On 5 Mar 2014 at 10:28am Mother Earthy wrote:
Bringing her characteristic combination of thoughtlessness and ugly, discriminatory views.
Check it out here »
On 5 Mar 2014 at 10:57am Taxpayer wrote:
What is most amazing is that having expressed her awful and illogical views, she is defending them. This cllr is the daughter of an immigrant, is a woman, and has a child with disability issues, and she is actually saying that people should be allowed to discriminate against her mother because she is Russian, not allow her child into a toyshop because she is disabled, and not employ Donna at Birmingham Council on equal pay, because she is a woman. Is UKIP endorsing these Victorian views? After all she is the 'brains' behind their online journalism. What amazes me is that use has been allowed to get this far. She is actually saying that she might not discriminate against jews, black people and gay people, but that other people, such as Germans in the 1930's, should be allowed to, because these are Libertarian Values. Yes, she is actually saying that. Well done the Argus for publishing what the Sussex Express should have published. i hope they are extremely embarrassed and take the Argus's lead.
Maybe the other UKIP District Councillor should clarify what they think of Cllr Edmunds published views and wether or not they support them too.
On 5 Mar 2014 at 10:59am Bary Scott wrote:
She said: “I’m a libertarian so I don’t think the state should have a role on who business owners serve"
Do you think that aplies to disabled people as well, in her view why should you be forced to put in mods? Where's the line, you can't just wash that away.
On 5 Mar 2014 at 11:39am Local resident wrote:
What is amazing is that a woman in 2014 is saying that men should be allowed to discriminate against her . Let alone all the other examples. It beggars belief.
On 5 Mar 2014 at 11:46am Old Cynic wrote:
She and her party of swivel eyed loons should be kicked out of British politics
On 5 Mar 2014 at 11:51am Taxpayer wrote:
She should certainly be kicked out of UKIP. I think even UKIP would agree with that. After all, they wouldn't have to worry about a discrimination case at an employment tribunal.
On 5 Mar 2014 at 11:59am Taxpayer wrote:
There is one group that inconsistent Donna doesn't think should be discriminated against..... So she wants to be able discriminate against gays, but not Christians. Sounding more and more like 1930's Germany every day. From her FB page
"A survey has found that there are 41 European laws which discriminate against Christians. As a Christian MEP in the European Parliament, I will stand up for the rights of Christians to practice their faith freely and without discrimination."
On 5 Mar 2014 at 12:20pm Mother Earthy wrote:
Yes Bary Scott. I wonder myself where the limits of libertarianism are. Would I be free to kill someone if I didn't like the cut of their ethnicity/sexuality/disability/belief? Or maybe just maim them? Deny them rights in public institutions? Just voting, medical care, refuse collection perhaps? Or simply, as Ms Edmunds is happy to do, deny them any right to engage in private business transactions. I'd love to know where and how Ms Edmunds draws the line on what is good healthy libertarianism (and of course religious rights) and what is discrimination. Perhaps it is just where the action serves her own predudices and fears?
On 5 Mar 2014 at 12:33pm NF wrote:
What an idiot."Libertarians" only ever really defend the "liberty" of the rich and powerful.
On 5 Mar 2014 at 12:45pm Barney wrote:
This whole thing broke on this forum too. It is incredible that no-one holds our politicians to account better than this forum and a few people on Twitter. About time the Sussex Express stepped up.
On 5 Mar 2014 at 1:34pm Screaming J wrote:
Barney, I fear you are assuming that the Sussex Express still has any connection with the art of Journalism, investigate or otherwise.
On 5 Mar 2014 at 1:37pm Local bod wrote:
I see that UKIP are saying it is all right because she has apologised for these one-off remarks. Um. These are beliefs, not remarks, and she is publishing them in articles, such as the one cited above and many others. The Argus may like to delve a little further, and her FB page is pretty eye opening.
On 5 Mar 2014 at 1:52pm Taxpayer wrote:
and so the insanity continues
Donna has just posted this on her own publicity page.
"To be clear, I do not condone or agree with discrimination on grounds of race, sexuality or gender (or anything else for that matter). I would not shop in a shop that banned people on grounds of discrimination. If I owned a shop, I would not refuse people service for discriminatory reasons.
However, I do not agree with legislating on this matter. If we are to be a tolerant society, we need to tolerate things we don't like. That is, in fact, the very definition of tolerance. Pressure from society will force these shops to shut, and these views to dispell. We don't need the iron fist of government legislation banging down to tell us what to think."
ie . She continues to believe that discrimination should be lawful. Tell that to gay people in Uganda. Her views are either offensively naive, or sinister.
On 5 Mar 2014 at 2:19pm voter wrote:
Yes "pressure from society" works so well doesn't it? That is why women, gay people, disabled people and racial groups had to have legislation to prevent discrimination. Why on earth is UKIP accepting an 'apology' for original remark when she just keeps going?
crazy
On 5 Mar 2014 at 3:42pm drone wrote:
If Cllr Edmunds is committed to her confused brand of libertarianism, she presumably has no problem with people exercising their liberty to come to this country to live & work.
On 5 Mar 2014 at 4:05pm embarrassed wrote:
hmmm. I am not sure she has thought this through....
She also presumes (and claims) that she is in a majority of gay loving people, so there would be no problem. How does she know. As gay people in Uganda, Russia and elsewhere know, that is not necessarily the case.
How would her Libertarian views work in areas which aren't as cosy and liberal as Lewes?
Any sensible politician in any sensible part knows her views are insane.
Thanks a bunch UKIP for inflicting this on us.
On 5 Mar 2014 at 5:06pm Local bod wrote:
I love that someone doesn't like these comments. Even UKIP themselves have stated that Donna's comments are not OK and completely unacceptable, and that she needed to apologise. But guess what , she keeps saying the same thing UKIP don't like, she wants businesses to be able to discriminate against whoever they like. Apparently that is her Libertarian way.
On 5 Mar 2014 at 5:11pm Deelite 2 wrote:
Barcombe Lewes District UKIP councillor Donna Edmunds puts foot in mouth again.
Not content with using Twitter to call one of her ward a village idiot and hoping he got cancer she now says here that anyone should be able to bar gay people and foreigners from their shop.
You have to wonder how being banned from Barcombe Post Office, Barcombe church and the local pub would make her feel.
On 5 Mar 2014 at 5:22pm Suzie wrote:
And she's hoping to represent us in Europe come the elections. Oh my god....
On 5 Mar 2014 at 5:37pm Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
Nice thought, Deelite. I think I might buy a Euromillions ticket this week, and if I win I'll make the PO and pub an offer they can't refuse and ban her forthwith.
She really is bonkers, and nasty with it.
On 5 Mar 2014 at 5:44pm Zebedee wrote:
She's not that libertarian. She won't allow gay people to marry. She's only as libertarian as she wants to be.
Juvenile and mistaken are the best words for her.
On 5 Mar 2014 at 5:48pm Equal ops wrote:
Well, how about she offers to spend a week living her life without the benefits that discrimination laws have given her. She can give up her vote, and Councillor job for starters, and ask a man to do that for her, she can hand back any financial benefits she is claiming as a single parent, tell any black friends she has got, to put on an iron neck collar and go pick some cotton and finally she can tell her mother to pack her bags and go back to her own country. Of course that would be appalling and wrong, but this poor woman can't even recognise what rights have been won for her by people with much more decency and courage than she is currently demonstrating. It is amazing that someone like this is being promoted by UKIP.
On 5 Mar 2014 at 5:48pm Local wrote:
At least the Argus credit 'an internet forum' (i.e. this one!) for hosting Donna Edmunds' original remarks. The Evening Standard attributes the whole thing to the Brighton Argus.
Not fair! 
Check it out here »
On 5 Mar 2014 at 5:51pm local resident wrote:
The Littlehampton Gazette gives the Forum credit, and even includes quotes from "local resident' and another user. Fame in Littlehampton at last
On 5 Mar 2014 at 5:54pm Glasgow Jimmy wrote:
The best that can be said for her (and God knows why I'm bothering) is that she is hopelessly naive. I'm really struck by the comments about her being as libertarian as she wants to be. The though of living in a place where people can turn away customers because of what ever prejudice they define as freedom is pretty horrible. If I ran a B&B I probably wouldn't want to extend a welcome to a member of the EDL. I know it's uncomfortable but this is an area where the law should take a hand. I certainly wouldn't vote for someone who would fail to protect my family, friend and community from bigots.
On 5 Mar 2014 at 6:08pm Stickler wrote:
She's getting a bit of stick on her 'Donna Edmunds UKIP' Facebook page.
Coincidentally, on her page she calls for Harriet Harman to resign due to lack of judgement. What's good for the goose should be good enough for the gander surely?
On 5 Mar 2014 at 6:08pm Taxpayer wrote:
What this silly ignorant woman doesn't understand is that you are not likely to get beaten up for being a Christian in the UK but gay men, women, and black people experience prejudice and discrimination and violence all the time. That is why her silly vacuous notions are ludicrous, and why she adds insult to injury when it turns out that there has been one group that she is seeking anti-discrimination laws for, and that is Christians.
I suspect that what is actually going on in her head is even worse than what she says. The signs are all there.
On 5 Mar 2014 at 6:53pm Shopkeeper wrote:
What about my no more than two schoolchildren sign on the door? Is that okay?
On 5 Mar 2014 at 7:32pm Extra wrote:
Dear oh dear Donna. Maybe we could have the two new bins promised for Barcombe Mills car park and the pot holes filled in on the unadopted Munster Green before it's too late!
On 5 Mar 2014 at 7:35pm Donna Edwards wrote:
No shopkeeper, it makes you a miserable old c#nt!
On 5 Mar 2014 at 9:14pm Local resident wrote:
Extra, you should be so lucky. Something the press have failed to pick up on, is that whilst this bizarre woman is writing endless amounts of "Libertarian" gobbledegook in UKIP publications and elsewhere, she is not doing her job as a Councillor, just chasing the next UKIP job. If they ask her own local parish Council in Hamsey, they will find that they had already written to UKIP HQ to raise their concern about her endless failure to attend meetings.
On 5 Mar 2014 at 10:47pm The Old Mayor wrote:
Its Goodbye Donna !! How ever did she get elected ?
On 5 Mar 2014 at 11:10pm Cheeky Monkey wrote:
She was elected in Barcombe as a Tory. And only because a vacuum was left by a popular independent and the rest of the vote split mainly between the greens and the libdems. If she had stood as UKIP she would have not got more than a couple of votes.
On the upside there is exactly no chance she'll get voted in again as she's done nothing in Barcombe but get people's backs up. Even the Tories can't stand her for jumping ship to UKIP and not standing down.
Her only chance is to get elected as a UKIP MEP in May and with a bit of luck she's just blown that. After that she's toast. Might give her time to do some growing up.
On 5 Mar 2014 at 11:21pm Zebedee wrote:
And now she's in the Independent... where the Lewes Forum is mentioned.
I like the Independent more every time I look at it.
Everyone seems to be saying she's appologised for her remarks, even UKIP who are refusing to fire her, but this is not true, she has only said she regrets saying them. I bet she regrets saying them! Who wouldn't when it might blow their chances of getting on the European gravy train (and in a UKIP MEPs case getting on it without ever turning up to do anything!).
She hasn't apologised in the slightest. Just like she never apologised for her remarks on Twitter.
Check it out here »
On 5 Mar 2014 at 11:24pm Egalitarian wrote:
UKIP will only get voted out when the other useless parties get their act together and seem more attractive. It is fascinating seeing Norman Baker leap on the bandwagon that a Lewes Forum contributer built. Norman has written to the paper in response to Donna's exposed rantings. It certainly wasn't Norman, or any other local party political type who researched Donnas nasty published views and then stalwartly challenged her on them. Any of our local politicians could have done that, including Norman Baker or his Lib Dem MEP co signatory colleague (who I have never even heard of) Even Lewes Forum's favourite sycophant Normans Wisdom could have done it, but instead a taxpaying voter and other Forum regulars had to do it for them. Well done to Lewes Forum. People now know exactly what they are voting for if Cllr Edmunds is not already a goner But who knows, voters might still think she is a better option that the motley bunch of anonymous unconvincing alternatives who haven't exactly been busily making us aware of their abilities and activities in the years running up to the election. It is no time for other parties to feel smug and safe.
On 6 Mar 2014 at 2:31am Tax payer wrote:
For the benefit of any journalists reading this , yesterday was not the first time that Cllr edmunds promoted her views that Christian Businesses should be allowed to discriminate against gay people. Here is the final paragraph from a discrimination endorsing article in the "Libertarianrepublic.com"
"gay couples who choose to marry should be allowed to do so, but Christian bakers who don’t want to support that marriage through their work should likewise be allowed freedom of expression"
Donna is a Church goer, who, elsewhere on this forum explains that she is not sure what denomination she is. Whichever it is, she doesn't want her fellow Christians to have to offer goods or services to gay people. She wants the right to discriminate. Donna Edmunds has also published , as detailed above, her belief that other people, presumably gay people included, should not however, be allowed to discriminate against Christians.
Presumably she hasn't heard of gay Christians. I wonder how the law would cope with that. Half illegally discriminated against, and the other half not?
On 6 Mar 2014 at 3:17am Mycroft Holmes wrote:
She has actually been selected as the UKIP UK parliamentary candidate for Lewes not just an EMP also ran.