IntenseDebate - SmokedKipper

10 years ago @ Conservative Home - Confessions of an anti... · 1 reply · +2 points

Oh come now, don't do yourself down! You're not a Tory Agent any more, but people like you certainly have influence in modern politics! Clever remarks about people needing "less intellectually demanding publications" and the "simplistic messages which come out of UKIP" are very much driving UKIP support. In a way you're a UKIP Agent now.

10 years ago @ Conservative Home - Confessions of an anti... · 3 replies · +17 points

The BBC is on borrowed time. Viva la Internet, viva la Revolution!

10 years ago @ Conservative Home - Confessions of an anti... · 0 replies · +15 points

Yet.

10 years ago @ Conservative Home - Confessions of an anti... · 3 replies · +37 points

"Farage can set about his real business – namely, to merge the more rational part of UKIP with most of the Conservatives, thus extinguishing his own party."

This is absolutely ludicrous.

10 years ago @ Conservative Home - The ruling tribes of B... · 0 replies · +6 points

"Oh look! The Greater Blazer-Wearing Nigel has just burst out, uttering his mating call..."

... and quickly attracting many new recruits from the declining and dispirited herds. A new season approaches.

10 years ago @ Conservative Home - Scottish independence ... · 2 replies · +29 points

"What’s the point of the Conservative and Unionist Party without a Union?"

It's just a name. The Modern Conservatives are unrecognizable as Conservatives to their own membership, so I don't imagine it would be hard for the party leadership to adjust to the loss of Scotland. If you consider it a loss.
But don't worry; Scotland is clearly not going to leave the UK no matter how much the media try to hype up the drama.

10 years ago @ Conservative Home - Heresy of the week: Ni... · 2 replies · +2 points

If we don't need to go to war, and it's not in our interest to do so, and we can't make a positive difference, then why should we? Just so that a few pious bleeding hearts can say they have made a (futile) gesture (with other people's lives & money)? Just to score a bit of kudos in the Westminster bubble?

10 years ago @ Conservative Home - Ten lessons from the F... · 0 replies · +7 points

The public (particularly, the English) want to stay in a reformed EU. And when they say reformed they mean Britain should control it's own borders and be essentially sovereign (particularly on matters of justice). These are reforms that the EU will never accept.

So take away those options for reform, and ask the public the question again. EU justice, EU control and completely indiscriminate immigration from the rest of the EU. See how many people still want to stay in then.

10 years ago @ Conservative Home - Ten lessons from the F... · 0 replies · +6 points

Personally I don't think the debate got to the real issues, and although I'm a Kipper I don't think anyone will have been swayed either way at all.

When polls show the British people favouring membership of a reformed EU, the reforms they're looking for generally include immigration as first priority. Since the free movement of labour is fundamental to the EU it should be made clear that no significant reform in this area will be possible.

The competence of the EU was not discussed either. Issues such as the signing off of accounts, the CAP, and the devastation of EU manufacturing through irrational green policies were not addressed at all. I'm sure(?) there are pro-EU points too, but we didn't hear those either.

The other thing I wanted to hear, from both Clegg and Farage, was their realistic worst & best case scenarios if Britain leaves the EU.

All in all I thought the whole thing was a bit of a missed opportunity. Maybe the next one will be better.

10 years ago @ Conservative Home - Ten lessons from the F... · 0 replies · +15 points

Nick Clegg is a career politician with a lifetime entirely dedicated to public speaking and the art of persuasion. He's deputy Prime Minister of Britain. He's over 6ft tall, physically fit (though he smokes), has a chiseled chin and carefully cultivated body language.

Nigel Farage is a bit short, he smokes, he drinks and he's not fit. His career includes 20 years working in a private commercial business as a (high level) trader. He's now leader of an insurgent political party that is constantly ridiculed and demonised by the media and establishment. He has been personally smeared and abused by the media/establishment again and again.

Take a look at the polls. Which of these two men has more public charm?

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