UKIP leader

Very true! We have a three tier system here - county, districts, town/parishes. In itself, that's enormously wasteful. Until recently, it was totally dominated by Conservatives. I don't think there is an active local Labour Party. My town is now run by Independents, who did shake the Conservatives up a bit. You probably need a group to challenge the sitting Labour councillors, but it takes time, energy, contacts, motivation and money.

Exactly daphnedill This is what happens when a political party have no active opponents.

And we have a whole county full of Conservative councillors, who do exactly the same! If you had UKIP, they'd be even worse, because they don't believe in public services.

I'm serious. Be careful what you wish for!

What we have Mair is a whole town full of Labour councillors (bar one who needs to watch his back). They look after themselves first, second and third. They vote each other onto committees as though they are each having a turn. "you vote me onto the airport committee and I will vote you onto the education/nhs/transport/planning/licencing/whatever ".

They are all past it, hasbeens (still living back in the day when coal was king) but heaven forbid an outsider should try and get in. They have no chance.

I did not believe the level of corruption back scratching until I saw it and heard it with my own eyes and ears.

Whitewave My point being: it's not Le Pen who's in trouble it's Fillon ( who they expected to win ) who's up to his neck in trouble.
Many years ago the French wouldn't give a stuff about his corrupt ( allegedly) shinnanigans, but things have changed.

And your point is petra

* Whitewave* Its not looking good for farage , nor his stable mate Le Pen
It's looking very bad for Francois Fillon. The French police are now investigating his children. They are going to show a film tonight showing his wife stating that she never worked for her husband.

I was brought up in an area similar to that, there were a few Tory councilors in the borough and the massive and spiteful Labour group took revenge on the Torytown by spending nothing on it. Everywhere else got swimming pools new libraries but Torytown no.

The problem we have daphnedill (and you may have the same?) is that our Labour council have no opposition whatsoever therefore they are complacent and need do nothing at all yet still get voted in. The only people they look after is themselves.

Interesting that poor Nigel has enemies in the USA establishment that don't want to grant him a visa to work as a journalist

Of course as an ally of Trump he must have many. How could you, a party political activist, not realise that? You must be well aware of the shenanigans that go on.

Who says I'm fooled by FullFacts?

Not I DaphneD!

I was referring to people generally, which I think was clear. You do appear to take everything so personally!

There was also the Nutall story he concocted about being a professional footballer.
Interesting that poor Nigel has enemies in the USA establishment that don't want to grant him a visa to work as a journalist.
It will be interesting to see a/ whether there are actually many UKIP members out campaigning in Stoke - they don't have many across the country.
And secondly whether Farage plays a prominent part in the campaign this time. He seems very busy doing his LBC gig and trying to get some lucrative work around the world. Plus the odd rare, guest appearance in EU parliament.
It's good to see that the EU does crack down on fraudulent MEPs don't we think?

Quite a few in politics and including local politics, do that house ownership bit of deceit, ( in all political parties) not that it makes it right!

Be careful what you wish for, gillybob. I'd be very happy to send you our Conservative County Council and Conservative District Council. I doubt if you'd like them very much.

Who says I'm fooled by FullFacts? In any case, I can check out FullFacts' sources for myself. All FullFacts does is research data for people who don't have the time or can't be bothered to do it for themselves. It doesn't produce purely opinion articles.

Yes, it was reported in the MSM, but Sputnik puts its own spin on the issue. A blatant propaganda outlet doesn't give an unbiassed opinion.

I was just curious, as it's not the first time you've used a communist article, which I found a little strange, given your professed views.

Nuttall has been accused of fraud in relation to his post as an MEP, making false claims on his cv and now we find that on his nomination papers for the byelection, he gave as his home address , the address of a house in Stoke which he has now admitted he has never been in!

I think it is quite possible that he will, in spite of all this proven dishonesty, actually manage to win, which a sad reflection on our times. If he does win, and another candidate makes a challenge, he could be disqualified because he gave a false address. Even if he is actually his address when the election takes place, he would still have committed an election offense.

Personally I would be happy if ANYONE or ANY PARTY challenged our labour council. With 53 of our 54 councillors all labour they are simply looking after each others best interests.

Daphne

If youd care to look that news was also in the MSM.
I like to show links from a variety of sources as all are biased.

Its a mistake to be fooled by adopted names such as Full Facts.

We shall soon see what the people of Stoke want, but I wonder if UKIP is closer to those Labour voters ( and what they want) than what Labour under Corbyn has become?

www.express.co.uk/news/world/723167/Morten-Messerschmidt-MEP-European-Union-EU-Jean-Claude-Juncker-Brussels-funds

EU red-faced as anti-fraud MEP ‘misspends THOUSANDS in Brussels funds for a SECOND time’

Fraud is the EUs middle name WW.

I see Nuttall is also accused of fraud

mair

Farage and enemies?? I would be surprised if he didn't, he invites it. Now he has fraud to add to his list of other unpleasant characteristics

Sputnik News is a Russian propaganda machine. Interesting to read news from a different viewpoint, but awareness that Russia wants the EU to fail is also necessary.

Sputnik is always keen to promote the idea that there is a 'New World Order' - a conspiracy theory Trump supporters also believe.

I'm a bit curious Mair. In an earlier thread, You used a communist propaganda source to support your claim that Poland exported significant amounts of coal to the UK during the miners' strike.

Does much of your information come from Russian/communist media?

But it hasnt been good for the EU either, they are getting increasingly panicky about the impact on them of Brexit.

www.theguardian.com/business/2017/feb/01/eu-brexit-deal-city-leaked-report-european-parliament-article-50

sputniknews.com/europe/201701301050147238-uk-brexit-opinion

Theresa wants an amicable divorce but the zealots in the EU are the hostile ones eager to 'punish' Britain.
Like most dictators they are unpopular and fear the will of the people.