My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

AIBU?

to want to ask those who intend to vote UKIP a few questions about their policies?

188 replies

PdHeatonsingingfafafa · 28/07/2013 08:28

Let me ask you this. Has anybody here actually looked at UKIP policies? If so, perhaps you can answer some questions for me.
1: UKIP say they want an amicable divorce from the EU. How smoothly do they believe that can happen?

  1. UKIP want a 5 year hold on immigration. To do so, they think that it is essential to leave the EU as the EU allows citizens of member states to move freely. Ok, what happens to the 2.2 million Brits living in other EU nations? Do we force them to return? It has to work both ways. 3: A flat tax rate can never work. I imagine this is why the party cannot decide whether or not they should have 1 rate or 2. Their 2010 proposal was a rate of 31% for everybody. That is evidently a major tax break for the rich whilst the poor pay more. Is this something you support?

4: A return to the grammar school education model would see communities being ripped in half and children unfairly separated. Who here thinks that is a good idea?
5: UKIP want to increase defence spending to facilitate the building of extra warships and nuclear weapons. When a member or supporter asks why soldiers aren't paid more, be sure to also ask why they'd squander money on these projects?
6: UKIP oppose the HS2 because of the damage it would do to the countryside. However, they also support fracking which would cause even greater damage. How can there be such contradiction? They also oppose manmade climate change. On what evidence do they take this stance?
7: UKIP plan to double prison spaces. How do they propose to fund the building of new prisons and of keeping twice as many inmates? Who will take up these extra spaces? What crimes will become punishable by incarceration? Who will suffer from cuts made elsewhere to fund this?
8: UKIP is proposing "tens of billions" of tax cuts and had set out £77bn of cuts to public expenditure to deal with the deficit. Where will these cuts be made? After increased military and prison spending, the cuts in public spending will have to be a lot higher to compensate.
9: They wish to repeal the hunting ban. This appeals to a minority of people whereas the majority of the country supports the hunting ban. Can you guess which section of society would benefit from the repeal?

It seems to me that most of these policies were plucked from thin air to try and hide the fact that they are a one policy party. Perhaps, by answering these questions, you can change my mind?
OP posts:
Report
Relaxedandhappyperson · 28/07/2013 08:31

Doesn't sound as though anything can change your mind!

(Not a UKIP supporter either, but then again all political parties have some policies I support and some I absolutely don't)

Report
PdHeatonsingingfafafa · 28/07/2013 08:33

It's not that they can't change my mind, it's that I don't believe most of their supporters have read any of their policies beside their anti EU stance and have been brainwashed into thinking the EU is the cause of all society's ills.

OP posts:
Report
releasethehounds · 28/07/2013 08:35

I believe UKIP also want to bring back smoking in public places eg pubs?

Report
PdHeatonsingingfafafa · 28/07/2013 08:37

Yes, in designated smoking rooms. No word of how it'll work if a pub cannot accommodate that.

OP posts:
Report
MalcolmTuckersMum · 28/07/2013 08:40

It hardly matters because there's not a cat in hell's chance of them actually forming the next government is there? Not a hope. What they WILL do is put the shitters up the current shower of cunts (and the opposition too) and make them have another look at their policies - some of which are clearly not sitting well with the voting public. If the established parties were properly serving the public who elected them then UKIP would be relegated to the back of beyond Loony benches where, frankly, they belong.

Report
flatpackhamster · 28/07/2013 08:44

Isn't the Mumsnet forum a bit of a dumb place to post this? Seems to me that this is less about 'getting answers' and more about showing off your right-on credentials in a place where lots of people will agree with you. Interesting too that searching in Google for the text you posted here, reveals that it was posted about 20 minutes ago on Facebook.

((NOTE FROM MNHQ we have removed the link to Facebook in this post.))

Report
PdHeatonsingingfafafa · 28/07/2013 08:44

They won't form a government outright but you have to watch out for a right wing coalition.

OP posts:
Report
PdHeatonsingingfafafa · 28/07/2013 08:47

The tories are desperately trying to stop people jumping ship and as Cameron has no consistent policies either, I wouldn't put it past him to jump into bed with UKIP.

OP posts:
Report
Souredstoneshasasouredpebble · 28/07/2013 08:49

Not a Ukip voter but confused how grammar schools rip communities apart

Report
Flobbadobs · 28/07/2013 08:50

Well I would never vote UKIP but I just want to take one of your points if you don't mind.
My parents and MIL all went to grammar school, my FIL didn't. All 4 of them support a return to Grammar school education and I can see why in a way.
(Apologies, this is more my Mum and MIL's explanation than mine).
Children weren't totally separated into 2 separate schools, there was always an opportunity for a child at secondary modern to switch, usually either at the end of what is now year 7 or into 6th form to enable them to do A levels.
Done right, It would actually give clever children from poorer backgrounds the chance to acheive higher qualifications. My Mum lived on one of the most deprived estates in her area and attended a good grammar school. There was no chance that she could have received such an education without the 11plus.
It would put an end to the assumption that every child is suitable for A levels and university. There must be a hell of alot of money wasted on putting plainly unsuitable students through A levels when they could be encouraged to take up a vocational qualification rather than ending up at Uni because there's no other choice.
Just musings but there seems to be an assumption that has grown over the years that Grammar schools only educated the elite and the poor bloody infantry got thrown into Secondary Moderns, it's not that simple.

Report
PdHeatonsingingfafafa · 28/07/2013 08:55

I believe that every child can be suitable for A levels and university given the encouragement to study the correct subject. I was terrible at maths and would have struggled at the 11 plus based on that. However, I was exceptional at French and did very well at university. Most secondary schools already have a system of separating students with the 'set' system. Those who excel at a subject are placed together but within the same school and not split up from friends they have made in their early formative years.

OP posts:
Report
delboysfileofax · 28/07/2013 09:04

Good point well made flatpackhamster. I imagine most people don't agree with all the points of a UKIP manifesto (same as all political parties) but no one is offering any alternative to Europe so they will vote them in on that platform alone

Report
flatpackhamster · 28/07/2013 09:11

PdHeatonsingingfafafa

Let me ask you again, then - what do you hope to gain by posting this here (since this clearly isn't the place to ask questions about UKIP policy) and what's your link to the Facebook poster I linked to?

Report
Kat101 · 28/07/2013 09:12

There are many counties that still have the grammar school system, Kent, glos, Birmingham. I doubt their communities are noticeably more ripped apart than counties with the secondary system only.

Report
PdHeatonsingingfafafa · 28/07/2013 09:14

Hi flatpackhamster. It was indeed posted on Facebook too. I wondered if their actual followers could answer my questions. Whilst I agree that Mumsnet is hardly a breeding ground of UKIP support, it may surprise you just how far its tentacles are spreading. My question is clearly aimed at those who do intend to vote for them, or even those who are becoming swayed by them. It's also nothing to do with my right on credentials. Every day, hatred towards people who happened to be born elsewhere but live and work here is becoming more intense and parties like UKIP are stirring the hatred up. I'll bet you that there are some people here who are definitely considering voting for them.

OP posts:
Report
PdHeatonsingingfafafa · 28/07/2013 09:15

I am that facebook poster btw.

OP posts:
Report
Flobbadobs · 28/07/2013 09:16

But should they be pushed into it if they don't want to go down that route or if it's just not right for them? Vocational subjects seem to be seen as a cop out in this country right now, with the only 'proper' route seen as attending University. This has to change, if only because of the lack of graduate jobs out there.
Take my Ds as an example. Very bright but not particularly academic. Excels in Maths and science but struggles with basic literacy and still at the age of 12 writes phonetically at times. Does not want to go to Uni and I don't see that one changing. He's been looking into vocational courses since we talked about them a few months ago. He's had no advice about going down this route from school but plenty about what they need to achieve to get to Uni.
He's actually found one that interests him that he could take up either at 14 or 16 includes a placement for on the job training and he would either take it further or leave with a qualification that would stand him a damn good chance at gaining employment.
The grammar school system doesn't just cream off the top students and throws the rest to the wolves, one of the most successful businessmen I know went to secondary modern.

Report
PdHeatonsingingfafafa · 28/07/2013 09:20

I don't believe that every child HAS to go to university, just that every child who wishes to can. There should be more work placements and schemes for those who wish to take a different route.

OP posts:
Report
delboysfileofax · 28/07/2013 09:25

Hi PD, surely the same can be said of all parties though, most manifestos are full of shit when you try to read them properly, must promise the unachievable with no evidence of how they would achieve those goals. why single out UKIP?

Report
ageofgrandillusion · 28/07/2013 09:27

UKIP website explains their policies as well as the websites of the main political parties do theirs.
UKIP cant be blamed for stirring up hatred against foreigners - the DM is by far and away the main culprit on this front due to its massive reach.
What UKIP has done is force the main political parties to confront the subject of immigration which can only be a good thing.

Report
Souredstoneshasasouredpebble · 28/07/2013 09:28

If you're 30 or over you wouldn't have had to do a maths paper, just verbal reasoning.

Sounds like sour grapes to me

Report
Souredstoneshasasouredpebble · 28/07/2013 09:30

Should also say kids at grammar schools aren't separated from society, my school was next to the boys grammar, we also mixed freely with kids from the comps.

A 3 tiered system works well in Germany.

Oh I know plenty of my peers who didn't go to university, it didn't fit their career plans but I also know many comp pupils who did. If you're uni material you'll go there regardless of your school.

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

Souredstoneshasasouredpebble · 28/07/2013 09:31

Oh and can anyone who is still friends with someone from their 'formative years' please raise their hand...


...anyone...

...thought not

Report
MalcolmTuckersMum · 28/07/2013 09:34

Love this comment on the original FB post -


Labour voting troll alert !!!!!!!!
Like · Reply · 2 · 45 minutes ago

Report
flatpackhamster · 28/07/2013 09:34

PdHeatonsingingfafafa

Hi flatpackhamster. It was indeed posted on Facebook too. I wondered if their actual followers could answer my questions.

I have to wonder why you didn't contact UKIP direct with your questions.

Whilst I agree that Mumsnet is hardly a breeding ground of UKIP support, it may surprise you just how far its tentacles are spreading.

It doesn't. UKIP speaks to a section of the population which is despised and ignored by the mainstream political parties.

My question is clearly aimed at those who do intend to vote for them, or even those who are becoming swayed by them. It's also nothing to do with my right on credentials.

I see. So you're attempting to snuff out support for UKIP on Mumsnet by asking several questions which make no sense? 1 is a fair question and there's a good answer to it, but I'm not sure you really want the answer. 2 is based upon a misunderstanding of how the EU works. 3 is based upon a misunderstanding of how tax works. 4 is based upon an ignorance of the grammar school system. 5 is a logical fallacy - it's perfectly possible to increase the salaries of soldiers and to spend a decent amount on defence. 6 shows an ignorance of UKIP's stance on HS2. 7 is just a wierd question - who do you think the extra prison places would be used for? Convicted criminals, perhaps? 8, yes, spending has to be cut, and there are plenty of places that could be done. 9, well, we roll out policies which benefit tiny minorities of the population every month and nobody whinges about that so it's hardly a valid objection to the repealing of the hunting ban.

Every day, hatred towards people who happened to be born elsewhere but live and work here is becoming more intense and parties like UKIP are stirring the hatred up. I'll bet you that there are some people here who are definitely considering voting for them.

There are some, but mostly it's Labour and Lib-Dem voters here. UKIP's primary voting demographic is C2, D and E voters and Mumsnet is crammed to the gills with Islington socialists who work in media fighting the good fight from their million-pound houses.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.