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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to consider UKIP racist?

359 replies

fidelineish · 23/04/2014 16:13

Tell me, please.

OP posts:
ThePinkOcelot · 23/04/2014 16:15

Yawn

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 23/04/2014 16:15

Of course they are.

ThePriory · 23/04/2014 16:16

What? UKIP are racist.

LineRunner · 23/04/2014 16:17

Many ukip supporters are racist, yes.

OP posts:
msrisotto · 23/04/2014 16:25

UkIP is a well known party for racists, yes.

Original poster
fidelineish · 23/04/2014 16:29

The phrase "local people" is much used in their manifesto, but not defined.

No-one seems able to Hmm

OP posts:
Chapsview · 23/04/2014 16:29

LineRunner - got to ask what you base your statement on?

Do you know many UKIP supporters?
Has anybody ever published a survey of UKIP supporters?

Or dare I say are you just churning out what you have seen on the biased BBC etc?

OP - why not read the UKIP website and form your own opinion of their policies, which in my opinion are in fact NOT racist.

Just to clarify before the usual posts about banning immigration etc being racist - the policy is to CONTROL immigration so that the right people with the right skills can come in easily from all over the world. Not UNCONTROLLED migration from the poorer areas of Europe which is generally for economic gain. I fail to see how trying to welcome people from other nations but in a controlled manner can be racist.

All the above of course is just my personal view.

WetAugust · 23/04/2014 16:30

^Because the people are racist. They simply cling to the idea that 80,0000 Bulgarians are poised to come over here to claim JSA as a way of justifying their bigotry. UKIP are their to encourage and exploit these ideas.

What can you do?^

Bulgarians are not a race apart. They are probably historically Caucasian and will have the usual mix of ethnicities.

UKIP is saying that the UK should not offer every citizen of every EU country possible permanent residence in the UK.

Can't see anything at all 'racist' about that Confused.

But those of you who have very little interest in politics and just shout 'Racist' when you're told to can keep doing so.

The correct term is 'xenophobic' - fear of foreigners. But as a lot of those 'foreigners' are currently occupying jobs in the UK workforce and displacing the domestic workforce then it's not an unjustified fear at all.

Didn't Gordon Brown bang on about 'British jobs for British workers?'

Don't remember him being called racist Confused

All a bit selective really isn't it? If your pet party bangs on about British jobs that's OK. If Nigel says it, he's a racist. Becuase that's what the Con/Lab?libs want you to think. Well done.

WetAugust · 23/04/2014 16:34

"Local people".

What UKIP is saying is that people should not expect to come to the UK from other EU countries and immediately qualify for benefits, housing, NHS care etc.

Original poster
fidelineish · 23/04/2014 16:35

The correct term is 'xenophobic' - fear of foreigners.

Well it is certainly a distinction worth making.

Until UKIP have expelled the bigots from their ranks, defined their terms and fleshed out their manifesto, however, it is not a convincing defence of UKIP.

OP posts:
WetAugust · 23/04/2014 16:37

Not intending to 'defend' UKIp - that's not necessary. Just providing some clarification.

WooWooOwl · 23/04/2014 16:39

There are racist people that joined UKIP. But then there are probably people who are racist that joined any of the other main parties as well.

There may be racist people who joined Mumsnet. That does not make Mumsnet racist.

UKIP as a party are not racist.

It is not racist to believe that we shouldn't be part of the European Union, and it is not racist to oppose unlimited unskilled immigration.

Chapsview · 23/04/2014 16:40

Sorry - I have to disagree - I believe the average UKIP supporter is NOT xenophobic.

You will have to come up with a term for "Fear of uncontrolled immigration into a country of finite resources and size"

mummymeister · 23/04/2014 16:41

you can consider them racist if you want to. we live in a democracy. you are free to choose whether to vote for them or not. how much support there is for them out there in the real world we wont know until after the European elections.

Original poster
fidelineish · 23/04/2014 16:41

woo their manifesto (such as it is ) is littered with promised priveleges for "local people" (whatever they might be)

OP posts:
bigdeal · 23/04/2014 16:42

yabu

Original poster
fidelineish · 23/04/2014 16:43

The thing is mummy if they wanted to make their non-racism absolutely clear they could have done so by now. The fact that they haven't, says something.

OP posts:
gordyslovesheep · 23/04/2014 16:44

do we have to accept all the expats back from Spain, France and Portugal then - are we happy to accept we can't move and work freely across Europe - and for European companies

little England will be very poor and very lonely :(

WetAugust · 23/04/2014 16:46

I don't believe it's xenophobic either.

How about 'protectionist' as it seeks to protect UK based jobs from uncontrolled immigration from citizens of other EU countries.

Or Conservative - as it seeks to conserve Uk based jobs for UK 'citizens'. Oh dear - I think that name has already been misappropriated.

LackaDAISYcal · 23/04/2014 16:46

I don't see any eastern Europeans taking jobs that could go to the British workforce; I do see, in my poorly paid zero hours contract work, plenty of Eastern Europeans who are willing to work all the hours God sends to make a decent wage doing the poorly paid job. A job that my employer finds difficult to fill and then retain home grown staff in.

So the problem is with the employers, not the employees afaics.

OP, YANBU

TillyTellTale · 23/04/2014 16:48

Can I judge UKIP by the entertainment put on for party delegates at its last party conference? Reasonable or not?

blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danhodges/100261889/ukip-are-now-a-racist-party/

Original poster
fidelineish · 23/04/2014 16:50

Wet UKIP missed their chance to be considered a well-intentioned, sensible party with a pragmatic line on immigration when they fielded a series of homophobes, chauvinists and other assorted bigots as candidates.

And when they published an ever-changing series of information-light 'manifestos' in huge type riddled with ambiguous terms but apparently worrying intent.

They just look comic and amateurish now, in addition to racist.

If there is a conversation to be had re immigration policy, UKIP are the not the ones to assist.

OP posts:
WetAugust · 23/04/2014 16:50

Fidelineish

Do you bother to follow politics at all?

The thing is mummy if they wanted to make their non-racism absolutely clear they could have done so by now. The fact that they haven't, says something

They have.

You don't believe them.

They shouldn't have to. Neither should they have to 'deny' being anything else you may dream up for them.

Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

I explained 'loval people' upthread. Those 'local people' could be established immigrants from other EU countries that are living and contributing to the UK. That's what it's about - making a contribution before you come to the UK to use the NHS, claim benefits, obtain housing, family allowance etc.

WooWooOwl · 23/04/2014 16:54

I don't think it's amateurish to change manifestos. I think more politicians should do it, seeing as they are supposed to represent other people. If they are responding to what people tell them, that's a good thing.