Hi welcome to my webchat.
The Health Service is one of the biggest issues in this election and having worked in the NHS for over 22 years I feel I have significant insight. I was delighted to be asked to join UKIP's Health Advisers Group and I helped develop our health policy.
Yes, I do think we have a real chance against the Tories and Labour in Carlisle. People are very disillusioned with the broken promises of the Establishment parties. It is time for change. Ukip candidates are real people who have lived and worked in the real world and we can properly represent the electorate. According to the News & Star we are currently polling 18% in Carlisle but there are 29% undecided and Green and Lib Dem. If we can win the undecided vote, we can win Carlisle.
Absolutely. I met him at dinner in Hartlepool in February and we had a very pleasant conversation. I asked him to come and visit Carlisle and he fondly his remembered his last visit in April 2013. Realistically I don't think he's going to make it to Carlisle before the election as he is incredibly busy trying to get elected himself but I am sure I will get him up some time later in the year.
Hardworkere - Absolutely not. Ukip's health policy states that NHS treatment will remain free at the point of delivery and be funded by general taxation.
Wayne - It could well be. I don't see why it should be an issue. The manifesto features our MEPs mostly and Steven Woolfe MEP is of mixed race but nobody picked up on that. We have almost 80 candidates of ethnic minority standing for election.
Cumbrian - I do believe leaving the EU will sort out many of the problems this country faces - deficit, education, NHS, trade etc. It is estimated that membership of the EU costs us around £170bn a year when you take everything into account. Our current deficit is £90bn. The EU needs us more than we need them and trade would not cease if we exited. In fact, trade would increase and we would be able to negotiate our own trade agreements with the rest of the world.
Martin Obviously it is a terrible tragedy and we need to find a solution so that it does not happen again.
Alan - Very probably! We need to make sure all financial institutions pay appropriate tax.
Sarah - WIndfarms are heavily subsidised and are an unreliable intermittent source of energy and yes, they do make landowners very rich! We need to take subsidies away from wind and solar energy and invest in more reliable sources such as tidal and hydro.
Andrew - I can't comment really. I don't know anything about it.
Ali / Edward - Firstly, Ukip MPs and councillors do not have a party whip, do not have to toe the party line and are completely free to represent their voters. So obviously I can be your voice. Related to this, we believe in the holding of referenda when large scale developments are proposed and will uphold the people's decision. We have pledged to abolish the unfair bedroom tax, we will increase the personal allowance to £13,000 (the highest of any party) so that people on the lowest wages pay no tax at all. We will also provide 800 advisers to help people using food banks. This was requested by organisations trying to help people with their debts. We listened and responded.
Alan - They already do. Ukip will keep the high rate of tax at 40p as it has been proven that the tax take is greater at this level then 50p as people do less to avoid tax. We will clamp down on tax avoidance and evasion by simplifying the tax rules. We will make sure big companies pay their fair share by again clamping down on loopholes by removing them.
Pat - Ukip does NOT attract lots of these types of people. The media has been very biased in exposing the odd bad apple. These type of people are drawn to all parties. The difference with Ukip is that we expel them immediately and prevent anyone from far right parties joining as members. We actually have several Jewish candidates and as I said before, almost 80 of our candidates are from ethnic minorities.
Lou - We would not have backed the parking charges proposal for Cumbria. I am glad they were overturned.This would have been very detrimental to small businesses and they are the backbone of the economy.
Phil - Thank you for your support!
Marcus - I am not sure that is true. People often say they are very impressed with Suzanne Evans, our deputy chairman, who presented the manifesto on television. Louise Bours, our health spokesperson, has been on Question Time and recently Steven Woolfe has been on several debates on the TV.
Kevin - I think that the problems we have seen in the NHS over the last 20 years are multi-faceted and some directly attributable to the governments of the day. This is why we need change and we need Ukip.
William - Not as often as I should!
Bobby - I do like Nigel. Like I say I met him in February. I have also met his wife. They are just normal people. I guess Nigel comes over slightly more direct in the debates but we all have a public and private persona.
Alan - We have food banks because people on low incomes are finding it difficult to pay all of their bills. Ukip will help by providing 800 advisers to food banks and by reducing energy bills by removing the green taxes and by increasing the personal allowance to £13,000.
Brenda - The hospital in Carlisle provides a very good service. The family member who recently had an operation could not fault the service at all. The staff are committed and professional and I wouldn't worry about being a patient there. The problems are due to difficulties recruiting staff and increased activity. Ukip's policies will address these issues.