"I'd like to ask a question (ideally to lily, if she's still around?)
You mentioned "mass immigration, and the mass house building programme that goes with it."
Am I right in thinking UKIP advocate complete withdrawal from the EU?
Not to mention that a lot of them are pensioners, so you've decimated the workforce of a lot of companies without offering them replacement workers.
That doesn't seem like such a great idea to me?
So EU citizens would no longer be allowed to live and work here? (As a scientist myself, I have to shudder at the thought that policy would do to our science/high tech industries, but that's not my main point"
^^^^
Yes to your first question, and no to the second. The idea that with a 60 million strong population we cannot run our own country is a sad indictment of our governments for the last few decades. And most EU citizens would be allowed to continue working here.
And if it was just high-tech immigrants who were allowed in, we wouldn't have such a problem (not that that would be very fair to the often developing countries they come from.)
------
Part of UKIP's March 2010 policy statement - An immigration and asylum policy for an independent Britain, says
3.6 UKIP will end mass and uncontrolled immigration. UKIP has already proposed an
immediate five year freeze on immigration for permanent settlement. Any future
immigration should not exceed 50,000 people per annum, including dependents (actual
not net immigration).
3.7 Britain must regain control of her borders. This can only be done by leaving the
European Union. Entry for work purposes will be by temporary work permit visa only, issued for designated periods of time on a strict points based system. Entry for non-work related purposes (e.g. holidays and study) would be by means of a temporary visa.
Overstaying a visa would be a criminal offence. All EU citizens who came to Britain aafter 1st January 2004 would be treated in the same way as citizens from other countries.
Non UK citizens travelling to or from the UK will have their entry and exit recorded. The UK Borders Agency staff warranted officers will be more than tripled from 9,000 to 30,000 to implement this.
3.8 After the five year freeze any future immigration for permanent settlement would be on a strictly controlled points based system similar to those of Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
3.9 People found to be living illegally in the UK would be removed to their country of origin. There can be no question of an amnesty for illegal immigrants. These merely
encourage further illegal immigration.
3.10 Those living in the UK under Indefinite Leave to Remain would have to abide by a
legally binding ?Undertaking of Residence? to respect our laws or face deportation. They would not be eligible to draw benefits. Applicants for British citizenship would be
required to have completed a period of not less then five years as a resident on Permanent Leave to Remain. New citizens should pass a citizenship test and sign a ?Declaration of British Citizenship? promising to uphold Britain?s democratic and tolerant way of life.
3.11 The existing terms of the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees must be enforced until
such time as Britain withdraws from the Convention and replaces it with an Asylum Act.
To avoid disappearances, asylum seekers would be held in secure, humane processing
centres until applications are processed, with limited appeals. Those seeking asylum must do so in the first ?designated safe country? that they enter. Existing asylum seekers who have already had their applications refused would be required to leave the country, along with any dependents.
3.12 Except where visa waiver agreements have been concluded with other countries, all
travellers to the UK will be required to obtain a visa from a British Embassy or High Commission. All non-work permit visa entrants to the UK (except where reciprocal
arrangements exist) will be required to have taken out adequate health insurance. Student
visas would require face to face interviews.
3.13 UKIP would repeal the Human Rights Act 1998 and withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. In future the British courts would not be allowed to appeal to any nternational treaty or convention to override or set aside the provisions of any statue passed by Parliament.
3.14 The 'Primary Purpose Rule' (abolished by the Labour Government) would be reintroduced, whereby those marrying or seeking to marry a British citizen would have to convince the admitting officer that this is their primary purpose in seeking to enter the UK and not to obtain British residence.
3.15 There would be an end to the active promotion and support of the doctrine of multiculturalism by government and all publicly funded bodies
ukip.org/media/policies/UKIPimmigration2010.pdf
----
And your third questio ... I doubt it, since most EU citizens would not be required to return home, and ex-pats are generally self-supporting when the live abroad, ie they contribute to their host country's economy. People have always lived and worked in countries other than their homelands. The EU just took the decision out of national governments' hands and as a result out of democratic control.
There is no point in making assumptions about UKIP's policies when they are freely available to anyone with internet access.
UKIP's policies make sense to me.
Now, does anyone want to defend the EU against my criticisms?