Live webchat with UKIP leader Nigel Farage, Thurs 24 Feb, 1-2pm

[KatieMumsnet]

Our live webchat guest this week is Nigel Farage. He is the leader of UKIP and has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) since 1999.

Known for his straight-talking, Nigel has made the headlines with forthright speeches, once telling the EU President he had the charisma of a 'damp rag'.

He is a regular on programmes including BBC Question Time.

If you have a question you'd like to put to Nigel, please join the webchat this Thursday lunchtime, 1pm - 2pm. If you won't be around then, please post your question here.

Question for Nigel Farage ~ In what ways will our children be better off when Britain leaves the EU? Thank you.

Ah come on now kitto it was "seriously unhinged" not "mentally unbalanced" ye were described as.

For the Obama birth cert person here

ThoughtThatHadBeenLaidToRestTiggaxx

Kitto dear, the main policies section of the official ukip website says:

"Threats to Britishness - The British Cultural Left
The British cultural/Marxist left has spent decades undermining British values and institutions. It has cast even the most sober and understated expressions of pride in nationhood as 'racist' and casts Britain as a historical villain guilty of slavery, colonialism and various other real and imagined wrongs. The current British establishment ironically is anti-British in important respects. This world view often relies on large grants to its 'equality' and 'diversity' quangos and strategic positions in the media, education and the legal system. The cultural left has also supported multiculturalism and supranationalism, both of which undermine a unified sense of being 'British'. UKIP opposes multiculturalism and political correctness and promotes uniculturalism, a single British culture embracing all races, religions and colours."

The official party position, then, would be of fondly remembering the days when the rest of the world knew it's place and of a singular 'britishness' (which does not exist, and never has').

Nigel Farage, why does your name sound French? Are you actually a continental European in disguise?

Damsel, FYI there is a thread on the politics section, but to quickly address your point, you have greatly misinterpreted what was said.

What it is saying is that we should not be ashamed of our past and recognise the positive roles UK played, rather than constantly looking for a dark side in our past.

It does not say, or even imply, that colonialism or slavery was invented by the Marxist left.

How would you repair the diplomatic damage with our closest neighbours and trading partners that would be caused by our withdrawal from the EU?

But it does say the 'left' has cast Britain as a 'villain guilty of slavery, colonialism' rather than actually perpetrating slavery and colonialism has made Britain a villain historically.

Can you see the difference?

Thing is, you don't get to ignore the bad bits of the past and concentrate on the bits you like.

Hi Kitto. Why are you posting rude things about me on your Twitter feed instead of engaging with me on this thread?

To answer your Tweets:

I am not an anti-UKIP troll. I have been on mumsnet for two years and am a regular poster on the Breastfeeding, Weaning, Feminism, Property, Fiction, Self-Employment and other threads, which is more than some of the newcomers here can say.

I have posted my one question - which is about UKIP's maternity leave policy (relevant no?) and have engaged in some light banter with other posters. I have always cited references for my claims.

I have not called anyone mentally unbalanced and have had my mild dig at you removed because I don't like people making jokes about mental illness (including myself).

And if you read my first post you can see that i have defended Farage's right to be here.

^I don't see what's wrong about their stance on multiculturalism, there is such a thing as multi racialism, which is good, but they are different, the only way multiculturalism will possibly work is with segregation which has happened, there's nothing racist about expecting everyone in Britain to consider themselves British and follow our laws and way of life - the opposite of multiculturalism - and because of the segregation multiculturalism has caused 80% of Muslims consider themselves Islamic before British. That shouldn't be happening. I'll hand over to pat who has ginger eyebrows to explain:

And there are no similarities between uncontrolled Islamic immigration now into a population of 61 million and Viking immigration thousands of years ago.

huddspur, in response to your question I am imagining a world in which we had to rely on the sneering faces of UKIP to heal a diplomatic rift.

Can people stop make extreme prejudged claims before they have even listened to what he has to say or read his policies and found one that is discriminative. Otherwise they are completely baseless. I know extremely left wing people do it a lot to get what they want but can you not at least hold back for one day? Thanks.

*making

Kitto, I'm another who has been graced with a mention on your blog. As you mention remarks I've made here, I hope other MNers won't mind if I answer them here, in case you and your fellow travellers stop by tomorrow:

Firstly, wouldn't presume to stereotype the experiences and backgrounds of others on MN, as you have done, beyond stating that, yes, I have lived and worked in Europe as well.

I, too, don't doubt NF's right to be here tomorrow. However, I'm not 'ignorant' - all of my comments and assumptions about UKIP have been formed from the printed matter that was put through my door at the election, comments I have seen NF and others make on television, radio and on my doorstep. I'd suggest that any 'misconceptions about the party, misinterpretations of party policy, and ... downright lies' stem from members of your own party.

You wrote on your blog in reference to my remark on Welsh cakes: ' This poster should also revisit the history books, if it thinks that England does not have any Celtic identity at all'.

Don't worry about me, Kitto. I have a Master's in British History (thesis: nineteenth century racial theory). Tell one of your UKIP compadres, anglosaxon. I also made the comment because there is a rich vein of Euroscepticism (most evident in UKIP) that trades on a seemingly universally-accepted concept of 'Britishness' -without ever once defining what that means. Who is British, Kitto? Are we talking about Anglo-Saxons or does it predate that? Whose culture defines Britishness? Is is 'old maids bicycling to Holy Communion through the morning mist'? Or Banksy and Bhangra?

It's very easy for you and others in your party to dismiss those of us who oppose your party as 'lefties'. (I wouldn't say I was, by the way...) But even those on the right say you're 'a bunch of fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists'. To quote David Cameron. The well-known Trot (tho' to you, I suppose he is...).

So, no, Kitto - and actually, Rinse this is for you too: I'm not 'ignorant'. I'm an educated, professional woman who runs her own business and has taken the time to read the sorry little leaflets your party has dropped through my door. My antipathy to your party is entirely informed.

Btw, Kitto, I did ask 'actual questions'. But here's another, just for you. I know that UKIP has banned former BNP members from joining the party - at last. But how many ex-UKIP members have joined the BNP?

I think being Euro-sceptic is more to do with wanting Britain and democracy to exist than being traditionally British. This is the same treaty/constitution that you actually live under (it overrules the British one):

And I think the fact that racists are leaving UKIP actually shows that they are not racist, otherwise they would be staying wouldn't they. And this happens all over the political spectrum anyway. And seriously watch that link, it forgets to mention that the EU has the power to remove you children from your care directly based on a mere allegation, even from a child molester. video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2699800300274168460#

Can someone link to Kitto's blog - would like to have a read. Ta!

Mr Farage - hello - my question is regarding the immigration concerns UKIP has.

As a nurse and also as a family member I have see first hand the number of people filling very low paid jobs caring for the elderly in nursing homes and care homes. Assuming there was a five year freeze in immigration how would UKIP deal with the vacancies which would inevitably occur over the 5 years in these low paid but essential jobs?

Note - as I have a famly member in need of full time nursing care I would not want to see reluctant people plucked from the dole queue to care for her. The carers she has (of many nationalities) are doing the job willingly and very well.

This is a serious question asked because just on this one issue I would be concerned about the impact on my grandmother. So what would be UKIP's plan for the impact on day to day life.

30k gross as a nanny, 30h a week.

Sorry, thats what happens when you open two mumsnet windows at the same time.

Agree SGM. It's very interesting that they assume we're completely incapable of reading their literature and coming to an informed opinion. I'm sure Nigel will be delighted that his supporters have done such a good job of alienating and patronising mumsnetters.

I'm 100% sure that you could go and find turds that support all the different parties that don't reflect the parties actual views, and because there might have possibly been one of UKIP's here it doesn't make UKIP sexist so stop trying to use childish foot stamping techniques that play up to peoples emotions like screaming racist or sexist.
And the 5 year freeze is just on settlement rights so we can find out who's here legally, it won't hinder anyone coming over to work on a permit temporarily.

FYI rinseoff: we were talking about you (among others).