I'm a newbie to UKIP. The UKIP Broadcast woke me up to the issue of the EU.

Why did I vote Conservative instead of UKIP then?

I considered my responsibility to vote for a Party that would make Britain a better place.

When I thought of UKIP, I realised that although getting out of the EU is important to me, so is the manner in which it is done.

A vote for UKIP was clearly a protest vote. If everyone made that protest vote, where would the Country be with a UKIP Government unprepared to govern? What if they got out of the EU but made a mess of things?

I voted Conservative because they were the better option overall. I'm in Michael Meacher's constituency and he got almost a 10, 000 majority, with the Lib Dems second, Conservatives thord with 7000+ , BNP 2000+ and UKIP got 200+.

Suppose it had been an EU election for MEPs. I would have voted UKIP then because it makes perfect sense. If MEPs can't actually do very much anyway, then a protest vote may do some good. It won't do any harm.

I think the Lechlade Group idea is needed, but the debate needs to be done in such a way that it does not evoke emotional reactions because it is reminding people of Kilroy. I think the same language is being used as him, and I think that is part of the problem.

I agree with you about the importance of other issues, my example of terrorists is relevent now because Clarke has had to drop his plans to deport them because of the Human Rights laws, and this is of concern today.

Other issues which people are concerned with, and are on the public's mind right now, which are unsolvable because of the EU, can be a case of killing 2 birds with one stone, for UKIP. Other issues too though. FYI, I'm 41 and live in an urban area, Oldham.

Christina