@Veronique - pies 4 chavs.
* Is actually just being a pie snob as we don't have Greggs in Francs and am jealous*
* Or rather, well jell*
@ Richard. Calm down dear. It was before my time but I seem to recall the ancients talking of Sir Oswald and how he was the last great hope for Britain and the Empire He disappeared and so I imagine will Farage and his kippers.
What is Greggs? AH! Just googled it - chain of bakers?
Are they marvellous? I'd never heard of them.
@ Veronique
I would have thought that was obvious. It is 'cos there is Greggs innit.
Nuff said I fink. :)
"In general British residents of France who are in "real need" would be better off returning to the UK."
You still haven't explained why you think so, and I'd really like to know.
@ Irene - absolutely agree.
My point is that WFP should be means tested.
"The UK is long overdue for major changes and the only possible source is UKIP".
Well do you think the Conservatives and the Labour party are capable of changing anything? As UKIP are the only new player in the game it follows that they are the only party capable of changing anything - immigration and EU membership for a start.
In May 2015 Conservative voters will be those who cannot recognise a liar and Labour voters are likely to be those living on Welfare (including Guardian readers).
The French government may of course decline your application for membership.
Please provide exact statistics on who is what. Bear in mind I am a social scientist and do understand them and really do like to know and check their source.
I am no longer sure what point you are making, it does look as though you are being overtly provocative and getting a little close to the line whereas some people, myself included, have retorted in mocking, thus joking ways. However, you are making accusations and telling people they are wrong. Be careful where you go with this.
I was not aware that you were (presumably) born in Scotland. You know well (as I do) that the majority of British people living in France are from England and it is to them that my comments are usually directed.
Of course they would have difficulty in buying property in England. In the past they would have sold their English home at an inflated price and blown the proceeds on an often over-valued French property which is now unsaleable other than by taking a heavy loss. Certainly a dilemma for many. So if / when they return to England they may anticipate the "indignity" of becoming a tenant. Another dilemma.
Only a short time will be needed to show that "Kippers" (generally considered to be a derogatory term) are not a "passing trend". Perhaps you have overlooked the recent European election results. By May 2015 the SNP will have all but eliminated the Labour party in Scotland. The "young and disillusioned" are becoming Islamists at an alarming pace. The full glory of the past will be commemmorated at the Cenotaph (in Whitehall) on May 09 when hopefully the Islamists will be absent.
I presume you are a reader of Britain's worst newspaper, the Guardian.
Manners please, debate but with a bit of caution.
I don't think I've read such rubbish for a long time. "The UK is long overdue for major changes and the only possible source is UKIP". What on earth is someone like Farage going to come up with to merit that? As David says, "smoke and mirrors". And I've been here for 30-odd years, so if this apocalypse came to pass, I'll do like Brian and take French nationality. Pshaw.
Your "explanation" was totally unnecessary. Perhaps it is you who should keep quiet.
Do you still think we are using semaphore as a means of communication?
I personally have no problems with the WFP being means tested, but as it seems that you have not understood the point of contention, may I explain.
The DWP has included the Domtoms in the weather statistics for mainland France, which is totally unacceptable.
Is it too much to hope that those who do not understand that we are complaining against political chicanery, will keep quiet?
How would they be able to afford somewhere to live? Not even renting would work for many. You are assuming, wrongly, we are all as well off as you clearly are. False assumption. Kippers are a passing trend who will change nothing, beware SNP putting salt in the pot though. The greens are doing rather well too, gaining the young and disillusioned vote whilst oldies who want the past returned in its full, dubious glory like UKIP. By the way, I am over pensionable age myself, but the kippers, either variety, go together with the Daily Grail, in the bin.
Why? I'm just interested, by the way, being a French resident of France myself, not retired etc etc etc
Nope, I would cease to be British. I have been here long enough to have right of residence and could pass the language test. Apart from that, I am a Scot and we might still be dumping England very soon.
In general British residents of France who are in "real need" would be better off returning to the UK.
Unless you are living in the UK you will be unaware of the present disasters created by both major political parties (Clegg's tribe being totally irrelevant). The UK is long overdue for major changes and the only possible source is UKIP. By November 20 they will have 2 MPs and by May next year there will undoubtedly be many more.
Using language such as "arrival of UKIP another smoke and mirrors job but with unusually foul smelling smoke" is the sort of despicable talk Cameron used about them two years ago, one of the many reasons why they are so popular in the UK today and why the Conservatives (those who are not transferring to UKIP) are so terrified of the truth.
In due course UKIP may well succeed in taking UK out of Europe which is of course what British people living in France are most afraid of.
Sorry, but it comes from the pension fund, as it is known, and when the changes came about one of the points the UK media made a feast of was that millionaires, billionaires, MPs, members of the House of Lords, senior bankers, industrialists and others of the 'owner class' and others with enormous wealth and often vast expense allowances that include home heating, fuel and so on were not only entitled to it but also in the majority claiming it. It is that 'ruling' class who were asked to support the DWP's changes and means testing was included in the white paper, which you can find if you search (I most certainly did read it and other SFN members too I believe), that went before the parliamentary committee who accepted changes to the prior rules. They dismissed means testing as 'not viable' by a convincing majority. So, the nobs with the dosh in the UK can continue to claim but France is more or less tropical so people in real need cannot because of the balmy climate.
Sandy and David have said it more or less. I think you are going to have to work hard to defend your proposition because the three of us so far are moderates compared to some of the people who may well be at your (metaphorically said) throat very soon.