Lib Dems hold on despite UKIP surge....

[keithisco]

"The Liberal Democrats have won the Eastleigh By Election, with the UK Independence Party pushing the Conservatives into third place"

Hmmm... the In / Out referendum recedes into the distance as the Tories get a "Bloody Nose" in this By Election. I think it will now be down to UKIP somehow winning the next General Election before the UK Electorate get this vote

READ MORE (Curtesy BBC): http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21625726

[Space Commander Travis]

heh, heh, heh, I bet some will see this as a terrible blow for the Europhobes, since they only came second, and it proves that the Empire is really very, very popular.

[itsnotoutthere]

Well done UKIP. Now sit back & watch the anti-UKIP propaganda machine click into overdrive.

[A rather obscure Bassoon]

A big pat on the back to UKIP who are transforming into a party i would vote for.We will see the Haters out in force now to try to destroy them.

[Space Commander Travis]

I think really, the last few Govts. (particularly those of Brown and the CameronCleggCoalition) have done UKIp a big favour, as the argument agaisnt UKIP always used to be (and this was what I used to say) that they're a single-issue party, who don't have any ideas or experience in all the other aspects of Government, about Economics and Defence policy and so on. Well, it's fairly obvious that neither the CameronCleggCoaltion nor Labour do either, so really, it's a completely level playing field now isn't it. It might be beginning to get interesting.

[itsnotoutthere]

I believe the existing three main parties are a cartel or cabal & they simply will not allow UKIP to get a foothold.

& i'm sure they'll use whatever means necessary to stop them.

We are all fed the impression that Labour & Tories are polar opposites but once the shouting has died down they're all drinking in the same bars & doing their dirty little deals. The last thing they want is a new kid on the block shining a light on what goes on.

[Mr Right Wing]

Well done UKIP. Now sit back & watch the anti-UKIP propaganda machine click into overdrive.

Why dont the politicans just give the people what they want?

I'm tired off them not stopping immigration, not getting us out the EU and telling us we've all got a problem if we want those things acted on.

Who made them God?

[stevewinn]

Well done UKIP. Now sit back & watch the anti-UKIP propaganda machine click into overdrive.

I believe the existing three main parties are a cartel or cabal & they simply will not allow UKIP to get a foothold.

& i'm sure they'll use whatever means necessary to stop them.

We are all fed the impression that Labour & Tories are polar opposites but once the shouting has died down they're all drinking in the same bars & doing their dirty little deals. The last thing they want is a new kid on the block shining a light on what goes on.

pretty much sums up my thoughts. its UKIP all the way for me. they have in a very short time become a force to be reckoned with. make no mistake about it, after Eastleigh by election, result its game on.

[media=]

[/media] Edited March 1, 2013 by stevewinn

[keithisco]

I think it is unfair to call UKIP a Single Issue Party. They have, and are continuing to garner, a wide knowledge in many Political spheres from their involvement as MEP´s.

Somewhat Ironic to be honest...

[itsnotoutthere]

dp sorry

Edited March 1, 2013 by itsnotoutthere

[itsnotoutthere]

pretty much sums up my thoughts. its UKIP all the way for me. they have in a very short time become a force to be reckoned with. make no mistake about it, after Eastleigh by election, result its game on.

[media=]

[/media]

Skip over to the comments page of the Guardian Steve, it's absolutely hilarious. The Guardianistas are throwing around words like, xenophobe, racist (obviously), & even nazis with gay abandon, I swear they just cannot separate the words 'immigration' & 'racist' if their lives depended on it, it's now a reflex action for most of them. The sandal & lentil brigade must be sh*tting themselves.

They must think that all Australians are racist too with their strict immigration policy.

Edited March 1, 2013 by itsnotoutthere

[Space Commander Travis]

Do the UKIP have a handy manifesto anywhere? It might be interesting to see what their policies or views are on other issues than the Europe/immigration one.

[itsnotoutthere]

Do the UKIP have a handy manifesto anywhere? It might be interesting to see what their policies or views are on other issues than the Europe/immigration one.

http://www.ukip.org/media/pdf/UKIPmanifesto1304a.pdf

[TheLastLazyGun]

A great result for UKIP. They'll be the happiest of all the parties. Next up for them, I think, is the EUSSR Elections, which they are the favourites to win throughout Britain as a whole (they finished second the last time after the Conservatives).

Here is a stat to ponder:

The anti-EU parties got 53% of the vote in Eastleigh, yet the Europhile Left got in with just 32% of the votes.

Edited March 2, 2013 by TheLastLazyGun

[TheLastLazyGun]

its UKIP all the way for me.

Same for me, too. Farage would make a much better British Prime Minister than Call Me Dave, Red Ed or Old Cleggie.

He's the only one out of the four main party leaders who is actually proud to be British and the only one who will properly stand up for Britain and her interests.

Edited March 2, 2013 by TheLastLazyGun

[stevewinn]

Same for me, too. Farage would make a much better British Prime Minister than Call Me Dave, Red Ed or Old Cleggie.

He's the only one out of the four main party leaders who is actually proud to be British and the only one who will properly stand up for Britain and her interests.

i agree, but troubled waters lay ahead for UKIP - like as been said by others on here, they will be slaughtered in the media as we get closer to the general election. - politics is a dirty business. but for now, lets enjoy the moment as the face of British politics starts to change.

[TheLastLazyGun]

i agree, but troubled waters lay ahead for UKIP - like as been said by others on here, they will be slaughtered in the media as we get closer to the general election. - politics is a dirty business. but for now, lets enjoy the moment as the face of British politics starts to change.

I think the more the media attacks UKIP, wrongly calling them "racists" and "Far Right", the higher the number of British people who will vote for them.

The British people are getting fed up of certain Lefty media attacking those who dare talk about leaving the EU and cutting immigration as "Far Right racists" and such attacks will only increase UKIP's support.

[spud the mackem]

So there must be more Brainless Zombies in Eastliegh than normal people for them to scrape in again,I guess the Normal people came in 2nd.

[TheLastLazyGun]

So there must be more Brainless Zombies in Eastliegh than normal people for them to scrape in again,I guess the Normal people came in 2nd.

The Liberals may have won but the rightwing parties, Tories and UKIP, got 53% of the vote.

I think it is unfair to call UKIP a Single Issue Party. They have, and are continuing to garner, a wide knowledge in many Political spheres from their involvement as MEP´s.

Somewhat Ironic to be honest...

UKIP have many attractive policies besides getting us out of the EU.

For example, unlike the Tories, they want to INCREASE defence spending from the current 2.6% of GDP to around 3.6% of GDP, around an extra 40% spent on defence annually;

they will increase the size of the British Army by at least a quarter from what it was before the current army cuts took place;

they will bring the RAF and RN back to pre-2001 sizes;

they will ensure that the Royal Navy has three new aircraft carriers rather than two and nearly 70 other new ships, at the same time guaranteeing the future of the Plymouth, Portsmouth and Rosyth bases;

they will increase RAF capability by buying more essential helicopters, transport aircraft and 50 extra JSF Lightning aircraft;

they want to keep Britain's nuclear deterrent and ensure that the British State defends the British people at all costs;

they will cut MOD bureaucracy, which has one civil servant for every two military personnel;

they will introduce a ‘National Defence Medal’ respecting the service of all armed forces personnel and not just those who saw combat;

UKIP firmly believes that the British military should not have been involved in the Libyan situation;

they will bring back grammar schools;

they want to completely stop all immigration into Britain completely for five years and ensure that all immigrants can speak English, have minimum education levels and can support themselves financially rather than living off the State;

they want to bring in a points based visa system and time limited work permits;

they will ban cuts in policing;

they will double the number of prison places;

they will scrap the European Arrest Warrant;

they will repeal the Human Rights Act;

they will free police forces from the straitjacket of political correctness;

they will scrap university tuition fees in England which Scottish Labour MPs imposed on university students in England;

they will end the 50% university target for school leavers;

they will roll all State pensions and benefits into a simple, substantial Citizen’s Pension;

they will get schools to start teaching schoolkids basic British values again and to teach them to be proud of Britain. UKIP believes that multiculturalism has spilt British society and that political correctness has stifled free speech;

they will ensure that only British law, and not foreign laws like EU or Sharia, apply in Britain;

they will end the smoking ban in pubs, clubs and hotels;

they will hold a national referendum on whether or not to repeal the ban on foxhunting.

Edited March 3, 2013 by TheLastLazyGun

[Space Commander Travis]

Do they intend to pay for all these things purely out of the amount they calculate they'd save by not being in the EU?

[shadowhive]

Looking at those policies I'd agree. Some are attractive but at the same time there are those that aren't. Examples are completely stopping immigration for five years instead of regulating it better or repealing the human rights act (which would almost certainly lead to abuses), holding a referendum on fox hunting something which has already been settled.And while not allowing non-British laws to apply may sound appealing what about international commiteements and extradition treaties? And getting rid of the MOD bureaucray and then still increasing the defence budget?

The Lib dems got a lot of votes for their promises on scrapping tuition fees and did they put them into place? Nope despite them being a major vote winner.

And let's not forget the kinds of things it's members have said whenever a mic's put in front of them. Who knows how they'll mess up this country in terms of what they see as being 'British'?

I couldn't in good conscience vote for these people no matter what 'attractive' policies they decide to dangle in front of people. If they ever came to power I think the only thing guaranteeed is they'd get us out of the EU but that's really the only thing they care about.

[spud the mackem]

Having read Post #19, I can only think Promises,Promises, but every Gov't since WWII has made promises and never kept them or conveniently forgot them once elected. Winston Churchill was the only guy to keep his word, when he said "We shall Never Surrender".Since then the rest have been pure fantasy.