Farage & Russell Brand

Still havent watched the second half of the programe.

Russell Brand - I was surprsied that he didnt do better. But I dont normally watch the programme, so dont know how non politicans bormally come across.
His eyes come across worse than I was expecting.

UKIP/Farage. Yes he may have a mask. I didnt see it last night to the point I have watched. But if there is one, and there well might be, I dont think he is going to be able to keep it up for all of the 5 months left until the election.

My point/problem [and I dont think I am alone judging by last night] is this.
I feel, and only sort of now realised I do, is that there is a group?, be they shadowy, freemasony, that secret group that meets once a year in Europe that doesnt allow journalists/ whoever, whatever they are, that are almost in control of lots of things in politics be it Labour or Concervative[not sure about Liberal].
And it is that group that I would like to have its stranglehold loosened.

Something is not right at the top. I dont know if it is a European thing or not.
And so Britain cannot have its own policies on immigration, international tax so that top institutions pay proper tax in this country etc.

Writing this, maybe the problem is that Europe has too much of a hold over us? I dont know. But something sort of stinks at the top, and voters can sense it.

And it might take a big upset, and may be yes a bit of a dangerous gamble, to shake the core of the politics in this country.

May be UKIP, if they had power, cant do much either. I dont know for sure.
But I do know that I dont want the country to carry on like it is, as it will only get worse as it is.

Are you referring to Bilderberg, soontobe?

"that secret group that meets once a year in Europe that doesnt allow journalists..
that part of what I said, yes Bilderberg.
Bilderberg might be fine for all I know.

But something, somewhere, at the top of this country is not right.

I am one of the many I think who are disillusioned with politics but I do go to vote. For some time I have thought that if there was a 'Monster Raving Lunatic Party' candidate I may as well vote for them. After last night I will have to be careful what I wish for !! But maybe a MRLP could not be worse. Perhaps there are lots of them in Parliament already but in disguise as other party members.

Read this thread and think I was much better off watching Alfie Boe live last night! Don't like either of those men so have no intention of watching today. Think I prefer to be entertained than irritated.

Question Time is unwatchable. Dimbleby interrupts too much. The panel talk over each other. TV presenters seem to think that a touch of aggressive/ rude shouty shouty type stuff equates to investigative journalism : it doesn't. ignorant sound bites are dull. It's little wonder that so few people are interested in what politicians have to say. It's shocking that so few people SEEM sufficiently interested in improving life and our values in our democracy to get themselves motivated enough to learn about politics and ways of participating in political life. As for Brand's brand of populism...when the audience starts braying, pass the earplugs

I thought D didnt interupt enough! He should have stopped the panel talking over each other to an extent! And had more control of the audience [dont know how he would do that].
People in their 20s and 30s seem switched off by politics.
They either dont start off interested, or think that the parties are all the same.

tiggy

A lot of people thought the same as you in, as far as I recall, North Devon many years ago and the MRLP candidate got in, although I think it was in the local elections.

If I had been watching the panel last night without knowing anything at all about any of them, my thoughts would have been that:

Nigel Farage came across as eminently sensible, not racist, for controlled immigration and definitely for the NHS

Russell Brand came across as someone who is not able to articulate in joined-up writing; a brain which is randomly searching for what he actually believes in and speaking in populist terms which actually come down to nothing and would not put his money where his mouth is when challenged.

Penny Mordaunt came across as rambling, going on and on and not particularly saying anything important, at least not that I could discern.

Mary Creagh came across as someone completely out of her depth. She criticised Russell for interrupting her then spent much of the rest of the programme interrupting other people. She did not seem to have any valid arguments when confronted with her party's history on points being discussed.

Camilla Cavendish came across as the person with brains and commonsense who was well able to articulate her views.

1 for UKIP, 1 for the press, 0 for the Tories, 0 for Labour and 0 for comedian turned political twitterer (for want of a better term).

One good thing came of it at the end of the programme. I can't remember the exact words but D made Farage state that he was totally for a NHS that provided care for people at the point of something or other [that's the bit I can't remember] so it is on live television [and recorded for posterity] when Farage and UKIP start advocating medical insurance etc.

Farage didn't know voting was compulsory in Australia !

I found it more like an upmarket version of the Jeremy Kyle show. NF was extremely muted. RB passionate, but inarticulate. One female (con.) Rambled on and on and on. The audience took over. I found it an endurance test for the first time ever!

Farage didn't know voting was compulsory in Australia!

His lack of knowledge does concern me.

Farage didn't know voting was compulsory in Australia

Anniebach I picked up on that too - and they get fined if they don't vote. But I am sure he does know, just used part of the information, being disingenuous!

Yes, alex it all got rather out of control didn't it. Perhaps DD is getting too old for the job.

soontobe of course he knows, he just thinks the rest of us don't

He am sure he has studied the Australian system of government extensively and their controlled immigration.

I am sure!!

Having watched the programme, I thought Camilla Cavendish came across as the most sensible and balanced person on the panel, I enjoy her column in The Sunday Times.

Penny Mordant just rambled on and digressed too much. Yes Russell Brand does throw his weight behind some worthwhile causes, such as the social housing block in London that is being sold off to an American company/individual so the rents can be whacked up sky high absolutely appalling. He does however continue to project himself as a petulant and naive individual given to angry outbursts when he doesn't agree with a different point of view. I can't make up my mind whether his persona is contrived or not. I hate the way he calls everyone "mate" and did I hear him call Penny Mordant "love"? For me he's a teenager with a childish voice in a 40 year old man's body. Which doesn't make me want to listen to him for too long. On the discussion about private education he stated that he thought he'd had a good education from a comprehensive school and then completely disproves that statement by using incorrect grammar. Which is somewhat paradoxical because I've seen snippets of him, I think on Newsnight, where seemingly his sole aim was to demonstrate to the viewer "look how many new words I've learned, even if I am spouting a load of incomprehensible psycho babble" He's definitely become a BBC favourite of late and God knows once they have latched on to someone, we know what to expect!

Terri that's hilarious " look how many new words I've learned, even if I am spouting a load of incomprehensible psychobabble"

Like most on here I thought that Camilla Cavendish was the most sensible, articulate speaker on there. I did not like the new quiet Nigel Farage, he made me very nervous as he was keeping his real views under wrap, I found him rather scary, and even worse, DH and I found ourselves agreeing with some of the things he said, which is very disturbing as we most certainly are not UKIP voters! Russell Brand is like an irritating teenager, eager to solve the world's problems and can't be blamed for his enthusiasm, at least he is making people talk about politics rather than be completely disinterested.

I akso thought that several members of the audience made complete arses fools of themselves with all the bawling and shouting, especially when the topic being discussed was whether politics was adversarial.

This was an amusing comment from The Guardian today.

www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/dec/12/russell-brand-nigel-farage-question-time-television

They make it easy to vote in Oz. We were at the airport going from Sydney to Perth when SiL remembered he hadn't voted, went over to a conveniently placed voting table, showed his passport and Bob's yer Uncle, job done!
I watched this cringeworthy programme with one eye and the sound turned down - Camilla Cavendish was the only articulate member of the panel and as for Dimbleby, he's losing his grip and needs to start drawing his pension. I don't think the average Question Time viewer really wants to hear Brand's opinions - well I don't; I know he can't help his looks, but he repulses me - yurgggh.

Thanks, Petallus I enjoyed that!

Gill; I often find myself agreeing with Farage [who I loathe and detest] which is why I find him so frightening. It's true that there aren't enough schools etc for a huge influx of people. However, I was told [assume it's correct] that when a large housing development is built [as is happening round where I live] the planning for schools, medical centres etc doesn't start until the whole build is complete and, even then not straight away. That's because we don't have a 'Ministy for Forward Planning/thinking' which [I think] they have in Japan. We seem to have a mentality in this country of waiting for a problem to develop and then thinking of ways to fix it. I think Dimbelby was waiting to pin Farage down on one of his [I use the term loosely] policies and, in that he succeeded.

Camilla was indeed 'sensible' but just waffled vaguely and had nothing to say of any particular value. Our massive problems in the UK will not be solved by being 'sensible' - unless it goes with some genius too, and she really didn't seem to have that at all.

I thought Mary did excellently- I have to say. The mask of politeness Farage was clearly wearing, which came off a few times- frightens me to death- he is far too clever and calculated and ing- and give me the heeby jeebies. Brand is what he is- but he certainly was not made mince meat off by Farage.

The journalist, whose name I forget- made some excelllent points and would make a good politician.

The journalist was Camilla.