The Reform Thread

[sadoldgit]

On 24/10/2025 at 18:24, John B said:

Reform swaggered into Caerphilly, ready for a coronation. An unpleasant surprise lay in store thank god

They will do well elsewhere though judging by the amount of Union and St George’s flags that have appeared on street furniture and motorway bridges recently. Both Tory candidates in adjacent constituencies were kicked out at the last election for Labour but they would go to Reform now.

Fortunately there is still plenty of time left for people to realise what a mistake that would be and for Labour to reclaim some ground. The next Budget will be another vote loser but it looks like they are finally prepared to grasp the Brexit nettle and are talking about the financial hit to our economy the leaving of the EU has cost us. This is a cost that we all have to pay sadly, not just those who voted for it. At some point it must dawn of those that we were comprehensively lied to by Farage and Johnson. If they don’t want to vote Labour there are still half decent other parties to vote for or independents. Do we (by we I mean normal, decent people not the nuckledraggers who actually think that these people care about them) really want a poor man’s Trump here doing to us what he is doing to the US?

[Gloucester Saint]

1 hour ago, Wade Garrett said:

Because between Starmer, Truss, Johnson, May, Cameron and Brown they have done a terrible job running the country.  
 

Agreed on the above, but still no excuse for people to vote for this rabble of conspiracy theories, unfounded attack on the RNLI and all round dreadful behaviour https://northeastbylines.co.uk/news/politics/chaos-engulfs-reform-uk-in-northumberland/

Same for every council they control includes the astonishing proceedings video in Kent https://theconversation.com/kent-county-council-is-reforms-shop-window-its-leaked-zoom-call-implies-chaos-and-poor-leadership-267900

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz7pe443lp5o

[Wade Garrett]

6 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Agreed on the above, but still no excuse for people to vote for this rabble of conspiracy theories, unfounded attack on the RNLI and all round dreadful behaviour https://northeastbylines.co.uk/news/politics/chaos-engulfs-reform-uk-in-northumberland/

Same for every council they control includes the astonishing proceedings video in Kent https://theconversation.com/kent-county-council-is-reforms-shop-window-its-leaked-zoom-call-implies-chaos-and-poor-leadership-267900

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz7pe443lp5o

I agree.  I like their policies on illegal immigration but the rest doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.

That said, I can understand why people are turning to them.  

[tdmickey3]

Racist does not condemn another Racist, no real surprise

Nigel Farage has said Reform MP Sarah Pochin's remark that adverts are "full" of black and Asian people was "ugly" - but that it wasn't "racist" due to the context it was made in. The Reform leader said he would have acted had he believed the intention behind the comment was racist.

[hypochondriac]

57 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said:

Racist does not condemn another Racist, no real surprise

Nigel Farage has said Reform MP Sarah Pochin's remark that adverts are "full" of black and Asian people was "ugly" - but that it wasn't "racist" due to the context it was made in. The Reform leader said he would have acted had he believed the intention behind the comment was racist.

In what way is that racist? It's an odd thing to get overly upset about but it's also quite absurd that mixed race couples are in basically every advert. It does rather give the impression that advertisers are worried about portraying white families for fear of being criticised and see something wrong with being white. 

[badgerx16]

26 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

In what way is that racist? It's an odd thing to get overly upset about but it's also quite absurd that mixed race couples are in basically every advert. It does rather give the impression that advertisers are worried about portraying white families for fear of being criticised and see something wrong with being white. 

I think it is that they don't want any ethnic group to feel left out, and their then being accused of exclusion, probably influenced by the social environment of the people workimg in advertising.

I'm not sure Pochin would have got quite such a severe reaction if she hadn't said that "It drives me mad.....".

Edited Monday at 16:26 by badgerx16

[whelk]

2 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

I think it is that they don't want any ethnic group to feel left out, and their then being accused of exclusion, probably influenced by the social environment of the people workimg in advertising.

There is full acknowledgement that you will never see a cast like that in Friends again. At the time you just laughed, or not, and didn’t say why isn’t there a black or gay New Yorker 

[whelk]

29 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

In what way is that racist? It's an odd thing to get overly upset about but it's also quite absurd that mixed race couples are in basically every advert. It does rather give the impression that advertisers are worried about portraying white families for fear of being criticised and see something wrong with being white. 

I agree and whilst many in this party are no doubt racist bastards, this often is the case that so much hyperbole over something that can be explained that doesn’t signify overt racism. Damages the cause when desperation to see racism everywhere. Works for the right and is in the Trump playbook as see the other side get hysterical

[Gloucester Saint]

10 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

I think it is that they don't want any ethnic group to feel left out, and their then being accused of exclusion, probably influenced by the social environment of the people workimg in advertising.

I'm not sure Pochin would have got quite such a severe reaction if she hadn't said that "It drives me mad.....".

Quite, if she’d said ‘I’d feel patronised if I were from an ethnic minority in this country by what advertisers are doing, it’s tokenistic’, I think a majority of people including me would have actually agreed with her.

Instead, she went down the ‘It Drives me Mad line’, all those black faces, poor whites etc’  following Murdoch’s channel’s caller down the racist rabbit hole. She’s had prior form for racism as well so if it she mis-spoke as a one-off.

Edited Monday at 16:34 by Gloucester Saint

[hypochondriac]

20 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

I think it is that they don't want any ethnic group to feel left out, and their then being accused of exclusion, probably influenced by the social environment of the people workimg in advertising.

I'm not sure Pochin would have got quite such a severe reaction if she hadn't said that "It drives me mad.....".

For me it's in the small things that irritate you camp. I expect it's advertisers trying to avoid a social media pile on or a pepsisowhite hashtag. But of a tactical error from reform though because you knew the government would be all over it.

[Gloucester Saint]

2 hours ago, hypochondriac said:

For me it's in the small things that irritate you camp. I expect it's advertisers trying to avoid a social media pile on or a pepsisowhite hashtag. But of a tactical error from reform though because you knew the government would be all over it.

So they should be, Lib Dem’s were as well, and Tories if they had a vaguely competent leader and deputy (not saying Starmer and Davey are all that either, but Kemi is desperate straits for them). Long may Sarah Pochin give gifts. 

Good article here showing data that more voters believe Reform is an openly racist party  than was the case in 2024, which added to their plagiarism of MAGA’s crazy anti-abortion views is leaving them wide open for tactical voting as we’ve seen in Wales and Scotland https://www.ft.com/content/c09d5494-9c0c-480e-8f2b-73635d86e76a

They should have won Runcorn by more considering the former Labour MP actually punched a constituent on the high street!

Window of opportunity for the Tories to revive somewhat to be the primary centre right option again if they ditch Badenoch/Estate Agent Bob and elect a centre right pro-business leader free of the 2016-22 taint. 

Edited Monday at 18:48 by Gloucester Saint
Voting

[hypochondriac]

1 hour ago, Gloucester Saint said:

So they should be, Lib Dem’s were as well, and Tories if they had a vaguely competent leader and deputy (not saying Starmer and Davey are all that either, but Kemi is desperate straits for them). Long may Sarah Pochin give gifts. 

Good article here showing data that more voters believe Reform is an openly racist party  than was the case in 2024, which added to their plagiarism of MAGA’s crazy anti-abortion views is leaving them wide open for tactical voting as we’ve seen in Wales and Scotland https://www.ft.com/content/c09d5494-9c0c-480e-8f2b-73635d86e76a

They should have won Runcorn by more considering the former Labour MP actually punched a constituent on the high street!

Window of opportunity for the Tories to revive somewhat to be the primary centre right option again if they ditch Badenoch/Estate Agent Bob and elect a centre right pro-business leader free of the 2016-22 taint. 

No one is voting for a Rory Stewart and Anna soubry approved right leaning centrist.

Edited Monday at 20:28 by hypochondriac

[Gloucester Saint]

1 hour ago, hypochondriac said:

No one is voting for a Rory Stewart and Anna soubry approved right leaning centrist.

They’re more like Liberal Democrat’s. I had Jeremy Hunt or Andy Street type figures in mind. Sunak got the job too early and at the wrong time. Good interview with the Times but behind a paywall. He clearly doesn’t want to cause Badenoch any issues but clearly irritated by some of the greasy estate agent corrupt Bob’s recent comments. If people don’t want to re-elect Labour and won’t give a Remain party enough seats, I know I can live a decent life under them. Reform are just a MAGA tribute with nationalism and white supremacism running through them. Abortion limits, key agencies ransacked, companies relying on exports going pop, social care system collapsing, skilled jobs slashed, educational standards down the toilet. Brexit gap making the economy far worse again. 

Edited Monday at 21:33 by Gloucester Saint

[hypochondriac]

7 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

They’re more like Liberal Democrat’s. I had Jeremy Hunt or Andy Street type figures in mind. Sunak got the job too early and at the wrong time. Good interview with the Times but behind a paywall. He clearly doesn’t want to cause Badenoch any issues but clearly irritated by some of the greasy estate agent corrupt Bob’s recent comments. If people don’t want to re-elect Labour and won’t give a Remain party enough seats, I know I can live a decent life under them. Reform are just a MAGA tribute with nationalism and white supremacism running through them. Abortion limits, key agencies ransacked, companies relying on exports going pop, social care system collapsing, skilled jobs slashed, educational standards down the toilet. Brexit gap making the economy far worse again. 

Surely you agree that abortion limits should exist?

[Gloucester Saint]

12 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Surely you agree that abortion limits should exist?

24 weeks as an upper limit although with the summer legislation, it will no longer be an enforcement matter beyond that. Not sure I agreed with that but very dangerous from Farage - up to 24 weeks is a long held consensus and he’s merely cosying up to MAGA benefactors https://news.sky.com/story/nigel-farage-says-it-is-utterly-ludicrous-to-allow-abortion-up-to-24-weeks-13375431

I’m pro choice for our women on the whole, as conservatives (small c) overall used to be in a more sensible era, and 24 weeks is a compromise. To threaten to reduce that considerably is backfiring thankfully and hopefully will continue to do so https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/reform-anti-abortion-us-movement-farage-b2832865.html

Not a coincidence either that a headbanger like Maria Caulfield defected there recently nor Mad Nads.

Edited Monday at 21:48 by Gloucester Saint

[hypochondriac]

3 hours ago, Gloucester Saint said:

24 weeks as an upper limit although with the summer legislation, it will no longer be an enforcement matter beyond that. Not sure I agreed with that but very dangerous from Farage - up to 24 weeks is a long held consensus and he’s merely cosying up to MAGA benefactors https://news.sky.com/story/nigel-farage-says-it-is-utterly-ludicrous-to-allow-abortion-up-to-24-weeks-13375431

I’m pro choice for our women on the whole, as conservatives (small c) overall used to be in a more sensible era, and 24 weeks is a compromise. To threaten to reduce that considerably is backfiring thankfully and hopefully will continue to do so https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/reform-anti-abortion-us-movement-farage-b2832865.html

Not a coincidence either that a headbanger like Maria Caulfield defected there recently nor Mad Nads.

Did he threaten to reduce it considerably? It looked like he was expressing a personal view. Personally I'd also find it difficult to support 24 weeks given that someone close to me was born at that point but I understand it's a very complex issue with no correct answer. Anyway from your link above it sounds fairly conclusive to me:

"The party does not have a stance on abortion. We consider it an issue of conscience, and our members and representatives hold a diverse range of views. Reform UK has no intention of making changes to the current abortion laws."

 

[whelk]

5 hours ago, hypochondriac said:

Did he threaten to reduce it considerably? It looked like he was expressing a personal view. Personally I'd also find it difficult to support 24 weeks given that someone close to me was born at that point but I understand it's a very complex issue with no correct answer. Anyway from your link above it sounds fairly conclusive to me:

"The party does not have a stance on abortion. We consider it an issue of conscience, and our members and representatives hold a diverse range of views. Reform UK has no intention of making changes to the current abortion laws."

 

Are Reform going to get your vote?

[hypochondriac]

1 hour ago, whelk said:

Are Reform going to get your vote?

Not sure tbh. I think it's too far away from an election to make a definitive choice. I certainly won't be voting labour or Conservative. Like the last few elections it will be the party I dislike the least.

[sadoldgit]

This is what you are voting for if you vote Reform.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/reform-wheels-out-danny-kruger-the-brains-of-nigel-farage-s-operation/ar-AA1PmFz7?cvid=6901bf9870144b899d1787f31fee4aa0&ocid=hpmsn

[Sir Ralph]

2 minutes ago, sadoldgit said:

This is what you are voting for if you vote Reform.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/reform-wheels-out-danny-kruger-the-brains-of-nigel-farage-s-operation/ar-AA1PmFz7?cvid=6901bf9870144b899d1787f31fee4aa0&ocid=hpmsn

From the Guardian so not exactly balanced

[badgerx16]

10 minutes ago, Sir Ralph said:

From the Guardian so not exactly balanced

True. But Kruger has said that part of his grand plan to reorganise Government is to shut down 6 agencies...........

 

which the Cabinet Office has already slated to be shut down.