Ukip Housing Spokesman

[SE10]

Now we are following each other, I've sent him a polite request (Direct message) to discuss UKIP policies on HPC. If available. .

It seems he never turned up here... I guess the press would have been all over an MP posting on a 'fringe nutter' site like HPC and so even if he'd wanted to, political necessity would have made it an unlikely event.

So in the absense of him gracing us with his presence on HPC, I watched

at the UKIP conference shortly after he gave it to try and guess what he would say. I wasn't impressed, my recollection of the speech now is that it was mostly "don't build on the green belt" (that's not going to make houses cheaper), "let's look after soldiers" (can't really argue with that) and "I'm going to repeat the immigration policy" (granted, less people arriving will be a downwards force on prices continuing to rise but that's not the same as having them drop to sensible levels).

Tonight I've been having a browse whilst failing to sleep on the subject of "would I vote UKIP?" and found this article written by Andrew Charalambous, Home ownership – yes please. Housing bubble – no thanks. It's... better, than his conference speech. At least through the HPC view of things.

The article is on a website I've never come across before, called UKIP Daily, so I had a browse round. They describe themselves as:

...independent of UKIP, but the editorial staff are all members of the party and the site is written in a supportive spirit.

I've had found a few other HPC-ish articles on the site, such as this one about how to attract the young to UKIP which is mostly an interview with "Sarah" and includes such gems as:

How can I afford a house? Can I afford to have children? I think the biggest problem I face is that neither this government nor the last seem to offer a realistic and viable answer to these questions. Take for example the recent changes to allow a 5% borrowing match for first time buyers. {the Help to Buy Scheme}. Although in principle it is a help, in reality the market prices have been pushed up as a result. It appears they have used a plaster to fix a gash; it looks to help but does not get to the nature of the problem.

The comments on the article don't really address the housing issue (and I don't think Sarah really understands HTB), although the comments on Osborne's Help to Buy scheme will end in tears do. QE also gets a bit of a going over here.

I know none of the above reflects official UKIP policy (yet??). I know even if it did the chance of them getting enough power any time soon to implement said policy is slim, and even if it wasn't they are politicians so I should expect to be disappointed... but despite all that I am still somewhat heartened by seeing HPC-ish views associated with a political party people have heard of. I'm probably 99% sure I'll vote for them in 2014 now. 2015.... that remains to be seen. Will they be the 'most HPC' party?

[XswampyX]

HPC = 'fringe nutter' site?

Nobody told me.

I must be a nutter.

[SE10]

HPC = 'fringe nutter' site?

Nobody told me.

I must be a nutter.

Hehe - I'm pretty sure that's how the Mail or the Express would refer to HPC. I guess we'll know the tide has truly turned when the Mail and the Express refer to HPC as a "leading economic think tank" or similar

[campervanman]

Utter nonsense.

He goes on to say...

"... the dominant pressure on housing in the UK has come from 'the unprecedented immigration of the last decade'. He said: 'Withdrawal from the European Union would be the only practical way to alleviate this effect on our housing demand.'"

Sounds eminently reasonable to me.

What do you think has had the largest effect on house prices over the past 10 years? Is it immigration or is it government determination to keep house prices high and the continual flow of cheap money thrown at the hopusing market? More people living in the UK may be a contributory factor as is planning restrictions but the root cause lies elsewhere,

Edited December 2, 2013 by campervanman

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

HPC = 'fringe nutter' site?

Nobody told me.

I must be a nutter.

I wish I still had a fringe.

[btl_hater]

What do you think has had the largest effect on house prices over the past 10 years? Is it immigration or is it government determination to keep house prices high and the continual flow of cheap money thrown at the hopusing market? More people living in the UK may be a contributory factor as is planning restrictions but the root cause lies elsewhere,

Problem is it is easily for the dopey public to make a connection between increase in people = increase in demand for housing, rather than think about the major contributory factors you list.

[Killer Bunny]

Farage is putting foxes in charge of chicken houses.....

http://m.insidehousing.co.uk/6526959.article?mobilesite=enabled

Putting a private landlord in charge of housing policy is like putting a fox in charge of the hen house, or giving an MP a free licence at their expenses.

Housing benefit is simply a transfer of taxpayers money to the private landlord sector.

UKIP should be doing something about getting rents down not propping them up with taxpayers money...

Boys and Girls take note UKIP maybe not all sweetness and light after all.

They have zero interest in liberalising rates. #NoDifference

[Billy soy]

Is Matt Lucas running for Parliament?

dr.evil?

[1929crash]

Is Matt Lucas running for Parliament?

He looks more like The Hood from Thunderbirds (puppet version).

[billybong]

It's quite likely that a lot of UKIP's policies won't be much different to Conservative, Labour or LibDems policies. Likely some will be and some won't be a bit different but the main difference is included in the name.

That is it's the UK Independence Party.

That - and they aren't the Conservative, Labour or LibDem party.

Edited December 2, 2013 by billybong

[Sancho Panza]

I cannot imagine this sits well with others in UKIP, eg the Essex councillor arguing against a Help to Buy scheme.

The twitterati should ask Farage how much his Housing Spokesman stands to gain financially from the taxpayer if the policy is enacted.

Within any political party there are massive differences of opinion.This is just touting for votes.Tokenism if you will.

UKIP has a strong Ron Paul fan base who would be happy to let the banks go,get rid of the CB's etc.

[1929crash]

It's quite likely that a lot of UKIP's policies won't be much different to Conservative, Labour or LibDems policies. Likely some will be and some won't be a bit different but the main difference is included in the name.

That is it's the UK Independence Party.

That - and they aren't the Conservative, Labour or LibDem party.

But even if we leave the EU, we will still be tangled up with all those other nasty outfits that govern us - WTO, IMF and so on.

[Eddie_George]

UKIPers will be the biggest NIMBYs there are.

I wish there was a serious alternative to the other parties, but I cannot see it.

[billybong]

But even if we leave the EU, we will still be tangled up with all those other nasty outfits that govern us - WTO, IMF and so on.

Not unlike before the UK got so closely involved with the eu - involved without a referendum.

Even if by voting UKIP the policies don't change at least there's something to be said for churning the MPs and seeing some new faces - especially beneficial to the UK if it were possible to churn the safe seats.

Then there's the entertainment value in Parliament asking the likes of Dave etc questions like "who do you think you are"

At least that would be a change from the usual creepy questions.

Edited December 2, 2013 by billybong

[oracle]

No. How about lining up Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Ed Balls too? -That would make me happy.

in front of a firing squad....most certainly

[R K]

Farage is a right wing Tory ultra.

Why wouldn't he favour landlords and rentiers?!

[Oliver Sutton]

Is Matt Lucas running for Parliament?

Jonjo Shelvey's let himself go.

[Executive Sadman]

UKIPers will be the biggest NIMBYs there are.

I wish there was a serious alternative to the other parties, but I cannot see it.

Its a lot like immigration. Mention it and youre a 'racist' that want's to kill all the blacks, because simply reducing immigration back to pre 1997 levels is exactly the same thing, apparently.

Mention the green belt, and similarly, you want to 'concrete every bit of green space', because increasing the housing stock by a percent or two, and maintaing housebuilding at pre 1990s levels is exactly the same thing, apparently.

Brits deserve the governments we've had for the last few decades. Generally speaking, we are greedy, selfish, lazy, self destructive, short termist and gullible bunch of people, too cowardly to stand up to these slurs.

Edited December 2, 2013 by Executive Sadman

[Executive Sadman]

Farage is a right wing Tory ultra.

Why wouldn't he favour landlords and rentiers?!

I guess there's the hope that he might mean free markets when he says free markets.

Still, he'll cost cameron votes, so lets at least pretend we like him.

[LiveinHope]

Is Matt Lucas running for Parliament?

is he a Sontaran ?

Edited December 2, 2013 by LiveinHope

[Passenger]

dr.evil?

Hmm... nope, not seeing it myself.

[tinker]

[eric pebble]

What do you think has had the largest effect on house prices over the past 10 years? Is it immigration or is it government determination to keep house prices high and the continual flow of cheap money thrown at the hopusing market? More people living in the UK may be a contributory factor as is planning restrictions but the root cause lies elsewhere,

One answer.

PREDATORY LIAR LOANS

& They are ENDEMIC. For 98% of people to "buy" a roof over their head here in the UK - they HAVE TO LIE - i.e. Take out a LIAR LOAN. ANYTHING over 3 x income IS A LIAR LOAN.