To timidly suggest that Nigel Farage is not a racist

[Millyonthefloss]

Can I just start by saying that I am not a racist. Thanks.

This is my AIBU.

Lots of people on mumsnet say Farage is a racist.

But this is what I think.

He is a geezer. He is a city boy. He smokes. He wears dodgy coats. He looks weird. He says non PC things, like my FIL does. He doesn't like overcrowding and change.

But I am beginning to think that he is not a racist.

What he is in fact is a man with an absolute obsession with British parliamentary democracy and an absolute hatred of EU waste, extravagance and unaccountability. He is totally obsessed with getting the UK out of the EU and independent again.

He is enraged and infuriated by the wasteful things the EU does like moving the EU Parliament from Strasbourg to Brussels all the time and wasting millions and millions of British taxpayers money that could be spent in his beloved UK.

I don't even think he is that interested in immigration.

But he is so obsessed with his aim of UK independence that he will work with anyone. So when free movement of labour became the big issue - years after he started his campaigns - he was willing to embrace it. And there have therefore been racists in UKIP. He is not choosy.

But I don't think Farage himself is a racist.

He seems to be genuinely delighted now that he can stand on a platform with Kwasi Kwateng or Frank Field.

He does his weird grin when he is with people like them.

All he wants is UK independence.

What do you think? AIBU?

cant I dont think it is acceptable but you will find this all over the UK in relation to EE migrants and other sensitive minorities.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3566006/Police-admit-wrong-try-Polish-rapist-s-identity-secret.html
A Polish rapist was sent away to Britain in shame by his humiliated family after he attacked a girl in his home country.

Marcin Jaworski, 20, made a new life in Derbyshire – where police tried to keep his identity a secret to avoid fuelling racial tension after they discovered he was a convicted sex offender.

The mushroom farmer’s son left Czarnkow in northern Poland for a fresh start after he was found guilty of attacking a girl.

Why would some people want to accuse me of being racist for wanting to protect my own way of life in my own country?

Please, people, there is a big world out there, we are adult enough and big enough to go it alone, without the 'EU', we did it before, for years, they need us more than we need them.

We have the right to rule ourselves, make our own decisions, fish our own waters, trade with our commonwealth countries. The EU offers us nothing by comparison.

"Why should we be a dumping ground for Europes scum?"

We already have the power to refuse entry to criminals coming in from the EU.

"Why would some people want to accuse me of being racist for wanting to protect my own way of life in my own country?"

Which bit of your way of life needs protecting?

Cantaffordtolive you do realise that most of the changes in women's right in this country over recent years are because of EU? Better maternity pay etc..

Please, people, there is a big world out there, we are adult enough and big enough to go it alone, without the 'EU', we did it before, for years, they need us more than we need them.

You may well be right, cantaffordtolive. A friend from Brighton has just phoned to say there are more and more people living out on the streets (she thinks British), something seen only in the last year. But it does feel like too many people believe that those coming into the UK should be prioritised, because the moment you mention that your husband's income has been brought down because he cannot afford to halve his price for some building work, you are jumped on as if you shouldnt even be saying it.

I'm not anti eu but got to say that it is galling that we jump through hoops for eu immigration policies but then make non eu immigrants pay for it. When my dh moved to UK we paid thousands. One of the payments was a 'community levy' to help with integration. My dh speaks perfect English and needs (and received) no help in any way. Yet WE had to pay for the needs of other migrants, including eu ones. Eu migrants don't pay a penny. In fact, if I were applying for my dh to join me in the UK as an eu citizen it'd be free! But the UK citizens are treated like a cash machine. Admittedly this is UK not eu policy but still grates

I don't believe he's racist. I think he wants a safe controlled Britain, it's not racist to express that we are an island with only so much resources. That's nothing to do with race I'm sure just fact.

I actually think he's a very smart man too, after watching him on the debates (election and referendum).

Restless traveller - do you honestly believe the the first country in the world to have benefits to people out of work would have not continued to push forward in the following forty years with employee rights such as maternity leave etc .. Without the great eu?

I think the Eu have alot to thank Britain for.. Not the other way around

Final point... It's thanks to farage you all now have the referendum vote. No polictal party listened until ukip started collecting votes

I observe that some people make accusations of antisemitism whenever there is discussion of Israeli settlement policy.

Others make accusations of islamaphobia whenever there is a discission about some aspects of islamic treatment of women.

It is easier to acuse someone of racism than actualy discuss the matter in hand which in this case is the relationship between this country and the EU.

FWIW, I think imigration is the backbone of this country. But as with any significant issue, the rate change can undermine the potential benefits.

For those saying the better mat pay etc is because of the Eu. How do you know that we as a nation wouldn't of developed, modernised and fought for our own new laws and regulations?? Genuine question.

gingerboy1912 Because Thatcher was voted in 3 times running.

I don't believe he's racist. I think he wants a safe controlled Britain

I don't think he is either, Lilmiss. If any of you believe that he is, then I suggest you travel the world a bit. Then you will REALLY see racism in the raw, or visit parts of the East End in London. Someone has to put the brakes on, Cameron will not because his next job is in the EU, nor will any other party because it will alienate a significant number of voters for next time. Why do you think under Blair it was 'open door' policy ..... to ensure future votes. One of Labour's apparatchiks admitted last year that it was a deliberate act by Mandelson-Campbell et al. We have not recovered from that time because the country has not been allowed time for population numbers to find their own level.

Everyone thatcher resigned 26 years ago what's that got to do with it?

No Disappoint15, the thing I am saying is that all people - regardless of where they come from - should have to meet the same criteria. It's the EU that has to change not the UK's migrant policy for the rest of the world.

The far Right is rising in Germany and France. Why? For the same reason as my mum is voting to leave. People are voting for their own country's equivalent of Trump or Farage because their fears (whether those are based on ignorance or racism) are not being acknowledged.

If my Indian GP's family (at some point - I have no idea if he is 1st or 14th generation Indian in the UK and I don't care, he's a bloody good doctor) had to jump through hoops then the builder coming from France or Poland or Malta should too. And so should we when we go to live in those countries. We have no 'right' to take a job in France if there are French unemployed people who can do the job just as well!

Being able to walk into a country regardless of whether you are needed is not the point of immigration, certainly according to Remain who say, rightly in some aspects, that we need immigrants. We do. But not for everything. Spain and France have massive youth unemployment, yet our kids can go and get a job there just because they have an EU passport. That's ridiculous! Spain and France should be able to turn UK (or any other country's) kids away if they need those jobs for their own children. Otherwise you get unrest, resentment, no hope. How is that showing the EU working?

People coming into any country in the world should either have a job to go to or have a profession that country needs at that time or money to support themselves for a couple of years (which is the norm in the US if you don't have a job) or a sponsor (i.e. family who will support them until they are settled) or be a refugee or asylum seeker.

If a country doesn't need plumbers, then a plumber shouldn't be able to get permission to move to that country and, potentially, undercut the market rate in that country. That hits the poor more than anything. If someone will do your dripping tap for £6 an hour on the black market then someone will eventually get laid off in the job that pays £8 legitimately. I know not all UK plumbers (in my example) go legitimate all the time. But some countries in the EU are not as rich as others. £6 an hour when your average hourly wage is £3 in your country obviously doubles your salary. £6 an hour when your, supposedly, minimum wage is over £8 an hour is very obviously a wage cut. And nothing stops those from the £3 an hour countries applying for the surplus jobs - in fact it helps them because they get a legitimate job with less chance of being exploited!

All I am saying is that the EU need to change legislation so that countries can allow in those people they need - not just those who hold the right passport - plus their fair share of refugees and asylum seekers as that's a very separate issue and shouldn't be lumped with migrants.

I would bet my last pound that, if the EU signed up to that type of idea this week, Farage would disappear off this planet.

*I don't believe he's racist. I think he wants a safe controlled Britain, it's not racist to express that we are an island with only so much resources. That's nothing to do with race I'm sure just fact.

I actually think he's a very smart man too, after watching him on the debates (election and referendum).*

This ^^