand you could argue 'well people vote for it' and that is true, in regards to the States which has the same problem between the Democrats and Republicans Jesse Ventura said 'and whos fault is it? its our fault' - until people stop thinking in a timeframe of 3 months then it will continue and it simply serves us right.

It doesn't prove anything. Look at any country where coalitions exist between two parties and you'll find that both parties almost always go back on major manifesto ideas, the fact is when in government they almost have to temporarily become one party because if they are seen to argue in public then it will adversely affect faith in government and the stock markets. That said I personally see Tuition Fees as an immovable pledge and it disgusts me that Clegg and Cable have gone back on it and since then I have left the Liberal Democrats and I doing some stuff to help organise the mass student protest in London on the 10th November (which I urge everyone to come to by the way ).

The coalition is used as an excuse for both parties to put the blame on something for their backstabbing and U-turns, either way (just like Labour in 1997) they are all so corrupt they will say anything to get into power before the election and afterwards the status quo simply continues. I have to say though; good on you for sticking to your principles and if everyone followed that example, we'd have some honest and true politics from all sides in this country.

Admit it, even you know that that is ******** ^^

Honestly, read the Cameron Delusion by Peter Hitchens. Senior Labour figures have actually gone on record as stating that the Conservative Party is a good thing because it prevents a conservative government from actually gaining power. The main three parties will do anything to maintain the status quo and look after their comfy cushy jobs. I stated before that its impossible to think of a major issue where the main parties disagree in practice and its very true. As Farage says 'you can't put a cigarette paper between them'.

I don't admire the likes of Tony Benn for nothing, I disagree with him - but he has principles and he damn well sticks to them.