Election 2010: Nigel Farage (UKIP)
Sunday, May 2, 2010 In recent weeks I've been a bit mean about UKIP activists, describing some of them as "weird". I haven't changed my mind (see below) but if there's one UKIP candidate I would vote for it's Nigel Farage - and not just because he's standing against the Speaker, John Bercow.
The truth is, I like a man who enjoys a drink and a smoke and isn't ashamed to admit it. Farage is smart and ebullient and he would be a great addition to the House of Commons where his colourful comments and refusal to toe the line would be a breath of fresh air.
He's also one of the few politicians who is prepared to fight for amendments to the smoking ban.
"Every pub's a parliament," he told the Morning Advertiser last week, adding, "It’s a strong and long-held belief of mine that pubs matter; they matter in the sense of community and when they disappear the community loses something very special. It’s not a tangible thing you can put a price on.
“It fascinates me that our pubs are the envy of the world and are now being directly threatened. I want to fight, raise a voice and, if I can, to try and help.”
PS. At risk of upsetting even further the UKIP supporters who still read this blog, I have to report that my son - who is currently on work experience with the local Conservative association - attended an election hustings last week.
He reports, with no satisfaction, that the UKIP candidate was "embarrassing". It was "painful" to see him struggle to answer questions and, when he did, he did so by reading from notes. Long before the end a number of people, including my son, 15, genuinely felt sorry for him. Ouch.
Reader Comments (33)
A hundred more like Nigel in 'Parliament', and we Freedom-Lovers would have a fighting chance.
Bercow is a thorough disgrace - to his office, his party, and the institution that ONCE made us the envy of less happy lands (as they once were).
All the very, very best for Thursday, Nige !!
My UKIP candidate is useless too, but my sitting Tory is a Euro-realist, so no real decision to make. I suspect that Nigel is almost a one-off and he gets my best wishes in the battle with the odious Bercow.
PS:
Yes, UKIP does (sadly) still have a bit of an image problem.
ONE thing stands massively in its favour, however:
None of the candidates is called 'Caroline Lucas'.
And most of them - or so I'm reliably informed -tend to hail from THIS part of the Galaxy....................
I was at the Leyton and Wanstead hustings at St John's church in Leytonstone last night and the UKIP man Graham Wood did a really good job.
The best speaker "I would say that, wouldn't I" was Ed Northover of the Conservative party who spoke particularly well, I thought.
For all of UKIP's faults many of the candidates are like me in the local and national elections having had a gutful of Labour have put their head above the parapet and standing for election. Some are bound to be better than others and I wish any candidate well in their campaign for at least not sitting around moaning and trying to do something about it.
BTW there is a new political acronym ChIHUAHuas. Conservatives In their Heads, Ukip At Heart.
[Quote]: "I suspect that Nigel is almost a one-off".
Winston Churchill was too. He smoked and drank to excess. He was a rebel and very unpopular with "the establishment". His route into parliament was as difficult as Nigel's has been. He was a great writer and profoundly intelligent. His country came first and he proved to be the "man of the hour". Nigel Farage is exactly the same and with the same depth of intelligence and commitment. If ever we needed a second Churchill, the time is now.
Read Nigel's autobiography, "Fighting Bull". It will entertain and educate. It will make you very angry.
"...this airlessly make-believe election campaign............."
An apt piece of phrasing from Christopher Booker yesterday.
And he mentions Nigel as the only candidate 'whom I could wholeheartedly support.'
We need more like Booker, too...................
Simon,
As you know I work for UKIP, and whilst I am glad you support Mr Farage in Buckingham, I must take issue with your generalised comments about the rest of our candidates/activists.
UKIP isn't, and I hope never will be a professional party. We do not have deep pockets with which to media train. We are comprised of thousands of individuals who give a damn about our country and our liberties.
Sadly the bigger parties are more concerned abut producing a slate that appeals to the chattering, flavour and smoke free coffeeshops of North London.
UKIP has its fair share of eccentrics (weird types) and many (more than 75%) are first timers, without the technical knowledge and experience to deal professionally with the hazards of campaigning.
But they get involved. They put their heads above the parapet in defence of those freedoms and liberties, in spite of knowing their own weaknesses and despite te abuse thrown at them (BNP in suits etc).
They should be applauded and supported rather than denounced and put down with withering 'bien pensant' contempt.
If we as a nation are to save ourselves we need the strange, the different, the left field to helkp us there. Those who chase our freedoms through the confines of the establishment find that by the time they get through selection their balls have been removed silently and carefully by their party managers.
Well, the UKIP candidates have to learn their trade somewhere and as they're new to the game they should be given a chance, especially as their policies are the same and tick the right boxes for smokers.
And I hope people have 'learned enough lessons' from the present incumbent tribe of polished shams spewing spin speak of diktat that's light years away from what they voted for in the first place, Mrs Duffy being a typical example.
They can't all be Tony Blairs - look where all that spin and grooming got us!
UP UKIP!
I feel that we have been given little or no choice by the media in general and particularly with the 3 debates.
The nation in general is only being given 3 parties to choose from and that is wrong on very UNdemocratic.
In my view all parties, however small or apparently weird, should have been invited to take part and if they declined this should have been noted and publicised. As it stands, many who are totally fed up with the 'main 3' may well not vote at all and those who choose to make a protest vote do not necessarily know what they are voting for.
It is very difficult to interpret all the manifestos, that is if we feel we can believe them anyway, and to have open debate on key issues with ALL parties putting candidates forward for election would help a great deal to clarify for the undecided voter which way to go, if they feel any vote is justified for them.
That is what I understood democracy to be - freedom of debate between ALL concerned in however a large or small capacity. At this rate we will just sink with the weight of beaurocracy, spin and hype that the 3 main parties have put us under for the past decades, with no new brooms being allowed to properly sow their seeds - something this country desparately needs if we are to regain our status of GREAT Britain.
Agree Lyn, and if the pubcos and pub landlords were genuine and worried when they complained about loosing busines and closures since the smoking ban, here was an ideal opportunity to 'make a statement' to the big three by opening their pubs to UKIP canditates only and let them hold their party's campaigns, especially as part of their manifesto content is in their own interest.
My feeling is that Cameron won't extend the smoking ban but will probably not amend it. This is still better than a fanatic Labour party that will continue spending millions of tax payers money on propaganda to demonize smoking even further.
"He reports, with no satisfaction, that the UKIP candidate was "embarrassing". It was "painful" to see him struggle to answer questions and, when he did, he did so by reading from notes. Long before the end a number of people, including my son, 15, genuinely felt sorry for him."
That's because a lot of UKIP candidates, including myself, are not professional politicians. We are ordinary people just trying to do our bit. We have no funding, except for what we put in ourselves, and we have stuck our heads above the parapet for people to stand and abuse us as either "wierdos" or "embarrassing".
Many of these new supporters of UKIP, like myself, are there because it is the only party willing to stand up for smokers and not be ashamed of doing so. Shame on all smokers and tolerant, free loving non-smokers, for not giving these people a little bit more encouragement and support.
I have no doubt that if Dave gets in, he will turn his back on this issue and still maintain the economically damaging and divisive smoking ban. I fear that in years to come real Conservatives will look back at what he has done and feel just as betrayed as real Labour supporters felt in Tony Bliar. Cameron is the same. All stuff and no substance and in it for himself because he wants to be PM. If only we new UKIPpers had the money of the Tory campaigning machine and the access to the same kind of training they give their candidates. Then, perhaps, we would be able to lie convincingly like the rest of them and not be held up as figures of fun!
Does anyone know the latest on Spain going for a complete ban? It would seem risky with their credit rating at risk and we all know where that can lead or at least the Greeks do. I find it hard to believe the Spanish will wear this ban let alone the bar and restaurant industry.
Grassroots Tory opinion is very much anti-Ban and the majority of Tory MPs are also against it. However, I agree that we will probably just see a stop to the hate rather than a roll-back of the Ban - it does after all, seem to be the issue no-one will talk about, despite (at least in the Euro elections) its being one of the Top 3 issues raised on the doorstep (and even here, the MP that said this was soon shut up and never mentioned it again). Maybe, just maybe, if things go well, we'll see a minor repeal - perhaps smoking to be allowed in private clubs. But expecting things to go well when the Tories will be lucky to get an outright majority, they have a bloated public sector to deal with and a trillion pound national debt to whittle away is being somewhat optimistic. Still, if they can get the Great Repeal Bill through, that will be a step in the right direction as far as I'm concerned.
Oh and to get back on topic. I'm voting UKIP. Small state, anti-EU, anti-Ban. What's not to like? That said, Pearson is useless - nice guy but hopeless. They need to get rid of him before the next Euro-elections.
Mark, Spain has lost the run of itself recently I wouldnt be surprised if they do.
There're the only european country that has a compulsory advance passenger information requirement even though they're one of the PIGS (Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain) of countries on the verge of bankruptcy.
Bulgaria has amended their full smoking ban and allowing smoking in hotels and restaurants and in bars of 100sq m.
ann
Greece has a full ban but it's failed. From what I can gather greek bar owners have decided a fine is better than no business.
Nigel Farage is one of the very few politicians I admire greatly and I too wish there were many more like him.
However, with the election a few days away pragmatism is the order of the day. A few points:
1.Labour has been the worst government in living memory. You can remind yourselves just how bad they have been here http://www.labour-watch.com/sleaze.htm
2. The economic problems we face (largely caused by Labour) are unbelievably massive - see here http://www.devilskitchen.me.uk/2010/05/just-for-emphasis.html
None of the three main parties will tell the people how bad the pain is going to be in future years - they all want power.
3. UKIP won't achieve anything - maybe one seat? Pearson is a joke. That's why I don't belong to the party anymore.
4. The eurozone may well crumble in the next few years anyway. Even if the Greek bailout works the other pigs countries are queuing up for hand outs and the German people are not about to fund them all.
As far as I can see the best option is to hope that Cameron is being all things to all men solely for the purposes of getting elected and that, if he is, he will turn out to be far more libertarian and anti EU than he has shown so far. I know this is a big "ask" but we don't have a viable alternative. Repeal of the ban? Who knows? We can live in hope and there are greater problems to deal with anyway. Certainly we don't want to go any further down the "we don't like it so we'll ban it" route that the left is so fond of.
Vote UKIP - get a hung parliament with more Labour/Lib Dem left wing influence?
I'm not sure the country could stand any more of that.
It's been a bad few weeks for smoking ban lovers. After events in Croatia last year, Macedonia's exceptionally draconian smoking ban — which includes some outdoor places — is coming under severe pressure. The law came into force last month, with a predictably devastating effect on trade. Now, even the Public Health Committee is having second thoughts:
The Macedonian parliament's Public Health Committee Wednesday endorsed the ruling party's motion to amend the strict anti-smoking law that has angered the country's many smokers since its introduction in January.
No wonder. Businesses are so angry that they closed down en masse for a day last month in protest.
The amendments come after the Macedonian Tourism Chamber revealed a survey showing an astonishing 90 per cent drop in profits among café and restaurant owners since the new law entered into force.
90 per cent? Ouch! Don't they know smoking bans are good for business?
In Poland, a proposal to 'protect' bar-workers from secondhand smoke has been opposed by... er, bar-workers. With a nice line in irony, the Polish Bar Tenders Association are asking the government to protect them from the smoking ban...
Polish bar tenders have addressed a dramatic appeal to Parliament warning that the planned ban on smoking in restaurants and pubs will cause many to go bankrupt.
The Polish Bar Tenders Association, which wrote the letter to the lawmakers, says their profession needs to be protected against the impact of the anti-smoking legislation.
In Cyprus, a group of MPs are organising to get the smoking ban overturned. The reason, of course, is that the Cypriots have seen the usual fall in bar trade:
Themistocleous told the Cyprus Mail yesterday, “This law does not just attack the tourist trade and bar and restaurant owners: it attacks all Cypriots. We hope to change the law by April and in any case before July.”
In a survey of bar owners last month, some estimated that their revenue had dropped by up to 40 per cent. Yesterday, however, one owner of a popular Nicosia bar said that the worst affected have reported 60 per cent losses.
And in Bulgaria, the smoking ban has been liberalised before it's even been introduced ... Bulgaria's ruling party ready to qualify ban on public smoking ... Amendments aimed at qualifying the full ban on smoking in all public places in Bulgaria, due to come into force on June 1 2010, will be introduced by ruling party GERB, Bulgarian media said on February 18 2010.
The full ban, it was believed, would undermine Bulgaria's tourism and restaurant industry. The amendments will be more flexible to enable restaurant and bar owners to comply with the ban.
This now looks like a done deal, but the leader of the right-wing Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria is nonplussed, saying that it is ... "not a European thing to do".
Statement from UKIP Leader,Lord Pearson of Rannoch, on 28th April:-
"I understand those in UKIP who want to fight all 560 seats in the traditional way. There are however a few very marginal seats where if we do so, we will prevent a committed Eurosceptic from being elected. We will not win those seats, and we will thus send a Europhile to Parliament instead. In some of these seats, we are not fielding candidates, and are actively helping the Eurosceptics. In others, we are fielding candidates, but I would like them to support the Eurosceptics and attract the votes of the other parties. I have never made any secret about this strategy, and stood on this platform when I ran for the leadership. Of course I regret that some of my colleagues at local level do not agree with me. UKIP is a very democratic party, and they are free to act as they see fit.
I will continue to put our Country above party politics."
....So the good Lord has had to reverse his high handed solo decision to prevent hard working totally committed UKIP candidates from standing in marginal constituencies against a Eurosceptic. [One of his many gaffes which have injured our party and enraged our articulate intelligent MEP's and our many committed candidates.
Rest assured, folks, Nigel Farage is back in charge.
We are standing a UKIP candidate against each of the three smooth talking LIB/LAB/CON Leaders. Wouldn't if be a delicious irony if UKIP's retired Army Officer candidate standing against Gordon Brown were to win? Stranger things have happened in this present strange world.
And good luck to one of our own - the brave, brilliant journalist Pat Nurse. She stands for UKIP and for we smokers. She is funding herself from very little. God bless, Pat! Can't wait for those results to start rolling in. .
Yes, of course, the greatest of Good Fortune to our very own Patsy !
After all, look where 'professional' politicians have got us.
Personally, I've had a gutful of THEM (barring one or two).
And their rent boys and whores in the Media.
In its present state, the Political World is one brothel I'd be more than happy to see raided............
Very well put, Martin.
Personally I cant see the eurozone lasting in the long term. And bloody good riddance.
It was good in its concept originally and the euro money, but like everything else in this mad world of instantanious results they went too far too fast, taking over like a gang of nazis with their bans and restrictions, health and safety and free for all immigration and the massive looting by the MP euro babes and all the corrupt guangos ensuing from it.
Give us back our sovernity and get back to the drawing board, you EU carpetbaggers!
Goodstuff:-
"...the best option is to hope that Cameron is being all things to all men solely for the purposes of getting elected..."
NOTHING NEW THERE, THEN.
"...and that, if he is, he will turn out to be far more libertarian and anti EU than he has shown so far. I know this is a big "ask" but we don't have a viable alternative. Repeal of the ban? Who knows? We can live in hope,,,"
A BIG ASK INDEED.
Or you could visit my website www.ukipsoutheastkent.co.uk for the latest UKIP initiative on the smoking ban. It's an amusing read written in Nigel's own words as he puts his money and mouth where his mouth is.
A valient effort as he drinks his way round every pub in Buckingham! Sound commonsense behind it too.
Believe me, such is the dedication of all UKIP freedom fighters, he will NOT be our only MP to be elected. Our candidates may not be trained in lying election "politic-speak" but are the better for that.
If any of us doubt their intelligence and capability for commonsense non-dictatorship government, then we must doubt our own. A government with UKIP MPs in it would force the Referendum we were promised and have us out of EU Membership in record time. Not having to pay the EU. in real terms, £120 billion pounds Membership fee per annum would help clear up our debt in no time. Removal from the all-embracing laws and restrictive trading practices of the Lisbon Treaty, would give us freedom to rebuild our country based on the successful model of independant Switzerland and Norway.
Margot
We both have the same goal...........it's just how best to achieve it.
How many UKIP MPs do you think it would take to force a referendum?
And you're going to achieve this when UKIP are (wrongly) considered a one issue party and that issue is at the top of very few peoples' agenda?
I don't like it either but let's be realistic. How can you get people enthused about a cause that's never even allowed to be debated on MSM?
Goodstuff,
UKIP achieve the Referendum from within a hung parliament with free voting support from ordinary Eurosceptic MPs. Only the EU controlled Leaderships are tied hand and foot. Even the mockery of present TV "debates" is strengthening the hand of UKIP by deliberately excluding them. The British public really are not stupid. This was shown in both the 2009 and 2005 EU and Council elections. UKIP published their comprehensive manifesto in March and every single party has "lifted" UKIP commonsense policies since then.
We live in the age of the internet and www.ukip.org ia there for all to study in depth. To hell with the present scare tactics of tactical voting.
Who could possibly want the damaging old failed three party dictatorship system to continue for a moment longer.
See the laatest video of Lord Pearson on TV in Andrew Neil's "Politics".
Note that his figures showing the enormity of fast accumulating debt are based on Tax Payers' Alliance figures.
http://www.ukip.org/content/video-zone/1605-we-want-a-hung-parliament-lord-pearson
"I do not pretend to know whether the British are capable of a change of mood and spirit, or whether there is still within us the possibility of a national regurgence. There is nothing in the laws of nature that says we are not to lapse into the limbo of lost nations......
What I DO know, and all experience and reason teaches, is that the only hope of resurgence is in self-reliance, a self-reliance defiantly sought and asserted. For ought I care, belonging to the Common Market may be the sign of hope and vitality for Italy and Luxembourg.
For the United Kingdom, it spells living death, the abandonment of all prospect of national rebirth, the end of any possibility of resurgence."
(ENOCH POWELL, 1975)
"A prophet hath no honour in his own country."
(JOHN, Chapter4, Verse 44)
To knowingly support a party leadership which does little to hinder a project whose ultimate purpose is the piecemeal destruction of those freedoms our forebears fought and died so valiantly to protect: is there any higher form of Treason ?
To knowingly support such a party, with such a leadership, and despite one's declared passion for the preservation of such freedoms: is there any higher form of Stupidity ?
I merely put the question(s).
Others must answer as they will...............
Mark, I have it on good authority that Spain have 'postponed' a total ban for another year. It is usefull to remember that they had already 'postponed' it from 1st January 2010 to 22nd June 2010. 'Postpone' is a polite way of reporting that the health freaks in the Spanish government just can't get it pushed through.
For me, Nigel Farage is the face of UKIP. This is why I support them. Ironic considering that I am not anti Europe and wish we had the Euro haha. Mind you, that is only because it will be easier for me to go and live in Spain, and until I do, the exchange rate is so poor.
My brother understood totally why I was so pro Farage/UKIP - but then he writes books on phsycological therapy - 'go figure'...
Timbone -
I don't believe ANY of us (with a brain) is Anti-Europe.
I don't believe MANY of us (with a brain) are Pro-'Europe'.
Same WORD - different MEANING.
There's a yawning chasm between the two - which Certain People have been doing their best to paper over these four decades past.
Clever, eh ?
And there are many other examples of Manipulative Confusion one could cite in all the major areas: defence, immigration, education, health, national sovereignty etc etc.........
Yep - very clever.
Well observed and noted Martin, you have hit the nail on the head again.
Thanks, Ann -
And I forgot to mention 'Environment' !
wanted for treason blair prestcot brown straw flint reid hewitt collaborators and there enforcers the price is working stubbing out blairs legacy and labours war of mass destruction imposed on liberty respect tolerance equality identity compassion democracy integrity united kingdom who gave who the right to impose persecution bullying abuse and the deaths of innocent people under their controlled democracy are traitors have no elusions they are accountable for this so this is your better united kingdom as in war you pay the price for liberty its not what we want its what thay gave in memory of anthony mcdermott who was bullied and persecuted into suicide and hanged himself and all others so this is your new healthy united kingdom to all parties protect demands liberty and movments reinstated no liberty no peace lest they forgot no compromise this is an afront to our forfathers from protect