I see that Jackart is venting spleen over Ukip. This is nothing new, of course as the Dude is a dyed-in-the-wool conservative and Ukip are a threat to the Conservative party.
Most of the time, I am in agreement with Jackart, because most of the time, he makes sense. When it comes to the Conservative party and cycling, he tends to let the red mist take over and this is no exception. You see, I am one of those who sees liblabcon as the same and I too talk of a political élite. And I am not a kipper. I share some of their views but not necessarily all of them. I am neither a member, nor a supporter – although I am enjoying the discomfort they are causing the big three.
The UK isn’t “full”
The EU isn’t “ripping us off”
“LibLabCon” aren’t “all the same”
It doesn’t cost £50m per day. That’s a GROSS figure you dribbling morons.
There is no “political elite”, though there are professional politicians, this isn’t the same thing.
David Cameron isn’t “a closet Europhile”
There’s no conspiracy.
This, then, distils his position into one neat little parcel.
LibLabCon are all the same. They are all about the “centre ground” these days. It doesn’t matter who you vote for and who gets into number 10 – we will have our liberties raided, we will have ever more money stolen from us to prop up the third sector and pissed away on fake charities, lobby groups and foreign aid (not to mention ever more screeching from the health fascists paid for out of our wallets) – you see, those of us who looked hopefully to the Conservatives in 2010 expected them to keep their promise of a bonfire of the quangos and a great repeal act. Whatever happened to those? Oh, yeah, broken promises – exactly like their counterparts on the opposite benches. It really doesn’t matter what colour rosette these people wear on their lapels, they are all lying, manipulative charlatans who want our endorsement to enable them to carry on as they please for the next five years, whereupon they will ignore what we think in favour of what they think is best – even when it patently is nothing of the sort. Yes, they are the same. Exactly the same. Identical. The suits who run these parties are professional politicians who have never had to work in commerce and industry, so consequently have never had to deal with the rough end of their ill-conceived polices and rapacious taxation. Yes, they definitely are all the same. They are all lying, thieving liberty-hating scum.
As for Cameron not being a closet EUphile – well, yeah, I suppose. He certainly isn’t in the closet. We are still bowing to EU directives made by unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats in Brussels intent upon a united states of Europe. Like other political commentators, Jackart clings to the line that this just isn’t an issue for many voters. Maybe not, but that doesn’t make the threat any less real. Europe would be better off without this monstrosity – not least because we wouldn’t be paying mountains of cash into its coffers. And, by the way, has the Commission had its accounts audited yet?
The immigration issue is sort of where I agree with Jackart. You see, I am one of those who would be happy to see absolutely free movement of people services and goods across national borders. Unfortunately, this would require everyone to be doing the same and they ain’t – not by a long chalk. No, we are not “full” but we do have a problem and it is being wilfully blind to ignore it or claim that it isn’t there. Completely free movement in both directions without the ability to claim welfare until it has been paid for wouldn’t have the same effect as we have now. You see, I welcome people who want to come here and enrich our country with their skills, knowledge and expertise – people who want to work hard and integrate. It’s the last bit that tends to be the problem.
That Jackart and others in the Conservative ranks are getting annoyed with Ukip – to the point of ranty ad homs simply tells us that Ukip is having an effect. The correct response is self-evaluation rather than accusing those who are deserting the Conservatives of being stupid, angry wankers. The way things are going, Ukip could well cost the Tories the next election. That is not the fault of Ukip, it is the fault of the Tories for ignoring the groundswell that is shifting away from them (although Ukip is also eating into traditional Labour support as well) and into the arms of a party that is offering a different set of policies. Ignore it at your peril. No, I don’t want to see Miliband in number 10, but if that is what it takes for the Tories to revert to their roots, maybe it’s a price we have to pay. If it means that they ditch Cameron, that would be no bad thing. If it means that the LibDems sink without trace, that would be a bonus.
Either way, a small party upsetting the cosy, comfortable world of the big three is a good thing. It needs upsetting good and hard.
I tend to agree with you generally on Ukip, they certainly aren’t perfect and their general policies on the EU seem a little haphazard and ill thought out as well. But in the end it boils down to if not Ukip, then who? There is not one other EUskeptic party out that is worth voting for that stands an actual chance of overturning the establishment.
I enjoy reading Jackart at times but he has a definite blindspot when it comes to cyclists and Ukip vis the Tories and shedding voters so much so that I believe he has his head so far up his arse that he needs a peephole in his navel.
Cameron is not a closet EUphile, he’s a bloody dyed in the wool EUphile who talks the occasional EUskeptic line to keep his less than keen on the EU supporters in line hence all the recent bollocks on renegotiation (a none starter the EU takes, it does not give once it has its hands on anything)
If Ukip means the Tories lose the next election then that isn’t Ukip’s fault, it’s the Tories for not grasping what a lot of people actually want.
If Labour get in, it won’t be for long, their policies are crap and will only cause major problems that will require another election to try and sort out their mess.
Either way, the desire to get out of the EU will grow and grow.
The Tory party are finished . No redemption is possible .The Tory roots are dead . It has no roots to return to . It is now simpy an EU puppet on a string . The longer they linger in OUR Parliament the more damage they do to our failed democracy and to our country .
Very worrying Longrider that you do not see that .
Oh, they are there alright – it’s just that they are tending to vote for Ukip.
Have to agree with you about Jackart – he posts a lot of forthright common sense on economic issues, but then the mist of irrationality descends when he gets on to cycling and the Tories vs UKIP.
I suppose there is a coherent classical liberal case for voting Tory in 2015 as opposed to any of the alternatives, but he doesn’t make it.
As far as I’m concerned, I struggle to find a single reason for voting for them. OK, they might be marginally better than the alternative, but they won’t hold an EU referendum and will do nothing to roll back the bully state.
The classical liberal argument is that they are probably the least worst. However, perhaps what we really need is the complete destruction caused by Labour for people to really get the message that the whole shebang is broken.
Reads like a projection of his own impotent rage against the current Conservative party.
It’s also a massive strawman.
What a shame that the first blog post I’ve ever read from Jackart should happen to be this one. Sounds from the comments on here as if he’s occasionally written some pretty good stuff. But you know what they say about first impressions; I shan’t bother visiting his place again if he’s prone to writing unrealistic and emotionally-driven nonsense like this from time to time. Life’s too short to plough through all the drivel to get to the odd good piece. And anyone whose immediate response to someone who disagrees with him is to call him a w**ker clearly doesn’t have the greatest of confidence in his own arguments, no matter how vehemently he expresses them, otherwise he’d have put up a bit more non-rude resistance for at least a few replies.
Anyone who allows themselves to adopt the view on anything that there are only ever two opinions – their opinion and the wrong one – can’t help but give away the fact that they are clearly incapable of genuinely seeing both sides of any situation, even if they feel less passionate about it than Jackart clearly does about cycling and UKIP (a strange pair of bedfellows if ever there was one!), and incapable, thus, of making clear, rational and objective assessments about anything either. As such, they render their writing inherently untrustworthy, regardless of the subject.
So, on second thoughts, perhaps I’m glad that this is the first time I’ve come across his blog. It’s given me due warning not to waste any of my time in future going there in case he has anything meaningful or potentially interesting to say. Because he won’t have.
This piece about why we shouldn’t be worrying about the loss of manufacturing jobs is an example of good stuff written by Jackart.
Jackart’s pushbike rants are worth a laugh and no more, but on the subject of UKIP a more nuanced response is due. Yes he does appear to be a dyed in the wool tory. I’m not quite sure of his background or why he is so devoted to a party that (by the evidence of the real world – i.e. what it does rather than what it says) bears little resemblance to the tory party of old, but there you are.
It all seems to come down to this “ends justify the means” meme. The most useful weapon in the armoury of the power seeking attention whore, the biggest elephant trap for those who consider themselves superior to the common herd. This last is often what you can hear loud and clear from those who are what is euphemistically referred to as “politically motivated”. Not directly of course but you don’t need much wit to read between the lines.
I’m always reminded of the old saying “went with, caught with, hanged with” and Lenin had it right when he called these people usefu idiots. It’s not like they’re even needed to provide party funds. At some point, it might sink in that the “tory” party has betrayed his beliefs because whatever else you may think of Jackart he clearly does have beliefs. But if the last 15 years or so of the tory party haven’t convinced him I really cannot see what will. When such people do eventually change their minds though – to avoid the political gallows as it were – they often become caricatures of their former selves as they vent their spleen on the party or movement that has “betrayed” them (“betrayed”, of course, is rather more comforting than “fuck me how could I have been so stupid as to fall for all this infantilized shite”)
I hope Jackart is still blogging in a few years as his posts justifying Camoron’s (or whoever) total U turn on a referendum might make interesting reading. I suspect however, that Camoron won’t ever get a chance to hold a referendum as he aint going to win in 2015 ( (which Camoron probably knows damn well. Ah well, back to the country pile to write one’s memoirs).
I suspect we will leave “Europe” when it collapses in a heap rather than the efforts of any political party. I will vote UKIP because to me, “Europe” is the issue as it affects – very much negatively – every other aspect of national life. UKIP are far from perfect and they have a lot of the faults inherent in any political party but at least they do acknowledge this and enough votes for them may make other mainstream parties begin to realise it.
Hardly surprising that a person is bitter and twisted if they genuinely feel that the best of their life is long behind them. There is also something inadequate about a person who cannot deal with adult aspects of life such mortgage, bills, tax returns and people being reliant on them.
I had a good childhood, loved my later school years in particular, falling in and out of love, discovering sex and booze, going around Europe with my best mate and hanging around with mates in general. University was great, away from home, good mates again, more girls, more sex, meeting MrsBud. Soon after graduation I was married, had our eldest son when 23 while doing a PhD. Moved to South Africa, second son when just 25. Life in South Africa was exciting and interesting, being a young family was magic (including the arrival of a daughter), loved being a part of the kids growing up, building a very successful career and reputation, taking a stance against Apartheid, holidays in game reserves, Cape Town and the mountains, running the Comrades Marathon and a couple of 100 Milers.
Returning to the UK was not the highlight of our life but we made the most of it and most importantly we had our fourth child, a second daughter. Then onto Australia where times have been very good, cliff top house overlooking the Whitsunday Islands, successful career, two children married, first grandchild.
Yes, we have mortgages, bills and tax returns, but as adults (well, MrsBud is) we deal with them and get on with enjoying life. All of the above is merely to illustrate that long after the age of 25 we still love life as much as we did when we were young, and we are no less in love now than we were then, more if anything. Our youngest daughter has started her final year of school, at the end of this year we’ll enter a new part of our life where we can plan our life solely according to our own desires, we are very excited by the prospect.
What I am clumsily trying to say is that, for us, the best years of our life are not far behind us, they are still with us, and we look forward to them continuing into our last few working years and then on into retirement. Many of our friends feel much the same.
Despite this lack of nostalgic bitterness, if I was still in the UK, I probably would be voting UKIP, I could not vote for the boy Dave despite only ever voting Tory in UK elections. But then, despite the lack of nostalgic bitterness, I do believe that politicians these days are a self-serving, political elite.
Indeed. Otherwise, we might as well go into Logan’s Run territory…
Although, at least, we get to run with the rather lovely Jenny Agutter in that sexy outfit.
There are always compensations… 😀