Russell Brand wins well-deserved Foot in Mouth award

[claig]

"Yesterday the comedian and self-styled revolutionary was honoured with an award – for speaking gobbledygook.

He won the annual Foot in Mouth prize from the Plain English campiagn, joining the likes of John Prescott and George W Bush."
...

"The group’s website said that Brand’s ‘seemingly endless stream of gibberish, both written and verbal’ had clinched the award."
...
"Organisers said Brand – who has carved a career out of using many, often inflammatory, words when one would do – was ‘out on his own’ in the competition."

Surely that can't be right? He must have faced stiff competition from the Labour front bench

"The Plain English judges singled out this rant from The Guardian: ‘I felt very connected to activism – particularly activism that feels loaded with potential. Not the oppositional activism that seems like there’s a stasis around it – earnestly sincere, but a monolith.’

How they managed to single this rant out from the rest of the rants in the Guardian beats me. But they are professionals. To me it just seems like New Labour speak without the polar bears.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2858403/Brand-wins-award-gobbledygook.html

Claig .. to say that Cameron, following 95% of core Conservatism policies that delivered prosperity to this country from 1979 to 1997, and turning around the UK economy from 2010, is the reason for the rise of UKIP, is just plain dumb - especially when UKIP's main platform is getting out of the EU and immigration.

Both UKIP's Conservative defectors praised Cameron for guaranteeing a UK Referendum on the EU and were rather partial to his 'free at the point of service' NHS, before joining UKIP that can not be trusted to deliver either.

Some Conservatives saw the light.

“I can't campaign for Ukip any longer, says party's 'future face' Alexandra Swann over concerns with immigration stance”
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/rising-ukip-star-alexandra-swann-protests-her-own-partys-stance-on-immigration-9244746.html

“A woman who was heralded as the “future face” of Ukip says she can no longer face campaigning for the party because of their illiberal stance on immigration.”

“Alexandra Swann was supposed to represent the party's new, younger membership when she publicly defected from the Conservatives at Ukip's spring conference in 2012. Nigel Farage introduced her to a jubilant party faithful, boasting: "I'm very pleased to say that the Swann has migrated to Ukip".

“However, it seems the Swann has migrated again. She told The Independent: "I can't bring myself to campaign for them."

“The party's increasingly incendiary rhetoric on immigration has pushed Ms Swann, 25, away. She says: "The focus moved to immigration. It was difficult with the anti-gay marriage stuff. Now so much of their argument is anti-immigration which didn't sit well with me.”

UKIP is not even Conservatism on right wing steroids, see what another 'insider' and Farage heralded 'rising star' said;

“'The party deliberately attracts the racist vote': Ukip poster girl tipped by Farage as 'rising star' quits over 'terrifying' lurch right.”

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2627408/The-party-deliberately-attracts-racist-vote-Ukip-poster-girl-tipped-Farage-rising-star-quits-terrifying-lurch-right.html
• Sanya-Jeet Thandi urges supporters not to vote for party anymore

• Hit out at ad campaign which claimed 26 million migrants after British jobs
• Claims Nigel Farage has let party descend into 'form of racist populism'

“A UKIP poster girl described by Nigel Farage as a ‘rising star’ has quit after describing it as a ‘racist’ and ‘terrifying’ party that she cannot vote for.”

“Sanya-Jeet Thandi, 21, a British-born Indian who had starred in a party election broadcast and spoken at its annual conference, accused Ukip of deliberately attracting racist voters.”

“The university student said the party had abandoned its core supporters and called on others to end their memberships and boycott the upcoming European elections.”

UKIP are just like every other far right, or far left wing party in Europe fueling hate during the worst recession in over 80-years and getting frustrated voters voting for them - UKIP neither has anything in common with the parliamentary Conservative Party, or any innovative ideas of their own, how to offer a painless economic revery..

Real choice?!! Bahahahahaha

Honestly sometimes reading these threads I think I'm reading the teenage rantings of a One Direction fan who knows the colour underpants her hero wears on Tuesday and proclaims how much they have revolutionised music and how unique they are as artists. All that's missing is the insistence that they will one day end up marrying one of the band.

Frankly, I'm surprised Farage manages to clean his own arse without denying responsibility for his own excrement.

Casting aside all his other bullshit, if he was late 'because of the number of immigrants increasing traffic on the M4', then ffs how many years has it taken for them to reach the current levels and he's still not managed to adjust to this change and plan accordingly?

And you seriously think this is 'a real choice' for someone to lead and run the country?

Are there loads of immigrants on the M4?

I've just skimmed the entire thread & there's one thing that's bothering me... claig, you do understand, don't you, that it takes a bit more than "a laugh" to run the country? I'd imagine that's actually quite hard work & not overly amusing once you get bogged down in details. I can't see NF making a good PM, regardless of his political vision, purely because, from what I've seen at least, his campaign seems to be based on how he likes to go down the pub & is one of "us". He'd actually have to make decisions that affect all of us if he was in power. It wouldn't suddenly transform the country into one big down-the-pub style jolly. I see it going one of two ways - either he'd start off attempting a few ineffectual changes before giving up & realising the current system, flawed though it may be, is nigh on impossible to change overnight & so give up & carry on being as vanilla as the other parties. Or, he'd come down hard on everything he's against & attempt some sort of political cleansing regime...

Out of interest, which party looks set to be UKIP's biggest rivals at the GE? I had planned on just writing YABU across my paper but I think I'll do anything to actively stop UKIP getting in.

I'd like to see political reform & for the parties to actually stand for different things & not just say whatever they think the masses want to hear. I don't for a second think UKIP are doing that. They're simply appealing to a different "masses" than the main parties have been. That doesn't make them "the people's army". To truly be an army of "the people" then "the people" would need to be one singular group with shared interests. This thread has clearly shown that "the people" are a varied group & not united against a common enemy in the way that those in a dictatorship might be.

I, for one, am not one of "the people" that UKIP seem so desperate to appeal to. Does that mean that, come revolution, I won't be seen as a person? We all know how well it works out when a political leader has very set ideals about what the perfect person should be & discounts other groups as somewhat sub-human. I am blonde with blue eyes though so maybe I'll be safe...

'claig, you do understand, don't you, that it takes a bit more than "a laugh" to run the country?'

Of course I do, that is why I am not voting Labour.

'Out of interest, which party looks set to be UKIP's biggest rivals at the GE?'

Either Conservative or Labour, it is nearly neck and neck.

'That doesn't make them "the people's army". To truly be an army of "the people" then "the people" would need to be one singular group with shared interests.'

No one party can represent everyone's views. UKIP won the biggest landslide in British postwar parliamentary history with about 60% of those who voted voting UKIP, but other people preferred the Monster Raving Loony Party and other fringe parties such as the Conservatives. The majority wins elections. The People's Army has been named that because it is the populist movement that opposes the establishment parties. Not everybody will vote for the People's Army, many will prefer the Establishment parties. The people are varied and believe in different things (some believe in man-made climate change and many don't etc, some want to leave the EU and many don't, some are politically correct and many aren't, some want lower taxes and some don't etc). In a democracy you are free tio vote for the People's Army or to vote against them.

'I, for one, am not one of "the people" that UKIP seem so desperate to appeal to. Does that mean that, come revolution, I won't be seen as a person? '

Then don't vote for the People's Army. Of course you are still a person. Come the revolution, you will benefit from proportional representation that the People's Army will bring in so that you can vote for whichever party you want.

'"the people" that UKIP seem so desperate to appeal to'

I think you have misunderstood what is happening with UKIP across the land. UKIP aren't desperate to appeal to anyone, UKIP are breezing it. Every time they open a new office in a town, they are inundated. UKIP nearly beat Labour in Wales in the Euro elections. They lost by a mere 4500 votes.

If it's desperate you are thinking about, it is Miliband and Cameron. The Conservatives and Labour aren't tearing anyone's lawns up, it is UKIP that is "tearing up their lawns". That's why the establishment is desperate and UKIP are coasting it. Why do you think Brand is on BBC Question Time. The establishment is desperate.

"Their tanks are digging up my lawn," Sarah Champion, Labour's MP for Rotherham, told the Today programme this morning."

"Cameron orders Tory blitz to stop Rochester going to Ukip

PM launches desperate bid to stop Ukip gaining further momentum – and to save his own skin

David Cameron promised to “throw the kitchen sink” at winning the Rochester and Strood by-election – and last night he stood by his word, ordering Tory MPs to do everything possible to keep Ukip from taking the Kent seat with their “Tory turncoat” candidate Mark Reckless.

www.theweek.co.uk/politics/60865/cameron-orders-tory-blitz-to-stop-rochester-going-to-ukip

That is the definition of desperate, when the Prime Minister had to throw the kitchen sink to try and stop the People's Army, a party once described as "fruitcakes" and "loonies".

All the People's Army had to do was to assemble in the pub order a pint and have a knees-up. No desperation whatsoever. It was a breeze.

the thing about "fruitcakes" and "loonies" (or misogynists and xenophobes, as they might be better termed) is that they also have a vote (as they should). having a vote doesn't make them right though

"He'd actually have to make decisions that affect all of us if he was in power."

Don't believe that nothing can be done, just because of the mismanagement that you have witnessed from establishment parties. Farage will make decisions. He is in politics to change the country, to restore common sense, bring in direct democracy and restore British sovereignty. Farage is serious about change and that is why the establishment, the metropolitan elite and all their media mates are throwing the kitchen sink at UKIP to desperately stop change.

Where there's a will, there's a way. Farage is the brains, but he has lots of doers who will do the job of implementing change.

UKIP have said they will slash the foreign aid budget and save about £9 billion a year. They will scrap HS2 and save about £50 billion. They will scrap the bedroom tax, scrap tuition fees for science degrees, increase the tax threshold to £13500 and take minimum wage payers out of taxation. They will control our borders, reintroduce grammar schools and cut bureaucracy.

"– UKIP will abolish the Department of Energy and Climate Change and scrap green subsidies.

– UKIP will repeal the Climate Change Act 2008 which costs the economy £18bn a year.

– There will be no new subsidies for wind farms and solar arrays.

– UKIP will abolish green taxes and charges in order to reduce fuel bills."

UKIP will end taxpayer subsidies to aristocrats to erect wind turbines on their estates.

Farage is on a mission to restore common sense and end the corporatist, cronyist, lobbyist system that enriches fat cats. The metropolitan elite know that with UKIP their game is over. They know that the People's Army is "tearing up their lawns".

As Farage said

"Everywhere you look there is discontent with the mainstream, the establishment, with the corporatist politics that we've been spoon-fed for the past few decades... And who can blame people for wanting to put an end to the cronyist politics that plagues the West?"

If you don't want all that, then don't vote for the People's Army. If you want the status quo, vote for the establishment parties and get the same old, same old.

'having a vote doesn't make them right though'

In a free country, every citizen has the right to determine what they think is right and they will disagree. The people of Clacton and Rochester made their decision. The Prime Minister threw the kitchen sink at Rochester and the people rejected the Tories for a new party, the People's Army, which then had only one recently elected MP.

This is the biggest upheaval in British politics for 100 years. A party of outsiders who challenge all the cosy consensus of the climate change crowd with their windfarms and their subsidies and their green taxes is tearing up their lawns and they are panicking and don't know how to stop them. They don't want to debate Farage, they can't take him on, they can only shout insults at him.

They are losing and the people are winning. We are tearing up their lawns.

"Ukip leader Nigel Farage has said he has "a lot of sympathy" for the November 5th protesters and comedian Russell Brand for wanting a revolution to overhaul politics, claiming he and they were driven by the same values."

What other party leader would dare to say that? Miliband often doesn't even support unions when they strike, he often won't say he supports a strike where strikers are fighting for better wages and better rights. Everyone in the metropolitan elite is afraid to step outside of the cosy consensus.

Farage isn't. He says what he thinks and that takes real courage in a politically correct cosy clique consensus world. He is the only leader who says the emperor has no clothes and that is why the elite fear UKIP and Farage. They have never been challenged before, but as Farage said, Rochester was Cameron's High Noon.

Are they tearing up the lawns because they don't like green-ness?

No, they are tearing up their lawns because they are shaking them up and tearing down the barriers to change. It is an earthquake that is shaking the foundations of the establishment's cosy system.

Some people in UKIP are even thinking about the possibilities of renationalising our railways. Any party who offered that would win the election even though the establishment would throw the kitchen sink at them.

Labour has no courage, it would never dare. The Greens have said they want it, but they don't stand much of a chance of winning too many seats. But there is a possibility that next time, UKIP, the People's Party, might dare. They have the courage and if they did, then the whole country would thank them.

"Woolfe also declares himself open to one of the key strands in the Green Party’s assault on Labour’s left flank: renationalising the railways. “There’s an argument, in some ways, for saying that one could renationalise the railways,” he says, while stressing that the topic does not fall under his brief. “If you look at the French and the German nationalised railways, they’re actually here, acting like private companies. So why is it that they’re able to make successful businesses, which work on a capitalist method of being able to acquire and buy railways, and we’re not? Why is it that we seem hamstrung to be able to trust our own business people to get involved in some form of nationalisation or a co-operative?

“I do think that we should be considering, and there should be an open debate at the moment, whether we should have nationalisation or [run the railways] through an organisation like a co-op.”

www.newstatesman.com/politics/2014/12/steven-woolfe-we-have-understand-we-do-want-immigrants-country

If we had referenda, then the establishment could never have privatised our railways, privatised our water, our electricity and our gas which has led to these scandalous prices where many people are now in fuel poverty and where some pensioners freeze to death so frightened are they of their fuel bills.

"Frozen to death as fuel bills soar: Hypothermia cases among the elderly double in five years
1,876 patients treated for hypothermia in 2010/11
Hypothermia death toll within 30 days up from 135 to 260
Coincides with a surge in energy prices
Industry analyst estimates 8 out of 10 households ration energy use

Age UK says a quarter of all pensioners live in fuel poverty"

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2100232/Frozen-death-fuel-bills-soar-Hypothermia-cases-elderly-double-years.html

There must be a better politics, there must be a better way, there must be a way of listening to ordinary people and ending this fat cat crony system that has taken the people for a ride.

If we keep voting for the same, then we deserve what they give us. That is why lots of people are voting for change.

It seems to me that UKIP policies are not really worth the paper they are written on -- and that all that anti-wind farm and nationalising the railways malarkey is merely empty words designed to poach as many voters as possible from other parties. If I understand the terror evident in the BNP site correctly, the BNP fears being swallowed whole thanks to the recent apparent UKIP lurch to the right. Now you are describing an attempt to steal the thunder of the Labour left with the railway thing.

However, UKIP has form for tearing stuff up and starting completely anew and I am not just talking about lawns, resodding, etc., whether literal or metaphorical -- where is its pre2013 policy statement today? There seems nothing to indicate that any of its policy statements have any end in mind beyond adopting the stance of professional gadfly, or any coherence, or any chance of existing next week, let alone next year.

I have always had the impression that UK politics is profoundly backwards looking, deeply inclined to hanker after the past instead of looking to the future, inclined to refer to tropes embedded in the past instead of possibilities for the future, and to me UKIP is proof positive of that impression of mine.

In other words, UKIP panders to fear of what is ahead instead of offering leadership.

But that is because you are leftwing, mathanxiety. You probably agree with all the climate stuff that Labour and Cameron do etc.

UKIP are a populist party and that is why they have changed from a narrow focus on leaving the EU to incorporate more populist policies as they seek political power rather than just a referendum.

They are appealing to many people who feel disenfranchised, disrespected and ignored by the politically correct BBC/Establishment Oxbridge metropolitan elite class who rule over them without asking for their opinions.

It's not backward looking, it is forward looking because it is about real democracy, direct democracy and local referenda with ordinary working class people as candidates in councils etc. It is a revolution because it will overturn the Establishment Oxbridge oligopoly and put power in the hands of ordinary people - the ones the establishment calls "fruitcakes".

All over Europe we are seeing the rise of populist parties who are the only ones to challenge the unelected bureaucrats, the billionaires and the bankers. If the populists win, the elite will lose. That is the battle that is going on right now.

And right while this revolution is occurring, the establishment are promoting a revolutionary called Russell Brand.

UKIP panders to fear full stop.

I'm surprised it hasn't got a stance on upcoming zombie apocalypse.

And oh look they've suspended their general secretary for allegations of impropriety.

I don't buy into climate change...

'In other words, UKIP panders to fear of what is ahead instead of offering leadership.'

Farage warned about the economic disaster of the Euro, he warned it would lead to the rise of extreme right wing parties. He warned that "the EU has blood on its hands over Ukraine", he opposed the proposed strike on Syria, he warned about the chaos of Libya, he warns about the waste of taxpayer money, he warns of open borders over which we have no control. he warns about our loss of sovereignty to an unelected elite.

That is not pandering to fear, that is facing the truth and offering leadership and courage to say what is happening and to offer democracy and sovereignty as a solution.

He said at the end of the debate with Clegg

"Join the People's Army. Let's topple the Establishment"

He is tearing up their lawns and bringing leadership and change while they are throwing the kitchen sink at him as they desperately try to stop him.

He is the sodding establishment or are you just that fucking thick you can't see it?!

He really has done a number on you hasn't he?

RedToothBrush, I have already explained why he is not the establishment.

The establishment has lackeys, servants and helpers who are raised up by them and selected by them from universities and promoted by them to help them achieve their goals. To understand the establishment you have to understand their goals, and Farage challenges everyone of their goals and that is why he is not the establishment and that is why they are throwing the kitchen sink at him and calling him "racist" and "unBritish" etc etc. They want to stop him because he opposes their goals.

The People's Army is the people not the establishment and that is why they are against UKIP.

"Nigel Farage: Labour and Tory attacks on Ukip leader backfire

Attacks have confirmed Ukip leader as anti-establishment candidate, according to telephone polling and focus groups"

www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/may/20/labour-tory-poll-ratings-farage-attacks

Don't you understand that he is anti-establishment and that is why they are all ranged against him and even call him "unBritish"? They are petrified of UKIP because it will overturn all their goals and tear up their lawns. For heaven's sake UKIP is going to scrap Miliband's Climate Change Act. Puppets are being told right now to stop UKIP because billionaires are angry and political pygmies in political parties are dancing to their tune to try and stop UKIP.

The people are not stupid, but Labour activists are. Labour in Wales have said that UKIP is not welcome in Wales. They are so arrogant, they think the people of Wales will do as they are told. But the people of Wales aren't stupid, they know Farage is anti-establishment just as the people of Clacton knew it and that is why Clacton voted UKIP against all the metropiltan elite from Oxbridge and all their media mates.

"Attacks have confirmed Ukip leader as anti-establishment candidate, according to telephone polling and focus groups"

They can fool Labour activists, but they can't fool ordinary people.