OK, so I have watched all of the debates & looked at my local constituency...now what?

originally posted by: MrsNonSpecific
a reply to: grainofsand

I don't have an issue with EU immigrants. I think we do have an issue with non-EU immigrants.

What?!
The 200,000+ annual net increase in the UK population is overwhelmingly as a result of EU nationals moving here, specifically from poorer Eastern Europe.
I have little problem with genuine asylum seekers, or even illegal immigrants from outside the EU. Their numbers are a tiny percentage compared to the mass immigration from Eastern Europe.

If we leave the EU there will be an end to unskilled workers coming from the EU unless we need them, and we will also have much more control over our borders to deal with illegals.

How can you support 200,000+ net migration to the UK from the EU each year? Really, how?

*Edit*
And as for farmers subsidies, it costs the UK £8 billion a year to be in Europe. That is a net cost to us after farmers subsidies are paid out.
We, the UK taxpayer pays those subsidies from our pockets, NOT the EU.

a reply to: grainofsand

I will look into it. I am not going to be scare monger into closing shop. That is my honest answer.

On the farming side, another excuse for me to listen to the Archers.

I will get back to you on the immigration issue.

a reply to: MrsNonSpecific
Its not about closing shop. Just making the shop door a little narrower and putting a bouncer on the door to only let in useful clientele

a reply to: MrsNonSpecific

From the Office of National Statistics if it's any help:
Migration Statistics Quarterly Report, February 2015

Net long-term migration to the UK was estimated to be 298,000 in the year ending September 2014, a statistically significant increase from 210,000 in the previous 12 months, but below the peak of 320,000 in the year ending June 2005.
There were statistically significant increases for immigration of non-EU citizens (up 49,000 to 292,000) and EU (non-British) citizens (up 43,000 to 251,000).

Oh, and to clarify the above, 192,000 of the non-EU immigrants were paying to study at university, and around 100,000 others were granted work visa's because the UK actually needs them.

Just quickly picking two countries for example, do you really think we need 170,000 unskilled Romanians and Bulgarians living in the UK? I don't.

*Edit*
a reply to: crazyewok
I completely agree. I want our country to be able to pick and choose who we let in, just like every other nation in the world which is not part of the European Union. It's getting tiresome when people cry racist or xenophobic though, as I said earlier, if such a system is racist and xenophobic the so is Canada, New Zealand, The US, Australia.....

originally posted by: crazyewok
a reply to: MrsNonSpecific
Its not about closing shop. Just making the shop door a little narrower and putting a bouncer on the door to only let in useful clientele

This is on an EU website:

The most obvious benefit to individuals is the freedom to travel, live, work, study and retire anywhere in the EU (this also applies to other EEA states). No EU citizen needs a visa to visit another EU country for up to three months. You can stay longer than that provide you register with the host country, have sufficient means to sustain yourself (or a job or course of study) and health insurance (the latter may be available by paying into a state insurance scheme). Roughly 1.6 million British citizens live in the EU outside the UK.[1][2] After living in another EU country for five years you have the same rights as its own citizens.
EU citizens have a vote in local and European Parliament elections wherever they live in the EU.

So if these are the guidelines and 'rules' for being part of the EU do we need to bolster by giving them a bigger budget so they can more effectively control the immigration? Rather then pull out of it all together?

Still looking into it opinion being formed... barewith...barewith...

originally posted by: MrsNonSpecific
Roughly 1.6 million British citizens live in the EU outside the UK.

400,000 of them are UK pensioners who are living off their UK state pension, contributing to the local economy. They do not claim benefits from their EU nation, don't send their kids to the local schools, and if they have serious illness are quick as a flash to fly back for treatment on the NHS.

That leaves 1.2 million Brit's living in other EU nations who may be working, studying, or claiming benefits, while we have 2.3 million EU nationals of the same status living in the UK.

Scaremongering is anyone saying that if the UK left the EU then other countries would kick their Brit's out. The UK pensioners are pretty safe as they make a net contribution to their host countries, and if our workers were kicked out then it would obviously be reciprocated by the UK, and we would have 1.1 million folk less in our population.
Personally that would not trouble me, but let's be honest, it ain't gonna happen if we ever leave the EU as there will always be transitional exceptions made for citizens of both the EU and UK who already have established lives in their host countries.

I live in the North and I, like a lot of others up this way, feel that Westminister couldn't care less about us. So when it comes to local voting, we pretty much just look at who is actually doing anything around here and actually helping the people. I don't like the conservative party as a whole, I think there is a lot of bad in there and that they look out for number one, themselves. However, there is a Tory who runs every year in my area, and he doesn't seem like most politicians. He actually helps the people all year around for years on end, not just election time. He puts in his own money to help and a lot of his own personal time. I don't vote for the party, locally, I vote for the man or woman, and that man is brilliant at what he does.

I think this election you just have to think about who will help you and your area above all else. Just personal opinions ofc :-)

a reply to: Cobeyo

I am voting the same and it happens my local MP is conservative and she seems to be like your conservative candidate she does alot of local work and campaigning for causes round here that have made a positive difference.
There seems to be a few young and relatively normal Conservative candidates that seems pretty good. It just a shame the Cambridge crew ruin it.


I prefer to differentiate between conservative and tory. Tory being the Eton/Cambridge toff scum and Conservative being the normal MP's

.....vote pedro?

a reply to: Cobeyo

I agree with you, but this is my first election in Swindon. I don't have kids, I don't have social support, neither do any f my friends. So I have no idea what any MP actually does in my local area. I have looked at the results from the past two elections, and it is a tory/ labour debate. So whatever I vote it takes a vote away from them, which is all good in my book.

So I have decided after looking at that, to either go Green or Lib Dem. We do live near the Cotswolds, and I do get my household "energy" from renewable sources, so I want this more encouraged in Swindon. This fact alone gets against Tory Westminster plans.

Thank you