Should we be worried about right-wing populism?

The teaching assistants are being re-employed on a lower wage - this is nothing at all to do with the EU. It's to do with changing the contract of existing employees. I have to admit, after reading a bit about this, that the TAs in Durham are having the same contracts imposed as TAs and other school admin staff in other parts of the country already have.

Whatever the rights and wrongs, this has nothing at all to do with the EU. It has more to do with education budgets being squeezed.

But really this thread is about the spread f a particular nasty authoritarian conservative form of politics.

An example of which and the type of strategy they adopt in scapegoating. The Leave EU campaign retweeted a video that included a representation of a woman who was clothed in an EU flag. She was being raped by a dark skinned man.

Compare this to the Nazi posters of Jews doing just that to a fair skinned woman and you get the point.

I most certainly do not dismiss all concerns about immigration as racist, there is a difference between being concerned about immigration, and the inadequate way in which it is being dealt with, and the campaign whose central objective is to demonise foreigners.
UKIP and its central message of poisonous rhetoric about such people as the Romanians has rendered UKIP toxic for much of the population.

Trumps message with regard to the Muslim population follows the same rhetoric, he is successful so far because he plays on people's fears. In the US case it is terrorism.
This is reiterated in all the right wing propaganda throughout Europe, whether they are a member of the EU or not.

You're wrong, as usual, Petra. It's got nothing to do with cheap EU labour. It's because the Tory government is cutting council money and making them think of how they can save by reducing pay for those who applied for the jobs, some years ago, on an annual contract, not an hourly rate.
If they work part time, they are paid pro-rata anyway.

Most TAs I know, daphne, are not admin staff. They are used as supply teachers, and often have to teach whole classes.
Just because other authorities caved in earlier does not make it right.

Anyway, like you say, nothing to do with the EU. Definitely something to do with right wing ideology, though.

TAs in Essex have been paid for term times only for as long as I can remember (30 years?) The job contract often states that they will be paid over 52 weeks, but it's actually £X for a 32 and a half hour week divided by 52. I'm not saying it's right, but that's how it's been.

Don't get me started on unqualified staff taking whole classes! It's an absolute disgrace and I wish more parents would kick up a fuss. The trouble is that many of them don't know.

TAs are often employed on annual contracts, especially if they are to work with a specific child, and their hours can be changed annually. They are an exploited group of workers.

But - and crucially for this thread - absolutely nothing to do with the EU!!

petra I wonder what would happen to the price of fruit and veg if they were not picked by EU labour at low rates.

But to go back to the thread- yes we really should be very concerned- I fear for our granchildren. It's happening all over- the vote in Austria was so so close.

That must have been worrying for you. I watched the new Sound of Music with my 9 year old granddaughter last December. I had to explain a lot more to her than I ever had to do with my sons. The stage play seemed to be much more scary than the musical.

I meant so so close as in % - I live on the French border totally on the other side of the country.

What's happening to Marine le Pen and her crew?

I realised that, granjura. It just made me wonder how many people might want to get out of Austria if the far right had won, although I imagine most of them would go to Germany.

There were photos of children, Syrian, I think, going through the mountains from Italy to Austria and then Germany. It made me realise how close it was to Switzerland. Do you have refugees going that way?

Marine is on the up too- but not quite as bad as the Austrian chap! Switzerland is a very small country, and yes it is very easy to walk from all sides, including Italy- with or without elephants. Switzerland has 25% foreigners, areas like Geneva over 40%- and yes, there are many asylum seekers centres all around- including one very near me- and it seems they are taking on their fair share.

From the Economist:

The government of the Alpine country had planned to admit about 29,000 asylum-seekers in 2015. Over the summer, as hundreds of thousands of refugees surged through the Balkans into neighbouring Austria and Germany, Switzerland expanded its annual intake of asylum-seekers—to about 30,000. Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, and thus is not part of the mandatory relocation scheme for asylum applicants which most EU members now face.

The country’s mountainous terrain and lack of major rail hubs seem to have kept it off of the major migrant routes. Nevertheless, voters handsomely rewarded right-wing politicians who had campaigned hard on immigration issues. The Swiss People’s Party (SVP), already the biggest in the federal assembly, pushed its share of the popular vote to 29%, surpassing its previous record in 2007.

This is a lot for a country with the population of London....
and yes, right-wing populism is on the rise here too. For all sorts of reasons- the constant demands of expats and the pressure they put on the systems and good quality housing too. It is now practically impossible for 'normal' Swiss to live in Geneva- as flat all go directly to multinational companes based there- without the local even getting a look in.

Can't imagine Cameron taking a leaf out of Switzerland's book in that, granjura. Well done, Switzerland.
He thinks taking 20,000 by 2020 is a big deal. I am ashamed.

You're wrong, as usual, Petra as stated by dj. That is totally out of order and not acceptable

Complain to the mods. Petra was wrong.

Sadly that is acceptable to some people harigran but if you retaliate your reply reported

Ding dong! Is this the start of a Friday night scrap? If so, I think I'll see what's on TV. Anya, you grab any opportunity to have a go at dj, so I don't think you're the right person to complain about what's acceptable or unacceptable.

I don't think we are supposed to talk about other threads, which is a bit weird so I won't.

I will start as if this doesn't exist on another thread.

There is a poster being put out by a group which supports the black vote in the UK. It shows a lady sitting on a see-saw opposite a thug/skinhead. The implication being that she is experiencing racism in this EU debate, but his vote will not count for any more than her vote. There is a worry that the black vote won't turn out.

Now whatever we think about the poster, I think it is yet another example of the way the right wing extremist is Informing so much of this debate. This poster I think is a reaction to this.

harrigran & * daphnidil.* Could you tell me how I was "totally out of order" and that I should be reported. Confused of Leigh on sea.

I don't think it was you who was out of order, petra. Not surprised you're confused though; it took me a while to work it out.

I had read dj's post and thought it out of order too.

Cor blimey!!!!!!! Shhhhhhhh!

Peace and love sisters?❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Maybe say that about peace to the appropriate sister, ww, and leave the rest of us we 'sisters' out of it?

It was to all of you argumentative sisters. You remind me of the baby starlings in the garden at the moment. If they get too near each other they peck and argue???

So people should just put up with rudeness from one person? Objecting to rudeness is not arguing; it's making a valid objection.