True Finns are winning the Finnish general election

[longfingernails]

This is what happens when mainstream parties trample over the will of the people.

The True Finns aren't really my sort of party - but it's certainly really good to see other countries turn against the evil of the EU.

LFN are they actually winning (getting an outright majority) or will they be part of a coalition (if they are not frozen out).

I read an article about them last week, they appear to be a UKIP type of party not a BNP type.

Newwave - I've seen them described as UKIP 's 'sister party'. But I think they are more left wing on economic issues. Kinda 'Blue Labour'.

No - they are not getting an outright majority, but they will be the largest party. I think there will be little choice but for them to become part of a ruling coalition - or at least supporting budgets from a minority government in return for some anti-EU, anti-Swedish, anti-immigrant red meat.

What issues do they have with the Swedes ?

They don't like them!

They don't like them! :o

One great benefit could be that the bailout to Portugal might not go ahead - no Finnish party will vote for something which so many Finns hate.

It might save Britain from ponying up. If that means that Portugal goes bankrupt, then so be it - they should have implemented austerity measures long ago. They can always leave the euro if they want to make it less painful.

One great benefit could be that the bailout to Portugal might not go ahead - no Finnish party will vote for something which so many Finns hate.

I bet they will, once in power real politics kick in and pressure is applied.

Even your beloved Thatcher voted for Maerstricth (or however you spell it) and other policies/treaties which the majority of the UK population would have rejected if they could.

It wasn't Thatcher who ratified Maastricht. It was the well-meaning but weak John Major.

I stand corrected but I do believe she signed others ?

Well maybe they won't win, but they will definitely beat at least some of the Establishment parties. Good.

but they will definitely beat at least some of the Establishment parties. Good.

On that we can agree unless they are right wing, xenophobic, racist, fruit loops.

Thatcher signed the "Single European Act" - she won a huge British rebate and innumerable vetos, which Tony Blair and Gordon Brown so traitorously gave away - but nevertheless, she should never have signed it - simply on principle. It was one of the rare moments where I feel she let Britain down.

One massive problem for the the UK is that (something like) 80% of our exports are to other EU countries.

If we threw our toys and left the EU, then all those exports would be subject to import duty, making them less competitive.

I havent done the maths but I imagine that someone must have, and has concluded that the costs of opting out are greater than having to subsidise the Brussels gravy train.

Yes, True Finns are UKIP's sister party - and well done to them.