THE BATTLE OF MEDWAY ….. The People’s Army have stormed the castle at Rochester & Strood and within a month, UKIP has its second elected MP, Mark Reckless. This was always going to be a much tougher seat to take than Clacton, and the Tories threw every dirty piece of crockery in their kitchen sink at us. Well done to all our volunteers who helped at Rochester, including Richard Turner, John DeRitter, and a sizeable contingent from other Dorset branches.
So the story from the Westminster gang is that UKIP’s by-election victories are only a ‘protest’. Voters they say, will behave differently in May when electing a government. Well, they’ve been wrong in all of their prognoses about UKIP so far, and there is no reason to expect that will change. What the British people can now see is that if you vote UKIP, you will get UKIP. A critical mass of voters now believe that enough UKIP MP’s can be elected to form a strong body of sensible citizens at Westminster who can, at last, begin to hold to account the political elites that have so misgoverned Britain.
Next June marks the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo; the decisive battle which finally lifted the shadow of Napoleon’s despotic rule over Europe. It would be fitting if 2015 sees the birth of a new era in British politics, and the beginning of the end of the EU’s ’Continental System’, which has destroyed parliamentary democracy and ruined millions of livelihoods.
STILL NOT GETTING IT …… Perhaps the most satisfying aspect of the campaign was the fact that 5 visits to the constituency by David Cameron, plus 100 visits from government ministers, seem only to have succeeded in driving even more voters into the UKIP camp. They seem oblivious to the First Law of Political Holes: when you’re in one, stop digging. Cameron’s desperate appeal to Labour and the LibDems to help him out in Rochester, bears out UKIP’s message that ’they’ (the LibLabCon) are all on the same side. Labour MP Emily Thornberry’s invite to sneer at the White Van Man and his English flags, together with ‘bien pensant’ Tory Matthew Parris’s snobbish insult to the voters of Clacton, show the contempt that many of our political ’elite’ feel for working people. No wonder the Labour vote in Rochester has fallen by two-thirds since 2005.
THE RISING TIDE (2) …… Angela Merkel’s ruling Christian Democrats were dealt an embarrassing blow after Germany’s new anti-euro party, Alternative For Germany (AFD) won state parliament seats in key regional elections for the second time in a month. The AFD, which wants Europe’s crisis countries, including France and Greece to leave the euro, and favours tighter border controls to restrict immigration, gained a record 12% of the vote in eastern Thuringia, and 10% in the neighbouring state of Brandenburg. Earlier this month, the AFD won nearly 10% of the vote in Saxony. AFD leader Bernd Lucke, said he was delighted by the results: ‘We are happy that more and more people in Germany want political renewal’ …
Meanwhile the Iron Hausfrau has warned David Cameron that she would rather see the UK leave the EU altogether, than compromise on the principle of ‘free movement’. Der Spiegel quotes German government sources as saying she feared the UK was ’near a point of no return’. So much for Cameron’s ‘re-negotiation’ to restore Britain’s border controls.
A NEW EXCUSE ….. As Cameron wriggles on the hook of his imaginary ‘re-negotiation’ with the EU, all we now seem to hear from its apologists are the supposed benefits of ’free movement of peoples’. This seductive phrase sounds like such an obviously good thing that it has become a ‘mindworm’ in the thoughts of seemingly intelligent commentators and analysts. One might imagine that in the dark days before the EU, we were all locked up in our own countries, unable to go abroad, eat ‘foreign’ food or talk to any foreign people without the permission of the police (which was of course, the reality in much of communist-run Eastern Europe).
But in the West, we’ve always had free movement, long before the EU came into being. Anyone who wanted to travel abroad in other Western European countries could do so freely on a national passport. Anyone wanting to work or study abroad could easily do so on a work or student visa, which were widely available to passport holders on application to the national authorities. Anyone wanting to apply for citizenship of another country could do so after a short period, provided certain basic minimum criteria were met. The important point is that at all stages, the national government of each country (accountable to its people though its national parliament), ultimately had the final say over who could or could not come into their country.
When EU enthusiasts talk about ’free movement of people’, what they actually mean is ‘the uncontrolled movement of people‘; a thoroughly dangerous idea which threatens national security, social cohesion and drives down pay and conditions for society’s poorest.
‘LABOUR NO MOOR’ …. ? (apologies to The Proclaimers); two recent polls show the SNP are on course to take the majority of Labour’s 40 seats in Scotland at the next election. The Times poll put the SNP on 43% with Labour on 27%. A further poll by STV puts the SNP on 52% with Labour on 23%; which would result in an SNP landslide. Although the Scots backed the UK (just) in the recent referendum, Miliband was widely criticised for his pathetic showing north of the border, and in a recent Guardian survey, only 15% of Scottish voters said they trusted Miliband.
Many Labour-held ’rotten boroughs’ are in Glasgow, North Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire; all areas with strong votes for the SNP’s ’Yes’ campaign. Losing a substantial number of Scottish seats to the SNP would rule out any prospect of Miliband gaining an outright majority in the UK next May. Labour’s weakness in Scotland would however endanger the UK, with a resurgent SNP holding a hung parliament at Westminster to ransom. The turmoil in Scottish Labour’s ranks can be gauged by the recent resignation of its leader in Scotland, Johann Lamont, who castigated Labour Party HQ as being run by ‘dinosaurs’ and of ‘treating Scottish Labour like a branch office’.
OUR INTER-NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE ……. Each year, an estimated 7,000 people in the UK are diagnosed as suffering from HIV. Many of them are British born, but more than 60% are recent migrants from countries where HIV is rife. Each HIV patient from overseas, whether here legally or not, whether a failed asylum seeker or a student on a temporary visa, is now entitled to free treatment on the NHS. Many believe this has given rise to an increase in ‘health tourism‘, as some sufferers intentionally come to the UK to seek free treatment.
This situation is the direct result of a decision by the Coalition in 2012 to make HIV treatment on the NHS free to all non-British visitors, after intense lobbying by left-wing politicians and campaign groups. It means that HIV sufferers from anywhere in the world can receive £20,000 of antiretroviral drugs every year for life, even if they haven’t paid a penny into the NHS; costing the NHS and UK taxpayer up to £1 million per patient if they survive into old age. Maybe those who pushed this measure through can explain its fairness to those British citizens who have paid National Insurance all their lives and now have their health care rationed, some denied cancer saving drugs, because of ‘lack of resources’.
According to UN data, around 60 countries refuse entry to people who are HIV positive. In Australia, although there is no automatic ban on those who test positive for HIV, all new migrants have to pass a full medical test. An assessment is then made about the likely impact of the costs of treating the person; if it is deemed too expensive, they can be refused entry.
NO COUNTRY FOR YOUNG MEN OR WOMEN .…. As Britain’s descent into a zero hours, low wage, no prospects economy (aka ‘the recovery’) gathers pace, the bleak outlook for a generation of Britain’s youngsters has been laid bare in reports from the Homeowners Alliance and the think-tank run by former Labour Minister, Alan Milburn.
Milburn’s report confirms what UKIP has argued for a while now; that social mobility and prospects for the young in the UK are going backwards. Today‘s 20 – 30 generation are the first for a century to be worse of than their parents. If home ownership continued at the level of a decade ago, 1.4 million more people in their 20’s and 30’s would now own a home. But in that time, home ownership among the under 25’s has plummeted, with the average age of a first time buyer in London now over 40. The vast majority are now dependent on their parents to buy a house (if they can).
The fact that so few under-30’s in full time employment can afford to buy their own home erodes the link between effort and reward. Average pay for the 22 – 29 age group is now only £9.73 an hour; 10% lower than in 2006. For 18 – 21 year olds, average pay is £6.73, 8.8% lower (barely more than the minimum wage). The Resolution Foundation estimate a record 5m UK workers are now in low paid jobs; those earning less than two thirds of the average hourly rate of pay rose last year by 250,000 to 5.2 million.
Furthermore, few of the ‘new jobs’ that are trumpeted by the Coalition have any of the long term stability or career prospects to enable young British people to earn a living wage, never mind take on the commitment and responsibility of a 25 year mortgage. Declining average pay figures don’t fully take into account the impact of inflation busting rises in the costs of living essentials such as food, fuel, energy and of course, housing. Analysis by Rightmove suggests that property values in the next 5 years are set to rise by 30% nationally, with a 37% increase in the South-East. The average UK home now costs £262,823; nearly 10 times average earnings. For most British youngsters in the UK, their future ‘home’ is likely to be at best, a spare room with Mum & Dad (assuming they haven’t been forced to move out by the Bedroom Tax); a shared room in a collective hovel run by a slum landlord at exorbitant rent, or finally a ‘bed in a shed’ in someone’s else’s back yard.
Whilst Milburn’s diagnosis is correct, his (and the governments) remedy to ’build more houses’ is depressingly inadequate. We could cover the entire countryside with houses from Land’s End to John O’Groats, it still wouldn’t make our housing any more affordable or provide homes for those who really need them. Radical reform of our ‘open’ housing market is long overdue, combined with imaginative government funded incentives to re-use empty homes and re-develop brownfield land, as well as controlling our unsustainable population growth by ending the UK’s open borders.
CHINESE TAKEAWAY .… UK property is now an alternative currency, as a stampede of Chinese, Russian and other overseas buyers target the British housing market, driving up prices and creating a shortage. In London, 85% of prime property purchases are being made with foreign money. London Property Partners found that just 15% of its sales to June 2013 were made by UK buyers. Savills’ report that the number of homes being bought by cash has risen by 20% over the past year, indicating a surge in wealthy overseas speculators.
With rising London property prices, foreign speculators are now targeting lower priced homes elsewhere: houses in South Wales, Somerset cottages, flats in Manchester, Liverpool and Sheffield are among the properties being offered to foreign investors on agents websites in China and Russia. Russian property firm Angliadom, encourages buyers to consider towns outside London, noting that property prices in Swindon are 20% lower than similar towns elsewhere. All European Estates, (Moscow and St Petersburg) advertises 2,300 British properties for sale, including family homes in Wales, the North-West and the Home Counties.
Chinese estate agency, Juwai estimates that 63 million Chinese are now wealthy enough to afford a property abroad; increasingly Britain is seen as a target market. IP Global in Hong Kong is making its first foray into the UK housing market in Slough, while another Chinese firm is offering ‘micro-apartments’ in Sheffield and Manchester with rental returns of 8%. Industry insiders believe that some British properties are offered for sale in China before they even go on sale in the UK. Cheshire property firms Assetz, says that around one third of its UK sales this August were to Chinese buyers. Michael Sacks (Secure Property Investment), says: ’We know that Chinese investors are securing entire developments and then selling them on for significantly more than they are actually worth; 25 – 35% in some cases’ .
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Local UKIP Branch News ……..
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Our third annual Pub Skittles evening at The Coach & Horses, Wimborne, was enjoyed by all, with some fine (if slightly unconventional) displays of bowling technique on show, and a splendid supper to follow. The Dave Butt Hotshots retained the team prize for the second year running, while our PC Richard Turner posted the highest overall score. And Olga showed everyone how it should be done, with some ice cool finishing to win the sudden death shootout !
Remembrance Sunday: Local UKIP members laid wreaths on behalf of local branches at services in Poole (David Young & Dave Evans), Broadstone (Mike Fisher) and Wimborne (Richard Turner & John DeRitter)
The UKIP Cats Calendar for 2015 produced by Diana, is selling well. A few copies are still available for £5 (proceeds to branch funds). The purr-fect Christmas present ! To order, contact Diana on 01202-602427
Richard Turner’s Campaign is gathering momentum, with enthusiastic help from many of our branch members. In just five weeks, we have done a UKIP ‘walkabout’ in Broadstone shopping centre, two Saturday morning UKIP stalls at Wimborne Market, one at Wimborne Square, and one (with our neighbouring Poole branch) at Poole High Street. The response from the public has been overwhelmingly positive and many others will have seen our UKIP banners on display. Richard’s introductory leaflet is already going through letterboxes in the constituency. He is also out there regularly canvassing households with a team of helpers, and is finding around 30% of voters for UKIP, with many more still undecided.
We couldn’t wish for a better candidate. We need everybody to help Richard in every way they can. The stakes for our country couldn’t be higher. This is our big chance. Each and every one of us must give it everything we’ve got.
If there’s anything you can do; leaflet your street, knock on doors, put up a poster, contact Richard (richard.turner @ukipmiddorset.org) and offer him your help.
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You Couldn’t Make It Up ……..
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‘For years, Cameron relied heavily on the advice of his personal opinion pollster Andrew Cooper, the founder of the Populus polling company. Two years ago, Cooper told Cameron that UKIP would be ‘a flash in the pan’ and was the product of ‘mid-term blues’. A disaffected grumble has now become a nationwide roar, with UKIP enjoying the biggest by-election swing in post-war history. Cooper is no longer on Cameron’s payroll: having left his post last year, Cameron rewarded his close chum with a peerage and a seat in the House of Lords …..’ (Andrew Pierce, Daily Mail, 13th Oct)
‘In the first six months of 2013-14, total UK government borrowing was £52.6bn. In the first six months of 2014-15, it is £58bn, bringing the net UK public sector debt to £1.453 trillion*; £100bn more than last year. The cost of paying interest on this debt is now £52bn a year; £6bn more than the entire UK defence budget ….’ (Simon Heffer, Daily Mail, 15th Nov)
(* to visualise just how much money this is, if this many £1 coins were piled on top of one another, the height of the pile would extend 11 times the distance from the Earth to the Moon, or 108 times around the Equator. ed)
Britain’s net ‘contribution’ to the EU budget jumped by £2.7bn last year to a record £11.3bn, (Office of National Statistics). Britain’s net payments to the EU are now 5 times higher than a decade ago. That’s not including the extra £850m (x 2?), plus ‘interest’ on any late payment) being demanded by Brussels as the price of Britain’s supposed ‘recovery‘.
The bill for taxpayer subsidies to wind farm owners has risen an estimated £1.8bn a year, according to industry critics the Renewable Energy Foundation, and has risen even faster than the number of so called ‘Green jobs’. A record 15,500 people are directly employed in the onshore and offshore wind turbine industry in the UK, amounting to a taxpayer funded subsidy of approximately £115,000 for every person employed …. (Daily Telegraph, 15th November)
‘More than one-fifth of UK jobs only require the educational level of an 11 year old. Sir Charles Mayfield (Chairman, John Lewis Partnership) highlights recent figures showing that 22% of UK jobs now demand only primary level skills …..’ (Teletext News, 12th Nov)
‘Soaring aid spending has done nothing for the economic and political freedoms of citizens in many recipient countries, according to a Taxpayers Alliance report. A study of 28 countries that received British aid found that ‘it did not have any discernable impact on freedom’; in fact twice as many nations lost freedoms after having British aid compared to those that improved political and human rights’ (Daily Mail, 13th Oct)
‘The Treasury is sending all taxpayers letters which reveal how their money has been spent by the government. Thus someone on £23,000 pa learns that of their annual tax bill, £1113 goes on welfare, £318 on national debt interest payments and £52 on overseas aid. Anyone earning £60,000 might be shocked to see that they pay £4,471 on welfare, £1277 on national debt interest payments and £210 on overseas aid’ (Jonathan Isaby, Taxpayers Alliance, 6th Nov)
‘A doorstep lender, property magnates and a Ukrainian born energy tycoon, were among guests worth £22bn who attended the Tories biggest fundraising event. A secret table plan for the party’s Black & White Ball in February, obtained by The Guardian, reveals that many were placed next to ministers whose portfolios are linked to their financial interests. Ian Duncan-Smith (Work and Pensions) was seated with directors of CLC finance, a doorstep lending company that offers loans at 769.9% interest. Housing Minister, Kris Hopkins, sat with property executives Bruce Ritchie and Paul Munford, who arrange the purchase of ’trophy homes’ for multi-millionaire foreign investors. Michael Fallon, (Energy Minister), sat with Alexander Termenko, owner of OGN which supplies the offshore ’renewable’ energy industry, and has donated money to MP’s whose constituencies are earmarked for wind farms ……’ (Daily Mail, 13th Oct)
I believe that secret corporate lobbying ….. goes to the heart of why people are so fed up with politics’ (David Cameron, February 2010)
‘House of Commons authorities have ruled out getting a rescue cat to deal with the significant rodent problem in the Houses of Parliament. MP Anne McIntosh said that the mice population was ’spiralling out of control’, particularly in the kitchens, posing a clear health hazard (to say nothing of the rats on the Commons benches, ed.) But she was told the problem was so big it would take ‘a herd of cats’ to clear the mice,’ (Teletext News, 23rd October)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ EVENTS …. EVENTS … EVENTS …
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First Thursday each month (4th Dec, 8th Jan), 7.30pm: Dorset Branches Pub Social at the Charlton Inn, Charlton Marshall. All supporters and friends welcome. Tel. John Baxter 01202 897884
Second Thursday each month (11th Dec, 15th Jan), 8pm: Poole Branches Pub Social at Twin Sails Wharf, West Quay Road. UKIP Supporters and friends welcome. Tel John Butler, 01202-602427:
Saturday 6th December, 12noon Christchurch Carvery Christmas Lunch at the Bridge House Citylodge, Ringwood Rd, Longham. All branches welcome, Contact Dave Butt, 01202-892273
Saturday 13th December Christmas Lunch : 12noon UKIP Mid-Dorset & North Poole at the Royal British Legion, Broadstone 2 courses £10. Please book by 1st December; contact Diana Butler, 01202-602427
Saturday 13th December, 11.00 am; Opening of the Bournemouth West Campaign Office at 55 Lansdowne Rd, by UKIP Deputy Chairman, Suzanne Evans. With drinks and nibbles. Followed by Christmas Lunch at The Liston Hotel, 5 Wollstonecraft Hotel, Bournemouth. Tickets £15 from Russ Smith, B’mth Est UKIP, 897 Christchurch Rd, B,mth BH7 6AXG
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MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR !
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Saturday 3rd January 2015 Meet at Corfe Coffee, 137, Wareham Road, Corfe Mullen. 11am chat, coffee & / or
snack. Tel Dave Evans 01202 602856
Saturday 17th January, 2.00 pm: UKIP Mid-Dorset & North Poole AGM, St Paul’s Church Hall, Culliford Crescent, Canford Heath.
Saturday 24th January, (tba): UKIP Poole AGM
Thursday 5th February, 7.00 for 7.30 pm; Public Meeting with Stuart Agnew MEP and Steve Unwin (North Dorset PC), at The Exchange (Bow Room), Old Market Hill, Sturminster Newton, DT10 1FH. Contact John Baxter: john@ukipdorsetnorth.com
Saturday 28th Feb : UKIP Spring Conference, Margate
Saturday 7th March: UKIP SW Conference, Torquay
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Items for next Edition by 31st December to:
John Butler, 20 Nightjar Close, Poole BH17 7YN
e-mail: john.butler@ukipmiddorset.org All items in this newsletter are personal views only and do not necessarily represent the views of the UK Independence Party Mid-Dorset & North Poole
