Any UKIP supporters on here? What exactly are you voting for?

[chicaguapa]

I confess I don't know what the UKIP policies are, but wondered if the people voting for them could explain to me what they are please. Thanks.

George83, they came second in by elections in South Shields, Eastleigh, Rotherham and Middlesborough in the last 8 months.

In the months preceding that they came third in Croydon and Corby.

In Eastleigh they were only slightly over 4% behind the Lib Dems, in

They're not that far from converting these votes into seats.

none of this is reassuring

i keep a small emergency fund in a bank account in my native country, for any kind of contigency

i am kind of glad i do now

LazarusLozenge - I would have thought that leaflets in several languages are overall cheaper than people not being able to understand important information.
Not saying that people shouldn't learn the language of their country of residence, just that it takes time, and people shouldn't be left hanging until they achieved near native competency.

Do you know for sure the house is owned by the council? For example, I live in a former council house, in the middle of plenty of other council houses, and pay rent to a private landlord who bought it.

The sheer arrogance, and assumption of my stupidity is what characterises attitudes I encounter when discussing these issues.

FWIW, when my neighbours need repairs or maintenance, it is done by the council. In a council van. My neighbours, who are very nice people, are delighted that they were housed by the council. This points, in my untutored opinion,to them being council tenants.

My objection is not to the fact of their tenancy. Good luck to them. They are a young,hard working family, doing the best they can for their DC.

My problem is with the duplicitous attitude of the council, who are,in every other area, incredibly keen on gathering stats. The council insist they do not know how many migrant workers are in social housing in our town, as they do not gather this information.

Now this is either A) Because they have decided in this particular case,not to keep stats, so they cannot reveal the levels of migrant tenancies or B) They do know,and are not telling.

Incidentally, if, WW, as you suggest there are no migrant workers in social housing in my town, I suspect the council, in the current climate,would be only too eager to tell us this.

I wonder why they aren't?

Not read all this ..but a couple of points..
My DM (70s) was a labour voter, turned tory..maybe a UKIP now...
We were brought up to believe that you never judge anyone on appearance etc...never a racist - but now says things that make me cringe...about immigrants.
I don't live near them but when I go to visit I can see why she might feel the way she does (we don't have many immigrants where I live - but I have lived in London) ...there is large (expanding) Pakistani community and if you go into the town centre without a doubt that community outnumber 'white' people..and when most of the white people open their mouths you find they are Eastern European...Different cultures with different 'rules' ..and it must all be a bit frightening for her ...
I have to admit to being a little while ago - can't remember exactly, a health issue on Radio 4 and they said how terrible it was that a family member had to translate for them - they should have access to a translator....so the NHS should employ interpreters in a range of languages on 24 hr call just in case someone needs them??? Or should we expect someone that lives here to learn and understand English? Or accept maybe a visit to the hospital might be more traumatic?
Also talking about SMP etc -someone earlier quoted a UKIP MEP saying you would be mad to employ a woman of child bearing age ...I'm a woman and a mother with experience of running a small business - and I have to agree...or at least I can see the argument...
And it isn't about SMP payments - firstly if a woman gets pregnant the employer has to allow them reasonable time off for antenatal appointments...fair enough ...but what if the work is time sensitive ...you have to get someone else to cover that person...and you only have two staff -other staff worked harder to cover? What if they do heavy lifting etc you have to offer them alternative work -what if you haven't got anything suitable? You have to go through the process of recruitment to fill their absence and retrain etc as necessary. You accrue holiday pay during maternity leave that your employer will have to pay (or give you equal paid time off) - even though they have to pay the person who is doing your work holiday pay too ... you will have to look after your DCs during your holidays in the future -so why is maternity leave different? For various reasons the rest of the staff have worked really hard and you want to pay them a bonus...but you have to pay the person on maternity leave the same bonus?
I think we as women (and parents in general) have to realise that you can't have your cake and eat it...talking about big business making thousands/millions in profit is one thing - but a small business where the any 'profit' is the employer's wage - that extra holiday comes straight out of the employers pocket...

But why does it matter whether migrants are in the council houses or not, unless you suggest that migrants should have less entitlement to council housing than British born people? What would you try to gain from the stats?

Those harking back to the 1930s - remember that for the Fascists to win also required monumental corruption, incompetence and ignoring of the impact of the depression on the working class by the political elite of the era.

That could never happen again in Europe, right?

Then they can fund the translations...

If I moved to (say) France, I would expect the burden of translation to be on my good self, rather than on the population I wished to live with.

Too many not only can't sprechen the lingo, but wont learn it.

I shocked a Polish lady in a Schlep once. She looked worried, and wanted her son(?) to talk to me, fortunately I've spent a few weeks in Poland and I have a policy of learning some of the lingo.

A hearty Djien Dobra later, followed by some basic numbers and 'euro finger' later I had my Polish beer and sausages... 7 of each infact... As I couldn't remember the number I wanted... oh, well.

Nice sausages though. And good beer.

A hearty farewell, and soon became a regular, and we had fun learning the two languages together (she would speak to me in English, I to her in Polish).

All good clean fun.

I like the Corsicans for a similar reason, a little bit of an attempt of the language and an attempt at eating local food sees them bending over backwards for you.

having a complicated medical procedure explained to you is a bit different than haggling over sausages

I think I agree with Lazarus - they should pay for the translator...
I was thinking about the French thing ...my French is appalling, hopefully would improve - but if I went to live there and ended up in hospital it would be pretty awful - but not once would it cross my mind to blame the hospital or government or society...I think that is why I found it so annoying (up to that point they had my sympathy)....

I feel completely at odds with our current politicians. I'd have supported labour back in the day: however, since 1997 and 'New Labour' I don't believe that labour and I share the same values.

I voted Green. Our lovely Green councillor (who listens to concerns and isn't a Tory) achieved 56% in the county council elections for our area. Hurrah!

unlucky - so you believe that someone, unless they have the funds to pay for a translator should not get treatment (as they can't give informed consent)? Doesn't that fly in the face of the "free at the point of delivery" policy?

(And that's not even taking into account the potential follow on cost of no/delayed treatment)

"unless you suggest that migrants should have less entitlement to council housing than British born people? What would you try to gain from the stats?"

TBH, and I realise that this might offend some,in my heart of hearts, I suppose I do think that migrant workers should have less entitlement to council housing than British born people.

Does this make make a racist ?

eu myths debunked
Just makes for a bit of interesting reading.

things

firstly, you need to get out of your head that immigration has anything to do with race. This thinking doesn't make you a racist, just a xenophobe.

Secondly, why do you think the place of birth matters so much? EU-immigrants have the same rights* (and responsibilities) as any citizen of the member state they choose to live in, because of the free movement policy.

That's not only true for people coming to the UK, but also UK citizens moving abroad. It's reciprocal.

Your thinking that place of birth matters can't be to do with whether people pay in, or not, either. Unless you believe that young people from families which live on benefits, who haven't had a job yet should be less entitled to help than others.

i have ben here working for 10+ years, contributing etc. i am a citizen.

i am an immigrant.

should i have access to council housing?

maybe when I have been here contributing another 50 years? maybe never?

it becomes increasingly clear that you are a citizen, i am a citizen-ette. not quite on the same level as someone born here.

fair enough.

again, your biggest concern is whether someone might call you a racist. like that is the worst thing that could happen to anyone as a result of all of this.

don't worry, i won't call you any names. feel happy in secure in your democratic choice. people who hold similar views are getting lots of attention from all parties now, good for them.

Dawndonna,

from that font of impartiality.........The European Commission......

Pehaps you would like to reassure us about GM foods by linking to Monsantos website next.

Oh good grief, how rude is that!

chibi at least you've got citizenship. I've been working and contributing for 8 years, but have not been able yet to afford applying for citizenship (will set me back about 1k). Which makes me feel even more vulnerable.

I feel I really need to get my act together and apply but at a time where I feel increasingly less welcome, which I find really frustrating.

oh my goodness widow

this must be really scary for you

WW,

"That's not only true for people coming to the UK, but also UK citizens moving abroad. It's reciprocal."

Thats the problem. It is in theory, not so much in practice. I would,frankly, be amazed to find many British emigrants living in social housing in Poland, or Bulgaria. For a whole bunch of reasons. Reciprocity only works when the social and economic playing fields are level.

Cibi.

I absolutely no problems with immigrants, who have made this country their home, contribute, and intend staying long term accessing social housing.

Migrant workers, expecting to stay here for 2-3 years, less so.