Who will you vote for?

[User00035]

Well I don't know about you, but I don't just vote to further my own interests. And even if the UK leaves, it's still my continent, which I remain a citizen of. And it IS going to matter here because the way things are going, the UK is going to continue following and taking most of the rules.

It's touchingly naive that you think voters have any impact on the way the European Project is run. The whole purpose of the project has never been to represent them in supranational governance but to remove them from the process so they cannot interfere.
Ditto the idea that the UK as a member had the slightest influence. We never had, as has been demonstrated countless times. The Project cannot be reformed from within. It has been expressly designed to prevent this. The senior ideologues who hold the power are not elected. They answer only to each other and only the most fanatical Euro-imperialist are ever promoted to the inner circle.

The only lasting and prosperous future for Europe is as a fraternity of independent nation states cooperating as friends and neighbours without political union. There is no way to achieve this through project Imperial Europe. The best thing the UK can do is withdraw completely and absolutely and encourage others to do the same, with the promise of bilateral treaties for those that follow and thereby rebuild Europe not as an imperial pan-continental Babel but a brotherhood of grown up nations acting in concert where it matters and respecting one another's differences where it does not. Europe does not hegemony, convergence, "ever closer union" or a grand central government. This is the moment for the UK to lead by example as we have done in the past.

 

[NigelM]

I'm seriously conflicted on this election, more so that I have ever been before.

To me the 3 most important things I want delivered are:

1. A strong and healthy UK economy
2. A party that is serious about climate change and will take the action necessary to reduce it
3. A party that will protect my way of life, which includes my hunting

I usually vote Conservative and voted Remain in the referendum. The majority in the country voted to Leave and I respect that. However, from my perspective we should either leave properly or remain, this "deal" is going to be bad for our economy in the medium to long term and should be avoided at all costs. So Conservative and Labour are not getting my vote as they have proven they will not deliver either option.

The only party I think will deliver what needs doing in terms of climate change are the Green Party. Their manifesto is clear and I believe will make the sacrifices required to make a difference. However, they will sod up the economy, are anti field sports, don't have much of a clue about what real conservation is and want to ban private firearm ownership.

The Lib Dems will reverse Brexit but have little else behind them and I don't believe have the strength in depth to govern.

Farage is a one trick pony and although he will deliver Brexit he wouldn't know what to do afterwards.

So I'm stuffed really.

As they are Euro elections rather than a General it is an opportunity to send a message to the government without doing too much damage and perhaps that's the answer. In terms of the messages, a vote for Lib Dem says "Remain", a vote for Farage says "Leave hard" and a vote for the Greens says "take climate change more seriously and lets have a second referendum".

Not voting achieves nothing, and although it's tempting I have never not voted before and don't intend to waste my vote this time either.

 

[JAYB]

The upcoming MEP elections will not, in my opinion, make an iotas worth of difference to our standing in Europe. I do believe however that it will have a significant bearing on the attitude of the major political parties, and has them running scared. It matters not if you voted to leave or stay, what should concern you the most is the flagrant disregard that our Parliament has shown for democracy. Why vote at all if it is going to be ignored? Mainstream politics need a severe and robust wake up call, they need to be in touch with the people they represent and do their job. If that means the emergence of a new party, then so be it, that is why having just completed my postal vote for my MEP I voted for the Brexit party, as I think will a good many more folk.

John

 

[deeangeo]

The upcoming MEP elections will not, in my opinion, make an iotas worth of difference to our standing in Europe. I do believe however that it will have a significant bearing on the attitude of the major political parties, and has them running scared. It matters not if you voted to leave or stay, what should concern you the most is the flagrant disregard that our Parliament has shown for democracy. Why vote at all if it is going to be ignored? Mainstream politics need a severe and robust wake up call, they need to be in touch with the people they represent and do their job. If that means the emergence of a new party, then so be it, that is why having just completed my postal vote for my MEP I voted for the Brexit party, as I think will a good many more folk. John

Likwise, for the same reasons we’ve just done the same. I sincerely hope it shakes and wakes the establishment and major parties.

 

[enfieldspares]

Widdecombe was Michael Howard's deputy when the last bit one Tory anti-shooter legislation was ranked through Parliament.

The 1996 Firearms Act that in effect ruined and forced the closure of many of the UK's then existing commercial indoor shooting centres as their business model was based on recreational pistol shooting.

Good to see that fellow shooters are happy to support someone who has such a track record of actively doing harm to us as lawful business owners and/or legitimate pistol owners.

 

[deeangeo]

Widdecombe was Michael Howard's deputy when the last bit one Tory anti-shooter legislation was ranked through Parliament.

The 1996 Firearms Act that in effect ruined and forced the closure of many of the UK's then existing commercial indoor shooting centres as their business model was based on recreational pistol shooting.

Good to see that fellow shooters are happy to support someone who has such a track record of actively doing harm to us as lawful business owners and/or legitimate pistol owners.

If this were a General Election such support from AW wouldn’t have my support.
But, this is an MEP election.
It’s not expected our MEP’s will remain within the EU parliament long enough for any effective contribution to be made by any elected UK MEP’s.
So as a shake up protest vote AW’s election will make a difference.
Thereafter in a General Election, different thought processes will come into play.

 

[jimmy milnes]

Widdecombe was Michael Howard's deputy when the last bit one Tory anti-shooter legislation was ranked through Parliament.

The 1996 Firearms Act that in effect ruined and forced the closure of many of the UK's then existing commercial indoor shooting centres as their business model was based on recreational pistol shooting.

Good to see that fellow shooters are happy to support someone who has such a track record of actively doing harm to us as lawful business owners and/or legitimate pistol owners.

I here what your all saying regarding AW being against hunting and I can't deny it, however my major priority AT THIS TIME is my country not being left hog tied and waring a gimp mask post Brexit, shooting has to take a second place right now for me..

 

[timbrayford]

Not sure I agree with this. German businesses export all over the world and will continue to do business with the UK on World Trade basis (if no deal). But we wont get any special concessions from them.

Why do you think many many British businesses have set up European operations, staffed by Europeans and located within Europe to service European market. London office market has crashed as everybody has gone. All medical research has gone as the European Medicine Agency which was in London is now in Amsterdam - why spend £m on clinical trials in UK when for the same spend you get licenced for whole of Europe.

All the Supply chain businesses for Jaguar Landrover are moving to Europe thanks to new plant in Slovakia. I could go on, but Brexit means Brexit meansBrexit .......

Without being directly involved with any of those businesses I wouldn't know why they have moved, although relocations are quite normal for international businesses in the normal course of events, irrespective of Brexit.

 

[TURNBOLT]

Brexit candidate only .no one else forever,in any type of election or referendum.

 

[Heym SR20]

Without being directly involved with any of those businesses I wouldn't know why they have moved, although relocations are quite normal for international businesses in the normal course of events, irrespective of Brexit.

Well i have helped three diffferent companies move major parts of their businesses to Europe over the last six months. About 300 plus well paid jobs. All three were planning to expand in the UK but due to major European customers and Brexit uncertainty they had no choice but to switch to Europe.

 

[Jon Smith]

It's touchingly naive that you think voters have any impact on the way the European Project is run. The whole purpose of the project has never been to represent them in supranational governance but to remove them from the process so they cannot interfere.

And there it is in a nutshell...

 

[deeangeo]

I'm seriously conflicted on this election, more so that I have ever been before.

To me the 3 most important things I want delivered are:

1. A strong and healthy UK economy Currently doing better than many
2. A party that is serious about climate change and will take the action necessary to reduce it we can’t all afford to buy electric cars, nor can the country yet provide all the electricity. Many times in the recent past power cuts have been threatened due to current consumption reaching critical levels.
3. A party that will protect my way of life, which includes my hunting Hmmm trusting politicians in anything, least of all on this matter is a matter for concern ... but the EU parliament on this subject is far worse than our own clowns.

I usually vote Conservative and voted Remain in the referendum. The majority in the country voted to Leave and I respect that. However, from my perspective we should either leave properly or remain, this "deal" is going to be bad for our economy in the medium to long term and should be avoided at all costs. So Conservative and Labour are not getting my vote as they have proven they will not deliver either option.

The only party I think will deliver what needs doing in terms of climate change are the Green Party. Their manifesto is clear and I believe will make the sacrifices required to make a difference. However, they will sod up the economy, are anti field sports, don't have much of a clue about what real conservation is and want to ban private firearm ownership.

The Lib Dems will reverse Brexit but have little else behind them and I don't believe have the strength in depth to govern.

Farage is a one trick pony and although he will deliver Brexit he wouldn't know what to do afterwards.

So I'm stuffed really. Nope, you’re not. A vote for the Brexit party is a vote against the established parties who’s MP’s in Westminster are procrastinating over Brexit, the majority of whom have little intention of the UK leaving the EU.

As they are Euro elections rather than a General it is an opportunity to send a message to the government without doing too much damage and perhaps that's the answer. In my opinion it is the answer.
In terms of the messages, a vote for Lib Dem says "Remain", a vote for Farage says "Leave hard" and a vote for the Greens says "take climate change more seriously and lets have a second referendum". Completely irrelevant in MEP elections as no UK MEP will sit in the EU parliament long enough to make a difference.

Not voting achieves nothing, and although it's tempting I have never not voted before and don't intend to waste my vote this time either. Voting in a General Election is an entirely different matter with many decisions about the major parties riding on what potential candidates policies and statements are at the hustings. Also of course based on current performance in the Commons from matters pressing now, not all of which are Brexit.

 

[timbrayford]

Well i have helped three diffferent companies move major parts of their businesses to Europe over the last six months. About 300 plus well paid jobs. All three were planning to expand in the UK but due to major European customers and Brexit uncertainty they had no choice but to switch to Europe.

Large amount of egg on their face if they've made the wrong choice, but until we actually rid ourselves of control by the EU all that goes before is merely conjecture

 

[stevenedwards]

Someone else said this, just short of a hundred years ago, about another "referendum" on a nation's future:

"The majority has no right to do wrong."

So do you believe that this means that the minority have a right to do wrong.... if not should this be resolved by democratic or non democratic means

 

[Heym SR20]

Large amount of egg on their face if they've made the wrong choice, but until we actually rid ourselves of control by the EU all that goes before is merely conjecture

Its got bugger all to do with egg, but everything to do with business. Centre of operations are being moved to Europe by many many companies. And if a large company goes all its supply chain goes. To reasons:

1) they know what they are dealing with when trading with the rest of Europe

2) since the EU has in place preferential trading relations with most of the other major trading nations and blocks of nations, a company moving to Europe maintains that certainty.

If you remain in the UK, you nor your customers and suppliers have a clue about your trading relationship with Europe or the rest of world. Well you do - you are on WTO tarriffs, but thats going to make it hard to trade against other nations that have agreed preferential trade relationships.

And i have no faith in Westminster being able to agree any sort of relationship with any body. So far they have failed, and more to the point failed to put any alternatives in place. The EU is not the problem - its our own politicians.

 

[dartmoordog]

Our politicians don’t help.............But the EU is the WHOLE problem.

Let’s just get out for goodness sake. Democracy is democracy, if you don’t like it........Tough.

 

[User00035]

Just paid my £25 to the Brexit party. Another one on the books.

 

[JAYB]

Did anyone see Nigel Farage on the Andrew Marr yesterday morning? Marr tried to ambush Farage over comments from the past and got s good kicking for his trouble, it really showed the BBC at it's biased best.

John

 

[User00035]

They're all coming out of the woodwork to denounce Farage the man but none of them are willing or indeed capable of addressing the fundamental point he is making about democracy.
I see the odious Blair crawled out from under his stone at the weekend to say that Farage cannot drain the swamp because he created the swamp. From him, the king of the slime balls... The level of denial and hypocrisy is staggering.

 

[timbrayford]

Its got bugger all to do with egg, but everything to do with business. Centre of operations are being moved to Europe by many many companies. And if a large company goes all its supply chain goes. To reasons:

1) they know what they are dealing with when trading with the rest of Europe

2) since the EU has in place preferential trading relations with most of the other major trading nations and blocks of nations, a company moving to Europe maintains that certainty.

If you remain in the UK, you nor your customers and suppliers have a clue about your trading relationship with Europe or the rest of world. Well you do - you are on WTO tarriffs, but thats going to make it hard to trade against other nations that have agreed preferential trade relationships.

And i have no faith in Westminster being able to agree any sort of relationship with any body. So far they have failed, and more to the point failed to put any alternatives in place. The EU is not the problem - its our own politicians.

Its still conjecture, until we rid ourselves of the shackles of the EU no one really knows what will happen. Isn't it amazing though how many international companies choose to base themselves in Switzerland and miss out on all those wonderful benefits that the EU brings just over the border.