In the media spotlight
Monday, February 1, 2010 Well, you're probably all now aware of the government's latest tobacco control strategy paper which includes a raft of proposals including plain packaging, plans to extend the smoking ban to doorways etc etc etc.
The only "good" thing to emerge from the announcement is Health Secretary Andy Burnham's preference for smokefree homes and cars without regulation. The problem is, who can believe that a Labour government would stick to this voluntary code? After all, the party promised it would only introduce a partial ban on smoking in enclosed public places. There was no mention, in its 2005 election manifesto, of the comprehensive ban we are now subjected to.
I've been pretty busy today responding to the government's announcement. Last night's GMTV interview popped up (as a soundbite) on the GMTV news bulletins this morning. This morning I did back-to-back interviews on the Today programme (with John Humphreys) and Five Live Breakfast (with Nicky Campbell).
Between eight and nine I was also interviewed by BBC Radio Leeds, Three Counties Radio and Radio Wales.
I later gave interviews to Sky News Radio, SunTalk Radio and ITV Lunchtime News and in a few minutes I am being interviewed by Al Jazeera. NBC want to speak to me too.
This afternoon, from 4.00-6.00pm, I will be holed up in a small BBC studio in London conducting a series of live and recorded interviews for various local radio stations. Full list:
1600 Coventry and Warwick
1608 Humberside
1615 Tees
1622 Northampton
1630 Stoke
1638 Newcastle
1645 Oxford
1652 Three Counties Luton
1708 Lancashire
1715 Cambridge
1722 Sussex
1730 Devon
1738 Surrey
1745 Essex
1752 Shropshire
1810 London
Forest has also been widely quoted in today's media. Here are some examples:
Government targets cigarette packaging (Independent/Press Association)
Smoking ban could be extended to cover office doorways (Daily Telegraph)
Ministers aim to halve number of people smoking by 2020 (BBC News)
No smokebling in house or car (The Sun)
Update: the Al Jazeera interview will be broadcast at 3.00pm if you're interested!
Reader Comments (57)
I completely despair of this intolerant nonsense.How can anyone not see that this is simple persecution of a minority group that is being culturally cleansed?
I have a feeling this crazy political party will not be in power long enough to pass these silly laws, and if they do i hope pubs and club owners "who is already seeing their busnesses destroyed by stupid laws" and with the help of their customers and the like minded people of this once free and liberal country stand up to this tyrant and make their voices heard "THAT WE WILL NO LONGER PUT UP WITH DICTATORSHIP".
It is sickening that smokers are being persecuted in this way by this ghastly government.
Next it will be even more comprehensive discrimination
against smokers in society.
They will try to ban it a home ,but to do that they will have to make it an illegal drug.
Can you just imagine coppers breaking down the doors of peoples homes at 3 o'clock in the morning because some vindictive neighbour complains ?
I agree I don't trust anything this criminal government says it is just LIE LIE LIE with them.
It has gone too far .
These Tin Hitlers need to be stopped .
How do we stop this viscious spitefull assualt on millions of us.
The minute someone stands up to them they get slapped down with the full force of the law i.e. Hamish Howitt and others,using the law in a way to persecute a minority is just plain EVIL.
Like Labour ,the most divisive, Evil incompetent government this nation has ever endured.
I would have said that the only thing left to do is get out of this hell-hole we once knew as Great Britain, but on Friday, yet another bomb-blast from this bunch of crooks, we call a government, hit me.
My wife has several private pensions, and one, which she took out with her last firm, is now due for "payment". It is only £10,000, but we thought that would be nice, we could do with a few little extras here and there.
But, then she was told by her financial advisor, that she could not her money at all, or at least 75% of it. All she can have, they said, is 25%, plus £33 per month for the rest of her life after that. But it is her money we insisted. Yes, they said, but the government brought this law in a short while ago and there is nothing you can do about it.
Needless to say we were not very happy with this, and so she sought another opinion on it, only to be told by the second person, that she couldn't even have the 25% now, as it is a different type of policy, so all she can have, after paying in for 15 years, and her last firm contributing as well, is the £33 per month until she dies, which lets face it, could be any time. It could be 20 years time or it could be next month, no one knows these things do they?
One thing is for sure, and that is she will never collect the full amount she has paid in, and as usual this excuse for a government has stuck their greedy little beaks into our nest-eggs, just like they do with our freedoms and our taxes and everything else, and changed the law to suit themselves.
Not only will we soon, not be able to smoke at all in this country, but we won't even be able to afford to go abroad to smoke. They have stolen our freedom, and our savings to go with it.
It looks to me that the Labour party is showing how desperate they are for votes by pandering to the little hitlers, the antis and the law and order brigade of the country.
They must have realised by now that they havent a hope in hell getting elected next May after fucking up the economy not to mention people's civil liberties.
They're just hoping that their cronyism policy of jobs for the boys, and the thousands of buddy's that they planted in their quangos, councils, big pharmas, Ash etc over the past ten years, will pay off now and swing the election in their favour.
Fat chance in my opinion, they're flogging a dead horse.
But that isnt to say we should rest on our laurels and let them away with it.
Now is the time to fight them at every turn, in case the bastards put through legislation before they're kicked out.
Or just in case there's a deal going down between themselves and the Tory's to put this legislation through to make it easier for the new regime.
Or am I being paranoid?
Perhaps not, I wouldnt trust any of them.
Specky - can you imagine that when tobacco becomes illegal - as it will if any of the three parties get in power - and you get "busted" by police. Will they have to phone you up to esnure that you haven't smoked in your own home for a couple of hours first to ensure that their health is not put at risk - as officials from health, the fire service, and social service currently expect?
Yea they always get the monkeys in little toy uniforms to do the dirty work for them.
For your pain or pleasure in the US where anti smoking is even better funded and longer in gestation, smoking rates are stuck at 20% nationwide so I do not think that this will have an effect.
Also the government seems to of waved the white flag NRT. In the FT report below the NHS usually give you 3 months of NRT and then stop. But it appears they have recognised the habit forming nature and will let you have it indefinitely.
Also have you guys seen over at Chris Snowdon's blog ASH's 2008 accounts?
"Supporting charities: £436,295
Department of Health: £142,000
ASH International: £104,119
-----
£682,414 (plus others = total income of £743,000)
The supporting charities include the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research who receive vast funds from NRT pharmaceutical companies. ASH International is the American arm funded by Pfizer.
Did you also know that ASH own shares or have owned shares in GlaxoSmithKline another NRT manufacturer. Clive Bates who preceded Deborah Arnott wrote to the Chairman and said: "ASH has a small shareholding in GSK and I will be attending with others to question you and the
Chairman on this situation." He also wrote in the letter: "ASH has worked closely with both Glaxo and SmithKline Beecham staff and always welcomed the active collaboration....ASH was instrumental in securing greater government commitment to smoking cessation products in the NHS National Plan and we have helped with PR for both Zyban and Niquitin CQ. Our involvement with GSK staff has, I believe, been mutually beneficial..."
FT article and ASH's hand in hand cooperation with the big pharmaceuticals needs closer examination.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e0e14f3a-0e6f-11df-bd79-00144feabdc0.html
http://velvetgloveironfist.blogspot.com/2010/01/ash-accounts-200809.html
http://old.ash.org.uk/html/conduct/pdfs/garnier.pdf
I don't whether you have made an impression on any of the local radio stations Simon...but you're certainly heavily quoted on the ASH site.
http://www.ash.org.uk/ash_t7a2u789.htm
Peter, that is an absolute disgrace what happened to your wife's pension and I've heard that thousands of people are in a similar position over the past year.
Your wife should go to the Ombudsman to see if he could salvage something for her.
But from what I hear she will have to take her place on a very long queue.
What with Big Brother scrutinising our bank accounts and spending habits I hear that people are reverting to under the mattress.
Ann, talking of Big Brother scrutinising bank accounts, etc, my m-on-l went to the council to pay for the Garden Waste bin they said she could have from April. Unfortunately they will only accept payment by direct debit which is something she has never, ever used before and has no intention of starting now - she is in her 80's! Anyway, why the hell should she!
As far as this government and it's anti smoking policy goes, I can see me being driven to drink and I have not been a drinker since my teenage years - am now in my 50's!
So, they think they can stop us smoking? I can see smokers turning to drink, drinkers turning to smoking and the obese probably turning to both! Hope in some ways that is what does happen and that this government and any other nanby pamby government that follows it get well and truly kicked in the balls!
"The only freedom which deserves the name is that of pursuing our own good, in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it."
JS Mill
a quote I feel the government should pay heed to.
totally sick to the back teeth of being told what i can/cant do, where/when i can do it and dishing my money out to fund their idiotic ideas.
Amanda
Mr Burnham commented that"His review, which will begin in July to coincide with the third anniversary of the ban in England, will consider spaces outside buildings.
Methinks Mr Burnham will be out of work by then
Oh Carl ... one can only hope ... and pray :(
Pat, And they`ll all be wondering what they did wrong!! :)
Unfortunately because we are nearing the dying gasps of this NAZI policy loving Government, these proposals will be rushed through Parliament with all speed, leaving us a legacy that will have to be endured for eternity. Direct action is the only way forward now, we must start ignoring these stupid laws like other European countries have done, before it's too late!
I think Labour have just about upset everyone they possibly can.
Problem is they will survive to some degree from the jobsworth and benefits vote.
Want to see what a years of non smoking does to your looks:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-513072/Whos-pretty-boy-Labour-minister-Andy-Burnham-glams-Question-Time.html
Scary Thunderbird lookylikey
If my memory serves me correctly, before Christmas I put a post on the Taking Liberties site stating that extensions/further measures would be implemented after the New Year. Therefore, I find all this unsurprising. The smoke-free zealots see all this as a 'great success' for this government, and it takes people's minds off the economy being in deep sh*t and the rising levels of unemployment. Specky made a point above about the 'jobsworths and benefit vote'. Forgive me for being boring and repetitive, but this coming election will be a lot harder to fight due to the huge volumes of immigrants who have been deliberately imported to vote for this government (social engineering etc.). The workshy have been pandered to, too, by receipt of various benefits and handouts.
Also, the final scenes from the German film, Untergang, spring to mind. History appears to be repeating itself. When word got round that the Führer had taken his own life, loads of guards, staff etc. emerged and started to smoke. There are many parallels today between the final stages of the Third Reich and the last stages of this Government, gasping for breath. I sincerely pray and hope that this shower of despots, bullies and hypocrites are voted out and then kicked - after all, we have been kicked psychologically and revenge would be sweet to subject the bullies to a taste of their own medicine. The Burnham chap is now one of the top folks on my little list - well, it was a little list, but it is now growing.
Jenny has a good point, this whole smoking thing is big enough to divert attention away from, in government's view, undesirable topics they definitely do not want people talking and speculating about!
Usual underhand tactics of those who know they have messed up, big time!
Cowardly bunch of low lifes - to put it politely.
Angry is not the word; I think emigration might be. But thank you so much, Simon, for your unceasing work on our behalf. Hugely appreciated!
The alarm went off this morning and the radio kicked in. Sorry Simon, I turned it off and the one in the car, it is very hard to drive in a rage.
Jenny said - "Also, the final scenes from the German film, Untergang, spring to mind. History appears to be repeating itself. When word got round that the Führer had taken his own life, loads of guards, staff etc. emerged and started to smoke".
I wonder how many others thought the same Jenny, I for one did. After hearing it again in the car, before turning the radio off, my head was screaming, put stripes and a fu**ing star on the packet.
How the hell do packets look attractive nowadays, what a bunch of tossers.
The nasty pictures did not work did they?
I no longer give to the 2 political charities, cruk or heart foundation.
I will NOT be voting for any of the 3 parties, they are one of the same, but I will be voting.
Thank you for letting us all vent our anger!
Tobacco today, alcohol tomorrow - if these fascist stay in power - Ye Gods forbid!
Funny how tobacco and booze outrank (in no particular order):
Gestapo police tactics, Gay marriage and adoption, corrupt politicians, irresponsible banks, Councils using terrorist laws against tax payers, illegal wars, funding of anti British organisations on our own soil, etc., etc., etc.......
hklovejoy
Good comment 'Simon, for your unceasing work on our behalf. Hugely appreciated!'
Yes it is...sadly Simon has no support from high profile smokers, he is out there carrying the flag for all of us in the media...a pity that many others that could do more are simply keeping their heads down.
I've just listened to the Humphreys' 'interview'. Why on earth did they waste Simon's time? I'm so sick of the media choosing to ignore the wider principle at stake.
I agree with the comment about high-profile smokers. There are a few honourable exceptions such as Lynn Barber, Joni Mitchell (who conspicuously smoked throught an interview on the Andrew Marr Show) and, of course, David Hockney
Jenny - I agree that they will rush these so called "proposals" through. Most of these NuLab MPs have a personal grievance against smoking and smokers and as we know, they have served their own self interests first and foremost in the last 13 years. Of course they will rush them through to be sure this rubbish becomes law before they leave. The final act of spite against an innocent minority which doesn't want to hurt anyone but just wants to be left alone.
The Tories will not amend any of it if it's passed before May and certainly the IlLiberals won't either. These two cowardly and useless parties have stood back and watched as NuLabour turned Britain into a dictatorship, many of them have also become personally rich by sitting back and doing nothing. They don't deserve the vote in May.
Hey -
Judging from some of the comments on this thread alone, people really ARE starting to catch on !
And as to the Humphreys 'interview', perhaps someone would kindly remind John that the function of an Interviewer is to SOLICIT opinion, and not GIVE it.
Aside from that, my anger at his treatment of Simon (the Token Loony who MUST be given air-time - to avoid the taint of 'bias') leaves me practically incoherent.
The Beeb seems now to have developed its OWN Disgusting Habit:
Nailing the Truth to a tree - and jeering at it.............
The R5Live interview @approx 7:20am was a little weird. Nicky Campbell did let Simon speak and then this was imediately followed by an interview with Andy Burham. I thought Nicky switched quite quickly giving the impression he was going to let Simon reply to any points made. Instead NC kept asking why AB wasn't going far enough, especially smoking in cars.
AFIK NC never returned to Simon. A none too subtle bias.
----
Just looked at that boring little conformist Burnhams website .
Plays the guitar and likes indie music.
WOW WHAT A ROC N ROOOOOLER ,not.
I'll go for conformist boring greedy little control freak.
My guess, student union Labour activist,party researcher.
MP selection .
Imposed on us ?
BORING.
Simon -
Your paltry one minute interview, squeezed in just before the weather forecast at 7am this morning, on BBC Radio 4 was absolutely appaulling. If there was ever an instance of personal bias from John (I should have retired years ago) Humphreys, it was laid bare for all to listen to today. Ok, interviewers are meant to play devil's advocate for balanced reporting, but really this was Humphreys at his most vile and arrogant worst.
The BBC is institutionally biased against alternative or centre-right views - it is truely the mounthpiece for New Labour. Scrap the license fee and fast, I say. Bill.
Do leave it out _Pat Nurse. You come up with some half decent ideas and then always denigrate it by jumping on your old UKIP bandwagon.
No one can do it exept us etc etc etc. I didn't post on here before because of all that shit and here you are starting it again. Stick to the fucking topic!
Apologies for swearing, but it is honestly getting to much!
I do not think that is Burnham can rush any legislation through between now and the general election.The report in the telegraph says "...the review, WHICH WILL BEGIN IN JULY..." If that is so, then there is no prospect of legislation before the next election.
As regards the general election, I think that we must have a simple objective, and that is TO REMOVE AS MANY LABOUR POLITICIANS AS POSSIBLE FROM PARLIAMENT. To try to decimate Labour.
I can only see one way to do this and that is to vote Conservative, or Liberal - whichever party will dislodge the Labour MP. I say this as a person who is not and never has been a natural Tory.
Now, I know that our UKIP friends will be upset, but I would ask them to be patient. Imagine there was a big Tory majority and only a rump of Labour, then the opportunities for minor parties to gain would be much enhanced. If Labour is seriously discredited, then disgruntled voters may well look elsewhere.
Also, think of this. The Tories may well not change the smoking ban and may even worsen it, but the chances are that they will get to grips with the quangos, the fake charities, the fake climate scientist and the fake health professors in a big way. For example, they may bring in a law which removes charitable status (and thus tax relief) from organisations in receipt of political funding or funding from commercial ventures, either directly or indirectly. They are making noises in that direction.
On this occasion, let us use every means at our disposal to rid ourselves of as many Hitlers as possible and take it from there.
Because, Peter, I honestly believe that talk is getting us nowhere. We are too disorganised to protest. Our representatives, like Simon, are humiliated and ignored. The only solution is political. We have to make them listen and we only have one vote in five years - two in 10. If they are not listening now, they sure as hell won't hear us then - if our culture even still exists by then!
No worries about the swearing. I feel very much like doing it myself but there is no point in us turning on each other. I could say many insulting things about smokers who will, I believe, let us down in this election by voting Tory or Lib Dem.
I'm sorry if my views upset you, and sharing them even more. I honestly believe that part of the whole problem is the curent 3 party status quo. The three parties should be working to get our vote. They don't care. They also get practically all of the media coverage up to an election. The only way, I believe, to spread the word about polictical choice as well as lifestyle choice, is by word of mouth on forums like this.
So basically, Junican, you are saying we have no choice. we simply vote against NuLab and pray that things don't get worse for us. No wonder there is so much apathy among voters.
"FT article and ASH's hand in hand cooperation with the big pharmaceuticals needs closer examination."
You can say that again, Dave (and thanks for the stats, as ever).
I suggest that a future DECENT government (if I ever live that long) re-define and BROADEN the whole concept of 'corruption' in Public Life.
Now and again, a greedy-but-harmless Little Man gets thrown to the ravening pack for taking a bung, whilst the Corporate Mafiosi prosper - THEIR power to cause massive harm going completely unchecked (and often totally disregarded).
This CANNOT be right......................
Maybe the tories are holding back.
Think about that.
However I personally feel they will not repeal any current anti smoking legislation but I do believe they won't increase it either.
Us smokers are in an untenable position now simply because most anti non smokers think it it is great they can go out and feel smug that they have stitched up so many people like they have somehow got their own way.
How many non smokers say what they really think to your face ,not many I think.
Only the genuine Libertarian opposes.
I think the core of the Tory party are not as taken in by so called Liberal Socialism as we may think.(STALINISM WITH A SMILE)
I believe the changes will happen in the US.
The hollow socialism .(STALINISM WITH A SMILE),
is about to get its ass kicked I think.
UKIP are a great alternative ,but the average dumbed down Briton only cares about what they percieve to be material gain ,WI's playstations, and shows about homes, soaps food, and clothes.
Dumbed down is correct.
They have probably never even heard of UKIP.
I feel the working classes are the joker in the pack here .Labour are in deep trouble there but talking to many folk I think their protest vote will go to the Libdems (Illiberal Undemocrats) or the BNP.
I will vote UKIP or failing that if there is no candidate it will be Tory,the last UKIP candidate here got 1000 + votes.
The constituancy I live in was marginal last time ,tories trailing Liebour - 1000 +.
The town has the surrounding area of east Northants which is inherently tory ,the town itself was a monkey with a red rossette would win sort of place.
OH AND THE MONKEY WON !
However as the standing Liebour MP was one of the expense scandal "all stars" he is toast.
I remember a lady saying after he paid back £40.000 he'd fiddled ,it must be great to be able to write out a check for £40,000 pounds.
If only the tories came out more on civil libery they would definately gain more seats.
However again after this latest vitriolic attack on smokers Labour will lose votes on this,loads of them.
We may see some BNP MP's in May im prety sure of it.
UKIP for me though even if they get a few seats it is a start.
Blimey I am woffling on now.
But yes I would vote Tory to get Liebour out The Libdems are just as PC fascists as Liebour.
My backs against the wall now I feel cornered.
I think most smokers feel that way now.
This is Burnham positioning himself as a prime mover before the next election. Not a lot more.
He has really cocked up here though. Cutting through it all is very simple. It just serves to remind the electorate how very nasty they are.
The only fly in the ointment is if the Tories decide to adopt his policies if they are elected.
Over to you, Peter Thurgood. ;-)
Andy Burnham has a safe seat - he won over 63% of the vote the last time round.
As far as I can see, a lot of the 'get up and go' and 'fighters' against our system have unfortunately left our country.
Labour have also 'bought' a lot of votes. I unfortunately don't see that they are down and out anymore. Mainly because the tories and lib dems appear to have embraced the 'nanny state' as well.
I wonder if people and I use the word loosely like Burnham realise how utterly demonised and Violated people who smoke feel like in this country now.
What sick little minds they have.
"If only the tories came out more on civil libery they would definately gain more seats."
The fact that they DON'T, Specky, must be one of the Great Political Mysteries of our age.
Unless, that is, the Cameroons don't really give a toss.
Which WOULD explain much.
Still, they couldn't possibly be Gutless, Spineless AND Brainless.
Could they ?
@ Pat Nurse (which I understand means 'with reference to Pat Nurse's comment, and not 'against Pat Nurse!).
My view is this:
The essential thing is to ensure that Labour is defeated and that as many Labour MPs lose their seats as possible. I want to see, if possible, Labour reduced to a rump. As a long term Labour supporter, it hurts me to say this, but I say it because I no longer think that the Labour elite have any connection with the ordinary person in the street. In fact, this elite has no particular connections at all - as a group, the Labour elite are enjoying playing a sort of 'do-gooder game'.
My point is this:
It is desirable to get rid of as many Labour MPs as possible. If you happen to live in a constituency where the most likely candidate to defeat the Labour candidate is a Conservative, vote for the Conservative. If the the most likely is Liberal, vote Liberal. Of course, as a convinced UKIP supporter, you will vote UKIP which is perfectly OK. But suppose that there is no UKIP candidate in your constituency? What then? And, suppose that your UKIP camdidate has no chance whatsoever? Do you really want to leave the sitting Labour MP in place? If you live in a constuency with a sitting Conservative MP, whose majority is big (and likely to increase), by all means vote for UKIP, BNP or whatever, but if you have a chance to get rid of a Labour MP, take it. My sitting MP is Ruth Kelly. In the last GE, she 'stole' the seat from the Tories who have held this seat for ages. Her Labour replacement will not hold this seat for Labour - no chance. I will not vote for any minor party. I will get rid of the Labour candidate.
I agree Labour must go at any cost.
They lost the plot years ago.
Exactly, Specky.
The Tories are down to just a 7% lead in the latest poll, which would mean an unworkable majority, which in turn is exactly what Brown wants and is now planning for, by trying to force through new voting regulations before the GE.
Brown, along with a few people on here, wants a hung parliament, so that he and his goons in the Lib-Dems can give us another 5 years hard labour.
These are the people who gave us this smoking ban, do we really want them back again? I certainly don't, and I don't think the majority of the people in this country do either, but that is what some people are advocating, by promoting constant propaganda that if their party gets to power, which is about as likely as Norman Wisdom might, that all will be all right, and hey-ho, we will all be able to smoke again, and that, surely, will put the world to right!
We owe it to not just ourselves, but to future generations, to do all we can to oust this ghastly rabble of a government now, and that will not be achieved by voting UKIP.
The smoking ban is without a doubt, a crime against freedom, but wait until you find out, as I did a couple of days ago, that Labour, (the people you seem to want to keep in power) have stolen your pensions as well. Keep them in, and you won't even be able to afford to buy a pack of cigarettes, let alone be allowed to smoke them.
Helping to Keep Labour in power, by any means, is a very selfish act, and one that should be thought about very deeply indeed.
What a lot of people don't realise is that by voting Lib Dem, they are helping to keep Labour in power because the Lib Dems will work with Labour, and especially so if there is a hung parliament. In my area a lot of Labour voters switched to Lib Dem to keep the Conservatives out. The Lib Dems are as dangerous as New Labour where civil liberties erosion and anti-smoking propaganda is concerned. I know - I live in a Lib-Dem controlled area and they are as obsessed with controlling people as New Labour. They take over everything - every organisation, social club, special interest group and anyone who does not believe the same as them is thrown out - I have first-hand experience of this. Once Lib Dems take over an area, it is very very hard to move them. People have this impression that they are harmless, docile and nice - but they are not. By all means try to vote Labour out - but think very carefully before voting Lib Dem - that's my advice for what it is worth, anyway.
I agree about the Lib Dems, Jenny. As I understand it UKIP is aiming to have a candidate in all consituencies which is why people like me, who probably have no chance in a safe Tory seat, will seriously be out of pocket once I lose my election deposit. At least the public will have a choice. Votes for UKIP will also push out the BNP - it's closest rival. Neither party will go away like it or not!
I'm seriously convinced now that there is no hope, zilch, none, that I'll go back to my usual habit over the last 10 years and not vote at all. If I can only choose one of the three, then I accept here and now that I live in a tyrannical state and there is absolutely nothing I can do about it.
.. and as for this fight, I'm at the end and seriously asking myself what is the fucking point!
Junican said:-
"Now, I know that our UKIP friends will be upset, but I would ask them to be patient"
No Junican. There's no time left for patience. This will be the LAST general election.
Unless the hugely popular United Kingdom Independence Party [UKIP].achieve sufficient MPs to cause a hung parliament, the democratic system you still believe in will be GONE FOREVER.
In 5 years time our flag, our currency, our individual voting rights and even our historic name, will all have been consigned to the dustbin.
There is absolutely nothing any of the three major parties can do to change this. Their leaders have already been bought and paid for by the EU, as has the media. The Stazi Lisbon Treaty is already LAW. As long as we remain within the EU, there is nothing we can ever do about it.
Please wake up and smell the destruction all around you. A hung parliament containing the UK Independence Party can FORCE an In/Out Referendum and allow the British people to have their LAST say in their own destiny.
The British people spoke last June in the EU and Council elections. They voted UKIP into second place in the EU elections and first or second in many Council Elections. UKIP often beat the combined NuLab/LibDem vote. THE BRITISH PEOPLE ARE NOT STUPID.
Junican, and others, please stop being brainwashed by the media and the traitors which head our three EU puppet parties. Study the UKIP website, learn how this country could be run on the Swiss style and free of EU created budget deficit. Independent Switzerland and Independent Norway don't have budget deficits.
How on earth have we all allowed this once great country of ours to have come to this present tragic destiny? Through our last six Prime Ministers, starting with Ted Heath, that's how. Were they mistaken? No, they just wanted to get rich.
Oh you Sheeples! Oh you Lemmings!
Well said Margot!
Pat Nurse.
Be of good heart! No UKIP candidate will lose their deposit this time.
Just keep your head down and get the iniquitous government paperwork right. Above all, trust no one. The enemy is deep within from eager BNP supporters offering to distribute leaflets for you, to the old Tory based Referendum party. The latter don't want a strong UKIP in parliament and it's not far to the nearest dustbin. Use the internet and try to get your voice to the younger generations - that is where canvassing will be done.
Your name legitimately on the ballot sheet is all that's needed. UKIP and the British public will do the rest.