If UKIP are so terrible, why did they win so much?

[balloondoggy]

I didn't vote UKIP - I voted for my local Christians. However, if I were to purely read the comments on Mumsnet and the comments on Facebook re UKIP, I would have thought they would come last; yet they didn't. Why? Are there so many of us on here that are so different from (clearly) the majority?

"Abolish student loans."

And how will people afford to go to university? Are you talking about the government fully funding university courses? If so, where do you intend to get the money for that from?

It would mean asylum seekers would be left to starve.

So there would have to be some provision. Either charity or institutions or... Where's the money coming from? Or will we all just all step over dead refugees in the street and get on with our days?

"UKIP recommends that social housing will be allocated on a
pure waiting list approach."

UKIP have obviously never seen the film Cathy Come Home which showed vividly the problems with a waiting list approach, which we used to have. Basically kids end up in care, because their parents do not have any accommodation.

Fideline - Charities in the UK are suffering because donations, grants and donations from private companies are down.

It would mean that we would have more foodbanks, and asylum seekers begging on the streets and rooting through litter bins for food.

"And how will people afford to go to university? Are you talking about the government fully funding university courses? If so, where do you intend to get the money for that from?"

Fr

The patronising over reaction on mumsnet is ludicrous. And anyway it's a democracy people can vote anyway they choose.

Can't work my phone

From memory - UKIP wanted to abolish loans and replace them with grants...I don't think there was any mention if where the funding was coming from.

The UKIP welfare policy makes no sense at all. It would lead to most people on benefits being worse off, increased number of children taken into care, more people begging on the streets.

It would mean that we would have more foodbanks, and asylum seekers begging on the streets and rooting through litter bins for food.

Well (if they ever did form a govt) they would have the small difficulty that almost their entire raft of legislation would be at odds with ratified human rights legislation until they could affect an exit from the EU. Anyone know how long an exit would take? Could it be done in one term?

Chipstick - It is not an overreaction. Most of UKIP's policies make no sense.

I recall milliband introducing new policies lately when dissected just collapsed. The mainstream parties don't have the monopoly

Unknown Kings of Incomprehensible Policies

Any more?

Chipstick - We are talking about UKIP here. A good try at a derail though.

In what politicians mind can it be a good idea to have a policy of no housing benefit or council tax benefit for private tenants?

"... ratified human rights legislation until they could affect an exit from the EU. Anyone know how long an exit would take? Could it be done in one term?"

I've no idea about the time lines for exiting EU obligations, but UK would remain bound by UN treaties.

But the HR angle is usually held to mean that governments should not prevent the exercise of rights, not that they must facilitate any of them. this will not impede UKIP policy (quite a lot of which is recycled Blairite, some current Labour. Where the right wing lies in UK is not necessarily where one would assume).

The policy that drives UKIP is that we leave Europe.

The derailing tactics of examining any other policy is moot considering UKIP will never gain power and Farage will retire when he achieves his goal.

Scaremongering about UKIP policies are somewhat disingenuous.

They might never form a government - but individually they already have power, they have been elected as representatives in Europe and in local government.

Their other policies are not a moot point unless every single one of them is going to resign with him.

They will never be able to implement policy.

So it's a nonsense and scaremongering.

Caruthers, you have been defending UKIP. Surely any party should have policies that actually stand achance of working? UKIP's don't.

Calmet the only policy that matters is the exit from Europe and freedom from the European state.

Everyone knows that don't they?

I'm defending UKIP because i'm a UKIP voter.

They're setting or not bothering to vote on European policy, which is then implemented.

They're the ones dealing with people going to them for problems accessing support for inclusion in schools, support in the community for people with disabilities and problems accessing social housing - weirdly I don't think it's nonsense to know what their last known beliefs on those things are.

tabulahrasa

You could ask the Tories why they initiated operation ATOS on the unsuspecting public or indeed the bedroom tax.

You could ask labour why they decided to kill so many people in Iraq/Afghanistan etc.

They were driving policy because they were in power.

Did you miss the bit of news where George Osborne said he "Respects" Nigel Farage and that both Labour and the Conservatives realise that immigration needs proper attention?

We're also controlling immigration by:

Clamping down on benefits tourism and health tourism - so that we only welcome those who want to work hard and contribute to our society

Cutting net immigration from outside the EU to levels not seen since the late 1990s - to ease pressure on the schools and hospitals that all hardworking people rely on

Introducing a new citizen test with British values at its heart

For people not familiar with the Conservative immigration policy....it sounds a bit "Kippy" to me.

Obviously the party in power drives policy...but that doesn't make other MEPs and councillors irrelevant.

Obviously the party in power drives policy...but that doesn't make other MEPs and councillors irrelevant.

It certainly does when policy that is to be implemented is involved.

The leaders of the other parties don't appear to be sticking their heads in the sand any more and are registering the fact we need change.

Let's just see what happens before the GE and see if they can head UKIP off.