General Election 2015

[beorhthelm]

I'm certainly not a fan of Cameron, as he's far too eurosceptic for me, but I suspect he's not scared shitless - it is more that he has been advised that it could well be a vote loser for him.

So he's being merely being tactical with the election looking to be a close one.

thats my view. they have probably weighed up that a poor performance might lose votes, but not having a debate doesn't. also, while the opposition bang on about it, they aren't talking about other issues. i think its a non-issue, that was stupidly made an issue by Labour not supporting the original suggestion that Greens should join any debate involving UKIP. had they called Cameron's bluff back then this whole discussion would have ended there, with a 5 way debate and a couple of head to head.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

Then IMHO his advisers are wrong. I'm around 60% likely to vote UKIP, I could be won over by the Tories but CMD refusing to debate certainly makes me think I might not wish to vote for them as quite clearly they don't want open and honest opinions to be shown.

I'm 99% percent for UKIP. Neither the Tories or Labour have sold me a new vision, but Labour especially since I have voted for them in the past. Both parties have had 5 years to talk about the EU, talk about immigration, issues that concern me and we have had nothing of any substance whatsever, it will be more of the same whoever gets in.

If we unfortunately get Labour the EU debate will be closed down, talk about immigration will be closed down. They don't deserve any votes, they don't deserve to run this country, they failed this country and they failed the people, the way they handled immigration, they way they slipped things through the back door is unforgivable for me.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Then IMHO his advisers are wrong. I'm around 60% likely to vote UKIP, I could be won over by the Tories but CMD refusing to debate certainly makes me think I might not wish to vote for them as quite clearly they don't want open and honest opinions to be shown.

Only 60% UKIP now? You're shifting. As I have said to others, my door is always open and I would be happy to welcome you in; we could go for a nice meal to celebrate your awakening

 

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

I'm 99% percent for UKIP. Neither the Tories or Labour have sold me a new vision, but Labour especially since I have voted for them in the past. Both parties have had 5 years to talk about the EU, talk about immigration, issues that concern me and we have had nothing of any substance whatsever, it will be more of the same whoever gets in.

If we unfortunately get Labour the EU debate will be closed down, talk about immigration will be closed down. They don't deserve any votes, they don't deserve to run this country, they failed this country and they failed the people, the way they handled immigration, they way they slipped things through the back door is unforgivable for me.

But don't you realise that by voting for UKIP you may allow this to happen? i.e. Labour gets in. I suppose it depends on where you live as to whether it will make a difference.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Only 60% UKIP now? You're shifting. As I have said to others, my door is always open and I would be happy to welcome you in; we could go for a nice meal to celebrate your awakening

Sorry to disappoint but given Labour's absolute head in the sand attitude to the EU I won't be walking through your door. Thankfully your food tastes are somewhat better refined and I'd always be happy to have a meal with you

 

[Westdene Seagull]

But don't you realise that by voting for UKIP you may allow this to happen? i.e. Labour gets in. I suppose it depends on where you live as to whether it will make a difference.

Indeed that is a conundrum .... do us anti-EU voters stick to our guns and vote UKIP with the high risk of Labour ( and possibly the SNP ) getting in or do we vote Tory despite their lies about the recent extra EU bill ? A hard one to deal with unfortunately.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

But don't you realise that by voting for UKIP you may allow this to happen? i.e. Labour gets in. I suppose it depends on where you live as to whether it will make a difference.

I completely agree with what you say, however I can't vote for the Tories, I just can't. Let Labour get back in, because the way politics is these days UKIP will either grow or go down the toilet after that. At least I tried to make a bit of difference. I can honestly see there being no change under Labour and people will just start becoming even more discontent than they are now, which might force people to look elsewhere and not just at UKIP.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Both parties have had 5 years to talk about the EU, talk about immigration, issues that concern me and we have had nothing of any substance whatsever, it will be more of the same whoever gets in.

Well at least 2 things of substance HAVE happened:

1. Cameron has guaranteed that if elected the Tories will have a referendum on EU membership - 2017, if not earlier.
2. The coalition have changed the rules about benefit entitlement for immigrants. Now they have to wait 3 months before they can get Jobseeker's Allowance, child benefit and child tax credit and there are tests in order to determine whether migrants have a genuine desire to work or live off the state. This is a big change because whilst you might be able to get by for a week or two without funds going 3 whole months and then being allowed to stay thereafter if you haven't got a job is now extremely difficult.

I agree with you that Labour have missed the boat on Europe. The EU issue has to be addressed and it is right that we have a referendum on it - the rise of UKIP, the significant rise in EU migrant numbers and the desirability of moving to the UK for millions of would-be migrants has changed the game.

 

[drew]

Well at least 2 things of substance HAVE happened:

1. Cameron has guaranteed that if elected the Tories will have a referendum on EU membership - 2017, if not earlier.
2. The coalition have changed the rules about benefit entitlement for immigrants. Now they have to wait 3 months before they can get Jobseeker's Allowance, child benefit and child tax credit and there are tests in order to determine whether migrants have a genuine desire to work or live off the state. This is a big change because whilst you might be able to get by for a week or two without funds going 3 whole months and then being allowed to stay thereafter if you haven't got a job is now extremely difficult.

I agree with you that Labour have missed the boat on Europe. The EU issue has to be addressed and it is right that we have a referendum on it - the rise of UKIP, the significant rise in EU migrant numbers and the desirability of moving to the UK for millions of would-be migrants has changed the game.

Is the referendum only if they are unable to negotiate a better deal?

 

[beorhthelm]

Indeed that is a conundrum .... do us anti-EU voters stick to our guns and vote UKIP with the high risk of Labour ( and possibly the SNP ) getting in or do we vote Tory despite their lies about the recent extra EU bill ? A hard one to deal with unfortunately.

the shame of it is that the anti-EU voters have UKIP as their option. even though im strongly eurosceptic, i cant even consider voting for a party with so many racists and bigoted representative. i dont mind Farage, but most the rest just seem crackers.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Cameron frightened to go head to head with Ed Miliband, why ? I thought Miliband was completely useless, can't eat a bacon buttie and nobody in Doncaster has heard of him. It can't be that Cameron is scared to debate with him and the general public can it ?

Dodgy Dave knows that in a head to head with Ed who the winner will be , CMD only likes to mass debate.

 

[somerset]

Interestingly Cameron, and probably a majority of Conservative MP's and party members, don't actually want to leave the EU, they just want some adjustment to the T's & C's............ granted you do have the loony right minority, just as you have the loony left within Labour,....but......, Cameron has still offered to allow us all a say in whether we stay in or not, that is real democracy.......

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Cameron has still offered to allow us all a say in whether we stay in or not, that is real democracy.......

Assuming he sticks to his word. Remember that 'We not be paying the demand' at the back end of last year ? Have a guess what has happened ?

 

[Pavilionaire]

Is the referendum only if they are unable to negotiate a better deal?

Tory website: We will renegotiate Britain's membership then hold an in-out referendum for the British people to decide our future in Europe. David Cameron has said this will be held no later than the end of 2017.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Indeed that is a conundrum .... do us anti-EU voters stick to our guns and vote UKIP with the high risk of Labour ( and possibly the SNP ) getting in or do we vote Tory despite their lies about the recent extra EU bill ? A hard one to deal with unfortunately.

Maybe not as hard to deal with if the electorate had not kicked out the Alternative Vote proposal in 2011?

An opportunity missed. It wouldn't surprise me if 40% of voters end up voting tactically or as a protest vote, rather than for a party that they genuinely believe in. And 40% won't bother to vote anyway. So that's the majority of the electorate disengaged with the political process.

 

[KVLT]

Is the referendum only if they are unable to negotiate a better deal?

The referendum is nothing more than a cynical scam to try and snare some extra votes at the election. There is no reason why it couldn't have happened before the election. Even war-torn Crimea got a referendum together in a matter of weeks.

 

[Downlander]

It's a shame no one watches this.

I know - it's too much of a humiliation for Labour supporters.

 

[Ernest]

Even if by a miracle Cameron is PM after May he will weasel out of a referendum like he did last time, there is never, ever going to be a straight in/out vote over Europe, too many vested interests will put a stop to it

 

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

The referendum is nothing more than a cynical scam to try and snare some extra votes at the election. There is no reason why it couldn't have happened before the election. Even war-torn Crimea got a referendum together in a matter of weeks.

And if you go on current polls then stay would win.

Don't get me wrong, I want there to be a referendum. I'm very likely to vote to stay in at the referendum but I think it's good for us to have one.

I don't get this weasel out of having a referendum thing. The evidence is clear that if you commit to something that you can't deliver you'll get punished. Clegg will find that out on tuition fees and I think Cameron will be punished to a lesser extent on immigration.

Somehow ducking out of an EU referendum would be electoral suicide.

If you want out of the EU or (like me) you want to have a proper national debate about being in the EU and then put the matter to bed for a generation then you need to vote conservative.

The ironic thing of course is that if there is a referendum and we vote to stay in then farage will quit and Ukip will wither and die. It's in his interest for there not to be one.

 

[Gwylan]

2. The coalition have changed the rules about benefit entitlement for immigrants. Now they have to wait 3 months before they can get Jobseeker's Allowance, child benefit and child tax credit and there are tests in order to determine whether migrants have a genuine desire to work or live off the state. This is a big change because whilst you might be able to get by for a week or two without funds going 3 whole months and then being allowed to stay thereafter if you haven't got a job is now extremely difficult.

I agree with you that Labour have missed the boat on Europe. The EU issue has to be addressed and it is right that we have a referendum on it - the rise of UKIP, the significant rise in EU migrant numbers and the desirability of moving to the UK for millions of would-be migrants has changed the game.

There's been a lot of research in this area and very few migrants came to the UK to sign on - Cameron can talk about it being big but it's not that significant at all. Even Farage said that benefit tourism wasn't a real issue.

Agree about Labour though, it does make them look a bit cowardly on Europe

Assuming he sticks to his word. Remember that 'We not be paying the demand' at the back end of last year ? Have a guess what has happened ?

Remember his promise to cut immigration below 100,000 too. That was an equally foolish promise to make

The ironic thing of course is that if there is a referendum and we vote to stay in then farage will quit and Ukip will wither and die. It's in his interest for there not to be one.

I'm amazed that in all of the interviews I've seen with Farage, no-one has asked this. If there is a vote to stay in (which seems likely if the polls are to be believed) does that mean Farage's fox has been shot? What's the point of a party with one central policy ... if that one policy can't happen?