Channel 4 undercover re Farage

@RedTagAlan

The parties will not issue their manifesto until the next general election is called which could be in 2029.

Regards police data, I would not object to all those over 18 being finger printed and DNA tested. It would be a big help in solving crimes.

I voted Labour in 2024. I don’t remember all what was said in the 2024 Reform contract, but it included:

Increase to the personal allowance. Good idea I thought as it has not increased in line with inflation since 2021 and has the greatest impact on those with low wages.

Scrap net zero and move towards small modular nuclear power plants. That seems good too as energy prices seem to be rising regardless of how many wind turbines are erected.

Reduce government wastage.

Leave the ECHR.

Not that it makes any difference as Reform did not win.

The SNP were a small insignificant party till fairly recently. Things change. If reform really wanted to win an election they could. But they won't do it by having effectively just one policy.

And on that one policy, we can go back to the SNP. They were a single policy party. And they changed. Now firmly left of center with a few blips, they beat labour. The Indy thing is still there, but it is shuffled back and forth from the small burner to the large. It's mostly on the back burner these days. But it is still brought to the boil now and then.

Can't Reform change and adapt as the SNP did ?

But here you are, not even discussing that. It's as if, for you, it is immigration or bust. Same as you are with Brexit. Brexit or bust. And Brexit did go bust.

Does that mean that for you, the only thing Reform offer is immigration? That if they do not offer that, then they can't win because you certainly won't vote for them?

As a thought experiment, how about Police record political affiliation when they arrest people, and the courts record it for convictions.

That could be interesting data. You know, are people who affiliate themselves with a political party whose leaders do not condemn violence, but instead mock the victim, more likely to commit violent offences ?

It is not recorded now of course because that would be against human rights. But when Farage is PM, and he cancels human rights, then he could record it. Would he release that data though. Or would it take an FOI request ?

No wait. I suspect he would end the FOI system.

This is why there is, and should be, resistance against this Reform new world order. Because you do not improve the world by removing hard fought for universal protections.

Actually, from spring 2025 onward, several large constituency-level MRP polls suggested that Reform could win the most seats under first-past-the-post, and several even projected an outright majority.

Obviously, their popularity has declined since then, as more people have recognised what they are, but they were certainly doing well enough at one point to warrant a much higher level of scrutiny than had been afforded to them previously. It seems that they don't like such scrutiny, but surely if you say that you want to form a government, that just goes with the territory.

Reform is a significant party whether or not they take government, which they aspire to do.

I would expect the leaders and their supporters to condemn the violence against that woman rather than deflect and minimise.

And yet here we are, trying to explain why their lack of moral character and leadership in this matter is an indictment against them.

Maybe. But that doesn’t condone the leaders of those small parties failing to condone physical violence against a peaceful protestor.

@MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack
@Thezookeepersneice

Small parties will never get in due to the FPTP electoral system in the UK. The best they can hope for is to be in a coalition like the Liberals in 2010 and the DUP in 2017.

Sure, but I’m not speculating on whether Reform ever realistically had a chance of forming a government, or whether they do now.

All I’m saying is - for a long time - Reform led the polls, and for that reason, they got a lot of media attention, as a potential party of government, and they themselves kept saying they were somehow “the real opposition”.

Then, their conference happened. And to me, it didn’t seem like the conference of a serious political party, it seemed like the gathering of an aggressive, ill-disciplined protest group. Based on the fact Reform’s popularity has slipped in the polls since then, I think others watching felt the same.

Well, neither would I after all of the financial scandals, assaults and criminal investigations etc. But there was a point at which they were leading in the polls and so a healthy degree of scrutiny is to be expected - regardless of how much Mr Farage and his supporters seem to dislike this.

@Thezookeepersneice

because I think Reform were on the brink of being seen as a potential party of government, and - as the polls show - the scenes from conference have given quite a lot of voters pause for thought on that

Poll percentages don’t correlate to seats in a general election due to the FPTP electoral system in the United Kingdom. The 2024 general election was a good example.

Labour 34% of votes, but 63% of seats with 412

Reform 14% of votes, but less than 1% of seats with 5

LibDems 12%?of votes, but 11% of seats with 72

Would I bet on Reform winning the next general election? No I wouldn’t.

Indeed, and I imagine that this is why @EEexpat is so eager to minimise the violence and silence debate.

Nothing to see here...

But the morality and character of our politicians isn’t just about criminality, is it?

Seeing how senior Reform politicians responded to a young woman being grabbed at and manhandled made me see very plainly that these are not serious, responsible politicians, who I could trust to respect and uphold the norms of our democracy.

That’s newsworthy - because I think Reform were on the brink of being seen as a potential party of government, and - as the polls show - the scenes from conference have given quite a lot of voters pause for thought on that.

I don't feel that you are posting in good faith here.

It is simply not credible that you wouldn't understand why a politically motivated assault, caught on camera and publicly sanctioned by people who are aspiring to lead our country, would attract more attention than a drunken punch-up in the pub involving Bob Smith and his mates.

Your question is disingenuous and you are obviously trying to minimise the incidents. It isn't working.

@MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack
@Maggiethecat

My question was why are the events of 4 September 2026 different to the other 1.3 million assaults that occurred to the year ending 26 March 2026 which have not been discussed?

Once the police become involved, I would say it’s best for all those concerned to allow the law to run its course. After all, it’s the police who decide whether or not the available evidence merits an arrest, not Joe Public.

If after an arrest, the person is charged it’s then handed over to the crown prosecution services. Again not Joe Public.

Jenerick’s give a medal comment was not very helpful. However, if you think he should be prosecuted, you are free to take him through the courts.

Boris Johnson was taken to court over the red bus with the £350 million sent to the EU slogan, but the case was dismissed.

You don't understand why it's newsworthy that someone who allegedly aspires to be the next prime minister stood on the stage laughing while a woman was assaulted for carrying out a perfectly legal political protest?

You don't think it's newsworthy that his proposed Chancellor stated after the assault that one of the perpetrators of the assault should be given a medal?

You don't think political violence should be reported?

This is all seeming very much like what we’ve seen happening across the pond - deny, deflect, obfuscate.

And if that doesn’t work, it’s fake news.

The party conference was being covered by media outlets and the assault was caught on camera for a start.

Decent people, regardless of party affiliation, would have found the attack to be appalling.

The matter may not have had as much traction if the leader had not laughed it off at the time or if subsequently people like Jenrick had not dismissed her treatment, implying it was deserved.

They have had more than enough opportunity to condemn the attack on the woman.

These are people who want to lead this country.

Do you still not see why this assault has gained the attention it has?

@DuncinToffee

you are justifying VAWG

Incorrect. Assaults of any kind to anyone, regardless of their gender, race, religion, political affiliation, should be investigated.

My point was that there are 1.3 million assaults per year in the UK. That works out at one every 24 seconds. A staggeringly high number I would say.

Why are they not subject of discussion on MN, or any other forum? What’s so fascinating about the events of 4 September 2026 compared to all the others in the UK?

Shameful.

You think it's a mystery as to why violent assaults on female protesters at the conference of a party which claims to care about free speech and indeed about violence against women and girls, caught on camera with the party leader laughing along on stage, have attracted attention?

Really?

Stop digging EE, you are justifying VAWG

If the ONS figure of 150 assaults per hour is correct, there have been over 75000 assaults since 4 September 2026. So, why the events that took place at the Reform Party conference has attracted so much attention is a bit of a mystery.

That nobody has been arrested in the three weeks since 4 September 2026, it sounds more like case closed than open and shut.

The suspected reason is in the post you quoted. Otherwise it’s a mystery to me because it’s open and shut.

@blossomtoes

He was filmed committing the assault. It would appear that Stephen Cooling has somehow got away with it. I can’t help wondering if some palm greasing has happened.

So, why was he not arrested?

Why has the person who was attacked not come forward?

@Maggiethecat

And yet this man, an anti migrant protester, got 2 years for throwing a plastic bottle at police and swearing.

I would say the key words are:

“at police”

I know people who went to jail for interfering with emergency services. No swearing, threats or violence involved.