大象传媒

If the rest of UKIP is of the same standard as the one who represented them in your Blackwood program, I really do hope they don鈥檛 get any elected. Still, good for comic relief I suppose.

If UKIP had their way and there were no AMs or MEPs, I would be represented by 1 MP in a house of 600. That MP would be earning around 拢65,000/year and claiming expenses on his nice garden ornaments for his wife's second home.

Thankfully, UKIP won't have their way and I will be represented by 5 AMs in a house of 60, who live and work in Wales, get paid MUCH less than their useless Westminster counterparts and will be much more willing to listen to their constituents views and concerns.

Why not get rid of the useless and expensive middleman, the MP?

You can get a taste of the membership of UKIP in Wales by going to the website of Christian Doctrine. The head of Christian Doctrine is an active member of UKIP in Wales (says so on their website) and amongst their more family friendly outpourings they believe that Barack Obama is a 鈥渁 deceiver, liar and God-hater鈥� that there is no proof that evolution exists, that global warming is a 鈥渟cam鈥� and that the Catholic Church is a 鈥渉eritical Cult鈥�. Nice bunch. I think David Cameron got it spot on when he called UKIP 鈥渁 bunch of fruit cakes and loonies and closet racists"

However, extreme UKIP and Christian Doctrine really are it sadly didn鈥檛 stop the True Wales campaigner Len Gibbs from helping out on Christian Doctrine鈥檚 website during the referendum. No surprise then that the man who said on the 鈥榊es Butt, No Butt鈥� on 大象传媒 Wales on 6/3/11 鈥� that he would like to see the Senedd building 鈥渂lown up鈥� or 鈥渂urnt down鈥� is now backing the anti-immigrant, far-right UKIP. And that says it all about True Wales.

UKIP interesting proposition. Of course based on a lie, the National Assembly is not a part time body, as ever they confuse plenary meetings and committee meetings with the whole work of a member. Membership is very much full time. By reducing its membership to 30 and by having it meet for only one week in four they effectively kill the National Assembly, it becomes a committee of the Commons and nothing more. The Grand Committee writ large. What happens to the Welsh Government in its senario? Do they propose the same for Scotland and Northern Ireland, if not why not?

"80% of UK laws originate in Brussles.."

Betsan - for years you seem to have managed to comment on politics in Wales almost without mentioning the major effects of our real government (the elephant in the room - better known as the EU...) and now you manage to show us that you can't even spell the city in which said government is primarily situated! Presumably this form of short-sightedness is caused by constant navel gazing! Brussles indeed!

Could be yet another made-up Welsh spelling, I suppose, but most people either call it Brussels or Bruxelles. For some reason the ever logical Dutch think it is singular - Brussel.

If nothing else, Belgium has shown us how little a country actually needs a government since it appears to have broken the world record for not having one! Life in Belgium has not stopped and the overblown collection of snouts in the trough in Wales ought to be looking over their collective shoulder to realise just how useless and unnecessary they really are!

As for UKIP - they do have the talent but they don't seem to know how to select it or use it properly. The polls suggest they could win between 1 and 4 seats on the Lists. I hope they do. And I hope they hold the balance of power in the next plenary. And I hope they learn how to use their latent talents and use them to bring the WAG to heel...

Just read the UKIP manifestos, as well as advocating major constitutional change in all regions of the UK, they have policies on immigration, crime and criminal justice, defence, withdrawing from the EU, taxing foreign lorries, GP contracts, and general taxation there is virtually nothing that is within the powers of the Assembly to address.

What is interesting though, they complain that AMs have two jobs (some) how many of the MPs when he was represented by just one MP was also a director of a company, advisor to some lobby group, or held a job in the political party they represent?

At 21:49pm on 28th Mar 2011, dispozest wrote:

鈥淎s for UKIP - they do have the talent but they don't seem to know how to select it or use it properly.鈥�

Two very good reasons for not voting for them I would say.

Lets put UKIP's big lie about 80% of our laws coming from the EU to bed once and for all -

The House of Commons Library Research Paper, 鈥楬ow much legislation comes from Europe?鈥� (13 October 2010) 鈥� Found that in the UK from 1997 to 2009 6.8% of primary legislation (Statutes) and 14.1% of secondary legislation (Statutory Instruments) had a role in implementing EU obligations. So therefore 9% of UK legislation is decided at EU level.

They'll get my vote as before,particularly as the Welsh Conservatives seem to moving to PC (Splitters).While we at it we can a)cut all international aid and spend it on ourselves,and have a jolly nice time,b)cut all payments to EU,and spend it on ourselves,c)save some of a+b,and really beef up our external/internal forces to combat our enemies,and illegal immigration,and send them back to where they belong!!.As Niall Ferguson states we in the West are losing our "cojones",by worrying about other people,and we should be a)arming ourselves,b)sorting this country out and getting workshy up in morning and up cleaning streets,b)expanding S4C so it can really improve its programme making and get its audience figures up to about 25. Support UKIP you know it makes sense.

@2

Reading that one- sided, cliched rhetoric, if I didnt know you, I'd instantly assume you were a young(ish) Welsh nationalist politico wanabee mapping out a career for himself as an AM. However, having had the benefit of stumbling upon snippets of the Plaid Cymru conference on tv at the weekend, I no longer have to make assumptions :) lol!

Can you tell me though, who were the two balding gentlemen, pushing 50 who were talking with you about Plaid Cymru Clwb 18 to 30 'Cymru X'. They seemed to be talking on behalf of the youth movement which was a bit of a hoot considering they were old enough to have kids no longer eligible to join.

Could there be a UKIP Assembly success with the oratory prowess of UKIP leader Nigel Paul Farage or even the Conservative Eurosceptic "Daniel Hannan MEP"; it might raise interest in the Assembly, Baron Elis-Thomas unable to prevent freedom of speech when it is critical of proceedings, as he did very recently with Peter Black ......

.......... interesting times, I might not agree with many of their aspirations but new blood would be good for democratic Wales.

RE Post 9.

Your going to vote for someone knowing that they have no ability to enact any of their policy, that doesn't sound like the best way for an lection to be run. As for your suggestions:

a) Is not the responsibility of the Assembly (International development)
b) Is not the responsibility of the Assembly (EU)
c) Is not the responsibility of the Assembly (Defence)

Second set of a-c
a) Is not the responsibility of the Assembly (Defence)
b) Is not the responsibility of the Assembly (Benefits)
c) Is not the responsibility of the Assembly (Soon to be funded by the 大象传媒)

While they are legitimate concerns and suggestions, this is not the election for UKIP to address these issues. Electing UKIP to the Welsh Assembly (on these issues) will be a wasted vote.

What are they suggesting for education, health, and economic development - Their policy on these areas and the other 17 devolved issues is what you should be basing your vote on.

The bonkers loony right of UK politics.

True 'little Englanders' - let's pull up the drawbridge and pretend we're running an Empire once again.

'Ban the burka and veiled niqab in public buildings and certain private buildings'

- with racial overtones.

'Invest in nuclear power...'

- might need to re-think that one.

'Boost the military budget by 40%..'

- so the UK can fight a few more wars, kill more people.

#5

I don't agree that they have talent. Remember Lord Pearson, Farage's temporary successor as leader of the party? He couldn't even remember the contents of the manifesto.

Farage resigned to fight John Bercow, the Speaker, in last year's election, and came nowhere. Bad misjudgement.

UKIP wouldn't get any public support but for the decades of anti-EU coverage by the right-wing tabloid press.

As someone commented above, UKIP's contributor to the 大象传媒's referendum debate couldn't even answer a simple question. In desperation he turned to Carwyn Jones to help him out - truly laughable. I was in stitches.

The UK is in a dreadful shambles after a century of Tory, Labour and Liberal governments, just imagine what it would be like if UKIP ever gained power.

Yep, fag packet politics sums it up.

I think the vast majority of the postings today have got it right - UKIP is a fringe party that only endures due to the froth of London media support.

It is funny to see that UKIP does not want to abolish the Assembly now - that is a mighty shift. Indeed, it is such a shift that one wonders what they will be asking for at the next election.

I would suggest all those interested in voting for them ought to take a cool look at how they have fared in Brussels. Their track record in various matters is either depressing or alarming, depending on your point of view.

In the meantime, imagine being represented by one of these chaps (and they do tend to be chaps) especially when he's scrabbling round the floor looking for the pearls of wisdom so carefully scribbled on his fag packet because he realises he simply has noting of substance to say about any of the debates going on around him.

I did think the chamber would be an ideal venue for UKIP and True Wales to hold their parties' AGMs but it's probably a little large.... there are of course 60 seats!

Re 9

Tellingme,

I've just read your comment. And to think that I've wasted my time in the past trying to debate with you!

UKIP would make a goood subject for a Louis Theroux programme!

This lot of extremists has only got one MEP, AM and MP so far in Wales - John Bufton and he seems not to be up to much. His goings on were reported in a Daily Mail last November entitled "THE BRITISH MEPS RAKING IN HOUSANDS ON THE EURO GRAVY TRAIN". Its sobering reading for - "How Britain s MEPs ...are taking us for a ride. These are MEPs Members of the European Parliament signing the attendance register so they can claim their 'daily allowance' for working away from home when, in fact, they're often rushing back there for the weekend. One is John Bufton, a Welsh UKIP member鈥�.

@10

Well spotted, glad there were people who were more interested in the conference than watching the football!

I am indeed a nationalist as my previous post clearly demonstrates and I make no appologies for my political views. I am also involved in a political party鈥檚 youth wing because it鈥檚 something I have an interest in (as I鈥檓 sure you do, since you take time to comment on a political blog). The youth wing is actually for anyone under 30, not 18-30 as was portrayed on the 大象传媒. I have my opinions on policy and on constitutional matters and my involvement in the youth wing gives me an opportunity to have my opinions heard and considered by the party as was explained in the 大象传媒 coverage of the conference.

As for who the others were, they are, like me, people under 30 years of age who have an interest in politics and find that their views are closer to the views of one particular party than any of the others and therefore are perfectly eligible to become members of the youth wing.

I make no appologies for my active interest in political issues and don鈥檛 try and hide away from it, as my decision to post relevant comments under my own name rather than use an alias to trash-talk and post personal attacks on other contributors, clearly shows!

#18

Osian, I wonder if UKIP has a member under the age of 30 in Wales let alone a youth wing!!

Seriously, you do get the impression that the anti Wales brigade are getting on a bit. No wonder the future seems to be such a frightening place to them.

Osian I want to respect your honesty I really do... but you blew it all by claiming that the 2 gentlemen you were with on tv were under 30 and members of Cymru X. Why would you bother... It's blatently obvious they were nowhere near 40 let alone 30!!

I wish I'd caught their names because seriously, watching 2 balding, portly middle-aged men pretending to be members of a youth group was one of the funniest things I've seen on ITV Wales. I even caught the presenter do a double take when they started speaking as if they were current members

Come off it, comeoffit, how do you know how old those men are?

To be fair, if Osian says they were under 30, and he's here posting under his own name, then that gives his words a little more weight than yours or mine, doesn't it? To claim someone blew all chances of gaining your respect because two men looked over thirty really shows you in a bad light, especially when you say such a thing from behind the safety of your pseudonym.

Whatever I might have thought of his opinion, I always respected Len Gibbs for posting under his own name, as I do Lyn David Thomas and now Osian. Maybe it should be a prerequisite for posting here... it might raise the quality of the debate.

He could post in the name of the Almighty Messiah if he wanted to Arihfach... It still wouldnt make the the men in question a day under 45! I guess you just had to see it... a most bizarre 5 minutes of television

Just to return to the original proposal, and I might add I know little and care less for UKIP,but....
Surely the proposal to make our idle MP's work harder would suit everyone;
The unionist majority; Get rid of the useless failed councillors AKA the AM's save some cash on their salaries/pensions and get the welsh MP's down to Cardiff once a month.
The sepratist(s); Removing MP's, for at least part of the time from Westminster could be seen as a degree of sepratism, with MP's gradually transferring to Cardiff permanently if their "dream" of a "welsh state" ever came true, and saving a bit of tax-payers cash on the way.
The only defenders of the present system would be the assembly-apologists and/or professional politicians who favour having more and more highly paid politicians from the town hall to the european parliament.

The original proposal is nonsense, as is your apology for it. There are many better ways of organising legislation between Westminster and Cardiff Bay which have been proposed by people who are held in higher regard than UKIP.

Set up an English Parliament, get rid of the House of Lords and reduce the size of Westminster by 75% - bingo.

Or just sack the useless AM's and get the welsh MP's to do their job.
Incidently, who might these "people" held in "high regard" be ? Are they politicians held in high regard by other politicians ?

How would you identify those AMs that are useless, merthyrmarkf? And would you then apply the same judgement to MPs and those unelected members of the UK's second chamber?

Quote "How would you identify those AMs that are useless, merthyrmarkf?" Well there are 60 of them and they all sit in the assembly.

@28 so not one AM has been useful during the last 10 years?

My... you are blinkered.

M28, No, shall we continue this ?