Best piece I have seen from Farage

mkpdavies · 13-10-2006, 04:10 PM

http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/...name_page.html

Quote:

By Nigel Farage MEP

12-10-2006

First Published in The Birmingham Post 7th October 2006

In a season which has heard Tony Blair say his goodbyes to the Labour Party conference, Ming Campbell fail to convince on his 'youthful' image and David Cameron refuse to outline his policies, Nigel Farage, Leader of the UK Independence Party, argues why his group offers the only strong option for Britain

Having followed the party conferences of the Labour, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats over these past three weeks, I am a little cautious of saying that as the Leader of the UK Independence Party, I want to strive for change.

It's a word which has been thrown around in speeches by the political leaders of the 'Big Three', striving to convince voters that they will do things differently, when in fact you cannot put a cigarette paper between them.

I do want to be different. I do want change. I want the UK Independence Party to be the party which stands up for what people in Britain are really thinking and saying.

On the eve of our annual conference in Telford, we are the only political party that not only wants independence from the EU, but independence from state interference, from high taxes, burdensome regulation and social engineering.

We are the only political party which has come out and said we think people in Britain pay too much tax. Earlier this week, UKIP launched our flat tax policy which would see 77 per cent of the working population paying £1,100 less tax, and millions of people on low incomes escaping the 'poverty trap' of earning less through working than they would by relying on the state. It would also mean the very wealthy have less incentive to avoid tax through loopholes with the help of clever accountants.

We have managed this by raising the tax free allowance to £9,000, setting a flat tax rate of 33 per cent which includes income tax and national insurance, and the abolishing of Inheritance Tax.

Our policy is based on the firm belief that tax cuts stimulate the economy, and aids economic growth which benefits the whole country: we do not accept the arguments put forward that we need economic stability before we cut tax, as the very act of cutting taxes is so beneficial to the economy. We want people to start businesses, invest and have enough money to save for their retirement without fear of it falling into the hands of a greedy Chancellor.

We are also unashamedly in favour of selective education and see grammar schools as a way of ensuring that children from all walks of life have access to quality learning. We do not accept that children are homogenous - every child is different and those differences and talents should be encouraged and nurtured through schools and colleges which focus on those talents.

Today, we have a situation where one in four 11 year-olds cannot read and the pass grade for GCSE maths needing only one in five questions answered correctly. The system is failing the very people it is supposed to help: children. Tailoring education to the specific needs of children will benefit everyone. There is no need for 50 per cent of young people to attend universities, only to end up thousands in debt and with no guarantees of employment. If we abolish this arbitrary target and instead encourage vocational qualifications and apprenticeships, not only will we have a well rounded work force, but we can also end tuition fees and top-up fees which are a disincentive to students from poorer backgrounds going to university.

In the global world we live in, it is imperative that Britain takes back control of her trade policy from the European Commission. The huge benefits which would come around through being able to decide the terms we trade on ourselves would not only benefit the country, but would massively help the developing world.

Why is the EU negotiating a trade deal with India for us? Why is Peter Mandelson speaking for us at the World Trade Organisation? Why can other EU countries decide if we will raise tariffs on shoes coming from China? We are the fifth largest trading nation in the world, with historic links to our Commonwealth countries and yet it falls to someone twice expelled from the UK government to decide what rules we can import butter from New Zealand!

It seems simple to me: We need it back. Let UK politicians make the decisions and not unelected EU Commissioners.

Only last week we saw the EU allowing Bulgaria and Romania to join the EU. We have already seen the effects of uncontrolled immigration when the countries of Eastern Europe joined in 2004. An estimated 600,000 people have come to the UK when we were only told 13,000 would come. The UK Independence Party MEPs were the only British MEPs to vote against enlargement of the EU, both in 2003 and again in 2006. We did so knowing that the influence of the EU would not diminish as it grew wider, and that we would have no control over people from much poorer countries coming to the UK in huge numbers.

Let me get one thing straight: What we have been hearing from the Government and the opposition about border controls, work permits and visas, is nonsense. Someone from the EU has an automatic three month EU 'right to reside' anywhere in the EU. If the Home Office can't keep control of foreign criminals, how are they planning to control who is legally in the country when we are forbidden from having embarkation controls?

Since 1994, we have had restrictions placed on us by the EU from controlling who can come to live and work in our country. With embarkation controls banned under EU law, the free movement of people within the EU granted by Brussels and laws forbidding the government from stopping convicted criminals entering the country, we have lost control.

Gaining it back is not a question of making the right noises to appease. It's a question of taking back control of our laws and our country. It's a question of leaving the EU.

We are broadening our policies, but above all, the UK Independence Party is a party committed to the aim of once again being governed from Westminster.

It's an aim from which we will not flinch.

But we need your help and support to do so.

When Nigel is good, he is very very good!

B.A.Ware · 13-10-2006, 06:59 PM

Yes excellent.

SponPlague · 13-10-2006, 07:03 PM

Stunning! :P

eublues · 13-10-2006, 07:18 PM

This is the dilemma for UKIPers. Nigel has some flaws but also very exceptional talents. (Which great leaders in history didn't have both?)

Hartlepool · 13-10-2006, 07:23 PM

I think the best piece from Nigel was Ms. Fuller.Quite delicious.

Niall Warry · 13-10-2006, 09:10 PM

Yup credit where it is due that is a great speech.

Colin McNamee · 13-10-2006, 09:42 PM

Excellent.

Anything to do with the change, at the top, in the Press Office?

Quote:

......We are the fifth largest trading nation in the world....

What authoritive source did that come from ?

When did UK move from 4th to 5th and which country overtook us?

Richard Allen · 13-10-2006, 10:08 PM

Absolutely first class.

Simon Muir · 14-10-2006, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colin McNamee

Excellent.

Anything to do with the change, at the top, in the Press Office?

Quote:

......We are the fifth largest trading nation in the world....

What authoritive source did that come from ?

When did UK move from 4th to 5th and which country overtook us?

China, IIRC. It's not unexpected.

Although a good piece it's not without its flaws: he meant dis-embarcation, or 'entry controls' and there are some other oddities. He needs an experienced proofreader.

I would point out though that, whilst it pushes all the right buttons on this list, it's not engaging with any group outside our usual constituency. He really does appear to want UKIP to take over the right wing of the Tory party, with no other really original or radical thinking. It is what he does best, but it's nowhere near good enough to achieve a breakthrough.

If I were standing in the locals for UKIP, what would I tell people the party's policies on, say, recycling were?

kernow · 14-10-2006, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simon Muir

.

If I were standing in the locals for UKIP, what would I tell people the party's policies on, say, recycling were?

As the chances of you standing for UKIP are just about nil, you've nothing to worry about!

13-10-2006, 06:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
B.A.Ware Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Birmingham Posts: 4,580 Party: UKIP	Yes excellent. __________________ We’re not just about Europe.

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13-10-2006, 07:03 PM	#3 (permalink)
SponPlague Uber Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Zurich Posts: 3,123	Stunning! :P

13-10-2006, 07:18 PM	#4 (permalink)
eublues Uber Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 3,122	This is the dilemma for UKIPers. Nigel has some flaws but also very exceptional talents. (Which great leaders in history didn't have both?)

13-10-2006, 07:23 PM	#5 (permalink)
Hartlepool Uber Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: North East England Posts: 6,814 Party: Popular Democrats	I think the best piece from Nigel was Ms. Fuller.Quite delicious.

13-10-2006, 09:10 PM	#6 (permalink)
Niall Warry Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 603	Yup credit where it is due that is a great speech.

13-10-2006, 10:08 PM	#8 (permalink)
Richard Allen Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 571	Absolutely first class.