MatthewODowd

MatthewODowd

88p

128 comments posted · 0 followers · following 0

9 years ago @ Conservative Home - Confessions of an anti... · 2 replies · +9 points

For starters, UKIP is not a cult, it's a political party. Secondly, I am not a member of any party, so no party is my "cult".
I am merely commenting on how I see things at the moment, and that is the main parties feel threatened by UKIP. If they didn't, they (and their supporters) wouldn't be so obsessed about them. As someone who has no time for the big three and believes that this country's future is outside the EU, UKIP appeal to me.
As for UKIP's economic policies, I do believe that they have advocated a flat rate of income tax and abolition of inheritance tax. I also believe the Times scrutinised them too, whilst forgetting that between 2010 and 2015, this current government will add more to the national debt than every government combined has done in the last 100 years. So much for Tory economic policy.

9 years ago @ Conservative Home - Confessions of an anti... · 2 replies · +32 points

Such articles will not damage UKIP at all, as it all it appears to be is one article in a long line of many that attempts to smear and discredit an upcoming party which is increasingly becoming a threat to the established ones. If anything, this will backfire and benefit UKIP, and once again reflect on the "Big Three" and the contempt with which many people hold them. From efforts to discredit UKIP's economic policies to accusing it of outright bigotry, it has all failed. People need to accept, whether they like it or not, that UKIP is now here to stay and the other parties have only themselves to blame.

9 years ago @ Conservative Home - Andrew Lilico: Which f... · 2 replies · +3 points

Erm, polls show a majority in favour of capital punishment (for certain murders, treason) in the UK last time I looked.
And with regards to its use against Irish Republican terrorists, even the Republic of Ireland itself used it against them and continued to sentence them to death well into the 1980s. Hardly 1600.

9 years ago @ Conservative Home - Cameron launches Euro ... · 0 replies · +28 points

But in all this – there are three words they are missing…Better. Off. Out.

9 years ago @ Conservative Home - WATCH: Cameron "discon... · 0 replies · +12 points

Some very accurate observations from Nigel Farage there.
It's high time that the system was changed in such a way that it attracted people of a much higher calibre to become an MP. The country deserves better than the shower that we currently have to contend with.

9 years ago @ Conservative Home - Sir Gerald Howarth MP:... · 0 replies · +5 points

Spot on Denis as you often are.
I think your last two lines sum up the problem. Way back in 1992, the West thought Russia was finished and finished for ever. Due to this foolish assumption, foolish moves were made (including welcoming the Baltic States into NATO and the EU). Now that Russia has picked herself up, the West does not know what to do because it had never planned for such a day to pass. I think that is what much of the current anger over Crimea really is about. It's not about Russia claiming a part of land that it has historical connections to. It's more a case of Western arrogance in not devising a "Plan B" and having been shown up for not doing so.

9 years ago @ Conservative Home - Sunder Katwala: The Eu... · 0 replies · +9 points

I tend to agree. I am quite certain that UKIP in 2015 will take far more than three per cent of the vote. Granted, I think a lot of it will translate into finishing a "good second" in many places. However, if just three per cent is enough to deprive a party of seats, it will interesting to see how 2015 will pan out.

9 years ago @ Conservative Home - Sunder Katwala: The Eu... · 2 replies · +7 points

"Unless UKIP can sharply improve its past retention of votes between general and European elections, even a 30 per cent share and 4.5 million European votes in 2014 would slip away to a six per cent General Election share, on about 1.8 million votes."
There is no doubt that UKIP's performance in the European Elections is going to be far stronger than in the General Election. However, opinion polls have been consistent for some time with UKIP's support, which strongly suggests that their support is now solidifying. By-election results also appear to be indicating this. In simple terms, it appears that UKIP are not going to drop as low as 3% as they did in 2010, and if that low figure was enough to deprive the Tories of seats then, then heaven help them the next time round when it seems certain UKIP will score higher.
In addition, there are far too many people who feel let down by David Cameron's period of office and the main parties in general. From "cast iron" guarantees, "jam tomorrow" referenda pledges and non-issues railroaded through parliament, there are many people who have finished with the Tories and will not return to them. Trying to woo them back is not going to help the electoral fortunes of the Conservative Party.

10 years ago @ Conservative Home - WATCH: Farage v Clegg.... · 0 replies · +13 points

I haven't see the debate between Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage so I can't say who won. However, the fact that there is now a serious public debate surrounding our membership of the EU can only be a good thing and it is to the credit of both Mr Clegg and Mr Farage that they took the time to go head to head and made this debate happen. Perhaps the main winner from this was Britain's adversarial political tradition.

10 years ago @ Conservative Home - Andrew Rosindell MP: Y... · 2 replies · 0 points

Even so they still failed to gain a majority, something they have consistently failed to do since 1992. That fact is even more embarrassing when you consider that in 2010, the country was in the middle of an economic crisis and had a weak and inept Prime Minister at the helm. Despite the open goal that was in front of them, the Tories still couldn't win outright. With all the let downs since 2010, the prospects of the come 2015 are not looking good. And David Cameron must take some of the responsibility.