[News] Nigel Farage and Reform

[Guinness Boy]

Reform candidate suspended for posts supporting Jimmy Savile! Lovely people.....

Reform UK: Stephen Hartley suspended after pro-Jimmy Savile tweets

Stephen Hartley was announced as a Reform UK candidate in the Banbury Hardwick ward, but has since been suspended.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[WATFORD zero]

See, Reform isn't full of racist, misogynist, homophobic, islamaphobic, xenophobic morons.

They still have room for paedophile and rapist apologists too

 

[Weststander]

Am I the only person serenely relaxed that their apparent lead in the UK polls won't amount to tangibly much at all?

Based on:
- great faith that we're a fair, non extreme nation overall. We just don't do Le Pen, Trump, Orbán types and hate in big numbers.
- tactical voting by constituency, the British are masters at this. The overwhelming majority including centre right folk would engineer anyone but Farage/Tice.

 

[SouthSaxon]

Am I the only person serenely relaxed that their apparent lead in the UK polls won't amount to tangibly much at all?

Based on:
- great faith that we're a fair, non extreme nation overall. We just don't do Le Pen, Trump, Orbán types and hate in big numbers.
- tactical voting by constituency, the British are masters at this. The overwhelming majority including centre right folk would engineer anyone but Farage/Tice.

FPTP has historically prevented fringe parties from making a breakthrough, more so than any particular British qualities.

There’s a distinct possibility that Farage’s Russian leanings will scupper him from here on. But I do worry that Labour is working hard to push more voters in his direction.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Am I the only person serenely relaxed that their apparent lead in the UK polls won't amount to tangibly much at all?

Based on:
- great faith that we're a fair, non extreme nation overall. We just don't do Le Pen, Trump, Orbán types and hate in big numbers.
- tactical voting by constituency, the British are masters at this. The overwhelming majority including centre right folk would engineer anyone but Farage/Tice.

I'm afraid that you are far more optimistic than me. Incredible though it seems given what has happened, I think there are still a significant number of pennies to drop yet

And i'm guessing, some never will

 

[Machiavelli]

Am I the only person serenely relaxed that their apparent lead in the UK polls won't amount to tangibly much at all?

Based on:
- great faith that we're a fair, non extreme nation overall. We just don't do Le Pen, Trump, Orbán types and hate in big numbers.
- tactical voting by constituency, the British are masters at this. The overwhelming majority including centre right folk would engineer anyone but Farage/Tice.

Don't agree with your first point, but I'm less concerned about Reform than many are. In the polls they've just about reached the numbers of the public that can stomach them. The remainder utterly despise them and would never contemplate putting an X by them. Some councils might end up with a Reform administration, and they'll deserve the sheer incompetence they will be subjected to. Many of those elected councillors will have to resign due to scrutiny and vile comments from the past being dredged up. And then there will be the in-fighting. And probably some other stuff too.

 

[Weststander]

Don't agree with your first point, but I'm less concerned about Reform than many are. In the polls they've just about reached the numbers of the public that can stomach them. The remainder utterly despise them and would never contemplate putting an X by them. Some councils might end up with a Reform administration, and they'll deserve the sheer incompetence they will be subjected to. Many of those elected councillors will have to resign due to scrutiny and vile comments from the past being dredged up. And then there will be the in-fighting. And probably some other stuff too.

Are LA elections a form of PR? Will be incredibly hard for them to gain overall majorities.

Regarding sentiment, asking in good spirit …. are you one of the nsc’ers who‘s world means you never, ever encounter Brexiteers or Tories? Some here have kinda said that in the past. Through my work I know a lot of people, their staff and third parties, well enough to chat politics, across a wide swathe of the country. In these chats I’m heartened by their almost overwhelming dislike of the 2025 version of Farage and Trump, and what they stand for. This includes Brexit voters, old school Tories, other centre right people.

I remain positive.

 

[Weststander]

I'm afraid that you are far more optimistic than me. Incredible though it seems given what has happened, I think there are still a significant number of pennies to drop yet

And i'm guessing, some never will

Imho Trump will ultimately draw us closer to the EU.

 

[Peteinblack]

Don't agree with your first point, but I'm less concerned about Reform than many are. In the polls they've just about reached the numbers of the public that can stomach them. The remainder utterly despise them and would never contemplate putting an X by them. Some councils might end up with a Reform administration, and they'll deserve the sheer incompetence they will be subjected to. Many of those elected councillors will have to resign due to scrutiny and vile comments from the past being dredged up. And then there will be the in-fighting. And probably some other stuff too.

Yes, I think that where they get elected, their sheer incompetence will become clear to more people, and they will prove their own claim that "all politicians are the same - corrupt/self-serving/lazy/useless."

I recall in the 2000s, the BNP started getting local councillors elected in some ex-Labour wards - they soon ended-up literally fighting and brawling among themselves in public town-hall meetings, and were soon voted out again at the next election.

As far as I can tell, Reform/Farage supporters are mostly concerned about immigration and 'stopping the boats' - they don't seem to know what Reform or Farage stand-for on other policy issues. Perhaps if they were made aware that he is somewhat to the Right of Thatcher, and wants more of the policies which we have had for the last 45 years, then fewer people might be attracted by Reform/Farage. After all, Reform's MPs (or the 3-4 they have left) recently voted against the Bill to strengthen workers' rights and job protection, which rather undermined their claim to be the Party of the abandoned working-class or the 'left-behind'.

"We're pissed-off at decades of insecure employment, low wages, lack of employment rights, privatisation, slum housing and exorbitant rents, decimation off public services, decline of local communities, corporate greed and corruption, and obscene levels of inequality, so we're gonna vote for a public-school-educated millionaire City-boy who will give us more of the same x 100."

 

[Weststander]

Yes, I think that where they get elected, their sheer incompetence will become clear to more people, and they will prove their own claim that "all politicians are the same - corrupt/self-serving/lazy/useless."

I recall in the 2000s, the BNP started getting local councillors elected in some ex-Labour wards - they soon ended-up literally fighting and brawling among themselves in public town-hall meetings, and were soon voted out again at the next election.

As far as I can tell, Reform/Farage supporters are mostly concerned about immigration and 'stopping the boats' - they don't seem to know what Reform or Farage stand-for on other policy issues. Perhaps if they were made aware that he is somewhat to the Right of Thatcher, and wants more of the policies which we have had for the last 45 years, then fewer people might be attracted by Reform/Farage. After all, Reform's MPs (or the 3-4 they have left) recently voted against the Bill to strengthen workers' rights and job protection, which rather undermined their claim to be the Party of the abandoned working-class or the 'left-behind'.

"We're pissed-off at decades of insecure employment, low wages, lack of employment rights, privatisation, slum housing and exorbitant rents, decimation off public services, decline of local communities, corporate greed and corruption, and obscene levels of inequality, so we're gonna vote for a public-school-educated millionaire City-boy who will give us more of the same x 100."

He’s far, far to the right of Maggie. A racist, slyly pro the ultra rich/posh establishment over aspirant middle classes, an apologist for those murdering/raping/waging illegal war, more than that their friend, a climate change denier, a science denier, he doesn’t give two ***** about the environment.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Yes, I think that where they get elected, their sheer incompetence will become clear to more people, and they will prove their own claim that "all politicians are the same - corrupt/self-serving/lazy/useless."

I recall in the 2000s, the BNP started getting local councillors elected in some ex-Labour wards - they soon ended-up literally fighting and brawling among themselves in public town-hall meetings, and were soon voted out again at the next election.

As far as I can tell, Reform/Farage supporters are mostly concerned about immigration and 'stopping the boats' - they don't seem to know what Reform or Farage stand-for on other policy issues. Perhaps if they were made aware that he is somewhat to the Right of Thatcher, and wants more of the policies which we have had for the last 45 years, then fewer people might be attracted by Reform/Farage. After all, Reform's MPs (or the 3-4 they have left) recently voted against the Bill to strengthen workers' rights and job protection, which rather undermined their claim to be the Party of the abandoned working-class or the 'left-behind'.

"We're pissed-off at decades of insecure employment, low wages, lack of employment rights, privatisation, slum housing and exorbitant rents, decimation off public services, decline of local communities, corporate greed and corruption, and obscene levels of inequality, so we're gonna vote for a public-school-educated millionaire City-boy who will give us more of the same x 100."

I'm sorry, but if people didn't recognise what Farage was when him and Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson jumped into bed together to head the 'Leave' campaign, I can't imagine why the outcome, facts and the truth might have dawned on those same people since

In the words of that great philosopher George Alan O'Dowd 'people are stupid'

 

[WATFORD zero]

He’s far, far to the right of Maggie. A racist, slyly pro the ultra rich/posh establishment over aspirant middle classes, an apologist for those murdering/raping/waging illegal war, more than that their friend, a climate change denier, a science denier, he doesn’t give two ***** about the environment.

Yeah to all that, but 'he tells it like it is'

 

[Machiavelli]

Are LA elections a form of PR? Will be incredibly hard for them to gain overall majorities.

Regarding sentiment, asking in good spirit …. are you one of the nsc’ers who‘s world means you never, ever encounter Brexiteers or Tories? Some here have kinda said that in the past. Through my work I know a lot of people, their staff and third parties, well enough to chat politics, across a wide swathe of the country. In these chats I’m heartened by their almost overwhelming dislike of the 2025 version of Farage and Trump, and what they stand for. This includes Brexit voters, old school Tories, other centre right people.

I remain positive.

LEs closer to PR than GEs. Many wards will elect multiple (three most usually) councillors which means it's not one-winner-takes-all.
I have far more contact with hopeless lefties than those of the right in my world.
I'd agree that many trad Tories are horrified with what's going on, and the Lib Dems may well hold many of their seats at the next GE (no idea what will happen in that at this stage) as a result. But at the moment Tories and Reform are collectively polling c45% which means there's a fair amount of support for dog-whistling racism, net zero-shunning, etc.
Not entirely sure that it'll really help either party that much in the next GE but I still think that we need to move to PR because it better reflects the preferences of the electorate with four -- potentially five if the Greens can sweep up disaffected Labour voters and the odd trad Tory constituency -- parties polling over 10%. And that's not factoring in the SNP. We're so far off 1951 when 96% of those that voted voted for the big two.

 

[Machiavelli]

Yes, I think that where they get elected, their sheer incompetence will become clear to more people, and they will prove their own claim that "all politicians are the same - corrupt/self-serving/lazy/useless."

I recall in the 2000s, the BNP started getting local councillors elected in some ex-Labour wards - they soon ended-up literally fighting and brawling among themselves in public town-hall meetings, and were soon voted out again at the next election.

As far as I can tell, Reform/Farage supporters are mostly concerned about immigration and 'stopping the boats' - they don't seem to know what Reform or Farage stand-for on other policy issues. Perhaps if they were made aware that he is somewhat to the Right of Thatcher, and wants more of the policies which we have had for the last 45 years, then fewer people might be attracted by Reform/Farage. After all, Reform's MPs (or the 3-4 they have left) recently voted against the Bill to strengthen workers' rights and job protection, which rather undermined their claim to be the Party of the abandoned working-class or the 'left-behind'.

"We're pissed-off at decades of insecure employment, low wages, lack of employment rights, privatisation, slum housing and exorbitant rents, decimation off public services, decline of local communities, corporate greed and corruption, and obscene levels of inequality, so we're gonna vote for a public-school-educated millionaire City-boy who will give us more of the same x 100."

Reform are going big on blaming net zero for all our ills.

 

[Peteinblack]

Reform are going big on blaming net zero for all our ills.

I guess blaming 'Woke' for everything is so last year!

 

[SouthSaxon]

Part of the problem is people who are fed up with piss weak governance, and mealy-mouthed hypocrites from the two big parties, can also be wooed by someone “telling it like it is” and appearing strong.

 

[Cordwainer]

Reform are going big on blaming net zero for all our ills.

From the interviews I’ve seen with Tice, Farage etc. unsurprisingly they have no idea what the aims of net zero are, how it’s funded and what it aims to achieve. Populist luddites.

 

[Bodian]

Poor choice of slogan Jim [Courtesy of Have I Got News For You]

 

[ManOfSussex]

Yeah to all that, but 'he tells it like it is'

He went to Dulwich College, worked in the city, shouted at foreigners in the European Parliament in his English, public school accent and dresses like Rupert the Bear. If that 'ain't a genuine man of the people I don't what is.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Am I the only person serenely relaxed that their apparent lead in the UK polls won't amount to tangibly much at all?

Based on:
- great faith that we're a fair, non extreme nation overall. We just don't do Le Pen, Trump, Orbán types and hate in big numbers.
- tactical voting by constituency, the British are masters at this. The overwhelming majority including centre right folk would engineer anyone but Farage/Tice.

No, you are not alone.

The 'protest/paedophile/red-faced gammon' vote is evenly spread across the nation.
All hail FPTP.
And....exhale.