The elections in Thuringia and Saxony

The Success of the AFD and a new so called left wing anti migrant party BSW in the two latest German regional Parliament elections confirms a pattern of voters despairing of traditional parties. In the U.K. the two main parties got just 58% of the vote in the General election. In Germany despite a revival of the Conservative CDU the two main parties were way below 50% together with the Chancellor’s SPD slumping to just 7% . Their national poll standing for next year’s federal election is only 15%. The three parties of the governing coalition struggled to get to a combined 10%.

 

Chancellor Scholz announced a reduction of benefits for illegal migrants and more deportations too late to win back lost votes and with many people cynical about whether the government will in practice do anything effective on migrant numbers. Germany of course has to accept free movement from any EU country so it is dependent on border enforcement in other countries.

There has been a growing gap in many countries between the pro immigration policies most governments and public wishes. There are similar schisms over various net zero policies. The traditional German parties refuse to enter coalitions with the AFD though they have not said the same against the other new anti migrant party. Meanwhile the CDU has gained support by shifting to a tougher stance on the issue.

 

118 Comments

  1. Mark B
    September 2, 2024

    Good morning.

    Chancellor Scholz announced a reduction of benefits for illegal migrants . . .

    The shouldn’t be getting anything ! If they are ‘llegals’, then they should be imprisoned and / or deported.

    The Germans’ much like the rest of the EU are under Schengen. But under exceptional circumstances it can be suspended for a period of time. This has been done in the past. But the problem here is one of image and political standing. You see, Schengen is one of those other cornerstones of the EU. The open perception that it is a Federal State with ‘members’ like Germany ‘lending’ (a UK Civil Service / Europhile phrase) their sovereignty / power.

    Thanks to Mrs.Merkel and her great; “Come ye all !” decision to let in huge amount of migrants into their country there is now a growing need to roll this back. Otherwise, parties like the AfD and the Swedish Democrates etc will grow in traction.

    And the EU and its ‘companions’ cannot have that 😉

    1. Ian Wraggg
      September 2, 2024

      Much like in Britain, Scholtz will say something to get elected then renege on it. Germany is successfully getting rid of the dross that Merkle let in by directing them through France to Britain.
      It turns out they were not all doctors, dentists and civil engineers after all.

      1. Lifelogic
        September 2, 2024

        Exactly liars and cheats grade one. The Tories, for four manifestos, lied and did not even try to deliver what they had promised. Due to the appalling Labour opposition and FPTP voting they got away with it in four elections.
        The bits of their manifestos they did try to keep were the bonkers bits like Net Zero and an insane energy policy.

        “with many people cynical about whether the government will in practice do anything effective on migrant numbers” Indeed or do any sensible at all in many cases. I wonder why people a cynical.

        Stasi Starmer/Two Tier Keir shows every sign of being an appalling tyrant with his war on ordinary people and against free speech. David Starkey perhaps expresses this best in his recent videos.

        1. Lifelogic
          September 2, 2024

          The questions to ask about government in general are all this people incompetent, fools or corrupt frauds and liars?

          The last third of the recent The Sceptic podcast illustrates the total insanity of the current energy policy and the lack of any qualified people in charge of it. The immigration the policy in Germany and the UK seems to have been the more the merrier. Keep encouraging every more to come (subsidised by the existing tax payers) until the countries are become so overcrowded, crime ridden, lacking in housing, healthcare, schools, police… and unpleasant that the migrants finally are deterred from coming or decide to leave once they get here. That is Starma’s only deterrent it seems. How is his smash the gangs BLATANT lie coming on?

        2. Ed M
          September 2, 2024

          Forget Starmer,

          The only way to get back properly into power is the for the Tories to focus on helping to turn the UK into the world’s second Silicon Valley (in Cambridge area most likely) and to do more to develop north of England in particular around Manchester-Leeds-Sheffield in particular in high tech but other industries too). That would make a huge difference. Talking about low taxes, small state and immigration although great in practise is ideological waffle if you can’t first help generate and deepen the economy in CREATIVE and PRACTICAL and BUSINESS-MINDED ways.

        3. Ed M
          September 2, 2024

          The problem with Toris also is that 95% to 99% of them have never done a business plan – or at least their own.
          Give me someone who started off life selling printers and then gone on to establish his own printing company or something. That’s worth 10 x more than an Oxbridge degree in my books when it comes to business. Down-to-earth, raw business experience – and learning on the fly.
          (Lord Heseltine is the big exception to this although he’s too pro EU for my liking).

          Reply Quite a lot of us have set up businesses and worked out a business plan. Why make such silly generalisations?

          1. Ed M
            September 2, 2024

            I’m not talking about Sir John and a handful of others (abour 1% to 5% of Tories) but the rest. The Tories have been fairly ineffective the last 14 years and now in serious trouble. Something radical needs to be done to get better Tory MPs into Parl. Not the same old, same old approach.

          2. Ed M
            September 2, 2024

            And I speak for most Tory voters.

          3. Ed M
            September 2, 2024

            I wouldn’t bother read Sir John’s articles if I didn’t think they are worth reading. I do. They are worth it. But something serious needs to be done about the Tory Party. I mean we got a bunch of proto Communists in power at the moment. I want them kicked out in next election. But Tories got to pick their socks up big time.

    2. Donna
      September 2, 2024

      Schenghen was created when the EU largely comprised nation states with mostly settled, native populations ie Europeans.

      The western states have now been “enriched” by the importation of millions of immigrants and “asylum seekers” ie economic migrants and who are taking opportunity of free movement to cherry pick their destination based on where the most benefits/opportunities (not always legal ones) are available.

      It’s hardly surprising that the eastern states …. including the former East Germans …. are pushing back. They didn’t expect free movement would result in their countries being turned into a multi-culti (problem? Ed)

      1. Berkshire Alan
        September 2, 2024

        +1

      2. Hope
        September 2, 2024

        The illegal criminals from France are neither asylum seekers or refugees. They are economic criminals cherry picking where they will get the most from. In international law they are not allowed to cherry pick which safe country to apply it is the first one.

        Treacherous May correctly labelled them as economic migrants as Home Secretary then quickly changed the label. The EU knew the first countries of entry would be overwhelmed if international law was applied, therefore shared the burden! EU and globalists do not want nation states they want to dilute by mass immigration.

        However, the EU and globalists changed the label to fool/deceive the public. A bit like the Lisbon Treaty name change instead of EU constitution! Like Labour now calling them irregular migrants. They are not. They are criminals entering our country illegally. They should be deported or pushed back to France. Also no trade or aid to countries who refuse their own citizens back.

        Look at the US Senate Committee grilling officials on the issue of their southern border, international law equally applies there. The US push back illegal economic migrants because, quite rightly, they can apply for a visa. Which can be accepted or rejected by any sovereign nation. Asylum seekers and refugees do not get to cherry pick a safe nation. Therefore it is an amnesty not granting of asylum or refugee status that is being applied in the UK. These people come from safe France choosing to live in a tent in Calais, they come here and get 4 star hotels, welfare and first in queue for social housing. 1.6 million currently on welfare costing the taxpayer ÂŁ8 billion on top of the ÂŁ7/8 billion yearly cost of housing these criminals! ÂŁ16 billion a year and TwoTier Keir Stasi says get ready for painful October tax rises!! Labour need ousting.

      3. Mitchel
        September 2, 2024

        The BSW (Bundis Sahra Wagenknecht) is interesting,founded by former members of Die Linke with its roots in the East German Communist Party.Wagenknecht,herself, is a real firebrand as you can appreciate from her speeches in the Bundestag.

      4. glen cullen
        September 2, 2024

        ‘to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction’

    3. Peter Gardner
      September 2, 2024

      The correct term is unlawful rather than illegal. Whether they have done anything illegal is indeterminate on arrival. They are protected by the UN convention only if they have travelled directly to the country where they apply for asylum. they must then apply to be granted refugee status as defined in the UN Convention (Article 1). If they don’t apply for asylum their presence is still not necessarily illegal because they may claim asylum in another country in which they have relatives, for example, although they have no right just to shop around. They are obliged (Art 31) “to present themselves without delay to the authorities and show good cause for their illegal entry or presence”. So their status is determined after due process and then they must act in accordance with the determination. While waiting they are unlawful rather than illegal (Article 31). If directed by the determination of their application to leave the country they must do so. Their continuing presence would then be illegal if they breach the terms of that direction. The host country is supposed to issue ID documents!
      Clearly Uk does not bother with thhese stipulation. Anyone can come even from a safe country.

      1. Narrow Shoulders
        September 3, 2024

        If their intent is illegal, which for most of these criminals it is, then they are illegal whatever an abused, outdated convention may declare.

        Never mind the EHCR it us the UN Refugee Convention we should be exiting.

    4. glen cullen
      September 2, 2024

      What happened to ‘level playing field’

      1. Mickey Taking
        September 2, 2024

        depends which country you want to be level.

  2. agricola
    September 2, 2024

    One needs to be German to understand the significance of what you describe. Left and right have different interpretations in different countries. For instance Adolph headed a National Socialist party but was insanely right wing.

    It is hard enough to work out what our own political parties stand for, too often not what it says on the label. Judge them by what they do, not by what they call themselves or say they will do. We cannot seek salvation in what we might think the Germans are thinking and doing.

    1. Roy Grainger
      September 2, 2024

      In what way was Adolph right-wing ? What specific policy was right-wing ? His economic policy was based on attacking capitalism and “the bankers” and nationalising all industry. Sound familiar ?

      1. agricola
        September 2, 2024

        By english standards, the law, and what we understand to be extreme right wing racism, Adolphe qualified in spades. 6m Jews and countless other untermenchen including the mentally and physically challenged, genocidally slaughtered, stand testomony to his evil.
        His attack on capitalism and bankers was directed at jewish capitalism and banking , as a precursor to slahghtering them. He seemed happy with the Krupps empire and the likes of Willy Messersmit, Siemens etc. I doubt your identification of Adolphe as a socialist would find much support among those who consider themselves socialist in the UK , or even among Russian communists on whom he inflicted millions of deaths and savagery. Were I a socialist I would not be happy acknowledging Adolphe as a fellow socialist.

        1. IanT
          September 2, 2024

          Well we should never forget Stalin, Mao Tse-Tung and Pol Pot. Frankly you can turn left or right but it’s just a big circle and go around it far enough (in either direction) and you will eventually find the same nasties hiding at the back.

    2. Peter Gardner
      September 2, 2024

      Right wing means conservative. Hitler was not conservative he was a progressive socialist. National Socialism (aka Nazism) is just a form of socialism in the same way that communism is. It is called national because it does not aspire to international hegemony as socialism otherwise does and instead attempts to purify the nation on the basis of race. Stalin in the 1930s promoted “nationalist in form, socialist in content” to keep the diffeernt peoples and nations of the Soviet Union and, later, of the Warsaw Pact, together. By contrast Hitler got rid of them. Both were equally contemptuous of Jews as were Fascists and advocates of political Islam. Indeed the Grand Mufti of Jerusalm allied with the Nazis of Germany to exterminate the Jews. That role is now taken by the mullahs of Iran, and anti-Semitic political Islamists are now allied with the Woke left in the UK, USA and elsewhere, most notably the ruling party of South Africa.

      1. Mitchel
        September 3, 2024

        The Grand Mufti of an earlier period was also closely linked with the Germans.The Kaiser openly and enthusiastically courted the Islamic hierarchy of the Ottoman Sultanate/Caliphate as a way of causing trouble for the British and Russian empires with their large muslim populations.’Hajji Wilhelm’ they called him.

    3. Everhopeful
      September 2, 2024

      Matthew 7:15-20
      “You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?”

    4. Wanderer
      September 2, 2024

      @Agricola. That’s true, but the trend is for any Party that in the past would have been called “centre right” or “right” to be called “extreme right” (as well as “populist”, “fascist” and other labels used as slurs).

      Germany is an extreme example of where this process leads to: the AfD has been put on the list of organisations the German domestic intelligence agency can spy on. Every move of their members is scrutinised and lawfare used to harass and prosecute them wherever possible. Censorship rules are brought in to make it more difficult for them to reach an audience, or their audience to reach them.

      We’re going down that route in the UK.

      The left wing anti-immigration Party in Germany won’t do a deal with the AfD, but neither will it do a deal with any Party that wants to send more weapons to Ukraine, or allow mid-range US missiles to be stationed in Germany.

    5. Lifelogic
      September 2, 2024

      RIGHT AND LEFT are vague terms meaning different things to different people and countries. I want civil liberties, small government, low taxes, real deterrents to real crimes, freedom and choice, sensibly controlled but high quality immigration only. To Starmer anyone you does not want what he wants is FAR Right. To me anyone who want what Starmer wants is evil. He want more government, more red tape, higher taxes, open door immigration, the pure evil of net zero and a mad Chairman Mao government knows best energy policy.

      Cameron, May, Boris, Sunak were are dire PMs as were Bliar and Brown but Starmer really shows the potential to be put evil especially with the mad Ed Miliband on energy and his attacks on freedoms and free speech and his blatant two tier justice.

      The British are Second Class Citizens in their own Country: David Starkey videos and Starmer clearly fully approves.

    6. BOF
      September 2, 2024

      Agricola

      Adolph ‘insanely right wing.’
      With no freedom of speech, arrest, imprisonment of political opponents. Banning of other political parties. Torture and murder of citizens, total control of media and blatant propaganda he was on the same page as USSR, Communist China and North Korea. It is difficult to find a right wing government with a matching record!

      All feeling far too close to home now!

      1. Lynn Atkinson
        September 2, 2024

        And of course Zelensky who has done all of these things too. The European leaders support Zelensky to the nth degree. What does that actually make Starmer (and the fool Hannon who wrote that Ukraine was winning hours before the rest of the MSM admitted that Putin has a War Machine đŸ˜‚đŸ€Ł which might turn on the U.K. – stop shooting at him then!)

  3. DaveM
    September 2, 2024

    Well I suspect Starmer’s under 30 free movement deal will mean the illegals will be given citizenship and exercise their right to move to England.

    1. Peter Wood
      September 2, 2024

      The ‘Under 30’s deal’ could be easily agreed with the addition of a simple proviso – a one in one out arrangement. For every one EU member state citizen granted a visa to come to work, there must be one UK citizen granted a similar visa in the EU.

      1. Roy Grainger
        September 2, 2024

        I have never seen the data on this, but how many EU citizens under 30 (Starmer’s proposed cohort) chose to live in UK when in the EU compared to UK citizens going the other way. My guess would be there was a big imbalance because of UK’s traditionally poor language skills – I suspect that moving to the EU was an opportunity mostly taken up by the UK upper-middle-classes whereas coming the other way were not only students but lots of working class builders etc. If so there is no need to give the EU anything in return for this policy as they are the beneficiaries of it anyway. As an aside, odd how Starmer, exactly like Sunak, is concentrating on things which weren’t in his manifesto at the expense of things that were.

        1. Hope
          September 2, 2024

          If any of these get married or have children automatically get right to stay here! Stasi is using it as a way to get free movement back.

        2. Ian B
          September 2, 2024

          @Roy Grainger & @Peter Wood – as with all EU agreements it will be one sided in their favour, the UK will have to sacrifice being part of the wiser World and submit to their personal interpretations of Laws, rules & regulations

          1. Peter Wood
            September 2, 2024

            I agree with your scepticism of our negotiating ability. That aside, It depends who is asking for this; is it our young folk or theirs? A simple ‘one for one’ arrangement helps both sides, no other side deals or nonsense, seems reasonable and beneficial. We have strict arrangements on relationships already.

      2. Lynn Atkinson
        September 2, 2024

        Young people went to work in the European countries before the EU was formed. My husband, for instance lectured at Mainz University in his youth – late 60s. No international agreements were needed.

      3. A-tracy
        September 2, 2024

        Peter the scheme already exists under the Tories, it is called Turing. Why don‘t the EU just sign up to that as it is sufficient.

        We should not be providing more places at the UK student loan expense or free in Scotland for more places then we send out each year.

  4. Lemming
    September 2, 2024

    I do hope Mr Scholz learns his lesson. He needs to stop pandering to far-right hysteria about migrants, and instead celebrate migrants’ contribution to the economic and cultural strength of our societies. Learn from the UK! Both the Conservatives and Reform put a spiteful insular policy on migration before the British people, and both were routed at the polls two months ago

    Reply Conservative and Reform 38% Labour 34%

    1. Clough
      September 2, 2024

      If only you were right, Lemming. I’d like to see an anti-migrant policy be as “spiteful” as it could get, but there’s no chance of any political party really getting a grip on the situation. A million and a half migrants are reported to be on benefit and taking from the economic life of this country, not contributing to it as you claim. I’d like to see them all deported and the money used for schools, roads and hospitals, to benefit British citizens. I’d like to see a political party put that sort of programme before the electorate, so that we the voters are given a real choice.

      1. Donna
        September 2, 2024

        Same here. I’m sick to death of being taxed to fund immigrant freeloaders, particularly the illegal ones. But any immigrant who hasn’t got British citizenship and can’t provide for themselves and their families should not receive benefits and should be required to leave.

        1. glen cullen
          September 2, 2024

          Spot On

      2. Wanderer
        September 2, 2024

        Clough. +1!

      3. DaveM
        September 2, 2024

        +1

      4. Lemming
        September 3, 2024

        Clough, my question to you is – deported to WHERE? No one will take them, they are our problem.

    2. Sir Joe Soap
      September 2, 2024

      R2R. We can’t sadly ignore the Libdems. But we also can’t ignore voters who twigged the Tory falsehoods and have a transferable vote next time to Reform….. (Cleverly I see promising to get rid of stamp duty… do they really think we believe a word of this??)

    3. Roy Grainger
      September 2, 2024

      “Syrian asylum seeker turns himself in to German police over deadly festival stabbing”. Not necessarily the best time for Scholz to “celebrate”.

    4. Sharon
      September 2, 2024

      According to migration watch there are approximately 3/4 billion potential migrants entitled to seek asylum!

      That is totally unrealistic to even consider that number of extra people!

      1. MWB
        September 2, 2024

        Not for Starmer it isn’t. He will be salivating at the prospect of millions more ‘entitled’ 3rd world immigrants.

      2. glen cullen
        September 2, 2024

        I’m old enough to remember when the Labour party represented the working class of britain …and only the working class of britain (Labour voted to leave in EEC in 1975)

    5. MFD
      September 2, 2024

      Yes sir, its obvious that far left parties like the commies in labour are out to destroy Great BritIan!
      WE need to sink their boat!

    6. Dave Andrews
      September 2, 2024

      The Conservatives, in power until recently, were very welcoming to immigrants, directing the civil service to issue visas in the hundreds of thousands each year. Judge them by what they do, not what some of them say they would like.
      As to pandering to the far-right hysteria, even the Labour party has adopted the rhetoric “Stop the boats”. Just like the Conservatives however, I expect them to continue to welcome the immigrants en masse.

    7. Original Richard
      September 2, 2024

      By definition, no multicultural nation can survive long-term. Different languages, customs, practices, religions, ideologies and laws bring division and chaos and ultimately breakdown. Flooding the country with cheap, poorly educated labour is not a recipe for a well ordered, prosperous society. This is why immigration is pushed so hard in Western democracies by the Far Left. There’s no such push into countries such as Russia and China.

      1. Mitchel
        September 2, 2024

        Trotsky,On Patriotism,1894:

        “If you want to destroy a country make its citizens fight among themselves in the name of religion.The country will perish on its own.”

      2. hefner
        September 2, 2024

        Are the USA not a multinational/multiracial nation?
        Without immigrants since the 16th century there would not be any USA. And it doesn’t appear to have blocked their development, or has it?

        1. Mickey Taking
          September 2, 2024

          ‘United’ SA was a slow process and took violence.
          States having a fair degree of independence – hence Federal seeking to overrule where necessary.
          Dozens of cities have discreet ethnic identity areas ( and degrees of safety for others).
          Multiracial well yes, but black America is more often than not second class citizenship.
          Immigration from south of the border tends to produce cheap agricultural and industrial labour without properly recognising citizenship rights.
          National and extremes religious observance is widespread and not accepted particularly well, violence being widespread.
          EU showing every sign of developing in the same way.

        2. Donna
          September 2, 2024

          From the 16th to the 20th century immigrants to the USA either sank or swam under their own efforts. They effectively got nothing from the State.

          We shower them with “free stuff” they have paid nothing towards and give them “free money” and “free housing.” Take away all the free stuff and if they can’t “swim” under their own efforts, deport them.

        3. Original Richard
          September 2, 2024

          hefner :

          The USA has been multiracial but not multicultural apart from some small pockets here and there which could exist because of the country’s low population density and federal constitution. In fact the single US culture was seen positively and hence adopted by the immigrants up until very recent times.

          But the Far Left’s deliberate push for mass uncontrolled illegal immigration and multiculturalism (identity politics etc.) is quite clearly causing enormous division and chaos and will eventually bring their wanted breakdown of the country. The Far Left of course are also working on this in all the Western democracies.

        4. Lynn Atkinson
          September 2, 2024

          They are not a nation. They are a rag tag and bobtail all living in the same place. That’s why they had to work out a test to ‘qualify’ as an American. You can’t ‘qualify’ to be included in a nation or family. You are there by right.

        5. Clough
          September 3, 2024

          Yes, the US was an immigrant nation, Hefner, but what about the indigenous population? It was shunted into reservations, i.e. replaced on the land where it had been. Is that really the analogy you were looking for?

    8. Timaction
      September 2, 2024

      1.6 million immigrants on welfare of varying degrees. Large percentages of Asian immigrant women can’t speak English and have never worked or been allowed to mix with the indigenous population, particularly with English men/boys. Boat people and other illegal immigrants costing the 46% of the under represented non special characteristics, discriminated positive English tax payers ÂŁ4 billion a year. Therefore ÂŁ8 billion costs in welfare annually, plus health, housing, education, other public services costs. Remind me of the benefits of mass immigration when we have a total of over 9 million not in education, employment or seeking work between ages 18-64. Just saying!!

    9. Ian B
      September 2, 2024

      @Lemming – every illegal/criminal forced entry into the UK steals a place from the genuine asylum seeker that is looking for protection from oppression.

      1. Lynn Atkinson
        September 2, 2024

        You speaking of the British? Because I agree!

  5. Bloke
    September 2, 2024

    The people won’t support government parties that go astray or don’t make sense, and want something better. Announced today in the UK: Ofsted’s school assessment system being changed from a clear overall rating to a multi-worded report card, concealing clarity of ranking.
    All that, because one head reacted extremely, taking her own life in response to her school as a whole being lowest ranking, not her individually.
    Employers can see at a glance whether a university student gains a 1st, 3rd or completely fails from their CV, INDIVIDUALLY. If one student happens to take similar extreme action as a result of a bad uni grade, should all student grades be concealed in the fog of mixed words on a report card too?
    Political parties and governments should use moderate language and behave sensibly, not pander to sloppiness. Success is about winning competitively, not awarding everyone an equal share of a contract to reward losers equally.

  6. Donna
    September 2, 2024

    My German friend originates from Thuringia and her partner from Saxony (they now live near the Rhine) and I visited them and their families this year, who still live in the former East Germany. There is a distinct cultural difference between west and east Germany. Maybe there always was since Germany is a relatively new country, but the post-WW2 divide has not disappeared since the Wall came down. The East is obviously far less affluent, although the places I visited were vastly better than many of our northern towns and cities.

    What was obvious was the cultural cohesion. These places were German and recognisably German. They have not yet been “enriched” by the importation of millions from foreign cultures, although the process has now started and it is having the same consequences there as it has here. Violent sexual attacks; stabbings and thievery.

    I am not in the least bit surprised that the AfD has had traction in these areas, just as Reform has here. It is largely caused by the same issue: mass immigration by incompatible cultures deliberately imposed by the governing class against the wishes of the settled population.

    The difference seems to be that because of Germany’s history, Scholz has recognised the danger and is taking steps to address it, whereas our arrogant governing class refuse to even acknowledge the problems they have created, let alone do anything to address them …… except tell the English people they are racists and to SFU.

    My friend is “liberal” and is devastated that Thuringia has voted AfD. She is terrified that the more extreme leaders will take the state back to a very dark place but in her final message to me last night she said “the authorities will have to react to the discontent and there must be change.”

    So she recognises the solution.

    Our arrogant governing class doesn’t.

    1. Lynn Atkinson
      September 2, 2024

      Baerbok and Harbeck have taken Germany back to a ‘very dark place’. All the lights out!

    2. Hat man
      September 3, 2024

      With all due respect to your German friend, she will have been schooled for years in an educational system which powerfully impresses on Germans their abiding national guilt for 1933-1945, and above all, the conviction that it must not happen again. That’s like a filter imposed on their perception of current political events – in the AfD they see a brown tide that must be resisted at all costs. It’s rather like British people seeing the Ukraine conflict in terms of WWII, so that Kiev’s president becomes another Winston Churchill.

  7. Christine
    September 2, 2024

    Why are politicians so out of touch with their fellow citizens? I can only think mass immigration is to provide access to the cheap labour demanded by their corporate masters like Amazon and Deliveroo.

    1. beresford
      September 2, 2024

      Think again! The purpose of mass immigration into Western European nations is to destroy the individual nations in order that the Great Reset can be applied. Globalists have talked about this for more than a hundred years. The politicians see themselves as a collective elite whose role is to placate the inferior masses until the opinion of the latter is no longer relevant. In Ireland they have brazenly announced a 20 year plan to import two million third-worlders and said where they will be settled. In the last year or so the riots in Ireland and political developments in France, Germany and Holland have rattled the globalists who have become more exposed by advocating bans of non-globalist parties and censorship and imprisonment of dissenting individuals.

      1. Donna
        September 2, 2024

        In Ireland they are indoctrinating the children in school with an official book which is blatant propaganda telling them that native, non-diverse Irish families are backward and bad whilst immigrant and diverse families are the future and good.

        It’s a deliberate plan to destroy traditional Irish culture.

      2. Wanderer
        September 2, 2024

        +1 Beresford. They are rapidly going down the authoritarian route, because they realise increasing numbers of people are waking up. Censorship is the next big battle, as far as I can see (total control of the internet being their number one priority – hence the arrest of Telegram’s owner, and threats to Musk).

      3. Timaction
        September 2, 2024

        …………………developments in France, Germany and Holland have rattled the globalists who have become more exposed by advocating bans of non-globalist parties and censorship and imprisonment of dissenting individuals…………….. See Two Tiers actions and smearing verbal comments on the recent riots and the HARD RIGHT/ POPULIST/NATIONALIST blame game whilst the locations indicate they are the poorest areas and most deprived people by any measure. The forgotten and discriminated English men and women.

      4. Ian B
        September 2, 2024

        @beresford – got it in one

      5. Mitchel
        September 2, 2024

        Nothing has rattled the globalists more than Russia leaving the system and creating an alternative version that most of the world finds more attractive.The globalists are going to be effectively de-funded.Biggest loser?The UK which has bet the farm on being a centre of globalism and has no plan B in the event of its collapse.

        Control of key commodities is moving east away from the dollar (and Euro) and from the Chicago and London exchanges and towards Shanghai.Here’s a further example:Inside China Business,1/9/24:The Russia-China grains corridor will completely displace the US,Canada,Australia and France.”

        “Russia and China are developing a transnational grains corridor,connecting Russia’s enormous agricultural production to export markets in China,south asia and the Middle East.When complete Russian production and shipments on this network will exceed 8m tons pa…….this will not be settled in Chicago or London or in USD or Euros -we won’t even see it…….China is the largest importer of wheat and grains in 2023,importing 6m+ tons of wheat from US,Canada,Australia and France.”

        Turkey has today formally applied to join BRICS;Algeria(Africa’s largest country by territory,with the biggest gas reserves on the continent-and the best funded military) did likewise last week.

        1. Lynn Atkinson
          September 2, 2024

          Yes, true. I don’t like it. I wanted the U.K. to stick by her allies especially when they have adopted our traditional values and thus are becoming increasingly prosperous.
          How did we end up on the wrong side? We smacked away the hand of friendship offer by the man from St. Petersburg, the pro-European lawyer and economist. Instead we fund the Bandera troops in Ukraine!
          Basically we British lost control of Britain for nearly 50 years. Our politicians became indoctrinated with the traditional European default politics now no longer called ‘far right’ but ‘moderate’.
          We face dark times. Maybe for 100 years.

      6. Lynn Atkinson
        September 2, 2024

        +1

  8. Roy Grainger
    September 2, 2024

    Interested to see Germany managed to deport a few Afghan criminals back to Afghanistan with no intervention from ECHR despite it not being designated a safe country.

    1. Bill B.
      September 3, 2024

      That’s probably because Germany doesn’t have British lawyers.

  9. dixie
    September 2, 2024

    After the lies and deceptions of manifestos and pre-election commitments we need to have a democratic way to remove a government and recall MPs independently of general elections.
    BTW can Starmer impose the smoking ban independent of new legislation?

    1. Timaction
      September 2, 2024

      Who cares?? It’s hog wash as there is no one to enforce it. A bit like the 20 mph speed limit is really advisory. Only cameras enforce.

      1. dixie
        September 2, 2024

        If he doesn’t need legislation then that suggests that neither would a replacement government to rescind it.

    2. Donna
      September 3, 2024

      Yes. Statutory Instrument.

      But unless the Tyrant makes it illegal to smoke anywhere outside, all you have to do is step off the pub premises into the street and light up.

  10. Peter Gardner
    September 2, 2024

    The immigration issue is very much a case of luxury beliefs in which those in favour of mass immigration of people of alien cultures and net negative economic worth do not bear the costs of such a policy and even benefit from them. Commentator, Rob Henderson, who coined the term, ‘luxury beliefs’, compares luxury beliefs with what the personal luxury goods that used to be taken as visible signs of wealth and standing. Now that most a re better off materially, virtue signalling has replaced luxury goods to advertise one’s worth to people one likes to be compared with – ie people with similar views and beliefs.
    There is no inherent reason why such a phnomenon should be peculiar to any particular country. What Sir John remarks on here is merely what Nigel Farage has been pointing out for a year or more. I am glad Sir John refrains from associating it with the Far Right. It is is simply the natural conservatism of people resisting unwelcome cultural, social and economic change especially to the place they call home, that is being forced upon them without consultation, without permission, without approval and very much against their wishes. And it is these ordinary people who bear the costs through higher housing costs, higher taxes, longer queues for health services, longer queues for public housing, fewer school places, the rapid change from familiar, culturally sympathetic surroundings to strangeness, strangeness of people, shops, films at the local cinema, music, everything that turns one’s home place into a foreign country.
    The governing elites are either completely blind to these impacts or simply despise these home loving people who are proud or at least comfortable with their culture the way it is and never asked for it to change and therefore are entirely justified in resisting it.

    1. Peter Gardner
      September 2, 2024

      PS a country is not the plaything of the elites. It belongs to the ordinary people on whose sole authority parliamentary supremacy depends.

      1. Lynn Atkinson
        September 2, 2024

        +1 the true Sovereigns in any democracy are The People.

  11. Berkshire Alan
    September 2, 2024

    I said many years ago that the EU would fail, once the people got fed up with looking after everyone else’s interests at the expense and interests of their own nations people.
    Eventually Governments must put their own Country first when it comes down to the wire, otherwise the people will no longer support them, and will look elsewhere for a solution.
    In the more developed Counties, Socialism, the so called redistribution of wealth, and WOKE polices have had their day, simply because too many policies have gone too far, and no longer appear to be fair to those who pay for it all, the worry is that the backlash needed to change the present mode of thinking by many politicians, could mean real turmoil in the not too distant future.

    1. Lynn Atkinson
      September 2, 2024

      And for 100 years, I’m worried about and sorry for the younger generations – I’m a boomer.

      1. Donna
        September 3, 2024

        It took a lot more than 100 years after the Norman invasion for the country to settle and become a fairly cohesive whole again, but the Norman ruling class and Anglo-Saxon peasant class persists to this day.

  12. Magelec
    September 2, 2024

    What parties in Germany have anti immigration policies? Is it only the ‘far right’?

    1. Wanderer
      September 2, 2024

      @Magelec. “The far right” means a Party that threatens the power stranglehold of the mainstream Parties. I think they’re now having to use “extremist” to denigrate the leftist, anti-immigration BSW.

      Instead of arguing about actual policies (which would expose their own policies as being unpopular), the “mainstream” try to present their opponents as bogeyman. Their opponents are getting so popular, the word “mainstream” is almost redundant – “establishment” is more a accurate word for them.

    2. formula57
      September 2, 2024

      Both AfD and the apparently Leftist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) favour limiting immigration, increasing deportations of rejected asylum seekers and creating more controls at Germany’s borders, so reports the German Institute for Economic Research. Beyond that, the CDU/CSU has started to talk about immigration issues but has opted to focus on the new dual nationality law, stating it would amend it to permit dual nationality only with those countries that share German values.

      1. Mitchel
        September 2, 2024

        Hilarious! the Afd leader turned up at his polling station in a Russian Lada Niva!

    3. Ian B
      September 2, 2024

      @Magelec – is that the Socialist Left Wing ‘far-right’ or the ‘far-right’ that disagrees with the Starmer version of rule.

  13. Everhopeful
    September 2, 2024

    I’m not entirely certain exactly what the European political parties expected.
    After all eventually people have to twig that the politics aren’t what they voted for.
    I suppose that a lurch towards authoritarianism would fix that?
    Or smearing and banning up-and-coming parties which claim they plan to uphold the will of the voters?

  14. glen cullen
    September 2, 2024

    The voting public are disillusioned across the ‘free’ world by woke politics; politics that for decades promoted and instilled the merits of the ‘rule of law’ and the principles of capitalism
    For decades we’ve had a system of immigration control with visa and return; now if you enter the UK illegally you get the same rights 
.rule of law ignored
    For decades we’ve had a system of a free market, free movement (UK) and freedom of choice; now its net-zero, subsidy and government knows best
    Sadly neither our new Labour government nor the Tory leadership candidates appear to be debating, challenging or returning capitalism and the rule of law back to Britain

    1. glen cullen
      September 2, 2024

      ‘’Miliband’s flagship wind farm paid nearly £2.5m to keep turbines switched off, Renewable Energy Foundation figures show 62 per cent of Viking’s output has had to be discarded in its first month ‘’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/
      That’s not capitalism that communism

  15. Bryan Harris
    September 2, 2024

    Why are European and British politicians so determined to (dilute? Ed) indigenous populations by inviting in foreigners in vast numbers? It won’t be long before imported people outnumber the native population.

    All of this is done against the wishes of the people. It’s not just a case of ‘we know best’ from the politicians, clearly it is part of a concerted scheme that all western leaders have agreed on.

    By ignoring the wishes of the people we now have governments that no longer look after our interests – European and British governments are now dictating to the people — This is pure treachery!

    Establishment parties have core supporters that keep the system going, making it hard for new parties to get established. Only when those core supporters wake up to the realities of globalism will there be any change.

  16. herebefore
    September 2, 2024

    We need PR proportional representation as the best and fairest representation instead of the medieval system we have – if we don’t change then there’s no point in talking.

    1. Lynn Atkinson
      September 2, 2024

      So you want the minority party to control things straight away – that will be their price for their tiny but critical support to for a government. How can you be more backward than the ‘medieval’ people who created the system whether the biggest number of people get their way?

  17. Bert+Young
    September 2, 2024

    Illegals are illegal – full stop . Much tougher action by all countries is essential ; we need to start the kicking out process .

  18. Linda Brown
    September 2, 2024

    Germany is in a mess as is France. Where it will end it will be interesting to see. With open borders they are all on a loser. We should have closed our borders once we exited the EU but didn’t and have opened it up to more people so where do we go? I hope we see the right or centre right (what does this actually mean could someone tell me?) take control they will continue to squabble and nothing will get done. Where is the Dutchman who won the most seats in The Netherlands? He is still not in power. I give up and thank goodness I am not starting out again. At least I had a terrible war behind my growing up which we tried to rebuild from. The people today have no faith, no rooting system, to help them find themselves and what they want other than money.

  19. gregory martin
    September 2, 2024

    I strongly recommend that consideration is given to the actual policies that AFD offer rather than have the somewhat lurid pictures provided by the MSM.
    If you will allow, this link is to the published policies of the party.
    https://www.afd.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/2017-04-12_afd-grundsatzprogramm-englisch_web.pdf
    In my opinion, many here would conclude that these policies adopted as described would not only achieve the change necessary perhaps in Germany but also are pretty much in line with our own requirements if offered to the British electorate.
    The question remains as to who we might find to implement this.

    1. Lynn Atkinson
      September 2, 2024

      +1

  20. Ian B
    September 2, 2024

    “In the U.K. the two main parties got just 58% of the vote in the General election.” I question that phrase, it has more in common with Governments suggesting they have their own money to spend when all they have is access to other peoples money by Law.

    The UK registered electorate is – 48.2 million
    Labour received 9,708,716, the faux Conservatives 6,828,925. Just 16,537,641 voted for the 2 main Socialist party’s meaning only 34% of the electorate voted for the pair of them. The ruling party received votes from just 20% of the votes.

    Splitting hairs? normally I would suggest if you didn’t vote you deserve the result. However, this time around the gangs took control, they disenfranchised the electorate left them high and dry with no one to vote for.

    1. Ian B
      September 2, 2024

      Reading comments elsewhere there is a consensus with regards the Conservative Party leadership contest, that whoever is leader is largely irrelevant unless they get rid of the faux Tories.

      The candidates standing all have in their heritage as being the crew gave away an 80-seat majority. More of the same, more continuity is not to recognise their own failings

      The general feeling is they all need to go down with the ship
a totally new crew is needed else the Tories are history. That includes those that have high-jacked the party’s control

      The talk emanating from the candidates is one of unity, centre ground and such bizarre spouting. Yet they along with those that created them the CCHQ, not forgetting the 1922 Committee seem to think that the centre ground is somewhere left of Ed Davey and his cronies. Looking for more of what caused the virus of failure is not looking ahead.

      The UK electorate is on the centre ground, treating their fellow man with respect and wanting a government not a Ruler. Wanting someone to manage expenditure not create taxation. Wanting someone to release the Nation not control it in their image. Wanting someone that can listen and hear then work with, not someone to outlaw and fight.

      1. Ian B
        September 2, 2024

        Guido has a round-up of those that have declared their support for the Tory leadership, all 6 are part of the gang that threw away an 80 Majority. It would also suggest those that run the Party(the so-called Anonymous) those that are the masterminds of weak candidates, disenfranchising sound Conservative voters and looking for the continuity and continuation of failure by being left of Ed Davey so have thrown their support behind the Liberal Democrat candidate.

  21. boffin
    September 2, 2024

    Sir John, I beg to commend to your attention a remarkable new publication by Prof. ï»żJan EmblemsvĂ„g of the Norwegian Unversity of Science and Technology in which he analyses the frightful errors of German politicians in their pursuit of bad environmental policies for energy.

    https://doi.org/10.1080/14786451.2024.2355642

    [ If you lack time to read all, do at least see the abstract and scroll down to Fig. 9 ].

    The text is not paywalled, and other readers here will appreciate its importance.

    We may take cold comfort in that the UK is not alone in suffering dreadfully from scientificaliy inept policymakers.

  22. The Prangwizard
    September 2, 2024

    The political Left, with most of their MSM and administration friends help, are once again capturing our language.

    If any one or any group does not share their views they are now called Far Right, and Tories will soon be labelled.

    Most Tories no longer know what true Conservatism is and don’t know how to react and defend freedom. Many are nowhere near Conservatism and think much like the Left.

    This of course gets more extreme as days go by, because they get away with it and have established support.

  23. Keith from Leeds
    September 2, 2024

    Most people are not against a reasonable number of immigrants each year, but the numbers over the last 23 years are appalling. No country can absorb 7 million immigrants in 23 years without it affecting Hospitals, GPs, Schools, Roads, and, most importantly, Housing.
    Recent riots were the wrong response, but if UK citizens follow Gandhi and simply sit down peacefully in vast numbers all over the UK, maybe our government will get the message.
    But where is the tough, determined Conservative/Reform leader who will not seek to be popular, but to do what is right for the UK.

    1. glen cullen
      September 2, 2024

      We appear to have lost our historic tribes; Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia and Wessex ….we’ve been overun but we just don’t know it and our politcians don’t care …our new invades have something we don’t – a tribe, a flag, a religion, a law and tradition

  24. ChrisS
    September 2, 2024

    Let us hope that the previous main stream parties drop their idea of banning the AfD, considering how much support it now enjoys.
    I expect the situation in Germany is just like here : Reform speaks for many more than the 4m who actually voted for it, and that support will only grow if the Conservatives don’t properly demonstrate strong support for reducing inward migration of all types and a walk back of the plans for Net Zero.
    The result of the leadership election will dictate the very future for the party : if the new leader does not provide a robust move to the centre right, any chance of a comeback will be gone. As it is, the 4m are not coming back to the party and to defeat Labour, at the very least, an electoral pact and a subsequent coalition with Reform will be essential. Will anyone be prepared to see the reality of the situation and take the necessary action to remove Labour in 2029 (or earlier)?

  25. glen cullen
    September 2, 2024

    Both Badenoch & Cleverly today with their opening leadership speeches, just words & platitudes followed by more words & platitudes …planning on doing the same old same old

    1. ChrisS
      September 3, 2024

      Neither Cleverly or Badenoch are going to move the party where they need to be. But then I nave no confidence that any of the others will, either.

      How long is it going to take the party to realise that the 4m are not coming back ? They will need to do a deal with Reform for an electoral pact.

  26. MWB
    September 2, 2024

    UK should make it as uncomfortable as possible for immigrants. Unfortunately, in England especially, we have an ill educated electorate who always vote for the far left Labour/Liberal Democrats or the lefty (not) Conservatives.

    1. glen cullen
      September 2, 2024

      Its call the Hebrides, just send the all to the army camp in the Hebrides, give them food, shelter and a bed in a safe setting ….they’ll be safe from the French tyranny there !

  27. Robert Pay
    September 2, 2024

    The EU is not failing. It is succeeding, through its open borders policy, in changing demographics to thwart ‘populists’. Rory Stewart recently said he’d like 350,000 refugees a year to ‘contend with populists’ by which he means indigenous Brits, I suppose. (Triggernometry interview.)

    Stewart said the globalists quiet bit out loud!

  28. forthurst
    September 2, 2024

    “so called left wing anti migrant party BSW” Is the implication of this statement a belief that anti-migrant parties are right wing by definition? Sahra Wagenknecht is both left-wing and patriotic. What is true is that members of the international crime syndicate always adopted left-wing revolutionary politics to overthrow states whilst being financed by members of the same gang who were heavily involved in crooked banking activities. However, these aliens do not have a monopoly of a left-wing agenda which does not have to be motivated by hatred and contempt for the indigenous population.

  29. formula57
    September 2, 2024

    Sholz’s reaction, reported by France24, is: –

    “The results for the AfD in Saxony and Thuringia are worrying,” Scholz said in a statement to
    Reuters. He clarified he was talking as a lawmaker for his centre-left Social Democrats
    (SPD). “Our country cannot and must not get used to this. The AfD is damaging Germany. It is
    weakening the economy, dividing society and ruining our country’s reputation.”.

    The AfD and Sholz both! It is, surely, contemptable that Sholz reacts by blaming AfD when the established political class he at present heads has been the de facto promoter of AfD.

  30. glen cullen
    September 2, 2024

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