Question Time bbc1 10.35pm - Nigel on

Nigel's whole future is as good as sealed

In what way?

It's a line from the XTC song.

Making Plans For Nigel

Ah....saw them live in Cheltenham near 1980

They were excellent.

He's always on...Churchill got less airtime than this guy

They only stick him on so the ruling luvvies can bully him..

Never take us out of the EU and thus can never stop unlimited immigration from it.

Put that on your posters NLad see how many Labour votes drop.

1.2 Million UK Citizens work in the EU, should they all come home too?

or pay 100 quid for visa to holiday in spain? whole things a joke cant believe people think its something worth seriously debating.

428m coming to UK Like Florence and Provence are going to be empty, because people there are lured to the delights of Luton

How many of those have created an over supply of cheap labour though?

I don`t see a dash from our low skilled workers over to Poland for example.

Ukip would be dangerous in charge of governing this country. We all know this, however the lack of regulations regarding low-skilled workers piling through via recruitment agencies is an issue.

Whether either Labour or the Tories are going to regulate this is unknown. Miliband has raised it through rhetoric but i`m not so certain.

With every progression that is greatly positive there are always side effects that are minor negatives.
The answer is obviously to adapt and turn those minor negatives into positives by investing in re training, launch schemes. housing, hospitals, schools etc. That project will in itself create jobs, and supply chains creating jobs.

Or lets just throw the baby out with the bath water UKip style.

Big_Issue
1.2 Million UK Citizens work in the EU, should they all come home too?
brendanuk1
or pay 100 quid for visa to holiday in spain? whole things a joke cant believe people think its something worth seriously debating.

How many Swiss work in France/Germany/Italy and commute daily?

How many Italians / Germans  / French work in Switzerland and commute daily?

Doesn't seem a problem for them.

So, yes please brendanuk, let's debate.

The Welfare State, our low pay economy and the relatively high cost of living (largely caused by high rents subsidised by Housing Benefit) are also part of the problem. UK ciizens won't or don't need to take low pay unskilled jobs as their is no financial incentive to do so. If we increased the minimum wage to something decent and reduced rents, more UK citizens take jobs and we get less immigration from others in the EU prepared to work for less.

But people receive working tax credits when taking a job on basic minimum wage after being unemployed.

The biggest problem the low-skilled have are the recruitment agencies having the monopoly on low-skilled vacancies and advertising in other EU countries. If the vacancies are there then why do we get to the situation of workfare? Yes workfare is a deterrent of some sorts but also people find themselves on the agency books with thousands of EU workers all being past from pillar to post as the agencies share out the hours.

Labour and the Tories need to be addressing this but it seems only nasty Nigel is bringing it up.

The young Asian lad had chukker baldscorp on the ropes a few times, thought he was going to start crying at ones point

swiss have just passed a law (not implemented) recently Feb?, EU have replied with restrictions (implemented). Companies are already leaving Switzerland. I can see swiss backing down first, but who knows maybe they like to be an insular island cut off from europe, its up to them

UK want out then go out. There will be consequences for uk citizens there can be no doubt about it. (im dual nationality so couldnt give a fook either way)

You know big worry for the EU is if we walk and are no worse off then how many will follow, lets not forget that most of the Northern European countries only stay because they think they have to. If Britain shows the way they will follow

The Spanish only wanted to join because they thought they would get paid the same as the Germans and still be able to sleep for half of the day.

nice level of debate here!

im oot! good luck with Farange making decisions about your futures

Are you in or out brendan UK 1

British frew and frew!

uk != Britain

What companies are leaving Switzerland?  People assume non EU views as being extreme right wing due to UKIP but this is simply not the case. Bob Crow was hardly right wing. Le Pen in France has left wing policies.

Switzerland's referundum on immigration hardly fits in with other proposals there lately. Immigration caps will be of far less concern to companies than the 1:12 movement or calls for a £15 an hour minimum wage.

If every country in the EU and those aligned like Switzerland had the balls to implement such laws together, at the same time, then no company could threaten to leave unless they were willing to leave Europe completely. Who would want to leave an EU that did something like that? Instead, as far as I see it, the EU is just a way to get cheap labour for corporations.

.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27244959

The oil services giant Weatherford recently announced it would be moving its European headquarters from Switzerland to Ireland. The company told its shareholders in a blunt statement that recent votes on pay limits for top executives, and now on curbing immigration, had made Switzerland "unpredictable".

the switch might be more tax (EU forced) or 1:12 related, but they mentioned curb in immigration as a reason. A jump from London to Dublin, would be alot easier to do than Geneva to Dublin. Yahoo left last year for Dublin. Like i said if UK want out, then vote UKIP in a general election (not 1 MP curiously ) or vote out in referendum (no sign of that soon). The exit door is open just walk through it, how hard can it be, even little switzerland has passed anti immigration laws against the big bad EU

For me its just alot of chatter and hot air about nothing, UK voters dont have same views as Farange, even if his followers are over represented on forums and like to give out about foreigners in general

So they all move ... to Dublin. Nothing to do with low Corporation Tax then?

They don't mention how much less tax they will be paying, but look to blame other reasons. Strange that.

Curbing immigration - OK let's look at their claim in more detail. How many oil rigs are there in Switzerland? I'll take a wild guess ... none. The vast majority of their staff will be employed off-shore. So why is immigration into Switzerland a problem for them?

Oh, and let's not even start on the "pay limits for top executives" bit!

I just read that and it gets to the heart of the debate for me. The immigration thing is a great cover story for these companies now.

Xstrata were threatening to leave because of the 1:12 well before the immigration referendum.

They are worried that executive pay will be cut, they will have to pay higher wages and will find it harder to get cheap foreign labour. For 'immigration' just read 'access to cheaper labour'. Unfortunately for people like me the only anti-EU voice getting airtime is Farage.

From Wikipedia:
In April 2014, Weatherford announced that its board of directors approved the relocation of its legal domicile to Ireland from Switzerland. The company will continue to maintain its operational office in Houston, Texas. [b]

So basically in Switzerland they have a few lawyers and accountants. I reckon any immigration curbs have nothing to do with moving.

I think EU is good thing, further expansion to the east, will be better, hope one day Russia will be inside EU. If you look at the world in 50, 100 years time, Small countries will be at disadvantage when they have to compete or negotiate with Russia or India.

But EU  to be sustainable need to give some power back to countries:- like level of immigration, welfare, policing, business rates etc.

Having just watched last nights question time i have to say Nigel Farage was brilliant as per and knocked the other four panelists arguments into a cocked hat.The red faced fellah at the back of the audience who asked not to be interrupted by Farage before he even spoke looked to have serious health issues and the hatred in his face towards Farage was quite menacing.

Competing with China (not Russia) and India regarding my previous post.

@twizzle22,
I think Farage have many good points but i don't agree with his plan to take of Britain out of Europe. I think Britain should try to change, find allies and influence Europe inside European Union for the better instead of getting out. All Farage concern can be sorted out inside Europe. After all closer Europe was our idea (Churchill and co).

Europe have been powerful force for good, helping Eastern countries to become democratic and wealth,therefore expanding market for our goods, it has also help to keep the peace for the last 70 years or so.

We had powerful commonwealth at one point but we have completed neglect it, and now it is too late.

The oil services giant Weatherford recently announced it would be moving its European headquarters from Switzerland to Ireland.

So basically no staff,just a shell office with a cleaner and someone to answer the phone.

I think Britain should try to change, find allies and influence Europe inside European Union for the better instead of getting out.

Sorry bizman, but this is just another myth.

Researchers calculated that since accessible records began in 1996, Britain had voted No 55 times but the Council passed the legislation every time.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/466737/REVEALED-The-55-failures-that-show-the-UK-has-little-influence-on-the-EU

We seem to be really having an influence there then....

Farage will never have a job of any real importance

I only caught the end of this but Farage ranting on over other people didn't do him any favours. I caught the guy at the back asking him to not speak over him, so I can only think he had been doing this all show.

only caught the end of this and every time Nigel went to speak
chukka and grant spoke over him.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b043b2rs/Question_Time_08_05_2014/

watch the last few minutes

When UKIP are on becomes all about them as everyone else falls over themselves to challenge them, and to show that they challenge UKIP more strongly than the other parties.

Well to be fair whoever is on representing Labour always talks over everyone else . Watch for it, same every week.

You are quite right witham - 3 or 4 of them talking over him and even dimleebuble tries to shut him up.
Our current politicians in parliament just don't get it, do they.  A lot of people casually watching would say ' hey let the guy finish etc '  and wonder why they do not give him a chance to say his stuff.

Red-faced man had nothing to offer. Yeah - he's not going to vote UKIP - we got it. But, then again, MOST of the audience aren't going to vote UKIP. Most aren't going to vote Tory, most aren't going to vote LABOUR, and most plus are not going to vote Libdem. So, now I've cleared all that up..

Farage was laughable but we need to start asking why the BBC invited him on for the fifteenth time in five years more than any other politician especially considering UKip don't have one seat in parliament. We should also ask why half an hour was devoted to Farages only real interest in politics - out of the EU to stop immigrants to Britain.

Farage received his worst drubbing ever from the 'man of the match' sat at the back who told Farage not to interrupt him before saying anything, then proceeded to rip Farage apart. “This has driven Europe to war in past. I have no time for you [Nigel_Farage], none,” to audience cheers.

Farage likes these days to pretend he thinks some immigration is good for Britain and was blabbing on about it when Shapps said
"Yes your German wife who also works for the EU"

Shapps also got in another dagger saying that 40% of UKip MEP's elected in 2009 had either resigned defected or gone to prison.


Caroline Lucas hammered Farage with fact after fact on EU positives. While Williams put him straight on facts like we the British can get free healthcare in any EU country.

Farage was left shell shocked and reeling, ranting "See this is what I've to put up with" and "There's an elephant in the room!"

Not a heavyweight politician amongst them and they still managed a demolition job on hapless Farage.

Are you sure you wasn't watching 'Ladyboys?'

Didn't know you were online!

Your man of the match has been exposed as a Lib Dem stooge. I wouldn't be surprised if the young UKIP fan was as well mind you.

Also, you are definitely not entitled to free health care in the EU.


http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/plannedtreatment/Pages/TheE112.aspx

The S2 (formerly E112) route entitles you to state-funded treatment in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland. Treatment will be provided under the same conditions of care and payment as for residents of that country. This could mean you have to pay a percentage of the costs personally.
For example, in some countries, patients cover 25% of the costs of their state-provided treatment. This is known as a 'co-payment charge'. The state covers the other 75%. If you received treatment under this healthcare system, you would be expected to pay the same co-payment charge as a patient from that country.


I'm surprised nobody questioned this nonsense.

Free at the point of receiving treatment.

Nobody in Britain gets FREE healthcare.

Except the health tourists and those that have never paid any tax of national insurance

Don't go to Europe without travel insurance. ..

http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/travelhealth/pages/travelinsurance.aspx


Each country’s healthcare system varies, so your EHIC may not cover all costs or you may be expected to pay for your treatment and then claim a refund using your EHIC or insurance policy.


There are many myths surrounding the EU. Both sides are guilty.

We need to get out of there pronto

Nigel is the man to get the job done

Ideally we want the best of both worlds have free access to market and they have free access to ours, no paying to be a member and no EU laws/rules.
This might have been achievable if the quality of British MPs had been higher, but in the last 40 years most have been useless or have gone native.

Nigel is a full weight bigoted n0b who has slurped much gravy from the EU trough in his time. Man of the people, my @rse, he wouldn't p1ss on half of his 'supporters' if they were on fire.

He's got you rattled

big issue

I believe the UKIP policy is to give every support to the homeless

Your day job selling the big issue will be secure under a UKIP government

Thought Dimbleby lost control. Chukka kept talking over Farage.

There were lots of contradictions. Shirley Williams was banging on about free health care across europe then shapps said that the tories had stop health tourism and this had put the romanians off. Either you have universal health care or you don't. Dimble should have picked up on this.

When debating immigration they keep saying there are two million brits abroad. They don't explain where the 200,000 plus new arrivals each year are going to live especially with a soaring birth rate?

As for the angry man at the back he said don't interrupt me and no one had it was a cheap shot. He talked about Farage being just a fear monger (another sterotype) but didn't address any points. As for Europe keeping the peace the reality is NATO and growing prosperity fuelled by debt have.

Personally I think the euro project will self destruct from the inside.

I really want Britain to stay in Europe so wouldn't vote UKIP but the hysterical accusations of far right/racist etc from thick but predictable leftie tw*ts almost makes me want to vote for Farage just to wind the ****s up. ... almost.

Chukka wears some lovely handmade suits and silk ties

Probably some gold cuff links there too

Typical modern man of the people Labour type

the attacks on farage's character and the merry bunch of loons he leads and their bigoted ideas, or their voting record in brussels are an irrelevance.

They are only noticed because they are a single issue party providing a vehicle for people who are unhappy with our acquiescence in handing more and more power to brussels, to register their objection and opposition.

it matters not a jot if they update their manifesto to support a policy to sacrifice everyone's first born to Jove, they aren't winning a seat in a general election, but may well dent the conservative vote enough to put a pro-euro labour into power.

Farage and UKIP can never get us out of Europe - voting for them won't change that so shouldn't deter you.

Big_Issue
Man of the people, my @rse

Who called him a man of the people? Yep, the same people who are calling him an arse. You are being played on that one. The straw man was created by his opponents.

He does try and be a man of the people with all the "matey bloke enjoying a pint down the pub" PR opportunity schtick.

Love him or hate Farage is great for politics, he has really livened the place up.

Our present political establishment do not trust the people of the UK with the a referendum on the EU for obvious reasons. However, there SHOULD be wide spread open debate on the EU by the political heads. By countering Farage with a media frenzy of racist/loon accusations is a complete diversion from the main issue.

I received a leaflet today telling me `Don`t be used by Ukip` `UKIP is a far right party that loves the rich`.

What i would like to know is when will i receive a leaflet telling me `We are the party that will represent the low-skilled worker from the UK by regulating recruitment agencies from advertising for EU workers first`

I agree with just checking, the media propaganda in attacking UKIP by tribal lefties is more infuriating than listening to what Farage has to say on the EU.

agree angel

it's the ad hominem stuff with a complete absence of the recognition that they are hugely out of touch regarding the single issue that has made his party relevant.

and ironically, in doing so, they mistakenly treat his party as an equal, when it isn't and never has been.

It's interesting how the Watermelons are basically positioning themselves as the anti-UKIP party.

It's like they are thinking "we know we're just another pointless protest vote party, lets make sure we get the protest vote share from the pro europe cut of the pie, get a few of our snouts in the trough".

Beyond that .. I'm not sure why the Greens continue to call themselves that, it's all about banker bashing, public ownership, and high taxes. They rarely seem to mention green issues and instead sound like they should be selling Socialist Worker...

Neither the Tories or Labour want to debate the issue of the EU because it will also expose them the fact that they have sacrificed the low-skilled UK worker for cheaper more compliant work force from the EU, deliberately for profit and underhand political reasoning.

If the Tories had on their own a policy to over-supply the worforce at the bottom end of the skill sector the Left wing tribalists would have been rioting. Ironically this is what Labour did but those same tribalists are now attacking any anti EU debate.

tory and lab dont want to debate them coz they are the ones who created this mess

so fling the racist card at the cake eaters

Tory and Lab/ political establishment till benefit though Moisty, it`s not as though they now want OUT is it?

Unlimited Immigration = Cheap Labour and being opposed to this = racist apparently.

yep
kinnock labour - totally antie eu 1983 
now look at the kinnocks in the trough
where did clegg come from
the trough itself - no wonder they want to stay in


every job taken by a foreigner is one less opportunity for our young black, asian and white people