Reform are getting a shitload of voters

Ps Thank goodness for Count Binface . Cutting through all the platitudes!

@ExitPursuedByABare if they got in before the end of 2020 they are fine which gave them a good four years to sort it out

I agree completely, which is why I said it has racist connotations. Historically, ghetto referred to black communities in the US. But yeah, could be any minority. My point was that they were wondering if it is racist to object to the existence of ghettos in their area, and I pointed out that the word itself has racist connotations.

Close to being 3rd. Certainly not close to Labour vote.

@cantgetmybreath I thought Brexit prevented them retiring Spain.

And there is the problem
It's not the far right, fascists etć.

Its bright voters knowing Labour will win but wanting to send a message.

and another one Cramlington Reform close 2nd.

I'm not sure I follow you. How is the Tory party left wing exactly? Because they haven't flogged off the NHS yet I suppose. This makes them raving Marxists ...

@ExitPursuedByABare 🤔 not sure really I mean a lot of the older ones who voted for brexit have retired to Spain now. Unfortunately they still get a vote !

It's not a racist word, it describes an certain kind of area where a certain group, often marginalized in some way, is kept together. Sometimes by cultural forces, sometimes economically, sometimes legally. It can be race, or class. You might think of black communities, others might think first of Jewish communities, another person might think of a ghetto that is mainly white, or Asian in some places.

They all have negative connotations because their whole existence is about marginalizing people. It's not because some of them are composed mainly of black people.

You know you made an odd leap, but I’m patronising you for pointing it out and clarifying what I mean? Cool

Sorry but I have to call you out on this especially as your are calling others racisit. Someone whose parents were immigrants are almost certainly British although they may have dual nationality but they are as British as anyone else. I think you mean to refer to their heitage, possibly their culture or even their ethnicity.

If he does the weird beard trim again, he's yours.

I'm just going to nap on the sofa with the telly on. I don't want to sleep past 3.30.

FPTP isn’t really protecting you from reform it’s simply ensuring that people are frustrated with democracy and don’t feel heard and that we risk centre right parties drifting further to the right to try to win reform votes. So “reform” itself might not get in but instead their populist right ideas infect the entire conservative manifesto instead - to me this is more dangerous.

If we had a proper representational democracy where everyone’s vote counted, you would likely see a lot of the “protest” vote in reform evaporate and the two party system would be less polarised - for e.g., the conservatives able to stay “small c”conservative and keep a comfortable majority of the right wing vote, perhaps entering into a coalition with reform who get a c. 8% share of seats.

That way is actually much better because the toxic ideas of the reform party would stay within their remit, people who support them would see fair representation in government (the cornerstone of democracy after all) and the main Conservative Party wouldn’t have to tactically pander to their voting base as they would be comfortable getting most of the right wing vote nationally in a proportional system.

See recent results in New Zealand and the National Party (their equivalent of conservatives) and the Act party (their reform) for how that might work.

I am northern working class and white and know people who support Reform. And I agree with you.

Regardless of the government, there is a problem with racism in Germany.

All of which I know.

Go and patronise somebody else, please.

Those slating the North East voters probably don't know what it's been like under a constant Labour Council, and seeing what they DON'T do and how much ruin has become of the place esp in Sunderland. People are sick to the back teeth of Labour knowing they have a safe seat so they can sit back and take the piss! People also are reluctant to vote Conservative so generally find themselves stuck with Labour or making a protest vote and Reform is that (although I went with GP)

I've also mentioned on another thread a couple of weeks ago about the eye rolling and dismissive behaviour and attitude of my labour candidate - now MP - when asked questions, when one of his canvassers was at the door. I told him there and then I wouldn't be voting him after that. If that was the general attitude of his campaign then I'm not surprised at how the voting went for many undecided people.

What do you think should be done with the thick gammonny folk who voted for Brexit and have now supported Reform?

Wrong there though ; their core demographic obviously. Years of night shifts have some sort of upside.

@LiterallyOnFire you have the golden ticket ! If you decide you don't want him send him my way 😉 hope you get some sleep I'm too stressed 😂

Doing well in the North East. Doubt they will repeat that nationwide. Its up to the Tories now. Go back to the centre. Or go whoring after the extremist vote. Then Labour must deliver or maybe the OP will be right.

Me pointing out that a word has racist connotations, and you jumping to the conclusion that it means I haven’t been somewhere is an odd leap which makes me think you have poor reading comprehension. You then asserting that “white ghettos are a thing”, needing to qualify that some ghettos are white, further reinforces my point that the word is associated with minorities.

@crowgift I feel the same

Thanks, it’s good to see many others on this thread agree.

Leaving this thread now I think I’ve had my say 😂 and can’t be arsed tonight with the reform apologists irrespective of their alleged race or nationality.

I’ll check the final results in the morning. Here’s hoping they got less than predicted but I doubt it tbh.