To never speak to this friend again?

[ArgyMargy]

She has just outed herself on Facebook as a UKIP supporter. I always knew she was a bit racist but she lives in a backwater. What the hell do I do now?! Should I just never speak to her again?

And the number of Brits abroad in EuroPe exceeds the number of Euro migrants in the UK - Farage would have to organise a major swapathon, get rid of all those potato pickers and NHS cleaners and replace them with ex East End gangsters, waiting-for-godsters, and good lifers running their own olive farms and vineyards badly.

Wasn't UKIP formed to keep the pound originally?

Or to keep independence from Europe.

Interesting article based on an interview with UKIP's founder.

I have to admit, I've defriended two people recently because of political rants... Neither UKIP, I have to say, but there is a reason ballot papers are kept confidential!!!

OP sure you can disown your friend for her beyond the pale beliefs. But before you do why don't you answer this for us...

What for you is the optimum level of immigration? Is it 500,000 a year, 800,000 a year, 1 million, 2 million?
Where do you draw the line yourself?

And why, when you draw it at your own personal level, does that not make you a racist too?

Haha its fine Ruth, Limited. It's very difficult to put a tone across when typing. I don't dismiss anyone's concerns on immigration, there is an issue. However, and I have said this on other threads, its not the main/only issue. Only a fool can deny that there have been instances of pure racism within Ukip, that distracts from the actual issue at hand. What some within this party cannot understand is, you cannot discriminate against a group of people because of their religion or skin colour. Don't get me wrong, there are simple minded idiots in all parties, but the most narrow minded seem to flock towards Ukips, due it's sensationalism politics, telling people what they want to hear as opposed to what is realistic. It's a one trick pony party, and I personally cannot respect a person who votes for them.

I had a black taxi driver yesterday who said he was voting UKIP. I still can't work out if he was taking the piss

Free movement of people from poorer EU countries to the UK scares people who are at the bottom of the heap.

It doesn't make them racist or even xenophobic. It just makes them scared.

You can sneer at them or you can try to explain that UKIP's policies, or indeed the policies of the Conservative Party, aren't going to help them.

They might find you patronising.

I'd count myself as someone who achieved a good standard of living but is scared of slipping to the bottom of the heap. Is no one else going to own up?

I am very concerned at the erosion of employment rights and the squeeze on resources caused by cuts. And the housing shortage and obscene property speculation by international money launderers or people whose pensions have gone kaput.

Don't worry though. I'm not going to vote UKIP.

I am very concerned at the erosion of employment rights and the squeeze on resources caused by cuts. And the housing shortage and obscene property speculation by international money launderers or people whose pensions have gone kaput.

Then vote Lib Dem! They are all about an equalising influence on society to help balance the disadvantages that those at the bottom of the heap are prey to - they're committed to the NHS and education, things that are bloody important to this process. They (appear to) use research to inform policy rather than populist measures or point scoring. FFS if you're worried about getting shafted because you're not one of the elite, vote for a party that gives a shit about you.

Sorry limited, not shouting at you - just getting overexcited!

Then vote Lib Dem! They are all about an equalising influence on society to help balance the disadvantages that those at the bottom of the heap are prey to - they're committed to the NHS and education

Sorry, are you posting this from a time machine five years ago? The Lib Dems have been well and truly rumbled. They waved the H&SC act through, including that dreadful old windbag Shirley Williams. They've spent the last five years firmly embedded up the Tories' arses.

I'm confused, please can OP explain why voting UKIP makes one a racist?

Sorry, are you posting this from a time machine five years ago?

No, I'm just realistic about what they could actually achieve when they had a small sliver of power! I take your point however, they are not in any way perfect. But they're still my pick because I really do believe that if they did have the power, they'd do as far as realistically possible, what they've committed to do.

And really I was just pointing out that an equitable society is the Lib Dem's whole focus - which makes it gutting that people who are disadvantaged would consider voting conservative or UK, when they will be SO MUCH worse off.

paintedfences You weren't shouting at all. However, I will be voting Labour. Much good it will do me in my rock-solid Conservative seat.

A friend of a friend is a Lib-Dem MP and having met him I'd be tempted to vote for him if I lived in his constituency. He's a very decent person, a former head teacher and a really sound person on childrens' rights and it's a close fight between Lib-Dem and Plaid Cymru.

All right, so I've outed him. If you're in Ceredigion you could do worse than Mark Williams.

Does this break MN rules?

I'm not a member of any political party. Much less the Lib-Dems.

Ruth what do you mean by a party of racists? based on what? Just interested if this is just what people say because they here the media use it as lazy journalism or if it's based on facts. do you mean UKIP candidates are racist or the ideas of the party are racist?

I just wish there was proportional representation over here. How great would it be to be able to put the people you would rather eat sand than see in government riiiiight down the bottom, and know that everyone else could do the same?

For every example of a questionable comment from a UKIP candidate, it can easily be matched by a questionable comment from a labour or conservative candidate if not twice over! They ALL have idiots associated with them with scary opinions that have said awful things over the years. Do people seriously believe it's exclusive to UKIP, do me a favour.

I think YABU. Not everyone who votes UKIP are racist. There are parts of their policies I agree with. Not all of it, and I will not be voting for them but it's easy to see how people can be taken in as one of the largest problems in Britain is the lack of immigration control and they are the only ones focusing on changing this. People are maybe only seeing this and not the bigger picture.

YANBU. If you are so ignorant and intolerant of other people's views, then you'd be doing your friend a favour.

When I got to work yesterday there were two 'strangers' in 'my' office. As none of us have allocated desks I then had to search around for a spare computer and every time I tried to print, one of the two women was - I felt - hogging the printer.
I can appreciate that it's feelings like this which prompt people to vote UKIP.
But do think UKIPs motives are suspect.