I'm tempted by Nigel Farage !

Our Labour Party now puts every seat up for nominations: the party members get to vote to choose their candidate. This covers 50% of the result. The other 50% is a cabinet or shadow cabinet vote. So seat-warmers can easily get kicked out. The party is now looking for bright new candidates from a wide range of areas: business people, teachers, engineers - anything but the usual lawyers and union execs.

I hope it works.

Iam64

We're in a marginal, and have had a labour MP for 15 years. He was born and lives locally. His children went to local schools. He works hard for his constituents, seems true to our shared heritage here and seems honest. So, I'll vote for him.

I can fully understand that and it's where my sympathy lies: with those of the political parties that do serve their constituents well but get tarred with the same brush as the political elite. In my humble opinion, what your parliament needs is more of the 'grass roots' MPs at Westminster in the leading roles and fewer of the ones that have been keeping the seats warm for a few decades now.

Most of the real business is done in committee rooms.

Not a UKIP supporter so I hope my opinion counts in answering grannyactivist's question.

I have noticed on the occasions that I have seen the BBC Parliament channel (when searching for cbeebies) that the chamber is often nearly empty.

Presumably the MPs are all busy beavering away in their offices on behalf of their constituents

Party leaders don't normally turn up to do many votes do they? That's what MPs are for. I seem to remember my MP saying a few years ago "we don't often see the PM"
I think i posted higher up the thread about the truly dismal attendance record of some UKIP members (including NF) when compared to all the other MEPs.
I was talking to a friend yesterday who is a tory councillor (don't all drop dead of shock ) We were wondering why on earth someone might waste a vote in a local election on UKIP as they have no policies that are related to local issues.
I agree Ed M is great if you are in the same room but lacks impact on TV.
I was at a 50th birthday yesterday and reminded a few guests that they were older than NF

Iam64 I can answer this: " I wonder how many people would tick the 'none of the above' box, if it existed.?"

Here in Oz people have to turn up to vote, so if they want 'none of the above' they put in a blank ballot sheet or write something rude on it, or write Mickey Mouse etc. The percentage of these 'informal' votes is usually between 2 and 3 percent. It was 9 percent in a nearby (State) electorate, which had always been Labour. Labour had done the unspeakable; they'd sold some assets including rail freight, and a large railway workshop was in the electorate. Many could not bring them selves to vote Tory but were furious with Labour. In fact, a Tory won, and would have won even if the 9 percent had been Labour votes. There was a landslide against Labour, the Tories took over the State, and commenced an asset sales frenzy.

I guess the moral to the story is don't do a revenge vote - it might back fire on you.

PS The new rail freight owners, after promising no job losses apart from natural attrition, are closing that depot soon, with a loss of 450 local jobs.

Interesting HollyDaze. I have voted Labour for much of my life. I share the general disenchantment most people are expressing about all the major parties. I can enjoy Nigel Farrage as a bit of light entertainment. However, as Oscar Wilde may have (almost) said, "to have one misogynist, homophobic, racist party member is unfortunate. To have so many is careless. "

I heard Ed Milliband speak during the leadership competition. In a small hall, he was mesmerising, charismatic and persuasive. I see him on tv and I'm ashamed and embarrassed to say, I see Mr Bean. I have no time for Nick Clegg, and I'm not honestly sure who David Cameron in. We're in a marginal, and have had a labour MP for 15 years. He was born and lives locally. His children went to local schools. He works hard for his constituents, seems true to our shared heritage here and seems honest. So, I'll vote for him. I have an old fashioned commitment to voting. I wonder how many people would tick the 'none of the above' box, if it existed.

grannyactivist - I'm not a UKIP supporter (as I don't live in the UK) but to be fair, many MPs and MEPs don't turn up to vote (David Cameron and others failed to turn up for a vote on HS2 at the end of April news.sky.com/story/1251228/hs2-govt-wins-vote-but-cameron-a-no-show ). There's been a fair bit in the news about MPs turn up, sign in and then clear off again so, to all intents and purposes, they will show up as being present.

From what I have read, UKIP have stated that they won't attend meetings in Brussels on subjects they know they cant' win. Whether that is right or wrong will depend on what was being discussed I suppose.

When Nick Clegg laid this accusation at Farage, Farage responded with:

' “Nick Clegg has some cheek raising attendance and voting records. Although Nick Clegg himself though he lives in London, between 2010 and 2014 he has voted in Westminster only 22.6 per cent of the time.

“By contrast, I live eight hours away from Strasbourg, lead a national party and have voted 55 per cent of the time in the European Parliament.

“Furthermore, from 2005 to 2010 Nick Clegg's voting record in Westminster was only 42.5 per cent and for much of that period he was not leader of the Lib Dems. Can you please explain the criticism, Mr Clegg?” '

(quote taken from www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nick-clegg-and-nigel-farage-to-clash-in-headtohead-tv-and-radio-debates-9170111.html )

Can I ask a question of UKIP supporters please? As UKIP MEP's have, by their own admission, a dreadful attendance, research and voting record at the European Parliament how will a vote for them effect change? Have they pledged to do the job they hope to be voted to do or will they, as now, simply continue to take the money? (If it's the latter then I could do that job! )

building on the green belt etc? All important issues

I would strongly oppose building on green belt land. The population needs to be restricted to what it can comfortably house with a reasonable expectation of standards of life. Once green belt has gone, it has gone - does building continue until there are no green belts left?

With regard to who was/is responsible for the widening gap between the rich and poor in Britain, this link gives a good pointer: news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8481534.stm

Plenty of other links to choose from though.

The full report (deemed as damning of both the Blair and Brown Governments can be found here for those who are bored enough to read it news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/27_01_10_inequalityfull..pdf )

It isn't simply a case of voting Labour if you want equality - if that was the case, after 13 years in government, wouldn't Britain have experienced a redistribution of wealth and experienced fewer numbers of people in poverty?

The report states clearly that policies from government (any of them) will dramatically affect people's lives but governments seem to shy away from any measures that sends the lives of ordinary citizens on an upward trend. One has to ask 'why'.

Joan, I think some of the dirty tricks politicians played on each other put a lot of people off voting Labour back in in Australia. Julia -v- Kevin and vice versa! Just get on with the job was what I heard when I was over there! And virgin Tasmanian forest has been chopped down for a long time, pre-Abottt, unfortunately. I remember being astonished years ago that Australia could be so short-sighted as to vandalise their ancient forests. I am scandalised that he is encouraging it even more - this is a World Heritage Site!

Sorry, have hi-jacked the thread somewhat.

Back to NF - what is his policy on World Heritage Sites and AONB, building on the green belt etc? All important issues.

Oh yes - the September 2013 federal election was won by the shamelessly right-wing biased Murdoch press, and massive business donations. It grieves me that people are so easily led to vote against their own interests. I can certainly understand the rich, big investors, and big business people voting Tory, but ordinary working people? Why? Because of misleading media coverage of course, and a massive advertising budget.

Tony Abbot turning out to be as gruesome as well... might have been predicted, then. That is a great pity. I heard he was wanting to sell of virgin forest in Tasmania and that even the forestry industry were cross with him as they had an agreement with conservationists etc that gave them a stable business environment.
Australia to me seems a two tier society with lots of very well off people who send their kids to private secondary schools and have private health care - and a whole lot of others that are struggling with the high prices and education that is not well funded. Not the egalitarian scene that many would have us believe and evidently headed to be even less so.
That is the big point isn't it Eleothan - the rich have got a great deal richer in this country and have an interest in deflecting the attention of the public off onto someone else to blame (immigrants, old, young, claimants etc). And who controls the media... let me think about that for a moment...

I think TTIP is like the TPP here in Australia - Trans Pacific Partnerships which would allow companies to sue the government. I've signed lots of online petitions to prevent them getting their claws into our political freedoms.

More and more we are effectively being governed by huge corporations rather than our elected governments. Parties like UKIP may well tap into these fears. Well, they should if they want success. But they are dangerous, not because of any racism, but because they are very right wing.

We have a Tory government here, called the Liberal National Coalition: they have veered to the far right and it is quite terrifying. They are wielding a virtual wrecking ball against anything that makes life worth while - our national health care which is free like the NHS - but no longer after Tuesday's budget. They are upping the retirement age to 70 for men and women.They are selling every asset they can get their hands on, so the profit motive will ensure all services cost more. They are messing with public education funding. They are increasing taxes, including petrol tax. They are breaking the promises that got them elected. And their treatment of refugees is utterly appalling and makes me ashamed to be Australian. The latest atrocity is planning to send would be refugees to Australia to Cambodia of all places. As if sending them to violent and dangerous and poverty/corruption riddled PNG wasn't bad enough. They are letting industry threaten the Great Barrier Reef through pollution....the list goes on.

So my feeling is avoid the far right and the far left. Make moderation the goal. And I don't think UKIP fits that bill.

As for me - I joined the Australian Labour Party to get my views across to the leadership. At least I get to vote in plebiscites to choose our MP candidates.

Oh yes - one last thing: the State LNP (Tory) government sent out a questionaire to the voters as to whether they preferred asset sales to new taxes. To their horror, more people chose taxes. Now they are back-pedalling saying the questionaire was just a guide to their thinking and not binding.

Ha!

It's not really about skin colour is it. But skin colour certainly makes for a much more easily identifiable target. Having features or dress that differ from the mainstream population also serves that purpose. Then there are accents (as in the response by some people to an Irish accent some years ago) - but that necessitates actually hearing someone speak so "drive-by racism" isn't so easy.

My view is that in order to divert attention away from the very small group of people who live on the efforts of the rest of the population, it is necessary to have an "out group" that everyone can be encouraged to blame for whatever goes wrong in a country.

If more people were aware of the TTIP and its implications - which jendurham talks about - I suspect the subject of immigration would pale into insignificance.

I have missed lots of news, either tv or newspapers recently (family staying and it has all by-passed me).
I am beginning to think it makes no difference what I think or vote, and I'm not sure what I think any more anyway.
Oh dear, it is my duty to vote! Still

So far the Welsh election addresses have been entertaining. Bear in mind they have to squash 2 languages on them.
The Welsh Conservatives get the prize for weasel words about what a wonderful government they are.
The libdem leaflet was a totally incomprehensible mess and , well has nobody told Plaid Cymru that the slogan "Wales First" makes them sound like an unashamedly fascist party?
rosequartz apparently newspapers ran the story about racial mix by 2050 - their emphasis on colour is notable.
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2620957/Ethnic-minorities-make-one-population-2050-Britains-melting-pot-continues-grow.html

(there isn't one for surprise) oh HIM!

Interesting about the treaty durhamjen I had not heard about this.
Grant Shapps - where did they find him??? He went toWatford Grammar School btw. Wiki is fount of so much info. Known for very nearly getting prosecuted for running a get rich quick US style company in which he gave people advice (I think it was about how you could make a fortune via internet optimisation) while using the name Michael Green.

Years ago I remember dressing up DD2 as 'Miss Floating Voter' for which she won a prize in a fancy dress competition.

rose

We have had literature from UKIP (binned which annoyed DH because he said at least he would have liked to read it before I binned it) and the Lib dems which I think DH has binned before I read it.

That made me smile - between you, you've binned two of the leading parties lol

It must be hard to choose when you feel disinclined to be fully in favour of any of them and they have all failed to grab your interest. I don't envy you one bit with that.

Not sure that Grant Schapps went to public school, Holly? No doubt someone will soon provide any information, adverse or otherwise, about him!

Chuka definitely has a very superior attitude but perhaps that is because he is always right. All of the time. And knows what is best for everyone else as well. As well as being goodlooking. Too perfect to be true really.

Let's face it, they are politicians and as such appear to be a different breed from most of us.

Anyway, I digress.
Here in Wales we have 11 parties to choose from in the forthcoming election. I have not heard of a single one of the candidates and so far no-one has knocked on the door. We have had literature from UKIP (binned which annoyed DH because he said at least he would have liked to read it before I binned it) and the Lib dems which I think DH has binned before I read it.

and not tempted by anyone yet.

rose - the more I see of Shirley Williams on QT the more I tend to like her. I wasn't interested in politics way back when so I know next to nothing about her but she does seem very reasoned.

I agree about Chuka Umunna - he seems a bit smarmy to me, like the class knowall who has to explain the basics to the dunderheads. Grant Chaps also tends to look a bit smug - do they learn that at private school do you think

I have no objection to jcdoh referring to women as ladies, he seems to be an older 'gentleman' and would think this is the polite thing to say. However, from a younger bloke like Marco Pierre White in the stock cube advert - GRRR!

Shirley Williams is always so earnest, but perhaps that is not a bad trait.
I am not at all keen on Chuka Umunna, he comes across as someone who is extremely overweening.