To think that the Brexit Party is the most exciting thing to happen in British politics in years

[ChavvyOldBrexiteer]

1000 candidates have applied for 73 seats, nearly a million pounds raised with small donations, buzz and brexitement on the ether and the sense that the 2 party system may be over for good....at last some good news for Brexiteers.

Viva la Revolucion!

[SherryBomb]

Of course, if Labour and the Torries did want to join forces to get a cross-party deal through before the elections, it will almost certainly be for a relatively soft Brexit.

[SherryBomb]

Don't think I agree much of Guy Verhofstadt's assessment there. Labour's polling for the EU elections suggests their share of MEPs will be pretty similar to last time out (25% last time compared to 24% in YouGov's most recent).

The Brexit Party seem to be mainly splitting the right-wing vote.

Last time out, UKIP had 27.5% and the Tories 24% (total 51.5%). Yougov has Con down to 16%, Brexit at 15% and UKIP down to 14% (total 45%).

I can definitely see Farage taking even more votes from the Tories and UKIP, but there's no evidence of Labour voters switching in meaningul numbers, and I doubt they'll get many Lib Dem, Green or Change UK voters onside.

I expect these elections will mainly serve as a rebuke to the Torries. If anything I think that would make Brexit less likely.

[Windowsareforcheaters]

www.channel4.com/news/revealed-how-leave-eu-faked-migrant-footage

Leave U.K. faked footage of migrants. Classic use of the media to paint the 'foreigners' attacking women. This is straight out of the facist playbook.

We live in a society that is institutionally racist in terms of representation and roles. Most of us are working to overcome this, but it is not complete and no one is perfect.

However, (some) Brexit campaigners and parties are behaving significantly outside the bounds of reasonable and responsible behaviour. Parties whose members openly tweet racist comments, key figures who are openly facist (Yaxley-Lennon), media manipulation reminiscent of the worst types of propaganda.

You may get your Brexit and you may also get a country where this behaviour is deemed acceptable. Will the ends justify the means or will it become despised because of the depths stooped to to win?

[Clavinova]

Windowsareforcheaters

With a bit of luck - I won't have to vote in the EU elections after all - Nigel's charm is working already;

Belgian MEP, Guy Verhofstadt‏ is getting twitchy - he wants us to get on with it;

"Never thought I would say this, but maybe it will be Farage who can deliver a cross-party agreement as Labour & Conservatives risk to be wiped out during the EU elections."

"The Brexit extension risks making this Parliament a real pigeon house, a dovecote.With British MEPs flying in & out & others on the substitute benches. Banksy already depicted Westminster as a house of monkeys. He could paint this blue hemicycle in Strasbourg filled with pigeons"

Oh dear, today's news;

Labour MP Richard Burgon in row over Zionism comments
"he regrets having said Zionism is the "enemy of peace".

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47952275

[chocolateworshipper]

I'm no English professor, but isn't having Nigel Farage et al standing in the EU elections an oxymoron? Or a very similar word.

[Windowsareforcheaters]

I could cut and paste some of the vile comments made by the founder of the Brexit Party and UKIP officials but I don't want to give them publicity.

Truly shocking comments.

Is the EU perfect no it isn't, is there institutional racism, yes there is.

Are there racists in the EU Parliament, yes there are, because the U.K. voted them in.

Whataboutary at its best.

This thread is about political parties in the U.K. non of these parties are perfect. However, UKip and The Brexit Party are founded by and lead by racists.

No matter how much I dislike TM and the Conservative party they are not racist in the overt and obvious way these parties are.

[Clavinova]

Windowsareforcheaters

All 28 European commissioners are white and only three of the 751 MEPs are black

www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/29/eu-is-too-white-brexit-likely-to-make-it-worse

After POLITICO published a story suggesting that EU circles in Brussels suffer from a lack of racial diversity, dozens of readers took time to share their views.Here are some of the best.

www.politico.eu/blogs/playbook-plus/2017/12/brussels-bubble-reacts-to-accusations-of-being-too-white-brusselssowhite/

[Windowsareforcheaters]

They have British Asian candidates on their website - therefore I don't regard the Brexit Party as racist

Is your view on racism that simplistic?

That's along the lines of "some of my best friends are ...."

Racism is really significantly more complex than brown vs white. Some women are misogynistic, some gay people can be homophobic - we have lol met people who fit into these categories.

What you can do is make decisions for yourself and presented with evidence about the racist ideas of the founder of a party it is not unreasonable to extrapolate that they would found a party with people who share their ideology.

I won't vote for a racist party. Not in my name.

You make your own decision and then live with it.

[Clavinova]

Windowsareforcheaters
What is it with leavers telling me what I think and who I vote for.

I thought that was your tactic? You're getting a bit huffy with a dose of your own medicine.

[Clavinova]

If you knowingly vote for a racist party I don't need to shame you, you do it to yourself

They have British Asian candidates on their website - therefore I don't regard the Brexit Party as racist.

Which party will you be voting for - are you ashamed to say?
Perhaps you are not a UK citizen at all?

[Windowsareforcheaters]

try to shame them

If you knowingly vote for a racist party I don't need to shame you, you do it to yourself.

[Windowsareforcheaters]

But I look forward to reading your anti-Marxism/anti-Semitism thread - it's your duty as a Labour supporter - you can't just walk away - what's your battle plan?

What is it with leavers telling me what I think and who I vote for.

I have voted labour but I have also voted Green, Lib Dem and Independent. I am not a member of the Labour Party and I will not support them with my vote until the anti semitism issue is resolved.

What I won't do is vote for a racist party and then try to make the debate about something else.

The Brexit Party and UKIP are racist parties. If you knowingly vote for a party founded by or run by racists what does that make you?

[Clavinova]

Windowsareforcheaters

Marxists don't be silly.The Labour Party is just about a socialist party nowadays.

In this video clip - John McDonnell quite clearly says;
"I am a Marxist"

www.pulsemedia-online.co.uk/john-mcdonnell-i-am-a-marxist/

However, I am not going to harangue Labour voters and try to shame them - they are entitled to vote as they choose - confident in the knowledge that they are not Marxists (or anti-Semites) themselves.

But I look forward to reading your anti-Marxism/anti-Semitism thread - it's your duty as a Labour supporter - you can't just walk away - what's your battle plan?

And who will get your vote in the EU Elections - if it's not Labour?

[Langrish]

InternetArgument
European elections would be straightforward for me, whichever candidate is pro-remain. I have absolutely no idea wth to vote for if there’s a GE. Have voted mostly Labour I suppose in the past, JC and McDonnell have firmly put paid to that idea for the foreseeable. Have also voted conservative and Liberal Democrat, tactically or on local issues. Can’t vote for Johnson, Gove, Rees-Mogg et al, which is what it will effectively be, whoever the leader is at the time. Lib Dem’s a completely wasted vote where we are now, as is independents. UKIP are monstrous, the new UKIP light not much better.
I don’t want to spoil my vote but I really don’t know what to do. I Imagine there are many like me.

[InternetArgument]

It will be interesting to see how many former Labour votes the Brexit party attract.

[Windowsareforcheaters]

you might as well say that all Labour voters are Marxists and anti-Semites

Anti semites possibly.

Marxists don't be silly. The Labour Party is just about a socialist party nowadays.

However, I won't be voting Labour until they get themselves sorted out in relation to anti semitism.

You make your own accommodation with voting for racist parties, I can't.

[Clavinova]

Windowsareforcheaters
If you vote for them you become them.

Oh, give it a rest - you might as well say that all Labour voters are Marxists and anti-Semites.

[Clavinova]

time4chocolate

[Windowsareforcheaters]

UKIP is not the entirety of the far right. UKIP was not going to gain 'governmental' power then or now. However, UKIP and other far right parties can cause an awful lot of misery and distress without gaining power.

The right will split the country turning neighbours against neighbours.

The idea that people can control the right is often sadly mistaken. You believe you are using them to get your goal but they end up using you. Republicans thought they could control Trump and they failed. Von Papen thought he could control Hitler and he failed.

Don't kid yourself that you are using them. If you vote for them you become them. These people are racists who are friends with facists.

The rise of the right in Europe is frightening and should not be taken lightly. We may leave the EU and become all that you hope to escape in terms of controlling dictatorial governments.

[time4chocolate]

might I suggest you think about voting for the Brexit Party instead...

As good as done where my vote is concerned Clavinova

[Clavinova]

Windowsareforcheaters

I think I may have said this before. Federalism means devolved power. Making power more local and more accountable locally.

Yes, I think you did - something along the lines of a United States of Europe - sorry, but that doesn't appeal to me.

You vote according to your conscience

Yes, I will - as far as I'm concerned - the Brexit Party is simply a vehicle to help us leave the EU and honour the result of the referendum. No doubt it will cease to be relevant as a political party once that aim is achieved.

The far right is rising in the U.K.

I disagree and note your comment on a recent thread;

"UKIP was never going to gain power and were not as popular as people like to think."

Indeed - "In the 2017 local elections, UKIP lost all of the 145 seats it was defending–and, a month later, won a miserable 1.8 per cent of the vote.

However, 17.4 million voters simply want to leave the EU - and part of the Remainer plot is to employ shaming and ridicule tactics - in order to change their opinion.

I've just been looking at an anti-Brexit website - they are boasting that 20% fewer Leave voters will vote in the EU Elections (in protest at the debacle in parliament) - compared to Remain voters - therefore, if any Leave voters are thinking of abstaining in the EU Elections - might I suggest you think about voting for the Brexit Party instead...

[Windowsareforcheaters]

@Clavinova
Obviously you can vote exactly how you want. No one has said or implied otherwise.

My point is that Blaiklock co founded this party. She retweeted messages originally posted by members of the BNP.

I would choose not to vote for a party co founded by a racist. If you found a party like minded people often join you, they read and agree with your social media and twitter accounts. Blaiklock regularly posted racist messages.

The far right is rising in the U.K. it is being given support by many who voted for Brexit. This is extremely is the legacy of the Mosley and his Blackshirts.

The Labour Party has groups in it that are on the edges of mainstream politics as does the Conservative party I'm thinking of Momentum and the ERG. However, they are both still within the bounds of mainstream.

UKIP and the Brexit Party have crossed the line, they are racist parties.

You vote according to your conscience but other people may find the idea of voting for a party founded by racists morally repugnant.

[Langrish]

JanartaMeen

“I'm always fascinated that people continue to fall for this conman and his endless quest to milk them and the EU for money. It's quite bewildering to watch. I would feel sorry for them, but they only have themselves to blame. Fools. Embarrassing fools.“

You’re being very generous to them Janarta. I can think of at least a dozen more descriptions.

[Clavinova]

soon descend into a nasty mess of racist vitriol

If they descend into a nasty mess of racist vitriol then I won't vote for them - obviously.

Otherwise - I shall vote as I please - even if that disagrees with you.

I can't stand Jeremy Corbyn or John McDonnell - but some people seem to like them - their vote - their choice.

[Windowsareforcheaters]

@Clavinova re the Brexit party. I have already posted this:

Catherine Blaiklock, the leader of the Brexit party, repeatedly retweeted posts from far-right figures as well as sending her own messages. Among the messages she shared was one by Mark Collett, a former British National party (BNP) activist, referring to “white genocide”

The Brexit party was lead by someone who is racists. Is it too much of a leap to suggest other people in the party feel the same way as their (ex) leader?

Farage supported this woman and worked closely with her. Has Farage been fooled yet again by all those people around him? He seems to make the mistake of working closely with people who have racists views time and again.

Are you willing to risk voting for a party that based on past evidence will soon descend into a nasty mess of racist vitriol and they will do this in your name with your vote?