France and Greece Election results!

i dont think you have the correct facts: last round of rightdowns were bonds sold to private investors (banks etc.), so private institutions absorbed the losses.

now the majority of money going to Grece is EU & US govt money going to the Greek govt via the IMF and the EU.

now its us they dont want to pay back. also they pay on average 10% less tax then people in the rest of Europe.

Well, the sky might yet be falling. All euro stock markets continuing downwards (except Germany).

And there has been a second failed attempt to form a coalition in Greece, so more elections.

With Hollande's 'non' added to the mix, we're looking at renewed volatility of Eurozone crisis again: with some commentators opining that the stress is spreading to Spain.

Some of the banks with the most of the Greek Debt are French national banks.

Only because we keep giving it to the bankers. Where do you think they got it from?

Why not renationalise a bank/banks and let the others sink, if they mae stupid decisions re Greece? Why are we charging govts interest to borrow from banks, who we then have to bail out? This is silly. If we're going to print money as we are doing we might as well keep the proceeds - the middlemen don't add anything. They were supposed to take the risk but they haven't - they took the profits and are still doing but as soon as any problems came along they went cap in hand to the govts for help. What purpose do they serve (unless you count keeping high end London house prices afloat)?

its not the bankers money. its EU & US govt money.

Agree, claig. :)

As Farage pointed out, Greece's economy is contracting at 7% per annum and it can't pay the bankers bank, which is why it needs EU money. Only if their economy grows will they have any chance of paying the bankers, so if the bankers really want their money, then they should hope that Greece can grow, and the austerity is currently failing to provide that growth.

Agree, breadandbutterfly. Good luck to Hollande and the Greeks. We need growth, so if they can achieve it and soften the austerity then that will be good for the people of Europe, but not as good for the bankers.

The Queen is from German stock. Churchill and many of our aristocrats are from Norman ancestry. Portillo is Spanish. Nothing wrong with Farage having French ancestry, if he has.

back to topic, I am still waiting for the sky to fall in which everyone on page 1 of this thread assured would happen.

All I can see is Europe adjusting to the concept of growth rather than austerity - no bad thing as I know which I'd rather live under - and stock markets getting a little hot under the collar as they do fairly often.

The Guardian published something about Farage's expenses

www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/may/24/mps-expenses-ukip-nigel-farage

and Farage answered questions on it on the radio

I want to see faraaaaaaggeee birth certificate I reckon he is French really.

'probably'. I doubt it somehow.

Think you're being a bit hopeful on that one, claig.

I don't think that UKIP has the same policies as the BNP on immigration, repatriation or economics.

I think UKIP is a libertarian type party that believes in free markets, whereas the BNP has some more socialist economic policies. UKIP is for small state, BNP is for big state.

'But then Farage wouldn't be making a packet, would he?'

I don;'t think he is making any morre than the MEPs of other parties. He is entitled to the same salary and expenses as them. I don't know, but unlike some of them, he probably also campaigns for a reduction in expenses and salaries given to MEPs.

UKIP is the BNP just with zimmer frames and tweed jackets in southern market towns.

Yes, but his party campaigns here. So, just as it stands in national elections and mayoral elections, it also stands in European elections just like the Greens, Labour and Tories do. It is engaged in politics and stands for elections to all legislative bodies and councils.

Sorry, claig, that's a pants argument. If he wanted to change our approach to Europe he ought to be campaigning in Britin for the 'no' vote and a referendum. It is up to Britain to demand that not Europe - Europe the turkey will never vote for its own Christmas, will it?

But then Farage wouldn't be making a packet, would he? Tosser.

I don't believe in catastrophic climate change.

Well if you believe in faraaaage you'll believe any conspiracy theory won't you :)

He even says that when teh people vote no to EU treaties, that the EU tells them to vote again until they get it right.

I don't know if it's true, but he knows a lot more about it than I do.

'claig - that's not true. No reason he couldn't campaign within Britain and be an MP.'

But he says that the UK parliament doesn't have much power and that most laws are made by Brussels.

Because we live in a free society and can choose to spend our money how we like to and if that means pubic schools then that's a persons personal choice.

claig - that's not true. No reason he couldn't campaign within Britain and be an MP.

Oh, except that no-one serious would ever vote for him. There's only so many people with that much of a sense of humour.