UKIP cards on the table

[Workingman]

We know their stance on immigration and the EU, and we know that those are topics likely to appeal to a broad spectrum of society.

We now have the news that UKIP will cut overseas aid by 85% and that is another topic that will go down well. We also have UKIP's policies on tax: 13,500 personal allowance, basic rate of 20% up to £44,000, new rate of 35p on incomes of £44,000 to £55,00, and 40p on earnings above that. The rate of 45p on earnings above £150,000 is to go.

The above is clever package aimed at all sections of society. It now remains to be seen how many candidates will be put up, and where, and how many can win.

[TheOstrich]

It is a very clever package, but I'd like to see the fiscal numbers crunched by an expert or two to see how everything stacks up ......

Interesting to see them tackling the racial abuse problem - but all they seem to be doing is beating up Labour on the issue - what's their solution going forward?

[Workingman]

A bit of a Curate's egg situation for the UKIP conference. That is down to the recall of parliament and the IS debate. It is just about getting its message across because all of the media is following it, though maybe not as much as in quieter times. On the other hand its policies are not being as deeply analysed as they normally would be.

For that reason, Ossie, I do not think the racial abuse topic will get much discussion.

[Kaz]

I really do NOT know why the media give UKIP so much credence and air time - they don't have one single MP!

[saundra]

no they dont kaz but im sure they will come the next election

[Suff]

They won the last election the UK had (doesn't matter if it was EU or local) . So they are getting a lot of time.

This will either change or be a fixture after the next election.

[TheOstrich]

they don't have one single MP!

Only until Douglas Carswell is elected by what I suspect will be a pretty eye-watering majority on 9th October...... give it a couple of weeks, Kaz!

[medsec222]

I haven't seen anything of the speech as yet, but I have heard on another forum that they will also support shared parenting 50/50 as the default on the break up of marriage. Well done if he can manage to achieve some movement on this issue. I know from personal experience the difficulties that many decent fathers face when trying to maintain a relationship with their children following breakdown of their marriage. Many struggle through the Family Courts for years at a cost of thousands of pounds and achieve very little at the end of it.

He will be getting my vote on Europe alone, but 50/50 shared parenting is the icing on the cake as far as I am concerned. And let us hope he goes on to tackle the corrupt CSA while he is about it - for anyone who doesn't know much about this organisation. It is not about chasing fathers who refuse to maintain their children - that is beyond their wit and expertise as they are more or less totally unsuccessful in their attempts. They prefer to concentrate their efforts on fathers who already maintain their children in an effort to squeeze more out of them, even going so far as to conjure up false arrears, to the extent that they would put compliant fathers out of their homes, remove their driving licenses or even get them sent to prison. Both Labour and Conservative are well aware of the failings of the CSA but prefer to shrug their shoulders, as taking on radical feminists might dent their share of their votes. And that would never do!

[Workingman]

Meds, my ex and I were determined not to use CSA, so we went our own way. Everything was fine until I got made redundant and had to use Jobseeker's. Once I was on that they somehow wheedled their way in. Thankfully me and the ex were on good terms and she sent them packing, tout de. The short version is that I was able to get earning again without any worries and was able to start paying again. I always had unrestricted access.

However, I know two dads who were not so fortunate with their exes and CSA, so they did the barest minimum. One mum got remarried and moved away. The dad, on restricted access, couldn't always make the visit times and eventually gave up. He did nothing wrong, no violence, nothing, they just fell out of love, yet he was treated worse than any criminal.

If Farage can come up with something to mitigate such events he will be on a winner: another one.

[KateLMead]

I am listening to their Conference. The more I listen, the more I hope that they will get into power. We need radical change
And inspite of some faux pa's bt a couple of speakers Farage is a man of the people, down to earth free speaking. He will without a doubt get my vote..

(Thanks Kaz)