tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8221901955641373488.post8280622427132100314..comments2024-03-20T07:12:19.838+00:00Comments on A VIEW FROM HAM COMMON: Is Zac Goldsmith about to join UKIP?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8221901955641373488.post-15753804472838386252012-04-27T15:08:04.453+01:002012-04-27T15:08:04.453+01:00It must be a reference to ‘Luddite, n. (and adj.)’...It must be a reference to ‘Luddite, n. (and adj.)’; OED explains:<br /><br />‘ . . Etym: < the proper name Lud or Ludd . . According to Pellew's Life of Lord Sidmouth, Ned Lud was a person of weak intellect who lived in a Leicestershire village about 1779, and who in a fit of insane rage rushed into a ‘stockinger's’ house, and destroyed two frames so completely that the saying ‘Lud must have been here’ came to be used throughout the hosiery districts when a stocking-frame had undergone extraordinary damage. The story lacks confirmation. It appears that in 1811–13 the nickname ‘Captain Ludd’ or ‘King Lud’ was commonly given to the ringleaders of the Luddites.’<br /><br />What this has to do with anything the Lib Dems do I don’t know but no doubt Neil Craig will enlighten us. He’s quite right to point out that UKIP is not the party for Zac - it’s more likely I suggest that he will resign the whip when Cameron breaks some green pledge or other, sit as an Independent Conservative, which is what he is already, fight the 2015 election as an Independent and then, having lost, go off and find a more congenial occupation than being an MP.rob's unclehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03001074396029714388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8221901955641373488.post-85012928022549922512012-04-22T19:12:38.293+01:002012-04-22T19:12:38.293+01:00You know, I've seen childish plays on names be...You know, I've seen childish plays on names before so that doesn't really bother me.<br /><br />And I get the "Dims" bit - exceedingly witty of you I must say.<br /><br />But where on Earth does the "Lud" bit come from and how is it meant to be amusing?<br /><br />I'm giving you a B for effort and a D for scientific knowledge.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07182217326137612970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8221901955641373488.post-43697189515984552382012-04-21T18:10:34.417+01:002012-04-21T18:10:34.417+01:00There is flying a kite and there is plain lunacy.
...There is flying a kite and there is plain lunacy.<br /><br />UKIP don't believe that we are experiencing catastrophic global warming; we don't want to cover the country in windmills; we do support cheap nuclear electricity; we do support the development of shale gas. Under what possible circumstances would Zac be welcome in UKIP?<br /><br />The subconscious subtext here may be that you recognise, with the LudDims now the 4th party, Zac, or anybody else, would not be so foolish as to consider joining you despite the fact that he shares your ecofascist hysteria.neil craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09157898238945726349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8221901955641373488.post-56377314856666509182012-04-21T00:00:22.214+01:002012-04-21T00:00:22.214+01:00Rather depends on where the Tories stand on green ...Rather depends on where the Tories stand on green issues. If they are, ahem, the 'greenest govt ever' then he'll stay put. If they ditch the green deal - then he has little to lose on that front.<br /><br />If I'm right and Zac is one of the two possible defectors then I imagine that is what the doubt - and any negotiations - are probably about.Richard Morrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03546947405923306990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8221901955641373488.post-38614770567358449412012-04-20T23:15:25.668+01:002012-04-20T23:15:25.668+01:00Except look at UKIP's attitude to the environm...Except look at UKIP's attitude to the environment: "Fighting wind farms" is on the front of the <a href="http://www.ukip.org/content/ukip-policies/2649-ukip-local-manifesto-2012" rel="nofollow">local election manifesto</a>.<br /><br />And inside, "We will... <br /><br />- "Ban new wind farms and subject existing ones to democratic local planning procedures. ...<br /><br />- "Close the Climate Change Department saving up to £18 billion a year.<br /><br />- "End wasteful EU and UK subsidies to ugly, cost-ineffective 'renewable energy' scams.<br /><br />- "Stop all payments to the Intergovernmental Climate Change Panel and other UN climate-related agencies."<br /><br />I can't see Zac Goldsmith ever signing up to that.Lon Wonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08084739915361657921noreply@blogger.com