Race to the gutter

Compare to the photo below, same idea, different times

There are several reasons why immigration is a difficult subject for mainstream politicians to openly discuss. It's bottled up on the top shelf, next to one marked Race'.

The main reason these issues are rarely addressed directly is that there's something about race that speaks to the reptilian brain, the place of primitive instinct and wild ego. This is why it is so hard to have the issues discussed rationally by the public. The psychological reasons for this are easily understood, but it often appeals to those who are under achievers who want to blame others for their own inadequacies and failures.

In the heat of the EU referendum, those deeply opposed to the EU have reached up and opened those bottles, being the perfect opportunity to blame the 'EU' for absolutely everything. The same folk who decry it as being an attempt to impose fascism can also describe it as a communist plot. While many nations that have lived under both dictatorships regard the EU as a way out of the wreckage caused by totalitarian fantasies and have been eager for membership.

Not every person voting to leave the EU is racist, but every racist is voting to leave.

If Hitler were alive, he could sue UKip for plagiarism

UKIP, once claimed to be a party dedicated to reforming politics, bringing in more accountability and so on, have slowly turned away from that and fallen further each year into the racist gutter.

Remember when 25 million Romanians and Bulgarians were supposed to flood into the UK on 1 January 2014, when restrictions were lifted? It didn't happen, but the rhetoric never changed. Now they are claiming that Turkey is about to send countless millions to despoil dear Albion's sacred soil. As before, it won't happen, but the fear of an invading foreigner continues.

These are minority views, held by a hundred tiny insular circle-jerk groups, from the aggressive - usually to each other - openly neo-Nazis, such as the various National Alliance groups, to those with just enough brainpower to realise this could rebound on them PR wise. These groups usually have a leader enriching themselves at the expense of the groups, these would include the EDL in its various guises.

Then there's those playing at politics, such as the now virtually defunct BNP, Britain First and other proto-parties.

These people know that, no matter what they do, people just refuse to join in their fantasy world. It's an echo of the other side of the coin, the Al Qaeda and similar. The Islamic extremists thought the world's Muslims would rise up after each terror attack exactly as the far-right bomber David Copeland did when he put bombs around London.

What happens though, is that the racist genie is let out of the bottle, praying on our most primal fears and it allows an atmosphere where violence slowly rises. It's like boiling a frog, we don't see much of it, beyond occasional brief items in the press, but every now and then it bursts out.

So, where are we today? A man - like many on the extremes - with mental health issues, murdered a MP while shouting - according to two witnesses - "Britain first".

On the day that Nigel Farage exhibited an anti-immigration poster - 'Breaking Point' that was a facsimile of Nazi propaganda.

On the day that England fans in France mocked and threw coins at refugee children.

In the final week of a referendum campaign that disgraced the idea of public debate.

One of the main cries of the sordid campaign was 'we want our country back'. If this is the country you want back, take it. Take it away from reasonable folk. Put it in a bottle on the top shelf and never open it again.

Whatever the result of the EU referendum, trouble lies ahead

'Won't someone think of the children?' Photo A Carling

Way before the referendum was announced, I said that Out won't win, but In could lose it. This is what is happening.

I also said that a way to win would be to look at the SNP's Independence campaign and follow that as an example, by building up grass roots groups, holding lots of public meetings everywhere etc. Remain decided to repeat the 'Better Together' campaign strategy, concentrating on ramping up the fear and concentrating on the economy. And nothing else. Only those sworn to be on message were allowed on board, people with different ideas were cast away.

The result has been to confuse and alienate those likely to support them. I know several waverers, all are reasonable people, none conform to the stereotype of the frothing at the mouth hyper-Ukipper.

In the last few days, several of them have said the same thing: They don't believe the claims by either side and ,crucially that they have been waiting to hear the positive case for EU membership and, not hearing it are wondering if there is one. Out of these, those voting to stay in the EU will be doing do *despite* the remain campaign, not because of it.

According to Remain, the EU is so scary we can't leave, because they would come after us, humiliate and punish us for wanting to leave. If a woman came to you, as has happened to me, and said they were thinking about leaving their partner but were terrified about what he might do if they did walk out, would you advise her to stay, grin and bear it or to get out and as quickly as they could? Exactly.

The Remain strategy has horrible echoes of this for me, advocating that we remain in an abusive relationship, rather being part of something positive and good.

David Cameron is not believed by the voters, in or out and his claim the Remain campaign was “hugely optimistic and positive” is the cry of a man adrift from reality.

Like the Better Together campaign, Gordon Brown has to come to the rescue it's too early to say if it will make a difference.

However, there are some grave problems for the future. By using fear it has failed to build any support for the idea of Europe and, if the vote is narrow, the Out team will be as dead as the SNP following their referendum and the positive case for membership will still have to be made. One can only hope that this will not be put in the same hands as the Remain camp was. In fact, many hope the entire Team Remain are never heard of again.

If Out win, well, we shall see just how many of the threatened horsemen of the apocalypse turn up, but also how the promises of the Out are achieved, such as the extra £350m a week on the NHS, immigration cut to a fraction etc. Many of the Out claims seemed to be those of a government in waiting not those of a temporary, single issue campaign, unable to set policy, write legislation - a point that eluded Remain, but an indication of the fantasy world all campaigners seemed to inhabit.

Expect turbulence as the lacklustre Corbyn and the hapless Cameron are either ditched or mortally wounded, in place only to await the pre-election kill.

The referendum campaigns have meant that not one of the problems facing Britain have been lessened and larger, graver ones have been conjured up by this squalid campaign.

It's not quite over yet, but no side deserves to win and the nation will definitely be the loser in this. All of us. We deserved better, neither side was capable of giving us the standard of debate we deserve. I fear for the future.

EU referendum and the third bus

Brexit guide

An odd aspect of the 2010 EU Referendum campaign

The Brits, with their characteristic downbeat outlook have a saying, “you wait forever for a bus and then three arrive at the same time”. A situation that anyone who has been hanging around Place Luxembourg can relate to.

And so, it applies to referendum petitions. The British eurosceptics, peeved at being denied a referendum on Lisbon have been racing to organize campaigns, asking the Brits to sign petitions asking for a referendum on EU membership.

So far, three have turned up. It’s uncertain how many more are due.

First out the starting gate was Nikki Sinclaire MEP, who left the EFD Group because of what she saw as anti-semitism and homophobia amongst its members.. Her campaign ( http://www.haveyoursay.eu/), which she dubs ‘the people’s petition’ is trying to raise 100,000 signatures. She argues that the UK is neither in, nor outside the EU and a referendum on membership will provide a firm position for the country’s future relationship with Europe, either inside or outside the union.

She is touring the UK garnering signatures. She claims to have had 10,000 in the first week of campaigning.

UKIP responded to this by launching a referendum petition of their own (http://www.ukip.org/petition/referendum-on-the-eu) their third in recent years. One that closed in 2008 had 10,782, another one, launched in November 2009, seems to have disappeared. It remains to be seen how the latest will do, but there doesn’t seem to be much promotion behind it and it is said that some UKIP people are a little embarrassed about launching a second petition.

Enter Dan Hannan.

He has launched a third petition. This is the slickest of them all, and possibly crucially, has support from the left and right. The move, (http://www.eureferendumcampaign.com), which announces itself as a “ballsy, cutting edge campaign” is getting the most press and is a much more professional effort, even though it was the last one off the ground.

They say that, “It’s a sad fact that Britain is sleepwalking into the European Super-State and Britain must wake up to the nightmares hiding under the sheets of Brussels. EU laws and directives made without our knowledge or consent, behind locked doors of the most complicated clauses and sub-clauses imaginable.”

Sadly, there is no joint campaign against cliches and tired metaphors.

One interesting aspect to the last of the petitions is its address, 95 Wilton Rd, Westminster.

This must be a one-stop shop for eurosceptics. It is also the home to Just Skips, which could help cart off all those EU Directives. It is also houses Career Amazon, a recruiting agency that could be useful for those seeking work beyond Barroso’s empire.

After a hard day’s eurosceptiking, why not pay a visit to Elite London Escorts or Discrete Angels, who also share the address. They can arrange a relaxing session, short or long with a “busty escort”. If you’re feeling a bit strapped for cash, call in at Crv Solutions Loans to tide you over, or help pay the escort!

It is also the base for Pornoteufel, a community of  “swingers and voyeurs”. I’d tell you more but there’s no way that I’m going to their website.

Or you could entertain your escort, by introducing her to some of the amazing and unusual machines offered by the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre.

Perhaps the most chilled experience comes courtesy of Kind Seed LTD, who use the address to mail out “Authentic Marijuana Seeds”.

Now, that’s what I call a comprehensive platform.