rodshaw Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 I agree with Kenton - vote, even though you spoil your ballot paper. And don't vote for a party whose views you don't like just because they're one of the options. Stating your opinion is what counts - as long as it's political, of course. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted May 22, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 22, 2014 Without wishing to get into politics, I don't think there is anything adult (or pleasant) about scare mongering about foreigners. My limited understanding of history suggests that most of us are descended from foreigners - Romans, Normans, Danes, Vikings and goodness knows who else in centuries past. I am led to believe the most popular British dish is now curry, for which we have to thank immigrants of Indian sub-continent origin, even if many in the '60s actually arrived from Africa, having been booted out by the newly independent states in that continent. And of course much of the wealth of the nation in Victorian times came from annexing other parts of the world. It seems fair enough to me to allow modern citizens of those nations to live here. It's called payback time. When times are hard and jobs and wealth are short, as now, then political parties offering magic solutions will always have an appeal to those feeling the pinch. Once financial equilibrium returns to enable a feelgood factor, the political landscape may become more familiar. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 It is. She needs a lot of help accepting that in a democracy it really is necessary to accept and respect that people hold the widest range of opinions, even those you dislike intensely or see as unreasonable. I was more talking of the manner in which you antagonised her deliberately in public. That isn't very Christian, let alone the job of someone on the PCC who is there to support the vicar and the church. Our founder was never shy of blunt confrontation: to someone just bereaved "Leave the dead to bury the dead". That's a full on undiluted Christian attitude. Er no, thats Matthew 8:22 taken completely out of context ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Y Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 I'm going to slap up a Page 3 picture so we can have the three taboo subjects of RMweb all in one place. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted May 22, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 22, 2014 We voted.. her indoors and myself. The EU vote sheet was A3 and the kind lady handing them out pre-folded them for us! Lots of options available... only one X... and the pencil snapped while I added mine .... they had to resharpen it while I waited.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 I'm going to slap up a Page 3 picture so we can have the three taboo subjects of RMweb all in one place. PHWARR!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 I was more talking of the manner in which you antagonised her deliberately in public. That isn't very Christian, let alone the job of someone on the PCC who is there to support the vicar and the church ... Well, that depends very much on your politics. Priest or elected politician, they are servants, not the master. The majority would very much prefer the deference due a master; but taught to be no respecter of persons, it is a matter of principle to challenge publically attempts to dominate in any way. And this I truly believe and have acted on accordingly all my adult life. Just cannot be a supine toady... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Taz Posted May 22, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 22, 2014 I'm going to slap up a Page 3 picture so we can have the three taboo subjects of RMweb all in one place. Gets my vote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebottle Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 I'm going to slap up a Page 3 picture so we can have the three taboo subjects of RMweb all in one place. Just don't mention Edward Thompson and the "Great Northern" saga ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Well I am amazed. Went out at lunch time certain that this would be locked in no time, but here we are at nearly half five and it's still going! Ed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted May 22, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 22, 2014 We've done our duty - and quite steady 'business at our polling station, one chap there before us, another 3 immediately following us and 2 going in as we came out. I agree absolutely with Kenton about the ludicrous ballot paper (we have the same one as him) which in reality is more like some sort of giant lottery form rather than a sensible way to select a representative for the European Parliament, in fact I only recognised two names among the huge number that littered it. And yes, the 'candidate effort' seems to have been equally abysmal here. Two party flyers in the general post and a please vote for me letter addressed to two of us in this household but why on earth whoever sent it decided to address only me and and my daughter and omit my wife and son passes well beyond my understanding. To be honest I had never even heard of around half (or was it more) of the 'parties' on our ballot paper let alone having the first idea about their candidates or policies and I'm not into voting for someone or something I've never heard of. But not to worry - it will give the tv news and current affairs programmes something to splutter about this evening, just as well the final Harry Potter film is taking up a good chunk of mainstream tv. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike Posted May 22, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 22, 2014 Unfortunately what passes for debate descends too readily into the lowest denominator of "foreigners" because most politicos and commentators do not want to consider the various impacts of population size and population growth, their impact on housing, services, schools, transport, social cohesion, crime as well as the wider economy, multi-nationals versus small business, etc., etc, etc. I have yet to hear a politician - of any party - engage with anything like the full range of issues other than on a very sperficial level. Most are only prepared to say what they think will get them elected and/or provide a bolt-hole sinecure within the EU once their Westminster career is finished. I suspect you have part-answered your own point - in that it is a very difficult subject to address, not because of the them vs us part but because of the multi-facetted nature of the debate. The media and style of modern politics makes ti very difficult to engage in deep and meaningful debate. Having said which I am marginally less cynical about politicians (well some of them at least). Apart from the odd EU Commissioner (we only get one every 5 years now) we don't really have a tradition of politicians retiring from Westminster to go to the EP, it has normally been the other way round ie MEP to MP eg Clegg, Huhne, Goodwill, Lucas etc. Cheers, Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted May 22, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 22, 2014 Having said which I am marginally less cynical about politicians (well some of them at least). Apart from the odd EU Commissioner (we only get one every 5 years now) we don't really have a tradition of politicians retiring from Westminster to go to the EP, it has normally been the other way round ie MEP to MP eg Clegg, Huhne, Goodwill, Lucas etc. Liz Lynne? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted May 22, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 22, 2014 They can't be expecting many voters at our polling station as the ballot box was barely any bigger than a lady's large handbag and similarly full of rubbish. Er, you haven't put it in the wrong box by any chance? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Storey Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Unfortunately what passes for debate descends too readily into the lowest denominator of "foreigners" because most politicos and commentators do not want to consider the various impacts of population size and population growth, their impact on housing, services, schools, transport, social cohesion, crime as well as the wider economy, multi-nationals versus small business, etc., etc, etc. I have yet to hear a politician - of any party - engage with anything like the full range of issues other than on a very sperficial level. Most are only prepared to say what they think will get them elected and/or provide a bolt-hole sinecure within the EU once their Westminster career is finished. I disagree with your issue that no other party has tried to deal with those issues. UKIP are trying to frighten an already worried populace into believing that the shortage of the services and infrastructure that you list, is the fault of immigration, and not the fault of short-sighted government. Labour and the Greens have continuously pointed out (and so now are the Lib Dems, given the gloves seem to be coming off) that this Govt has spent less on social, health, housing and transport infrastructure than any Govt since the 1970's (notwithstanding they are going to allow Network Rail to bump up rail investment again). This at a time when the UK native working population is decreasing, due to ageing and lower birth rate, so much so that if net immigration is not maintained, there will simply not be enough people to do all the jobs available soon, and the economy will shrink inexorably once again. Indeed, some key industries can no longer exist without them, such as agriculture. The same arguments you make about crime and social cohesion were made in the 60's by Enoch Powell, well before we joined the EU, when immigration was accelerating from the old Empire countries, which has now almost completely stopped. If you really want to pull out of the protection provided by the EU (legal, human rights, free trade, free movement, common binding agreements etc etc) then you should vote for the right reasons and not the xenophobic bile. If you want to be ruled by the whims of an ex-stockbroker and his non-UK resident banker funders/chums, go ahead. I suppose it would be like being ruled by the Bullingdon Club, but without a referee. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted May 22, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 22, 2014 I voted a week ago, by post. There is a candidate on both ballot papers by the name of X, None of the above. He changed his name to that by deed poll and he joined and left two mainstream parties because they didn't agree with him that he was a suitable candidate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 .... the ludicrous ballot paper (we have the same one as him) which in reality is more like some sort of giant lottery form..... ...which is ironic, since the whole thing's a bit of a lottery anyway Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 I'm going to slap up a Page 3 picture so we can have the three taboo subjects of RMweb all in one place. I'm not going to vote for you Andy, even if you do get your moobs out Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 I disagree with your issue that no other party has tried to deal with those issues. UKIP are trying to frighten an already worried populace into believing that the shortage of the services and infrastructure that you list, is the fault of immigration, and not the fault of short-sighted government. Labour and the Greens have continuously pointed out (and so now are the Lib Dems, given the gloves seem to be coming off) that this Govt has spent less on social, health, housing and transport infrastructure than any Govt since the 1970's (notwithstanding they are going to allow Network Rail to bump up rail investment again). This at a time when the UK native working population is decreasing, due to ageing and lower birth rate, so much so that if net immigration is not maintained, there will simply not be enough people to do all the jobs available soon, and the economy will shrink inexorably once again. Indeed, some key industries can no longer exist without them, such as agriculture. The same arguments you make about crime and social cohesion were made in the 60's by Enoch Powell, well before we joined the EU, when immigration was accelerating from the old Empire countries, which has now almost completely stopped. If you really want to pull out of the protection provided by the EU (legal, human rights, free trade, free movement, common binding agreements etc etc) then you should vote for the right reasons and not the xenophobic bile. If you want to be ruled by the whims of an ex-stockbroker and his non-UK resident banker funders/chums, go ahead. I suppose it would be like being ruled by the Bullingdon Club, but without a referee. Sorry, Mike but you've gone off completely on a tangent. When I said that no parties have engaged on the range of issues, that includes UKIP, and the spread of disinformation and scare-mongering equally includes UKIP and the three "mainstream" parties. But hey, don't let me stop you having a good rant! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave47549 Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 I'm going to slap up a Page 3 picture so we can have the three taboo subjects of RMweb all in one place. A big pair of t!ts? Wow! Cameron & Farage, by any chance???? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 A big pair of t!ts? Wow! ..... Cop a feel of these! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free At Last Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 A big pair of t!ts? Wow! Cameron & Farage, by any chance???? Or even Miliband and Clegg... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 I'm going to slap up a Page 3 picture so we can have the three taboo subjects of RMweb all in one place. Only three taboo subjects? Speaking to a large-chested bimbo earlier today, Nigel Farrage was reported as saying "we're upholding the right of British railway modellers to continue to build layouts in OO gauge, and Prince Charles to tell the Russians to remove the red stars from their Soviet-era model locomotives". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave47549 Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Or even Miliband and Clegg... 'Other big pairs of t!ts are available'....... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium petethemole Posted May 22, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 22, 2014 We are all immigrants. At the end of the last Ice Age the British Isles were part of the European land mass and the only people who came here were nomadic hunter-gatherers who came in the summer to what was then a sub-Arctic environment (in modern terms). Earlier residents of the palaeolithic period would have migrated to warmer climes or died, thousands of years earlier. Pete Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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