EU propaganda agency claims Team GB's medals

One of the EU's propaganda agencies have been widely slated for claiming the Olympic successes of member states for the EU in a medals table featuring the European Union in the top spot.

If the EU competed in the Olympics that would be quite an impressive tally but take Team GB's record medal haul off the EU and add it to the rest of the Commonwealth and the EU drops to second place.

Both medals tables are equally meaningless but the EU pales in comparison to the Commonwealth.

A Picture of Life outside The EU - 2020

You will hear a lot of scare stories about how our country will struggle if we leave the EU from those in the ‘Yes’ campaign.
Here is what it could really be like……..
The year is 2020 and Britain is adjusting to life and thriving outside of the declining European Union.
Free from the need to negotiate trade deals via unelected EU commissioners, a series of agreements with the emerging nations of the world have boosted exports and revitalised our industries. Unwilling to lose their largest European market, the remaining EU states have swiftly confirmed free trade agreements with the UK and the job losses predicted by the ‘Yes’ campaign fail to materialise.
Re-engaging with our traditional world partners, most notably the Commonwealth, has invigorated our shipping industries and cities such as Liverpool and Glasgow once again hum to the sound of machinery as exports grow and vessels come and go, offloading such produce as New Zealand lamb and transporting out machinery exports, pharmaceuticals and high tech equipment.
With much of the EU red tape removed from our small and medium industries they once again start to drive economic growth. Repeal of EU diktat on renewable energy and the large combustion plant directive means that energy once again becomes cheaper, driving down costs for businesses and making them more competitive on the world stage.

Overseas investors and companies look to re-locate to England as they realise that it is a far better place to do business than the over-regulated market on the mainland. With the Government free to set their own business rates, inward capital flourishes whilst tax avoidance drops as the loopholes inherent in the EU system are no longer available. The likes of Google, Vodafone and Starbucks are creating jobs whilst paying their fair share to the Treasury.
Freed from the Common Fisheries policy, our fish stocks start to recover and with it the ports in Cornwall, the Humber and Kent as our once proud fishing fleets start to get back on their feet and employ our youngsters in the traditional jobs that their grandparents knew so well.
Financial services, for so long our number one source of income, have been unshackled from the EU’s financial transaction tax and a myriad of unnecessary regulations to once again become a world leader. The brightest talents from the continent are flocking to London as growth outstrips the other major financial centres of Frankfurt, Paris and Milan. Banks and trading houses that were looking to move to Singapore and Hong Kong reconsider their decisions as conditions are now more suited to their business models, with employment in service industries in the City also growing to support the boom.
With the UK once again able to control its own borders, a fairer immigration system along the lines of an Australian style points model is introduced. Our own government with the needs of the country in mind now decide who and how many are allowed to settle here, with all judged on ability rather than their country of origin.
EU nationals already in the UK from our previous membership see their living standards rise as they no longer have to compete with uncontrolled numbers of unskilled workers arriving on our shores, whilst youth unemployment falls.
With wages rising, the bill for in work benefits starts to decrease and that money is re-invested in to training and infrastructure upgrades, bringing further opportunities.
The housing crisis finally starts to ease as new builds can keep up with population increases.
The NHS sees the benefits as it can once again recruit from around the world to fill short term gaps in skills, whilst investment in both training and equipment can now be afforded out of the money saved from not having to pay for our EU membership. Health tourism can now be tackled without interference from Brussels
Britain’s Universities are much in demand, with the brightest and best from around the globe now able to once again attend our seats of learning. With EU grants now no longer a part of the equation, the Universities set their own tuition fees for overseas students and then plough the profits back in to research, further enhancing the UK’s reputation at the forefront of cutting edge technology.
The UK regains its place as the No 3 in the world for medicinal research as the constraints put in place by the EU on clinical trials are repealed, leading to advances in the fight against cancer and other serious diseases.

Our streets become a safer place, too. With interference from The European Court of Human Rights removed, our Police can properly enforce the laws that are already on our statute book and start to crack down on terrorists and criminal gangs. Further legislation that was proposed during our membership, such as ‘The Snoopers Charter’, quickly becomes unnecessary and our basic rights as law abiding citizens under English Common Law are re-established. International crime gangs are tackled via a revitalised Interpol and people traffickers find it increasingly difficult to ply their evil trade.
The pessimists who pushed for us to stay in the EU are proven wrong as we maintain our place as the fifth largest economy on the planet, a member of the G7 and a permanent seat holder on the UN Security Council. Our continued membership of NATO is assured, with our Armed Forces able to be equipped and trained to defend UK interests rather than stretched to prop up a planned EU Army.
Britain is once again a free and sovereign country, with a bright future to look forward to.
Cliff Dixon
With thanks to Dan Hannan MEP for the original idea

UKIP now stand before two paths - and we must choose wisely

The drawbridge for a progressive Ukip is being lifted - so run for a leap

It has become clear to me that there is a silent battle taking ground in Ukip, between those who look to the past and those who look to the future. It’s now that the Party must decide its destiny – and I must say; only one option will provide Ukip a longstanding future. Party membership may have risen steadily over the years, but as days pass we lose excellent contributions because they believe that the party is not going the right way – and it rightly isn’t, with a group of boring old-Tories possessing greater influence in Ukip.

The fact is, no one joined Ukip to comply with the establishment; actually the complete opposite. Many of us are proud anti-establishment folk, seeing our leaders as relatively unaccountable, ineffective and inward looking spineless men who believe they can tamper with the country’s traditions and culture however they wish. The main reason I, like many, are in Ukip is because of the “I will not support the LibLabCon - I will not obey” mentality, which is a fair enough mentality. Like when an establishment politician explains that we should not support Ukip because they are a ‘smaller party’ and consequently has no future in British politics, it’s like a slave, who wants nothing more but freedom, to be told that he or she will never get hold of that freedom. Thankfully, we are getting strong determinism to see change; and many of the determined are currently being accommodated by Ukip, but the Party leadership must ensure that they are stuffing the pillows sufficiently.

Many activists are not finding comfort on the pillow, like I’ve heard from many in Young Independence. This is ultimately because the Party is currently taking the ‘love it or hate it’ approach, and as much as this may secure ground among boring Tories and some Old Labour, it’s not enough to secure the electoral success we hope for in the 2015 General Election. The 'bunker reality' is that only a Ukip talking about development, expansion, curry and the Commonwealth can really pierce into unknown territory. Moreover, it would prove significant to steal the far-left’s mantra  that the EU robs workers of their rights and centralises businesses with the multi-national cooperations, with their full-hearted dedication to this project going way back – because it does. And the fact is many joined the Ukip of the small man, the small business, the pub and so on. There are some overly nationalistic forces in the party which project mixed messages to the wider population, and could even come out as some dodgy Isolationism.

But we should be the party of the Global Britain – that’s where the money is. Goodbye to the shackles of EU laws and regulation and hello to a Britain freely trading with the world and establishing special ties with the Commonwealth, perhaps even establishing closer economic and military relationships in the long run. What the people of Britain really want to hear is that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the party of the world and everyone is invited*. The three main parties have ruined the party and British want a fresh alternative to be the DJ – a DJ that will probably play Rule Britannia and the James Bond theme tune quite often.

If Ukip manifest itself as the true progressive party of British politics, like the SDP-Liberal Alliance did in the 80s, anything is possible. But the difference is This is a party which has grown from the people and have a natural instinct to provide what the people want – and that’s a Britain men and women of all backgrounds can call home. So fix up Ukip. In 10 years we don’t want Ukip to be added to the list of grassroots political movements that eventually slipped over their own oil. In one sense, we are a party of proud opportunists, because we were blessed with an opportunity we should never neglect: to make a change for the future, not the past.

*very strict terms and conditions apply

Thoughts of a Young Independence member: Immigration

After watching the latest episode of BBC Question Time, I really get a feeling of how Ukip foreign policy is still seen by many people: as something very Nationalistic, and possibly leaning towards xenophobia. It's very saddening, particularly because Ukip is the most global party of the lot - seeing prosperity beyond the regulation fuelled shackles of the EU. Admittedly foreign policy is still quite elusive. There is also a sense that Ukip does not appreciate the melting-pot granted by immigrant populations settling in Britain over the past decades; and this sense is false. I want to differentiate between integrated immigrants and incoming immigrants; as well as assemble some picture of foreign policy, or to the least how I see it.

Yes - Britain is a melting-pot, and that's obviously wonderful as the diversity instilled has really driven our economy forwards, especially in terms of small business which our county has always naturally thrived out of; but mass open door immigration, which brings forth unskilled labour, just increases exploitation. And then there are those who don't work and seep out of the benefit system, as well as getting involved with a lot of criminal activity. Basically, if we left the EU we can get some co-operated skilled immigration from English speaking counties, whose people can integrate. How can we embrace such immigration? It's simple; they've been right under our noses all along. The people of the Commonwealth.

Coincidentally, it has been part of Kippers’ tales for a while now for Britain to negotiate free trade agreements with - our true allies - the Commonwealth under a Ukip government, and perhaps we should go further to establish a military alliance; frankly because it's the best way to uphold a global network which defends against redoubling cascades of threats emerging from the world, and Britain cannot afford to keep it up alone in an epoch of slow growth. That also goes for Britain's - the Commonwealth's - investment in the sciences, and there's nothing wrong with saying we want to be a leading science power once again: it's not looking back because we're a miserable bunch; it's common sense. In the meantime, the EU is an utter fiasco - and Britain must start the process of dismantling it by leaving; and pushing the rest of Europe into a far more flexible, freer agreement in an organisation like the European Free Trade Association, where global countries like Switzerland have cherished for their success.

Moreover, what we have seen in migration descending from EU membership and, bluntly, open door immigration in all aspects, are pockets of societies expanding and drifting apart from Society's mainstream course; and consequently we have seen a rocket in crime, extremism and, (gasp!) artificial Labour tribalism in post-Blair immigrant communities. However, when we look at our previous immigration waves, Commonwealth immigration waves in particular, you see something much more stunning: you see a great deal of respect and concern for the nation, therefore why talks should be held with credible representatives of the Commonwealth community, internally and externally, on how to establish an immigration agreement which makes ambitious skilled newcomers excited, as well as the indigenous population. But it would principally be controlled.

As I write, Lord Ashcroft publishes his ‘open letter’ to Nigel Farage on the Daily Mail, which fundamentally regards Ukip supporters “[knowing] the world is more complicated – a vote for UKIP is a vote against the complication.” This is part of the current wave of smearing leading to the local elections of 2013 where Ukip can feasibly win big; but is only true in the aspect of unfolding the glories of the past – not retreating to the past, where our economy has no chance. The party’s admiration of Thatcher only goes as far as admiring her strength in troubled times, but to attempt to regenerate Thatcherism only demolishes our claim that there is no street Ukip can’t build momentum on; mutatis mutandis Ukip attempts to unify a country previously divided by ideology. And the signs are it's succeeding. Besides, Ashcroft's studies show that a large chuck of the party's supporters are in fact traditional Conservative voters; so this further conveys how out of touch the old establishment are, and the best is wished for Ukip's success in every election.

Alone? We're already Alone.

In terms of trade, Germany and Britain are meant to be. In sickness and in health, even if they can't stand the decisions their soul mate make. Well, money mates. Neither one can intentionally isolate from the other because it would lead to the financial collapse; or at least decline, of both superpowers. Therefore, the supreme leaders of Europe, i.e. The Germans, can't even consider the isolation of Britain if we were to depart from the EU. But that is the mere scrape of the UK/EU issue.

The European Commission made it perfectly clear to UKIP Deputy Leader, Paul Nuttall MEP, if we were to carry on bombarding the establishment with our (wonderful) nonsense, they will... Relegate us to the status of Switzerland. Dam that's terrifying! Wait a minute, isn't Switzerland that prosperous global nation? Being a member of the European Free Trade Association, they are part of the European Union Internal Market through the Agreement on a European Economic Area (EEA), which took effect in 1994. To every threat an EU leader makes; every attempt to scare monger our weak, apprehensive and cryptic Prime Minister, there's a cascade of good news for the vision of an Independent Britain.

What is better than Briton's being legally able to freely trade with our true allies, the Commonwealth? Whist Cameron gets some sort of thrill out of getting attacked left, right and center (and that can be taken politically and literally), Ukip can see developed market economies emerged or emerging from Australia,  New Zealand, Jamaica, Canada, South Africa, India and many more. In the case of India, we should not be wasting billions on aid just to feed their endless plight. We should not bow to an Indian government which spends “tens of billions” on defense including the £13 billion deal we may have lost to the French, which makes it unacceptable to give further aid. Let's stimulate jobs and growth in India's poorest areas through interjecting trade, technical expertise and experience. In addition, Australia is crucial because it hosts a growing economy; a stable political and business environment; a skilled, well educated and multi-lingual workforce; a strategic time-zone and a competitive cost base. I can see a British-Irish union being the power house to such a bountiful friendship as we might never be one but we will, by no doubt, have a far more fruitful relationship than the present with a German lady who flirts with a Frenchmen's anti-British mantas.

I've always had a vision of a Britannia which will not be ordered and regulated by Europe, nevertheless free trade and the peace process in Europe is essential. However, the sort of EU project amplified by the Lisbon Treaty provides me a dire image of what awaits national sovereignty and identity across Europe, with Barroso's vision of a "Federal Europe" making the thought more tangible than ever.  I see it as our responsibility to lead Europe out of this disastrous and monolithic EU, and into the EFTA because - I know - that cherished 1940's spirit still lives inside us somewhere.

Our future is with the Commonwealth

The British government may have virtually ignored Commonwealth Day on Monday but UKIP didn't, nor did the rest of the Commonwealth.

UKIP's vision of the post-EU future includes a Commonwealth Free Trade Area which would give us access to lucrative markets in the Caribbean, the Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Africa and the world's second largest economy, India.  The LibLabCon vision of the future includes isolating ourselves from the rest of the world and staking our economic future on a group of failing economies.

UKIP even has a Commonwealth spokesman, Winston McKenzie, who wrote a Commonwealth Day piece for the UKIP website on why the Commonwealth still matters.  I first heard Winston talk about the Commonwealth at the leadership hustings last year and he passionately believes our future is in it.  Despite the LibLabCon's efforts over the years, we still do more trade with the Commonwealth than we do with their beloved EU (the official figures are deliberately falsified by the British government by counting exports sent to Rotterdam for onforwarding as exports to the EU).  Our future is with our friends in the Commonwealth who share our language, our values, our common history and legal system and above all, loyal friends who have stuck with us despite being marginalised and neglected in our name by our glorious leaders.

I would like to see UKIP put some meat on the bones of this Commonwealth Free Trade Agreement idea now. It's all well and good saying that it's worth billions but how many billions?  What sort of formal agreement do we need with the other Commonwealth nations to facilitate a Commonwealth Free Trade Agreement?  We don't want to free ourselves from the EU only to find ourselves in another increasingly political union.

Interestingly, I see that the subject of Ireland joining the Commonwealth has surfaced again.  Makes sense.