Euro Elections

[NW2013]

Labour were rubbish but how low are the Lib Dems in the opinion of voters?? They didn't even finish third. I'm also pleased to see us fine folks in the North East didn't give a seat to any racists, seemed there were plenty of votes though

[sj33]

It doesn't help that Labour has basically cannibalised itself these past few weeks with the infighting. I dislike what Labour has done over the past 10 years just as much as anyone else, but the result has been the likes of the BNP and UKIP gaining more power. If they'd of pulled themselves together and tried to create unity rather than discord, and didn't give the media something to chew on, then maybe the more easily-influenced members of the general public wouldn't have voted how they did.

[abigsmurf]

Labour were rubbish but how low are the Lib Dems in the opinion of voters?? They didn't even finish third. I'm also pleased to see us fine folks in the North East didn't give a seat to any racists, seemed there were plenty of votes though

The Lib Dems aren't credible as a big party in most people's eyes. Their policies are full of hot button topics or reactionary to what other parties are doing. They don't really demonstrate that they could actually run the country.

It's a shame given the move towards the right by both mainstream parties.

[gaanbo]

I'm disgusted the BNP won euro seats, I can't believe that prick Nick Griffin has the nerve to deny their party is racist. It has a whites only membership scheme for goodness sake. Also, UKIP? That Robert-Kilroy Silk party? What the hell's happening in this country?

I hope both Labour and the Conservatives both sort themselves out regarding the sickening expenses scandal to stop parties like UKIP and BNP from ever winning a seat at a general election, IMO these mickey mouse parties have no real contribution to make in politics. Thankfully though this will probably never happen.

And also, that Swedish pirate party, what weird *****.

[ChrisF]

I voted UKIP as did all of my family, and all the friends that I've asked. I don't want us having anything to do with "Europe", and I believe UKIP would be best placed to get us out of it. Obviously there were several other parties with similar views, but I believed that UKIP would be most likely to get the biggest support - which they did.

I don't mind trade agreements, but I don't want laws creating by people in Brussels that affect us here in the UK. Sorry if that shocks you, but there you go.

[NW2013]

The Lib Dems aren't credible as a big party in most people's eyes. Their policies are full of hot button topics or reactionary to what other parties are doing. They don't really demonstrate that they could actually run the country.

It's a shame given the move towards the right by both mainstream parties.

Fair point I guess the "loony leftie" image is still a problem for them. There has always been talk of reforming the party and getting rid of some of the stupid policies that were brought in through the grass roots elements of the party but it's never happened. I doubt they'll get serious power until they do that. That said the Lib Dem council is doing a good job here in Newcastle and that's reflected in the fact that we now have a Lib Dem MEP.

[Kieran76]

The first past the post system makes it impossible for parties like the Lib Dems to make sizeable gains. I always vote, but unless you live in a swing constituency your vote makes little difference. I am all for some form of change, the way things are at the moment makes people scared to vote for anyone else other that Lab/Tory.

[saif]

Nice to know about 10% of people in Yorkshire are racist enough to vote for the BNP. And that does not include the people with racist tendancies that would have voted for UKIP and the Tories. Brilliant.

[Cornflakes]

Yup the world has just become a browner place. I'm shock to see that almost 1 million people in the UK have voted for Ex-Combat 18 members.

[Kieran76]

The main political parties have a lot to answer for when it comes to people voting BNP. White working class people, especially men feel, rightly or wrongly, that the party in power does nothing to help them.
Also, this reluctance to talk about immigration has played right into the hands of the BNP. We need to move away from the putting our hands over our ears approach to the BNP and go and there and actually debate against them. Surely making a racist look stupid is the easiest argument in the world to win. I mean, has anyone ever actually read a BNP leaflet, it is laughable. I saw one that claimed a city the size of Birmingham was being built to house immigrants.

[Ady]

I think it undermines the democratic process to ban people from one political party from certain jobs and for every other party to condemn anyone who votes for them.

Given that said party undermines everything this country fought for in the second world war, I don't think this is at all unreasonable. We're talking about fascists here. Do you want people like that teaching your kids at school or providing healthcare?

That said, Labour is fascist in its own way what with the surveillance society it has created, but that's another story.

[saif]

Immigration is hardly ever spoken about is it???? The two biggest selling papers in the country don't "discuss" it endlessly?

As a non-white Briton, it has actually dawned on me what the result means. 10% of people there (openly - as stated I no longer believe that that is all of them) would not only not want me to go there, but they would have me deported from my home. Deported to a place I have no right to live.
10% would definitely not give me a job.
10% would not want me as a friend, would not want me to serve them in a shop, to do their accounts, to operate on them, or anything like that.

smurfy, BNP members ARE *banned* from certain jobs - the same jobs that members of other political parties are banned from. When that story broke about police officers in the BNP, the great British press did not make it clear enough that you are not meant to be a political party member at all.

[ShadowDancer]

Hell..will it become over occupated from all these *****. That's where they're all going.

[Kieran76]

The rantings of two right wing papers does not count as sensible political discussion.

It is not 10% of the population, I think the actual % of BNP voters in the country is something like less than 1% of the population. I voted, and am angry that some of the people who are complaining about the BNP (not on here but in general) couldn't even be arsed to vote. The BNP vote actually went down this election but because of poor turnout they made gains. If you do nothing, then you have no right to complain. If any good will come from this then maybe in the next election some of the stay at home moaners will actually realise that voting does make a difference.

[ChrisF]

One of my relatives that was also over at the weekend lives in Australia. I never realised until she told us, but if you don't vote in Australia, they actually fine you!