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

@NavyTurtle how can you prove it never happened, particularly when you have so many witnesses?

It was proven that it never happened.

It already is unrecognizable under Liebour - how anyone could support the bunch of hypocrites and liars is beyond me.

can't see it happening personally. He has no policies other than immigration

Sure. But if the managed decline continues that will favour the populist parties.

Well Labour will likely piss enough people off for them to be out.

As for who gets in my vote doesn’t go to Reform but I don’t get the ire over saving pubs.

3 years is an awful long time in politics.

Farage doesn't have any kind of coherent economic plan.

As a populist, he simply sees which way the political wind is blowing and starts commenting to create media engagement.

People react to the obvious BS because he really is a grifter (that media engagement is also deaigned to enrich himself).

The UK is screwed because we have two parties (Greens and Reform) full of economic illiterates, while the Centre-right party (Tories) are despised due to their lack of competency.

I was hoping Labour would operate at the center and make reasonable economic adjustments, but they seem hell bent on completely avoiding tougher spending decisions, leading to poor economic growth, higher inflation, and increasing levels of political polarisation.

Its that political polarisation (due to having close to a zero sum economy) that favours populist parties.

Starmer backed him. He's been dodgy for 20 years

Why does that annoy you in particular? Labour are doing the opposite there.

😫 Jesus! Maybe he needs to actually hold surgeries for his constituents ( which he clearly isn’t) instead of coming out with these useless slogans! I despair that people think he actually gives a fucking damn about pubs! He just knows working class people value them and it gets you onside so he can line his pockets . He’s a privately educated snob. He secretly thinks you are scum. Grow up and open your eyes!

What’s wrong with “save our pubs” they are a vital part of British society and our economy round here there’s pubs that have been serving the locals for hundreds of years they are integral to British tradtion. I’m glad someone is concentrating on this. Pubs are a part of our worldwide identity, tourists coming to Britain very much want to visit a British pub. Why do you think this cornerstone of British society economy and tradition is not important?

The Clacton grifter is on the news right now. His priority appears to be "save our pubs". Dick.

Ah, now the barrage of insults & attack! The far right are nothing but predictable!

A thread about Reform, talking extensively about their leader, N Farage is all relevant ..., bringing in Mandelson, is however, a bit weird & does show a certain desperation.

Reform have or at the very least, had, Russian links, Farage was a stalwart of Russian Today, does he still have these links? was he ever paid by the Russian state? did he support the Russian narrative on Ukraine? all very pertinent.

He is on record of blaming EU/NATO and Ukraine for the "Special operation" as Farage might call it.... he doesn't seem to be prominent in criticising Putin over his use of freezing Ukrainian civilians to death in Kiev and other cities.

Totally agree with you - I'm afraid of a continuing Labour government not Reform. It seems like people are becoming desperate to smear Nigel Farage and are either exaggerating or plain lying about past events. There's a reason why Reform has been consistently on top of the polls, because Nigel Farage has vision and the political will to make the changes the country needs - I dread it when we actually get near a general election - the left will be going beserk in their irrational condemnation of Reform.

Clear message and set out without the usual unpleasantness. However I think we need to agree to disagree about everything.
I actually read the Guardian every day but all it does is raise my blood pressure. I also visit Novara Media site and follow a few of their people. They are very interesting and well informed but I’m afraid I am simply not usually swayed by any of their arguments (some exceptions of course) when compared to people like Danny Kruger, Richard Tice and Zia Yousef as well as my lived experience.

Tbh every day it’s getting more likely Reform will get in. Look at the bat shit crazy - male the countryside less white agenda. The countryside is open to all, come into it, respect traditions (inc dogs running around off leads), focus on pubs, local traditions and you will be fine and welcome. Dont start trying to change it to become more relevant to a multicultural society. Doing these kinds of things just drives people to Reform -the rise of the right is purely as. A result of this type of craziness!!

@BeAmberZebra I am so sorry if its become personal and understand how it might become overwhelming. In terms of Farage's schoolboy racism, some of it was when he was 18/19 and it was consistent throughout his education career. If he had apologised I would perhaps think he has changed but he refuses to. And so many people remembering those same details must surely provide some compelling evidence?

But I assure you that Reform will never make things better for your (grand)children. And one of the reasons is that Brexit has already ruined this country in terms of economy, immigration and the nhs. To take an example, Polish people are going home because things have been so crap since Brexit and Poland is getting stronger.

Farage is not a good man, he is racist and self serving. He is laughing at his voters because he is doing it all to line his pockets. I am a mum of 2 young boys and I am utterly terrified about a future under Reform. Please look beyond his slogans and at least look at their record on a local level to see what damage they are doing and the promises they have already broken. Research the actual impact of Brexit. Please listen to sources other than the right wing press.

Possibly but millions of people are also obviously doing so.😂. Possibly as a result of looking at the state of the country and knowing millions of people are going to vote for parties that will clearly make it worse.

I loathe Reform. Mandelson has just handed them voters by the bucketful. By the time all is revealed there won't be enough Labour voters to fill a bus.

@BeAmberZebrayouve obviously lost your mind. I’m sorry. It must be so difficult for you!

Simply don’t believe that people remember this stuff so accurately after all this time. Also many boys that age at that time were little arses and they grew up to be great people. I shudder when I remember things I did when I was young. If you don’t you must have been very angelic. That’s not to say I believe everything that Nigel is alleged to have done as a child is true.
I appreciate that I am becoming too involved in this debate. In my defence I am honestly terrified for the future of my children and tiny grandchildren if Reform does not succeed. I find it difficult to believe that people look round the absolute state of this country and think the same people who over the last 20 years created this mess can improve it and not actually make it worse. I do not think Nigel is perfect and to be honest there are a few Reform policies that concern me ( Reform voters do not actually all agree 100% with each other or the leadership in the same way as happens with many other party’s voters) but nothing about Reform terrifies like the thought of another Labour or Conservative government not to mention the horror of Greens or Lib Dem’s getting in power.
i really need to take a short break from this thread but can’t seem to do so as I get a bit angry at some of the relentless and unhinged attacks on Nigel Farage.

Well, there had to be one gulible person out there because of course, this government doesn't lie does it? There has been no extra spend to date. The NHS budget is expected to rise by the same amount each year to 2028 according to government figures. Most of tge NHS budget is taken up by wages and medicines. The yearly increase in budget (as is normal) is expected to cover costs to 2028. Here's an extract from Kings Fund of what the government intends to do over the next few
years based on Dept of Health data

The government’s 2025 Autumn Budget included planned spending to 2028/29. Spending is expected to rise over the next three years to 2028/29, by an average of 2.2% per year once inflation is taken into account – below historic levels.

Weird someone lied!! There is no increase in funding planned and what is planned is less than previous years. No doubt they will release the odd pot of money in response to public outcry re services to give the illusion that they are supporting NHS with budget increases. Don't be so gulible, this Labour government is full of people who lie.

@BeAmberZebrawhat compels you to defend Farage so vigorously and without reservation? Did you not believe any of the many people who came forward to talk about his racist bullying of them at school? Something which he continues to refuse to apologise for?

Haven’t we just been told that there was no actual reduction in waiting lists. Just absurd amounts of cash splashed to take people who should not be on the waiting list(as dead, cured, moved on) off it. Which frankly any competent organisation would have done as a matter of course.