John Page

If we comment on the EU aspect of everything, it makes it seem as if we think the EU is the be all and end all of every issue.

For instance, on the issue of foreign prisoners we comment that so many can't be sent back because they are from EU countries.

That is hardly the central point in the scandal.

Trevor Kavanagh focuses on wider immigration policy. With our immigration policy we could have made these points.

pentameter

A good find. I'm surprised to see anything like that in The Sun. It's punchy, well-informed and reasonable. All the articles in that series are worth reading.

There's a tendency towards moving power to unaccountable quangos and limiting local democracy which started probably 30 years ago as a UK problem. Let's face it, the ills the EU brings are worsened by the way we deal with it. Other countries tend to ignore directives if it suits them whereas we add to them. There's actually something about the EU bureacracy which is in sympathy with the way we were starting to do things anyway. The EU Project makes a problem we were subject to much worse. No country seems as resentful of EU membership or as quick to follow it's rules.


There's no doubt in my mind that getting out of the EU project is necessary, but it's only part of a larger problem we face.

John Page

kernow, please note!

Anyway, the point I wanted to raise in the thread was that our releases concentrate too much on the EU. Does anyone else agree / disagree?

Martin Harvey

UKIP could take the initiative here if we concentrate on the domestic angle, and act like a proper opposition to the present government. We could even make this part of the start of our campaign for the next general election. Local issues are very important, but I feel that important National issues could swing the voters our way soon, certainly soon enough for the general election, even though that election may be closer than you think. We could definitely build up a good strategy with sound reasoned policy that gives a vision for the sort of Country that we in UKIP and the electorate want.
have a good holiday Martin Harvey,

pentameter

Definitely. Concentrate more on problems people face, offer solutions and make it obvious that the solutions are much easier to implement without the EU.

Trying to advance the argument that the EU Project is the primary source of all problems, is too abstract and slightly implausible. It looks self-absorbed.

brian lee

Of course most of the issues that concern the electorate are home grown. Even if we were not in the EU we have a government that is turning the country into a totalitarian state. One of the worst offenders is the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Personally I do not think he dreams up most of the ideas that come out. Even if he were not womanising, there are far too many threads for him to control. Obviously there are people in his department with a communist style agenda. Most of the destruction of the democratic process originates in his department.

In UKIP we are also controlled by the unofficial NEC that meets in Brussels. They are too busy with matters they can't change anyway to have the time to deal with national and local issues.

I thought it was UKIP policy to build from the bottom up by getting councillors elected. If that is the case why are the MEPs not here instead of abroad. If they can't help the grass roots at local elections they can't expect the grass roots to campaign for them at the EU Elections.

David Holland

I agree for example although some problems in the NHS are because of the EU (eg having to employ EU instead of commonwealth doctors) most aren't and it is important issue to many people.

Accprding to some studies a majority of people in the UK want us out of the EU. Therefore why don't they vote UKIP ? I think it must because :-
either a) they don't think we will win or b) they are concerned about other issues as well. I think we need to be rounded or we will not be successful.

Part of the problem is that many UKIP members believe the EU is the most important issue and don't realise it is NOT FOR MANY PEOPLE.

I am an exception I joined UKIP because of crime as well as the EU and also because I am concerned about the housing crisis and UKIP is least useless party on these issues.

__________________
More people + no new homes = housing shortage.

kernow

In my opinion the reasons why people don't vote UKIP are:
(1) Because the media seem unconcerned about Britain's governance being handed over to the EU.

(2) because all three main political parties are pro EU and being career politicians don't care who pays their wages as long as it is a big wage.

So Joe Public has only these things to guide him in his knowledge of the EU, a pro EU press and 3 pro EU political parties! so why the hell should he/she vote UKIP!

There is also a certain section who think the EU is a done deal anyway so why put up hopeless resistance, ( I've had that said to me on the doorstep more than once).

If Joe Public realised just how serious the EU thing is, UKIP would win a landslide victory, but the 3 main parties aided and abetted by the media will make sure that Joe Public never knows until it really is a done deal and if UKIP drop the anti EU stance they will be as guilty as all the others!

David Holland

Kernow,

I am sorry but you do not seem to understand the situation.
Who is talking about the dropping the anti EU stance ?
Why do you think people who are ANTI the EU don't vote UKIP ?

One of the most common critiscisms I hear about UKIP is that we are a one issue party. We need to nail that to make progress.

__________________
More people + no new homes = housing shortage.

brian lee

In Southend, there is no mention whatsoever of the EU in the candidate's leaflets. There are scores of local issues which are to do mainly with how the local authorities are impotent. A major issue affecting spending is the amount of money required to fund pensions.

The government could solve this problem without reference to the EU.