Niel Hamilton

[Farriercm]

Niel Hamilton, former Tory MP .Who is now UKIPs Campaign Manager,is to visit Gibraltar next week to help launch the partys EU Election Campaign. There is no stopping these free loaders, even with a Prison sentence behind him .

[mikey4444]

Its seems that Gromit is correct here TTT, and Gib is seen as part of the West Country, Euro elections-wise, but I didn't know that either. Gold Star to Gromit for his research ! Not sure about your conclusions though. I trust Labour and the LidDems also field candidates that Gib could vote for ?

But to repeat myself, its what UKIP can do in a General Election is what counts, and I still can't see that they will have much of a effect, except to steal votes from Labour and the Tories, more importantly the latter.

[mikey4444]

Just noticed something TTT...200 cigarettes ? I thought that was one issue where we both sang loudly and lustily from the same hymn sheet. Litre of booze is OK, especially that export quality Gordons Gin that I can never find in Tesco.

[Farriercm]

Good Morrisons Supermarket as well, but you know you are still part of

[Farriercm]

SORRY , You still know that it is an annex of UK In Gib, when you have to put 50 p in the slot to put air in your tyres.

[black_cat51]

does ukip get any money from taxpayers?

[Gromit]

Black Cat

UKiP have 13 MEPs who are paid by the EU. They can also claim considerable expenses. We of course pay into funding the EU from UK taxes. So UKiP gets taxpayers money, but not directly.

[Gromit]

Mikey

The south West England Constituency has 6 MEPs after a Proportional representation vote. Labour and the LibDems do field candidates but no one votes for them. Currently, the PR vote translates into 4 Conservative MEPs and 2 UKiP ones.
Since the last vote in 2009 relations between Spain and Gibralter have worsened. An anti-Spain feeling could result in an anti-EU vote from Gibraltarians. As UKiP are the only openly anti-EU party, they may win the majority of votes in Gibralta which may in turn, tip the PR vote in South West England to UKiP favour.
I will try to remember this thread next month when the EU vote results comes in, and if UKiP do take 7 seats from the Conservatives, whether any of them are in this Constotuency.

[mikey4444]

Thanks Gromit...makes interesting reading. Not sure if PR is really working.
It seems that PR is resulting in a strange sort of democracy, where the makeup of MEPs in a region bears no resemblance to Westminster representation.

[black_cat51]

so what i am trying to establish is if neil hamilton working on a campaign for ukip would have his wages paid for by the taxpayer?

[ToraToraTora]

can some explain why I can get duty free when I go to Gib.

[mikey4444]

black_cat51...Hamilton appears to be employed by UKIP, so the Party will be paying any wages and expenses that he is entitled to. I hope that answers your question.

[Gromit]

Mikey

//  not sure if PR is really working. 
It seems that PR is resulting in a strange sort of democracy, where the makeup of MEPs in a region bears no resemblance to Westminster representation. //

In South West England, the Conservatives got 30% of the vote and got two thirds of the seats. UKiP got 22% of the vote and got one third of the seats.
This Euro Constitency is represented by 55 Westminster MPs. At Westminster elections, the first past the post system resuted in the Conservatives winning 36 seats and UKiP winning none.
We are obviously comparing two different elections, Euro 2009 and UK 2010 run under two different voting systems, but maybe it is the Westminster system that isn't working and is not resulting in a fair representation of people who vote?