The unofficial online home of the UK Independence Party
Archive for August, 2009
Planet Lib-Dem
Aug 27th
I’m sorry, what?
But opposition parties disagreed. The Liberal Democrats called the immigration system “shambolic,” saying the true number of new arrivals could be much higher because of “the continuing lack of control over our borders”.
Would this be the same Lib-Dems whose MEPs voted unanimously in favour of EU enlargement in 2004? The same Lib-Dems who want a common European immigration policy that sets Europe’s external borders as the frontier but which allows free movement within? Surely, it can’t be. That would be dishonest, no?
But the Tories play the same game…
Shadow immigration minister Damian Green said: “This puts added pressure on housing and transport, and shows that there is still no proper control over immigration numbers.
Not the same Conservative party whose MEPs voted for enlargement in 2004? Say it ain’t so?
In the whole article, which discusses immigration, of which the EU component is significant, there is not one mention or comment lent to UKIP. Don’t you think just a little bit strange considering how just 3 months ago UKIP secured 2.5m votes, and came 2nd nationally ahead of both Labour and the Lib-Dems, AND did make and have previously made immigration and border control a key election issue? You might think that might justify at least come contribution?
Donna Covey from the Refugee Council said the government had to keep the door open to genuine asylum seekers.
“We must make sure that the focus on strengthening Britain’s borders does not prevent people fleeing for their lives from getting to safety here in the UK,” she said.
Indeed. And in fact this is why UKIP’s immigration policy states that genuine asylum seekers should continue to be allowed in.
The Lib-Dems are right that the British immigration policy is a shambles, but they are entirely hypocritical and dishonest!
RyanAir bung Irish “yes” campaign €500,000.
Aug 27th
The Irish Times are reporting that RyanAir Chief Executive Michael O’Leary has said that “Ireland’s future success depends on being at the heart of Europe and our membership of the euro”.
He has commited €200,000 on newspaper and internet advertising and posters, and €300,000 on “deeply discounted seats”.
O’Leary targetted UKIP in a verbal attack, saying he could think of no better reason to vote Yes than “doing the opposite of that recommended by some of the headbangers” calling for a No vote. He criticised the “ragbag amalgam of the No campaign, led by economic illiterates like Sinn Féin, the UK Independence Party and the Socialist Party”.
Of course being at the heart of Europe has nothing to do with being in an anti-democratic, totalitarian European Union, while international co-operation on business can be achieved via the elected governments of independent countries.
It very much looks like the “no” campaign are going to be heavily out-spent.
Millionaire Commission.
Aug 27th
Open Europe have revealed that each outgoing EU Commissioner will be receiving a €1.1m golden goodbye. The Commission’s Swedish Vice-President Margot Wallstrom will receive around €2.05m.
The payouts fall under “transitional” and “resettlement” allowances, as well as pension payouts for the EU’s most loyal subjects. Open Europe predicts that the 20 officials who are expected to leave their posts this autumn will receive a total of €26m in payouts.
And meanwhile in the real world, ordinary people continue to get laid off and forced to live on a pittance.
Quick Prezza!
Aug 27th
No doubt we can expect John Prescott to launch another #welovetheNHS attack on these people?…
A patient lobby group is demanding an urgent review of basic hospital care after highlighting accounts of “appalling” NHS standards.
The Patients Association highlighted 16 cases in England where people, often the elderly, were left lying in faeces and urine and were not helped to eat.
The group’s president Claire Rayner, an ex-nurse, called for “bad, cruel nurses” to be struck off.
I have just checked my twitter feed and as yet I don’t see anything from Prezza attaching these evil right wing madmen. Let’s give him a few minutes shall we?
What’s Wrong With The Midlands?
Aug 27th
A new study by Orange, the mobile phone people, suggests that the widespread availability of reliable broadband access could change the British landscape.
It seems there is enormous pent up desire among city folk to relocate to idyllic parts of the countryside, and with broadband changing the way we live and work, amking distance and location less relevant than ever, it seems there might be a dash for the hills.
For some reason the report indicates a mass exodus from the Midlands and North England (for reasons I can’t quite see), and a mass migration to the South West, Scotland and London. (The oddly low 5% figure for Wales might have something to to with the toll bridge?!!).
I can’t believe the figures quoted. I suspect far more people like the romantic notion of upping sticks and moving to the hills of Scotland, when asked in a survey, and in reality would not make the effort.
So what does this report tell us? Well, not a lot unless you work in the Midland’s tourist board!
Q2 Donations Published
Aug 26th
Donations to political parties in the 2nd Quarter of 2009 have been published by the Electoral Commission.
This is the key election period detailing donations between April 1st and June 30th, and make for interesting reading…
| Party | Cash | Non Cash | Total | |||
| Amount (£) | No | Amount (£) | No | Amount (£) | No | |
| Conservative Party | 5,486,120 | 301 | 908,553 | 70 | 6,394,673 | 371 |
| Labour Party | 4,131,336 | 287 | 260,296 | 36 | 4,391,632 | 323 |
| Liberal Democrats | 1,087,136 | 183 | 44,943 | 19 | 1,132,079 | 204 |
| United Kingdom Independence Party | 357,906 | 50 | 202,192 | 27 | 560,098 | 77 |
| Green Party | 144,399 | 54 | 3,526 | 4 | 147,925 | 58 |
| Christian Party “Proclaiming Christ’s Lordship” | 141,500 | 6 | 3,000 | 1 | 144,500 | 7 |
Interesting to see UKIP donations at almost exactly 50% of the Liberal Democrat’s donation total. The Conservatives took almost half the total reported donations as can be seen in the chart above.
Of note are the detailed itemised donations, which show personal donations from Stuart Wheeler over and above his £100k made earlier, and also from Lord Stevens of Ludgate (a potential UKIP peer?).
Also of interest is the table showing the amount of taxpayers cash the parties recieve – “short money”…
| Party | Total (£) |
| Conservative Party | 1,609,160 |
| Labour Party | 511,185 |
| Liberal Democrats | 501,260 |
| Scottish National Party | 61,847 |
| Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales | 40,779 |
|
Total |
2,724,23 |
UKIP is notable by its absence. Lacking a presence in Westminster it is denied public funds available to other parties, despite the fact UKIP secured more votes in the 2005 general election – UKIP scored 605,000 votes compared to Plaid Cymru’s 175,000 and the SNP’s 412,000, and yet received not a bean.
Conservatives want to increase EU funding.
Aug 26th
That terrible Labour government, giving our money away to those unelected eurocrats making 75% of our laws in Brussels! At least if we had a Conservative government they would stop the gush of sterling into the hands of the European Union, right?
Wrong. The Telegraph has today revealed that the Tories want to increase funding to the European Union if there is a tinkering with the Common Agricultural Policy. That’s right, more money for the EU to play around with for propaganda and bureaucrats.
Those who contest that the Tories aren’t so keen on the EU should remember that this is not coming from a random backbencher or assorted group of europhile misfits in their party (Cameron’s front bench, ahem), but Mark Francois, the Shadow Europe Minister.
As Labour MP Frank Field puts it: “The Europhiles will need to be on their mettle to defend a record 46% increase in taxpayers’ money going to the EU over a three year period when belts are being tightened all over Britain.”
Thankfully UKIP don’t think it’s a record that can be defended or justified in any manner. While the Tories want to tinker with how the EU takes and spends our money, the far more obvious choice of stopping such payments seems likely to win favour with those ordinary voters who don’t need to worry about being on Jose Barroso’s Christmas card list.
Would Someone Run That Past Me Again?
Aug 25th
I am intrigued by this item on the BBC website, that has also been on the various radio stations, in relation to the fact that those selling violent video games and ‘18 rated’ videos to underage children cannot be prosecuted due to an error by the last Conservative Government.
“Dozens of prosecutions under a 1984 Act have been dropped because the government of the day failed to notify the European Commission about the law.”
Am I being a tad ‘thick’ here or does this mean that Parliament can pass a law – one that is not in any manner in contravention of any EU law – but it is not legally enforceable until we have ‘lodged the papers’ with the EU? In other words, we have to ask permission to pass a law in our own country? Does this have to happen to all our laws?
Someone tell me I am wrong – please?
BBC Cambridgeshire Interview
Aug 25th
Newly elected UKIP MEP David Campbell-Bannerman has been interviewed by BBC Radio Cambridgeshire about the jump in Britain’s EU membership fee by 60% to £6.4bn.
Listen again on the BBC iPlayer here. David is about 30 mins in.
I have to say I thought it was a very good interview. David’s interview style is one of the reasons I thought he would make a good MEP for UKIP, since the ability to communicate information with the electorate is a pretty vital skill! I think he comes across as very reasoned and dispassionate – just what is needed to give his points authority.
Election Watch: A New Feature
Aug 25th
Greetings Independence Home readers. My name is Peter Lucas, and as you might have noticed I’m a new contributer here. What I will be bringing you in my regular articles is information and analysis about UKIP’s electoral performance, not just in European and general elections but also week to week in the many council by elections that occur up and down the country.
The Party’s performance in these elections has seen substantial improvement since this year’s euro elections, most notably with the election of Peter Reeve from Ramsey as both a county and district councillor in Cambridgeshire and of Derek Armstrong to Broseley Town Council both on the 23rd of July.
We are all I’m sure hopeful that this trend of stronger results for UKIP will continue far into the future and the electorate’s anger over the expenses farce will be maintained, right the way to the general election and beyond. In that event, the establishment are in for some real shockers on election night next year!
But in the meantime, let’s have a look at what’s coming up for the party in the nearer future. This week has only one council by election at principle authority level, in Harrogate, which the Party is not contesting.
Next Thursday, the day before our annual conference in Southport kicks off, we have three electoral contests to look forward to. In the Southwick Ward of the new Wiltshire Unitary, UKIP’s Benjamin Parker takes on contenders from the Conservatives and Lib Dems, as well as an independent. This is a conservative seat and one which we didn’t contest when it was last fought, on June 4th this year. We did though score over 20% of the vote in the European Parliament elections in Wiltshire, so that could be some indication that we may make an impact here.
Secondly, Andrew Michael Leigh is contesting the Ham Ward on Plymouth City Council, which is another unitary authority. This is currently a Labour seat. While we didn’t stand here the last two times the seat was fought, we did score an impressive 479 votes in 2006, putting us only just behind the Liberal Democrats, so this may be one to watch for a strong UKIP showing. We also scored 26.19% in the Euros in Plymouth, placing us as the City’s second highest scoring party. The other candidates are for the big three and the BNP as well as one Margaret Storer, an independent.
Last but not least, the Luton and Wayfield ward of Medway Council, yet another unitary authority. Our candidate here, one Robin Johnson, is standing against candidates from the Lib-Lab-Con, plus the Greens, BNP and an independent (Brian Cartwright). We didn’t fight this ward when it was last up in 2007, but an English Democrat did score over 400 votes, and seeing as they are not standing this time around, we may expect some of that to be coming our way. We scored 21.52% in the Euros in Medway, so there is support to be had if our candidate and his team are able to tap into it.
But that’s all from me for now. I’ll be back after next week’s elections to bring you results and analysis. So until then, goodbye and good luck to all our candidates.
If any of you are going to the Conference, do say hello!
By-Elections
Aug 23rd
Conservative Home is carrying the results of recent local by-elections held in the week just gone. It makes for fascinating reading…
Five by-election results this week:
- Stanley, Blackpool (Blackpool South) a Con hold. Con vote was 33% -28, Lab 30% +5, LD 17% +3, BNP 10% from nowhere, UKIP 10% from nowhere.
- Hucknall Central, Ashfield (Sherwood) Lib Dem gain from Ind. Con vote was 22% -9, Lab 27% +6, LD 32% +21, Ind 5% -32, UKIP 13% from nowhere.
- Saxilby, West Lindsey (Gainsborough) a Con gain from Lib Dem. Con vote was 61% +20, LD 34% -20, UKIP 5% no change (the resigning councillor had defected to the Conservatives on the understanding that she resign and fight a by-election as the Conservative candidate).
- Mitcheldean and Drybrook, Forest of Dean (Forest of Dean) a Lib Dem gain from Ind. Con vote was 17% -3, Lab 7% -13, LD 55% +36, Ind 21% -20.
- West Quantock, West Somerset (Bridgwater & West Somerset) our candidate in the by-election was unopposed. Con gain from Ind.
These results show some interesting voting behaviour…
1) The collapse in the Conservative vote by 28% in Blackpool largely seems to have gone to the BNP and UKIP. It seems a local scandal was the main factor, but the fact the votes did not shift to Labour or the Lib-Dems in any great number tells a story.
It is possible that the level of turnout had an impact, or that some voters were mobilised since BNP and UKIP were on the ballot papers where before they stayed at home. I can’t find any figures to look at this possibility.
2) In Hucknall, UKIP taking 13% from nowhere seems fairly significant. I have done quick Google trawl and found any reports that there was any major ’scandal’ or local upset. It seems simply that UKIP stood a candidate and stole votes, pure and simple.
While it is hard to say where the UKIP votes came from, it looks as if they may have come from the Independent candidate, suggesting there is a solid level of antipathy towards the Lib/Lab/Con.
3) In Saxilby it looks pretty simple, with a swing from Lib-Dem to Conservatives caused by a strong personal vote for the candidate. UKIP remaining on 5% shows a simple core support in the ward.
On June 4th in the County elections UKIP averaged 16% in wards where we stood. It looks like this was reinforced by the European election campaign, and has tailed off a bit, which is to be expected, but there is still a good level of real support it seems.
The next real test will be the General Election. I have a feeling UKIP will increase on its 600,000 votes achieved in 2005 and push the 1 million mark. I think breaking the 1m mark would be a major success, though i think solid progress would be a 50% increase to 900,000.
Increasing the number of seats we stand in, increasing the number of deposits saved, and pushing our average vote share in seats we stand in, ought to be our measure of success, and will show our underlying progress which is not necessarily demonstrated in national electoral performance under FPTP.
Irish media told: “50/50 airtime to yes and no camps not necessary”.
Aug 23rd
The eyes of many a eurosceptic will be facing towards Ireland in just a few short months. They are the only country to be given a say on the Lisbon Treaty and the eurocrats in Brussels have decided to spoil them after the silly little Irish people got it wrong the first time and rejected the EU’s latest power-grab, and give them another go.
It has just been revealed by leading “no” campaigner, Irish MEP Joe Higgins, that guidelines issued to the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland have informed them that equal airtime to the “yes” and “no” side was not necessary.
In other words, even though the “no” side won out last time due to people power, the “yes” side this time still has the vast majority of the media and political class on their side, so a heavily biased presentation of the debate is fair-game.
Higgins has described the guidelines as “extremely sinister”. Having watched how the EU operates for several years now, I’d simply describe such action as “thoroughly predictable”.
The “no” side face an uphill struggle once more.
Bargain.
Aug 23rd
The European Union is only going to cost us £6.4 billion in direct payments in 2010/2011. That’s only up by 60%. We only paid the bargain price of £4.1 billion in 2008/2009.
Perhaps we should be thankful to the current Labour government - and likely future Tory government – for handing over large chunks of sovereignty to an unelected European Commission. After all, the EU helps run our country for us at such a cheap rate! And the best bit is we don’t even have to bother with all that silly democracy stuff in voting in Commissioners or approving the self-amending Lisbon Treaty!
One question I would like to pose though: where exactly is this money going to come from in a time of recession?
On a serious note, this is a disgrace. As millions sit unemployed, the government would rather hand over billions to be a member of a European Union club that the majority of British people are against being in.
It’s our job as a party to make people aware of this in the run up to the General Election. Why this disgusting rise in direct EU cost isn’t on the front pages of some of the papers today I don’t know.
ComRes Poll
Aug 23rd
The latest ComRes poll is out and makes for interesting reading.
Con 41%
Lab 24%
Lib 18%
UKIP 5%
Green 4%
Nationalists 3%
BNP 3%
‘Others’ 1%
So a pretty good showing for the Tories considering the NHS ‘row’ and a disaster for Labour for failing to capitalise on ‘their issue’.
UKIP is also hovering around the 5% mark. This is perhaps to be expected following the European elections, though almost 3 months have passed so still a solid showing, and holding its own against the Greens and BNP.
The Lib-Dems are performing disastrously, failing to pick up support as the “anti-Labour/anti-Tory” party. They are stuck under 20%, with ex-Labour votes split between the Conservatives and ‘others’. The Conservative vote share is now almost equal to the Labour and Lib-Dem shares combined!
Quite surprising, and worrying, is that 65% of respondents support the creation of a High pay Commission to curb “excessive” pay and bonuses. This is apparently consistent throughout the social groups and parties!!
Fascinatingly, only 66% those intending to vote Labour support a High Pay Commission, while the least support comes from the SNP. The biggest support comes from BNP voters at 80% and then UKIP voters at 78%!
(I do wonder sometimes why I bother. People truly do deserve the government they get, frankly)
Ths NHS (again)
Aug 23rd
So the whole NHS debate has been raging for a while now. Well, I say debate, but I really mean the incessant whining of Labour politicians and self-righteous unthinking communitarians incapable of understanding the intelligence of Daniel Hannan’s argument.
The hashtag #welovetheNHS has gone pandemic on Twitter, with the theological leaders of the movement being Labour Twits like @JohnPrescott
Prezza points his Tweeple today to a an article by an American which praises the NHS. It is genuinely a thoroughly good article, though as far as I am concerned it is victim to the same fallacy that universal health care is inextricably linked to the NHS model of state provision.
The fact that Hannan is a supporter of universal care seems to have passed these Twits by and they tweet on regardless!
The article, needless to say, is emotional mush which tugs on the heart strings and recounts the experience through rose tinted glasses. No doubt the author’s experience, in the period surrounding the birth of his child and the anxious days that followed during which he no doubt felt helpless and vulnerable, his view is perhaps a little distorted, but nonetheless it is a good story.
However, his article rests on this particular premise…
This, I learned, is what the NHS is about — common decency. It is about the shared belief that all the people who live in the United Kingdom constitute a society, and a decent society provides certain necessities for its members. Freedom from hunger is one. Police protection is another. Free healthcare from the cradle to the grave is simply one more item on this list.
Well nobody has ever suggested universal healthcare ought to be scrapped. All that has been said is that the NHS is imperfect; that the NHS has caused people to die due its socialist dogmatism which denies patients the right to contribute (co-pay) towards the cost of drugs not offered for ‘free’; that the NHS is at the behest of meddling politicians; and that a different system which puts patients in control, and which allows for a market in healthcare where everybody is included, would be better.
Prezza might #welovetheNHS, but I #weloveNHSreform!
Until the public have explained to them the difference between the NHS as provider, and NHS as universal care, then we cannot move on and have a reasoned argument about the best way to improve healthcare in this country.
Labour ‘progressives’ seem remarkably uneasy about reform and change and are behaving incredibly ‘conservative’ in supporting the established order. Maybe this stems from ignorance, or maybe it is simply good old fashioned political opportunism. Either way it highlights the vacuity and spinelessness of politicians in this country who are not prepared to sell their ideas to the voters and instead recoil to safety behind their faith in the NHS which has remained unshaken for decades!
Brown Popularity Soars
Aug 22nd
Gordon Brown’s popularity has soared…….in Libya!!
The Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi has thanked Gordon Brown for the release of convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi.
But still hated at home…
Col Gadaffi said the UK prime minister had “encouraged” the Scottish government to take what he called a “courageous” decision.
The Foreign Office has strongly denied claims his release was linked to any trade deal between Libya and the UK.
The Foreign Office evidently don’t support the decision, or they would have kept quiet I suspect and let Brown bathe in the glory of helping reach a desirable outcome.
They have instead tried to distance the Prime Minister for having had any involvement with the case. Not only does it Highlight the bodged structure of devolution, but makes Brown look even more of a twerp.
