Nigel Farage MEP v Russell Brand - Question Time BBC1 22:35 *** Official Match Thread ***

[Hastings gull]

Wrong on so many levels.

It has not been "roundly criticised". There have been some critics, obviously there will be. That's what happens when papers get published.

It did consider them not working as it is about the NET effect.

It's focus is on EU migrants, but it does mention non EU migrants.

As for 13000 vs 700000. The net migration to this country has been specified in a number of sources including the ONS.


The bit in bold, a nonsensical thing to say.

Thanks for your reply. You are right in that it did focus on EU immigration, and that is only half the story, as you well know. I think non EU immigration worries people more, rightly or wrongly, due to the fact that they are less likely to want to integrate. They come from poorer countries and are less likely to be skilled (not talking about health professionals we poach!)and given that they are less likely to have had proper medical care, the chances are that they will have greater use of the NHS. An immigrant, even one working in this country, will not have paid into the system for long, on average, and this too puts financial strains on the system. You can quote all you want - might it just be what you want to believe?
Your last sentence -can you explain what you mean, please?

 

[spring hall convert]

I really wish I could buy into the BBC being impartial, they excel at making great documentary's and make some amazing dramas, but as far as politics goes there is no way they report from a balanced impartial position in my view.

It is utterly naive to think that any media insitiution is capable of eliminating bias. The BBC's record on certain international affairs is appalling for instance, it's royal coverage is ridiculously biased.

The key is to take your news from a variety of sources and always question their stances.

 

[spring hall convert]

Did someone post this, back there? I didn't see it.

http://www.russellbrand.com/2014/12/answer-time/

 

[Westdene Seagull]

"Mrs Engel's business made £19,786 in 2014 which was deemed not enough by the tribunal panel, which met on 3 December."

Sorry, I read that as 'Mr' in the article. Utterly wrong to deport them then.

 

[Hastings gull]

This country obsesses about immigration. We never as a society debate the level of tax we should pay. We are much lower taxed than successful european countries like Germany and Sweden. In fact we are lower taxed than just about any other developed country except the US and Australia. Why is this never discussed? Do people understand this is the case? The current Tory plans would have public expenditure down to 35% of GDP by 2020 the lowest since the 30s and some 5 or so percent lower than other European countries. 5% of our GDP accounts for about 80 or 90 billion a year. And yet we say we cannot afford to put more money into the NHS. Why is this not discussed? It is a major change in society and we are becoming a low taxed low public expenditure society. This is much more important than immigration yet gets precious little coverage. Why not?

With all respect, you come over as a fanatic that is seemingly capable of only banging on about taxes. Immigration is not the only talking point for folk in this country -it just happens to be what this thread has evolved into. Perhaps it is just that people don't really care about what taxes are paid in Sweden, and simply do not share your obsession.

 

[Dub-67]

Personally, even as a UKIP supporter,

You arent even a Pound Shop Enoch Powell.... more like a Car Boot Tim Ablitt.... UKIP are just old school racists. But it seems some of em have actually convinced themselves they arent!

 

[5mins-from-amex]

It is utterly naive to think that any media insitiution is capable of eliminating bias. The BBC's record on certain international affairs is appalling for instance, it's royal coverage is ridiculously biased.

The key is to take your news from a variety of sources and always question their stances.

Good advise, and as you say it is wise to view news from a broad spectrum of outlets.

 

[W.C.]

These "services" you speak of functioned perfectly well (or at least as well as or better than they do now) before we opened the doors to mass immigration. The need for immigrant labour in these jobs is fuelled by the number of immigrants allowed into the country. There are plenty of British people who could be trained to do the jobs that immigrants are doing now. Do you believe that immigrants possess "exceptional skill sets" that are beyond what we could find on this island?

That's an interesting point. Care to back it up at all?

 

[Soulman]

I take it you would prefer something like Fox News to act as the beacon of impartiality, well at least as far as right wing politics are concerned.

I listen to the BBC, particularly radio, and my impression is that they give politicians on both sides en equal hard time. When they interview a conservative they do so from the opposite side of the spectrum and vice versa when interviewing labour politicians. It may well be that from a polarised viewpoint, people only notice when the Beeb are given a hard time to the politicians from their political persuasion and don't notice when they are doing it the other way around.

Good for you, so pleased. No i would not like a similar Fox news here, just an impartial news will do, especially as it costs £145 a year.

 

[Dub-67]

Oh, I've worked in the manual sector, the industrial sector and professional / commercial sector in my work - what does that make me ?

someone who cant hold down a job?

 

[5mins-from-amex]

You arent even a Pound Shop Enoch Powell.... more like a Car Boot Tim Ablitt.... UKIP are just old school racists. But it seems some of em have actually convinced themselves they arent!

You see as soon as you roll out the ' ukip are racist ' card you loss all credibility in any debate.

 

[cirC]

I really wish I could buy into the BBC being impartial, they excel at making great documentary's and make some amazing dramas, but as far as politics goes there is no way they report from a balanced impartial position in my view.

Nailed.
They of course do give rather large salaries to a lot of the lovies.

 

[Dub-67]

I'm not sure the 'expected' answers were as bad as I'd feared, when I saw you'd asked NCR's " what does that make me" ?
A bit like giving someone a set of darts in a pub, they're going to be thrown.

I tried harder but NSC kept censoring me.

 

[spring hall convert]

Is Rusell Brand a Lidl Lord Byron?

 

[Dub-67]

You see as soon as you roll out the ' ukip are racist ' card you loss all credibility in any debate.

Not in my book. To me British values are about tolerence, openness and freedom.
UKIP in my mind are not representing British values, they are closet racists.

 

[drew]

For example the idea that we need healthcare professionals from another country simply to cope with the healthcare users from another country is absurd.

We needed healthcare professionals from abroad long before there was this so called mass immigration. During the 80s and early 90s, the health service suffered from severe lack of recruitment (and retention) hence the massive drive to employ nurses from other parts of the globe when Labour came to power in 97. Waiting times for some non-life threatening operations were over 18 months.

 

[JCL666]

Thanks for your reply. You are right in that it did focus on EU immigration, and that is only half the story, as you well know. I think non EU immigration worries people more, rightly or wrongly, due to the fact that they are less likely to want to integrate. They come from poorer countries and are less likely to be skilled (not talking about health professionals we poach!)and given that they are less likely to have had proper medical care, the chances are that they will have greater use of the NHS. An immigrant, even one working in this country, will not have paid into the system for long, on average, and this too puts financial strains on the system. You can quote all you want - might it just be what you want to believe?
Your last sentence -can you explain what you mean, please?

My last sentence about nonsense was referring to your comment about studies. In my job I don't have access (or the time) to collate migration and economic data, so of course I am going to refer to studies, statistics.

I should add that I don't quote from studies etc to support what I believe. I use facts, logic and the analysis work by experts to help inform what I think.


The concerns on non EU migration are of course a relevant issue. But UKIP (who are the focus of this thread), don't have a coherent policy to deal with this.

This is a great article from the spectator earlier this year http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffee...-but-non-eu-migration-is-the-greater-problem/

 

[Soulman]

You see as soon as you roll out the ' ukip are racist ' card you loss all credibility in any debate.

Easy lazy option, saves debating

 

[5mins-from-amex]

Not in my book. To me British values are about tolerence, openness and freedom.
UKIP in my mind are not representing British values, they are closet racists.

They might not represent you're British values, but they do for other people, why not just accept that seeing as you believe in tolerance, openness and freedom? to shout them down with insults is rather contradicting you're own values.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

I'm sure Farage would rather gaol them all, rather than they clog up his roads when he wants to get to a meeting

Pathetic response ,deal with the issues, but then again you've got blinkers on
regards
DR