To reckon that Reform will win the next election, and to be utterly terrified about it? 😪

To be fair it wouldn’t be as hard for me as it would have been pre 2024. This has always been a Tory constituency and the previous MP was completely useless. I actually approve of the new one, he’s hard working and takes his responsibility as a community leader seriously. If it was a choice between him and letting a Reform candidate in it would be a no brainer.

I would too...

Jeez now that would be a tough decision and one i may have to face, my area has always been a traditional Tory seat, first time we've had a Labour MP, who is very good.
Whether i would vote Tory to keep out Reform.... mmmmmm given Badenoch's views, there is nothing between them, on some issues' Reform are more left than the Cons....

Would be like choosing between "Do i want to be shot or hung?"

I'm not wild about them - their uni funding propsals could hurt my youngest will have to wait and see,

Honestly - I think it boils down to give a shit about Wales.

Labour had 20+ years - NHS and Education they control are much worse state than England -council are under huge recycling pressure so small bins and 3 week collections - roads are a state - lots of dissatisfaction. A lot of funding seems to stay round Cardiff than Wales as a whole which may be a thing for some areas.

I don't think anyone really thinks they'd be delivering independence in next term - the SNP in Scotland with more seperation from England than Wales has had haven't done so yet.

It's usually Lab/Con at top two parties in UK paraliment elections - polls suggest it's Plaid Vs reform here currently. I'm very aware of SENEDD election coming up in May but other than Labour party trying to look more visible with post to us - not really heard much from parties yet so my vote is completely up for grabs.

There are a lot of people here in Scotland who don’t care about the black hole in the finances that would be the result of an Indy vote. They’d sooner be living in a cave eating rats than remaining in the UK. It’s an opinion. Albeit one that’s hard to reason with.

As an outsider to Wales, what do people think Plaid are going to do for them? And do the Welsh seriously support full independence for Wales? Seems a crazy idea to me - worse than Brexit. What about the £20 billion grant Wales gets from UK govt? Surely independence would just make everyone poorer

I was watching you tube - UK poltcial commentatiors from various papers.

One of them was out talking to people in red wall areas who were saying they'd never vote labour again and would likely vote reform - and then he was saying what about Andy Burname - and it was oh yes we'd vote for him. One far right one very left - people want change less bothered by left and right.

They also seemed to think Reform was reaching peak of popularity and was causing itself issue with so may Boris Johnson Tory defecting to them and that nearer we get to polls more scrutiny on polices and past performance will come up. I'm not so sure but a week is a long time in poltics and there are years before next general election.

Here in wales I think Plaid Cymru are riding the need change wave - and have outpaced currently Reform - similar could happen in England - so another existing party manages to get traction. Labour may also change leader or Conversatives could start to look credible - plus tactical voting is well understood by the electorate here.

Yes, I agree!

Tories are probably where my vote will end up in the Scottish elections. Purely through other parties making themselves unelectable. I always vote but if it was between the SNPs or Greens then I just wouldn’t. What they are doing to women up here is just so abhorrent.

Knowing this from Australia greens will wreck the country. Please don’t fall for it

I’d go further. I’d hold my nose and vote Tory to keep them out if that was the only way. If anyone had told me five years ago that I’d say that I’d have said they were delusional.

I'd definitely vote for Lib Dems/Greens over Reform any day of the week!

I just don't understand this attitude. Of course things could get worse - inflation could get worse, making things even more expensive, there could be another economic crisis, there could be more war, public services can get worse, political corruption could get worse, and if you can't imagine a worse PM than Keir Starmer you really must have very little imagination.

The UK is still one of the richest and safest countries in the world. Why would this particular moment represent the lowest possible point? You only need to look at the wider world to see most people live in societies far worse, in many ways, that this one.

They creep me out too but there’s no way any woman should be voting for parties that think blokes should be in single sex spaces, I.e Greens, LibDems, SNP, and Labour need to get the EHRC off Brigit Philipsons desk and into the public domain.

I agree.

No women should be supporting Reform. It’s a betrayal of everyone’s daughters to do so. I think we are all going to have to employ tactical voting.

What has he done in his constituency this last year or so to lead you to believe he will deliver anything in government?

So he can't deliver the undeliverable until he's in government.

He can't deliver anything until he's in Gvt.

I did live briefly in one of these areas not in the north and was actually approached by some men who thought I was fair game whilst walking home late at night but I have also seen the racism exhibited from people that are hateful and angry and made lads that weren't white feel intimidated and scared.

I also grew up in London both West and south in the 90s and saw my oldest brother's friend at 15 arrive home black and blue from a beating from the local youth BNP. I can see the fear this created in the community for people who weren't white and how it ruined the relative harmony prior to that. This was all around the time of the very sad murder of Stephen Lawrence. Having lived in that kind of atmosphere I definitely don't want to see a return to that level of fear and hatred.

My friend in the States is really frightened by Trump. She said ICE are even going after people with 'accents'. She said to me at the time of the elections that her sister-in-laws absolutely wouldn't vote for the Democrats because Kamala Harris is a woman, so they voted Republican because of that. They are really old-fashioned compared to us.

Yes, what did he actually achieve as an MEP of 21 years!

The accusation Starmer has lied, has come from Trump.... a well know liar.

I don't know what the UK told the US govt anymore than you do but its unbelievable that they wouldn't have checked the documention before issuing a whole hearted recomendation.

I might also add that the Tories stated aims during their time in office over Chagos, was identical to the deal Labour got.

But, as we don't even need Diego Garcia (we don't have the means to project power in the North sea let alone the Indian Ocean) why don't the US have the responsibility?

When Farage was an MEP he was on the fisheries committee and had the opportunity to make huge advances for our fishing industry. He only showed up for 1 in 43 meetings and did nothing for Britain.

I think if you live in a community affected by the grooming gangs scandal (and the numbers are truly staggering - hundreds of thousands of girls) and you saw either the UK or Scottish governments sweeping the issue under the carpet, or you lived in a community that had hundreds of single young men from misogynistic lands which have a tradition of treating women as little more than sex slaves (ie Afghanistan) dumped in to leer at your daughters, you might feel compelled to vote Reform.

The main issue is Labour (and the SNP) preferring to pretend that people concerned about these things are nasty racists and should be ignored. But these people have valid concerns while are not being addressed, and will use their votes as they see fit and who can blame them.

I’m fortunate in that I don’t live in these communities so can afford other issues to be my main concern. That’s a privilege.