Do Ukip Only Employ Immigrant Actors?

[Gromit]

Oh dear its happened again. After all the comment about Farage employing his German wife, and then the racist Zimbabwean who appeared in their party political broadcast, it tirns out that the destitute builder begging in their latest poster is actually a Dubliner...

// Nigel Farage faces embarrassment over his plans to radically curb migration from Europe after it emerged an actor in a Ukip billboard is an Irish immigrant.
The apparently destitute builder in the party’s latest advert is believed by party officials to be a Dubliner named Dave O’Rourke, a Ukip spokesman confirmed. //

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ukip/10787759/Face-of-Ukip-is-EU-immigrant.html

Do these Irishmen and Zimabweans not have an accent? As UKiP wants to cut immigration, should they not ask people to bring their passports to casting of filming sessions to make sure they are employing British people.

These gaffes just make them a laughing stock and are avoidable. The conclusion is that they either are serially incompetent, or they don't practice what they preach.

Do you agree that these errors are damaging UKiPs message?

[Buenchico]

>>>should they not ask people to bring their passports to casting of filming sessions to make sure they are employing British people

. . . which would mean that they'd be in breach of EU regulations if they favoured a UK actor over one from, say, Ireland. (They might not like EU laws but they know that they'd face problems if they simply ignored them!)

[Gromit]

Buenchico,

Is there an EU regulation that says companies MUST employ people from other EU states?

There is a law saying EU nationals must be allowed to apply for jobs, but not that the employers have to take them. If a company decides to employ British people I don't think they breach any laws.

[Orderlimit]

"Builder out of work due to immigration in Ukip advert is 'hardworking' Irish immigrant, party believes"

Big deal. This is all getting very silly now and people are starting to get bored with hearing UKIP being labelled racist, fascist and all the rest of it, so now its getting more desperate with nonsense such like this.

Non story.

[askyourgran]

Ukip are only being openhearted and giving Dave - a poor Irish navvy a break into the big time, he'll be appearing on Big Brother before long. As for the Zimbabwean he must have got in without anyone noticing (as they do) and because he has a couple of aunties here and a cat he loves dearly we can't shift him. Ukip are not racist, and I dont think their message has damaged them as a result. The 'gaffes' were not incredibly newsworthy, and I didn't see them as being a laughing stock. Now Miliband and Balls.......

[Buenchico]

EU Regulation 492/2011 (Chapter 1, Section 1, Article 1) states:
"1. Any national of a Member State shall, irrespective of his place of residence, have the right to take up an activity as an employed person, and to pursue such activity, within the territory of another Member State in accordance with the provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action governing the employment of nationals of that State.

2. He shall, in particular, have the right to take up available employment in the territory of another Member State with the same priority as nationals of that State.".

(i.e. any UK employer who gives priority to British workers over those from other EU countries is in breach of Regulation 492/2011)

There has always been a general requirement upon EU member states to ensure that EU Regulations are observed but that general requirement was strengthened last month by the draft approval of a new Regulation (building upon 492/2011) which requires all EU member states to have specific bodies in place (such as the UK's EHRC) to actively deal with complaints of discrimination against EU workers on the grounds of their nationalities.

[naomi24]

//Do you agree that these errors are damaging UKiPs message? //

No I don't - because fundamentally they're still saying what a lot of people have been reluctant to say for a very long time.

[Khandro]

// Nigel Farage faces embarrassment // who says so, the Telegraph? I shouldn't think he is in any way embarrassed. Another pathetic attempt to pour scorn on UKIP, and it wont wash with the thinking public.

[Canary42]

They talk the talk, but don't walk the walk - BEWARE voting for them, you can't trust them.

[Svejk]

///Do these Irishmen and Zimabweans not have an accent?///
several I expect, if they're any good.
where do those Zimabweans come from?

[emmie]

likely, one girl featured works for him, campaign manager i think?

[mikey4444]

Another own goal it would seem. The whole point of the poster was to stir up xenophobia about Jonny Foreigner coming to steal jobs from our plucky British construction workers, and what happens...they use a foreign actor instead of a British actor.

Foot in mouth time again from The Man in the Pub !

[naomi24]

Mikey, It will make no difference - and concerns about the impact that uncontrolled immigration is having on this country do not equate to xenophobia.

[Gromit]

I suspect these gaffes will be forgotten when we vote in a months time. And UKiP will do very well. But they will need to concentrate more and cut put these silly mistakes if they want to build on that success.

Assuming they double the number of MEPs they have, party finances my be greatly improved, and they might be able to employ more professional party workers.

[Orderlimit]

What is it about the immigration debate that leads some people to immediately play the "race" or "xenophobia" card?

What is the term used to describe people with this peculiar disorder?

[mikey4444]

birdie and order limit....I too have concerns about unlimited immigration, as any sensible person would do, but that is not the point of Gromit's original post, which I was addressing. UKIP have committed another gaff by using a foreign actor, in an advertisement, and using a foreign-born idiot in their recent broadcast.

It is UKIP's descent in complete chaos that is the problem here. UKIP are stirring up xenophobia in exactly the same way as others did in the 30's, albeit, without the bristly haircuts and silly clothing.

And I have never, not ever will, make apologies for ridiculing the Far Right, which I remind you is on the march all over Europe. We ignore this at our peril, as history has already taught us.

[scooping]

Why are so many expressing mock consternation when a political party uses actors in its posters. It's always happened. And why does it matter where this actor comes from? It doesn't. Example: Labour isn't Working (1979). The people in the 'dole queue' weren't really on benefits. More posturing from the other parties, more slavish acquiescence by churnalists.

[scooping]

And labelling UKIP The Far Right is like describing Labour as Socialist. Daft.