Please tell me this headline is wrong.. (Exit poll news from Italy)

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Le Pen is first? my Italian is crap.

You can though tiggy as the right wing parties took full advantage of it. It's been creeping up for years and it's now tipped over. Of course it's not the only reason and there needs to be a huge examination of how we got here, but it is certainly a factor.

I think the difference is tobysmum is that you didn't vote ukip. There is nothing wrong with being euro sceptic if it comes out of a considered look at how it all works, but if people are using euroscepticism as a foil for xenophobia that's where the issue comes in.

I think that's what worries me most euroscepticism = racism it doesn't. And as for Russia.....

Tobysmum that is perhaps the most cogent comment I have seen to date on Mumsnet regarding UKIP.

What concerns me is when does an objective discussion on how immigration is managed, become racist? Because there have been discussions on here which have shown up frank prejudice in the guise of 'discussing immigration.'

I am not afraid to call someone a racist, a bigot it even a fascist if I see it.

I

Perhaps the problem is that all the main parties were unified in being against UKIP and that gave UKIP a lot of extra press, as every time something was said against them, or about what they were, UKIP got to mention a reason to vote for them. Saying how silly they are backfires.

Let's please build up the main parties, even the ones we wouldn't vote for. Let's find ways to make their policies better fitting to what voters want and look at ways to make our country a better place to live in for all and not just go on about one or two things.

Yes

But then you wonder why so many far right parties have been given power in the European Parliament.

And how the discussion over Europe is conflated with discussion over immigration and 'those Muslims'

Perhaps it is less about controlling immigration than promoting migration as an option for all? So rather than the situation we have at the moment of migrants usually taking low levels jobs whole living in squalid conditions a lot of the time. ...

Perhaps we need to equip young British people to take up opportunities available to them elsewhere in Europe. That way perhaps it would feel that free movement is an opportunity rather than something that is 'done to them'.

Languages are key, working years abroad while at university/ undertaking apprenticeship schemes. I don't know, I'm thinking out loud.

The problems with europe aren't just about immigration either, the court of human rights, the Euro, the pr voting system for the parliament, the lack of focus on the parliament. It's a much bigger picture.

There a probably a fair few muslims who voted UKIP to.
France was going that way already, and Italy and Denmark, and Greece is no surprise. Here it is more surprising, as a more recent growth in interest, and the worry is that nationalistic pride and severence from Europe is a form racism, and the thick (wide) end of something much nastier. The UKIP vote seems so very narrow minded and shallow though and turns a blind eye to the majority of great work done with Europe, all that does work well and that would be made so much harder (and more costly) by acting on their policies.

And perhaps the main parties we have are outdated. Perhaps we need new, sensible ones which look to build a sustainable model for the future.

Do you know how the d'hondt formula works OYBBK?

From the results I make East of England: ukip, con, labour, ukip, con, labour, ukip not Eastern region ukip, con, labour, ukip, con, ukip, con as reported.

Can't believe they'd have got it wrong though (and UKIP still get 3 either way)

tobysmum there is that, study abroad is being promoted, but people are wary of the cost of travel and the extra work or learning another language and insecurity of that, and impact it has on work overseas. Studying or working abroad is still thought of as an option for the priveleged few (but a bigger minority than before, and it is growing.)

I do. Last night I was typing as they were talking. My apologies if I got it wrong!

I wonder how many Brits theee are working and studying abroad who didn't vote. I know of one who didn't get his postal vote sorted as he changed his travel plans around and so wasn't home the weekend before the election. There must be thousands who don't bother.

can you check it then? it doesnt affect ukip result, but does affect labour/conservative. I cant make it work.

I wasn't wrong:
Three Ukip MEPs have been elected, three Conservatives and one Labour. There were elected in this order.

1. Ukip

1. Conservative

1. Labour

1. Ukip

1. Conservative

1. Ukip

1. Conservative

scroll down to 12 hours 4 mins

why is the sixth seat UKIP and not labour?

So we need to change it from being only for the privileged.

Oh, I've got it now -its OK

I dunno, I'll grab my calculator and have a go. Might take me a bit of time!