ok, if these are my policies re Europe - how should I vote?

[specialsubject]

• stay in the EU for trade (which was the original plan) but do what other countries do and ignore the ridiculous laws
  
• encourage home-grown investment; discourage offshoring, have British companies running things wherever possible, tighten up tax loopholes (Amazon etc)
  
• We make our own energy policy. Stop onshore windfarms (I think this will happen anyway), encourage nuclear and future related technologies (yes, I WOULD live near a nuclear plant), do not shut down functional coal stations, look at usable renewables such as solar and tidal, and hydro if we have the suitable geography (do we?).
  
• stop the EU shuttling between Brussels and Strasbourg (close the Strasbourg building) and reduce it to three working languages
  
• foreign aid only for needy countries.
  
• introduce points system for immigration (same as Australia). But recognise that those who are already here, are here and that's it. No 'send 'em home', no 'white Britain' and all the associated nastiness that creeps in. Do not want to vote for anyone that has this as a hidden agenda.
  

so which box do I tick? Or do I just spoil my paper?

[NoArmaniNoPunani]

Have you tried something like this?
www.whodoivotefor.co.uk

[Isitmebut]

Most of those are EU issues affected by the options we have within the EU, the question is do we want to stay in or leave – the problem is that we have never been given an informed debate.

Labour and the Lib Dems 100% want to stay in and don’t want to leave (stopping Westminster allowing via a majority of MPs a referendum), Ukip have no power to do anything, and the Conservatives if have a majority in 2015, will offer an informed referendum in 2017 - but as they are unlikely to get a majority in 2015, assume we will stay in and vote for the BEST MEP who'll represent your regions interests, rather that 'protest' on a huge taxpayer remuneration package.

"Ukip MEPs are laziest in Europe, missing a third of debates as Cameron warns UK needs politicians who will 'turn up'"

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2626937/Ukip-MEPs-laziest-Europe-missing-debates-Cameron-warns-UK-needs-politicians-turn-up.html
• Ukip ranked bottom in league table of 76 parties from across the EU
• On average its MEPs turned up for just 61.1% of votes over five years
• Lib Dems best UK party with more than 3 MEPs, attending 87% of votes
• David Cameron says European Parliament elections 'do matter'


Re EU trade, I say most of it would remain unchanged, but as in 2010 the UK was doing more trade with Ireland than the four largest emerging nations Brazil, Russia, India and China COMBINED, with around 2.3 billion citizens – so Cameron has gone out of his way to travel with trade delegations to major countries trying to boost our trade.


Labour only know how to ‘grow’ the Public Sector, haven’t got a clue what drives business and the Private Sector – so if manufacturing and trade is important to you, the option is pretty clear re 2015. But re the EU and local elections, look at Labour spending Council Tax rises record and Ukips fruit and nut record – work it out from there.

[specialsubject]

thanks - interesting site for 'whoI'dvotefor' - recognising it was for the last general election.

still need three votes, though. :-(

my region does have an active MEP. Perhaps that will have to be the answer.

considerations continue...

[longfingernails]

I don't think there is any party which fits all those views in its manifesto.

To me, your views seem essentially those of Conservative grassroots supporters, but unfortunately, Cameron is not in touch with his grassroots and does not agree with your by-and-large very sensible ideas.

I personally think UKIP is your best bet. Of course they want to get out of the EU, whereas you want it watered down to a free trade bloc, without delusions of becoming a political superstate. This is a very big difference in policy. It's essentially what most Tories and what most of the British public want, but it's not what Cameron is prepared to argue for.

But consider the impact of your vote. You know UKIP aren't going to get meaningful power themselves; the only way you can achieve your political objectives is by forcing Cameron to take a slightly harder line on the EU and associated fripperies (Miliband and Clegg would certainly never even want to reform the EU). The only way Cameron will take a harder stance on the EU is if he is forced to; the only way he can be forced is if he sees the serious prospect of UKIP denting his chances at the next general election.

[Isitmebut]

This is not Cameron's call, it is all the Members, the serious renegotiations on some subjects won't happen until after 2015, if Cameron has a parliamentary majority = a mandate from the people for an EU referendum, as a 'NO' vote could unwind the Treaty and/or encourage 'the people' in other countries to rise.

On subjects like open-borders, most original members understand the need to control the new poorer country influx and don't need our help.

In other words, Farage has had his day, Ukip pressure on what Cameron achieves within the EU, doesn't matter a rats tail.

[Isitmebut]

The EU nearly split the Conservative Party apart in the late 1990's and Cameron has enough Eurosceptics of his own to put on the pressure - the fact is, whether Cameron prefers to stay in or not, like most other anti big honking uncompetitive bureaucratic Conservatives - he understands an unreformed EU getting ever closer to a superstate, is unattractive to both the Conservatives and the UK's interests.

“Tory EU exit campaign if no reform, says minister”
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27456187

“A senior Tory minister says the party would be willing to campaign for UK withdrawal from the European Union if unable to secure membership reforms.”

“Energy minister Michael Fallon is the first senior Conservative to explicitly indicate which way the party would vote should its proposals be rejected.”
“
But Downing Street sources stressed the party was confident the UK-EU relationship could be renegotiated.”

“An in-out EU referendum is promised if the Tories win the 2015 election.”

“The reforms the Tories are seeking to secure would include greater UK powers on welfare and immigration.”

[Spinflight]

Spoil.

There is no party I know of with anything close to that set.

[specialsubject]

...that's my problem, really!!

they always say that the place should be run by those of us down at the bottom driving taxis and cutting hair..

thanks for links, and info - appreciate everyone's response.

[LadyStark]

Based on the above I think you should vote conservative - best chance of a say and renegotiation.

UKIP are the worst choice for the euros. They just don't participate, barely turn up to vote and when they do vote no irrespective of the issues. To make change you have to participate, they basically get paid for doing jack all.

[Spinflight]

"they always say that the place should be run by those of us down at the bottom driving taxis and cutting hair.."

I entirely agree.

Looking at your list again the only difference to UKIP's likely manifesto is the staying in the EU part...

As you listed it first I took it to be important to you, however reading between the lines I suspect you consider there to be a definite loss in trade should we exit.

90%+ of our trade with the EU is now governed by WTO treaties rather than the old fashioned common market. The world has moved on since the early 70s.

[ttosca]

UKIP are the worst choice for the euros. They just don't participate, barely turn up to vote and when they do vote no irrespective of the issues. To make change you have to participate, they basically get paid for doing jack all.

And they're fascists.

[specialsubject]

1 day to go and still dithering...argh!