I'm tempted by Nigel Farage !

And cat poo....

Not to mention cow farts...

No wonder the Scottish Nation want Home Rule!

It is the usual stance of the Forage hater to bring colour / race into the fold. It is actually a matter raised more by them than Forage himself. Hence you have the Forage hater who makes it a racist point of view and the UKIP supporter who makes it a racist matter aligning themselves, albeit in opposite camps, through not listening to what he says but having their own prejudices override what is factually being debated.

My understanding of what he says is not about the ethnicity of the immigrant but the value they will bring to the country. I agree totally with that point. That is no different to the Australian Immigration System and that is what he too advocates. Is he wrong when he says that he wants say an Indian engineer but not an open door policy to anybody from the EU of which we don't know of their background, whether that be their skills, their police record, their financial record or their need for housing and welfare.

I will be accused of being a little Englander and a UKIP voter but I am neither. I am a normal person who can see for themselves that we are The Old Woman Who Lived In A Shoe. Our schools are not coping, our housing stock will never be sufficient, our doctors surgeries and hospitals are going into melt down because of the numbers and it is irrational to the point of self destruction to carry on as we are going.

The whole system of immigration is a catch 22. On one hand there are some good points on the other there are some terrible points to be made. The problem is adault debate cannot be undertaken because of the continual shout of racism by some, it will go round and round in a circle until you disappear up your own backside.

This a topic where emotional connections come into play and I fully understand that. I do have family, friends and past work mates that have come from all backgrounds and ethnic origins but I am so glad we are all reasonable people who have at one time or another been able to debate immigration in a way we respect each others point of view and to be honest it has mostly been in favour of the need to curb immigration for the sake of not only the indigenous population but for the future of those who have successfully fully integrated into our country.

Am mystified by notion of Australia as melting pot. None of the bits I've been to, that's for sure. (Perth, NSW and Brisbane airport). NZ multiethnic in a pacific kind of a way. Lots of Chinese etc people in Auckland and almost no-one of African origin.
Yes my son in Australia gets asked by locals "did you come here to get away from the immigrants". No sense of irony. He presumes they mean "blacks".

I am astonished, JessM! You obviously travel to different parts of Australia than I do!

Good post Pogs

My aunt and uncle in Sydney would never have considered themselves racist - but you should have heard what they thought of Native Australians/Aborigines. I get the impression from my cousins that the only reason different ethnic groups get along in Australia is that there's enough space for them to stay apart!

Well there was a White Australia policy until the 70s and Queensland was known for its apartheid-like policies in those days.
The immigration of non-europeans is mainly Asian with a smattering of Pacific and Maori. Grandkids schools have tended to be about 98% white I'd say.

Hi Rosequartz

Yes, Australia is a melting pot - I love that aspect of the country. We came here in 1979 because Thatcher got elected and we knew she would do terrible things. We had a new baby and had his future to think about. It worked out great for him and his brother, born here three years later. They are both university-educated, happy, in stable relationships and with good career paths so I guess we got what we wanted.

Trouble is, we do get homesick, and I read the UK news every day. But we have some very good friends, and have a secure life in retirement, on the Australian government pension. The Queensland climate is a plus, too.

I do worry about problems with Islamists in the UK (as opposed to every day Muslims), and those nasty stories about schools getting infiltrated by these horrible fundamentalist islamists. How much is true, and how much is hype I don't know, but such tales are pure gold to far right wing parties.

My own solution to politics is to stay with mainstream parties, in my case, the Labour party. They will usually have moderate policies, and kick out MPs or candidates who cross the line in any way. Mind you, our current Tory party is getting a bit extreme...time will tell how bad it all gets. There's always the next election. And here, we all have to turn up at a polling station, or do a postal vote, or cop a fine.

NFK, I have only visited Sydney for holidays and spend more time in Queensland.
As for staying apart, one of DD1's best friends is of Aboriginal origin, their previous next door neighbour also, and the teacher DGS loved the most at nursery was also indigenous Australian.

Like all groups in society, some wish to mix and integrate and others prefer not to; it is the same in all countries. That is not to say that there are not problems over there, but that is a digression.

The White Australia Policy finished in, I believe, 1972 - more than 40 years ago, and they always had a policy of taking in refugees who arrived by legitimate routes.

I wasn't making a differentiation on the grounds of colour anyway, just saying there is a huge mix of nationalities from many countries of the world living in Australia.

I do not understand your response to my answer, rose. I am for building new towns and on the greenbelt where necessary. That is where they are going to live.

I'm so glad to hear things are good in Australia and that my Aussie family are exceptions. I find it quite embarrassing the way they talk. I have never been able to tell a person's colour or ethnicity just by looking at them or even their accent, so race discrimination is a bit of a mystery to me. The person inside the skin is what's important.

The life expectancy of aboriginal australians is 20 years less than the rest of the population. Most of them live in remote places and not the sprawling suburbs where the majority of the population live.

Misunderstood your reply, Durhamjen! Apologies.

Nfk, I don't think your family are exceptions; In fact I know they are not! And I don't think Australian policy has got it right at all in that regard, which is causing problems such as you mention. I think if people integrate more then barriers can be broken down.

However, I wasn't necessarily talking about race, more the wide range of nationalities that I have met there.

Getting back to the original subject - Farage is pretty evasive about womens' rights but there are disturbing signs to say the least

www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/10741121/Nick-Clegg-v-Nigel-Farage-Hey-ladies-Nigel-Farages-Ukip-wants-to-turn-the-clock-back-for-womens-rights.-Fact.html

Just love this:

'You Kip' Premier Inn ad featuring Lenny Henry goes viral
A week after a Ukip candidate suggested that Lenny Henry emigrate to a “black...
thedrum.com

Anyone else watch Farage on Question Time?
He really is frightening, despite the grin.

Yes,DJ, I saw it and thought Farage came across as an awful man. A self-opiniated bully and braggart with no repect for others. It was good to see him put down by Dimbleby and that man from the floor who crucified him for playing on people's genuine fears. It's all getting a bit worrying. Wonder if we'll see Farage at the Eurovision thing tonight?

And he's not 50 yet. Bit different to the people in their 40s that I know...
Very scary "old fogey more tory than the tories" act isn't it.

Slightly off subject here I know but I really cannot stand that Dimbleby bloke. He is a rubbish Chairman as it is always blatently obvious whom he sides with and he really can't keep his opinions to himself. The biggest snob I have ever heard . It's a pity because I enjoy the Question time format I just can't bear that man.

I think Nigel Farage is a hoot. I never take him seriously at all.

The trouble is, gilly, that too many people do take him seriously!

I didn't like the gang mentality between David Dimbleby and the others on the panel. Every time NF opened his mouth someone jumped in knowing there would be back up from the others and hoots of laughter from the audience. DD was wrong to say, 'The audience haven't just come to see you' when NF had been talked over yet again.

The man in the audience who insisted NF let him speak before he'd even said anything just made himself look silly.

I'm not a UKIP supporter but ridiculing NF is not going to stop people voting for them.

ok ladies, I like your varied views, the comment regards hitler coming through our back door --did catch my eye, but hitler was german, we have had two tough wars with the germans !
causing us high loses of fathers, sons, brothers; forcing women to take on mens heavy labour, in fields, factories, but also every other job too!

women had always worked in fields, factories, big houses, shops, even running their own businesses!
but not enough men returned home to pick up their previous role of bread provider! plus not all were healthy enough to work!

this is anniversary year again, to remember those that did not return!

so why am I bringing these memories back-- its Germany who runs the euro union, that heads the changes in our laws ,
that demands we pay £15,000000 every day into their coffers , plus monthly payments too!
this is our hard worked for money--but we don't have any say regards its payment to the EU?

this to me smacks of Germany through our back door - laughing all the way to the bank?

how many of you dear ladies would say that just one year of these payments would sort our health service problems?

second year would repair all our roads --3 rd year put our trains on better track, and buses too! all these things affect each and everyone of us, both young and old.

both labour and conservatives have denied us our right to vote!
always it is next year they will give us referendum !

is the only way left to us, to show our disapproval of being treated like idiots, is too change our normal vote ! perhaps go green ?

or like the ladies did to provide us with our vote --lets do so again !

lets make our voices heard, on-line ; by snail mail, by petitioning them ALL !

ladies I leave it in your hands ? lets go back to making our own UK rules!