Page 36 | Reform lost 6 by elections this week 🎉

TheRealSmurfette · 2026-10-05T02:38:10+00:00

*Some good news to start the week!* *The mainstream media might be quiet about it, but the numbers don’t lie: Reform UK just lost SIX by-elections in a single week.* *Their momentum is officially hitting a wall. On Thursday, they failed to win across the UK and even lost the incumbent seats they were supposed to defend:* - *_Amble Ward_* (Northumberland) — *LOST* (Gained by Labour) - *_Hirst Ward_* (Northumberland) — *LOST* (Reclaimed by Labour) - *_Claremont Ward_* (Blackpool) — *LOST* (Held by Labour) - *_Long Whatton & Diseworth Ward_* (NW Leicestershire) — *LOST* (Held by Conservatives) - *Wick & East Caithness Ward* (Highland) — *LOST* (Stormed by Lib Dems) - *Forth & Endrick Ward* (Stirling) — *LOST* (Held by Conservatives) about:blank 1, [[https://go.skimresources.com?id=470X1716091&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.libdemvoice.org%2Fbyelection-report-011026-80571.html&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mumsnet.com%2Fapi%2Fv3%2Ftalk%2Fthreads%2F5585639%2Fedit 2]]] *The right-wing vote is splitting down the middle, squeezing them out in low-turnout battles. Proof that real, local communities are seeing through the rhetoric. * Keep it up lads! 🙌

TopPocketFind · 19/10/2026 11:37

Pineneedlesincarpet · 19/10/2026 11:32

Not really. If youre going to criticise one party for racism then your own party should be squeaky clean on that front. Otherwise you're a hypocrite. You cant say oh well my party and many of my current MPs supported an anti semite but that was 5 years ago so doesn't count and so we can therefore criticise other parties from a position of virtue. Well you can say it obviously. But you would then be a hypocrite.

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So you are saying that Labour supporters can't criticise Reform's racism and sexism because of Corbyn?

How do you apply that to other parties? Tories can't criticise Reform because of Johnson's bumboys and letterboxes comments?

BIossomtoes · 19/10/2026 11:38

Nobody’s saying it from a position of virtue. Both things are wrong.

Pineneedlesincarpet · 19/10/2026 11:40

TopPocketFind · 19/10/2026 11:37

So you are saying that Labour supporters can't criticise Reform's racism and sexism because of Corbyn?

How do you apply that to other parties? Tories can't criticise Reform because of Johnson's bumboys and letterboxes comments?

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No Im not saying that. It was in the context of the PP complaining about Labour's past anti semitism being brought up at all. So by that logic you only have a certain period of time when you can mention any racisim by any other party and then you have to shut up about it. Even if the MPs who supported the racisim are still MPs.

SubstandardMotelsOnTheLa · 19/10/2026 11:40

Pineneedlesincarpet · 19/10/2026 11:32

Not really. If youre going to criticise one party for racism then your own party should be squeaky clean on that front. Otherwise you're a hypocrite. You cant say oh well my party and many of my current MPs supported an anti semite but that was 5 years ago so doesn't count and so we can therefore criticise other parties from a position of virtue. Well you can say it obviously. But you would then be a hypocrite.

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No party is squeaky clean on racism but some at least tackle the racism and kick the racists out.

Did the 2019 Labour manifesto include policies deliberately designed to make the lives of Jewish people more difficult, uncertain and unpleasant? I don't think so.

Pineneedlesincarpet · 19/10/2026 11:41

SubstandardMotelsOnTheLa · 19/10/2026 11:40

No party is squeaky clean on racism but some at least tackle the racism and kick the racists out.

Did the 2019 Labour manifesto include policies deliberately designed to make the lives of Jewish people more difficult, uncertain and unpleasant? I don't think so.

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As I said, the PP was complaining about it being brought up at all. Apparently there is a statute of limitations on being criticised for supporting an anti semite.

BIossomtoes · 19/10/2026 11:41

Pineneedlesincarpet · 19/10/2026 11:41

As I said, the PP was complaining about it being brought up at all. Apparently there is a statute of limitations on being criticised for supporting an anti semite.

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Because it’s whataboutery.

Pineneedlesincarpet · 19/10/2026 11:42

BIossomtoes · 19/10/2026 11:41

Because it’s whataboutery.

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No. Its hypocrisy.

TopPocketFind · 19/10/2026 11:43

Pineneedlesincarpet · 19/10/2026 11:42

No. Its hypocrisy.

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The posters on here who have condemned Corbyn's comments, are they allowed to criticise Reform?

SubstandardMotelsOnTheLa · 19/10/2026 11:44

Pineneedlesincarpet · 19/10/2026 11:42

No. Its hypocrisy.

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So is Badenoch a hypocrite for calling out racism in Reform?

BIossomtoes · 19/10/2026 11:45

Pineneedlesincarpet · 19/10/2026 11:42

No. Its hypocrisy.

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Call it whatever you like. I really don’t care. You’re just arguing for the sake of it now.

Efacsen · 19/10/2026 11:45

So repetitious

Repeating exactly the same whataboutery over and over again doesn't make it any more relevant

Not engaging any further now

LittleBowSheep · 19/10/2026 11:45

Pineneedlesincarpet · 19/10/2026 11:32

Not really. If youre going to criticise one party for racism then your own party should be squeaky clean on that front. Otherwise you're a hypocrite. You cant say oh well my party and many of my current MPs supported an anti semite but that was 5 years ago so doesn't count and so we can therefore criticise other parties from a position of virtue. Well you can say it obviously. But you would then be a hypocrite.

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No-one is saying any party is squeaky clean.

But last night's documentary about the disgusting racism, homophobia and misogyny shown within Reform shows very clearly what the mentality and the purpose of the party is.

Now is not the time for more whataboutery.

TopPocketFind · 19/10/2026 11:46

I quite like to know who is allowed to criticise Reform

Raiderofthelostbattenburg · 19/10/2026 11:46

(Edited because I forgot to quote - but actually this applies to many previous posts!)

I fully agree with this.

All political parties have had issues with prejudice, bias and offensive, ignorant and inflammatory language around race and religion. Baroness Warsi resigned the Conservative Party whip over Islamophobia, but I don’t think that means Kemi Badenoch shouldn’t have called out racism from the Reform party - in fact I was incredibly impressed and moved by the way she did.

The problem is when parties deflect and deny, and engage in whataboutery instead of reflecting, listen to the communities impacted and resolve to do better going forward. And that, unfortunately, does seem to be Reform’s default response.

Pineneedlesincarpet · 19/10/2026 11:47

TopPocketFind · 19/10/2026 11:43

The posters on here who have condemned Corbyn's comments, are they allowed to criticise Reform?

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Yes of course. I wouldn't have mentioned it in the first place were it not for someone complaining when people mentioned Corbyn's antisemitism when it was apparently ages ago.

Efacsen · 19/10/2026 11:48

BIossomtoes · 19/10/2026 11:45

Call it whatever you like. I really don’t care. You’re just arguing for the sake of it now.

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Have come to the same conclusion - they just seem to enjoy pointless argument for arguments sake

Pineneedlesincarpet · 19/10/2026 11:48

Raiderofthelostbattenburg · 19/10/2026 11:46

(Edited because I forgot to quote - but actually this applies to many previous posts!)

I fully agree with this.

All political parties have had issues with prejudice, bias and offensive, ignorant and inflammatory language around race and religion. Baroness Warsi resigned the Conservative Party whip over Islamophobia, but I don’t think that means Kemi Badenoch shouldn’t have called out racism from the Reform party - in fact I was incredibly impressed and moved by the way she did.

The problem is when parties deflect and deny, and engage in whataboutery instead of reflecting, listen to the communities impacted and resolve to do better going forward. And that, unfortunately, does seem to be Reform’s default response.

Edited

I dont think you can say that as there is/was only one Reform supporter on this thread. So hard to generalise from one person's response.

Pineneedlesincarpet · 19/10/2026 11:49

Efacsen · 19/10/2026 11:48

Have come to the same conclusion - they just seem to enjoy pointless argument for arguments sake

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"They" 🤣

SubstandardMotelsOnTheLa · 19/10/2026 11:51

I see you are ignoring my question about Badenoch @Pineneedlesincarpet

Pineneedlesincarpet · 19/10/2026 11:51

LittleBowSheep · 19/10/2026 11:45

No-one is saying any party is squeaky clean.

But last night's documentary about the disgusting racism, homophobia and misogyny shown within Reform shows very clearly what the mentality and the purpose of the party is.

Now is not the time for more whataboutery.

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I think its been covered pretty comprehensively? How many more times can everyone repeat the same thing? Can we not also move on to the fact that this racism applies to several other parties too? And why is there such a problem with racism in politics? Or are we going to myopically focus on racism in one party we don't like and ignore all the others. I mean we can I supoose but it's rather boring.

JuliaMaesa · 19/10/2026 11:53

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq398dgkdg8xo

A woman with shoulder-length fair hair in a close-up. She is wearing a black jacket and floral scarf, with a wooden podium in the background

Reform MSP Amanda Bland resigns to sit as independent

Amanda Bland's decision relegates the party to the third-largest group at Holyrood, with one member fewer than Labour.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq398dgkdg8xo

Pineneedlesincarpet · 19/10/2026 11:53

SubstandardMotelsOnTheLa · 19/10/2026 11:51

I see you are ignoring my question about Badenoch @Pineneedlesincarpet

Oh sorry..missed it. Sorry...I sometimes dont carefully read all your posts.

I cant see your question about Kemi. What time was the post?

Raiderofthelostbattenburg · 19/10/2026 11:53

Pineneedlesincarpet · 19/10/2026 11:48

I dont think you can say that as there is/was only one Reform supporter on this thread. So hard to generalise from one person's response.

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I am not basing my assessment on the behaviour of one poster on Mumsnet, I’m basing it on the fact numerous members of the Reform party - including senior members - have been all over the media, blaming a few “bad apples” and claiming these issues are no more prevalent in Reform than in any other party.

Pineneedlesincarpet · 19/10/2026 11:55

Raiderofthelostbattenburg · 19/10/2026 11:53

I am not basing my assessment on the behaviour of one poster on Mumsnet, I’m basing it on the fact numerous members of the Reform party - including senior members - have been all over the media, blaming a few “bad apples” and claiming these issues are no more prevalent in Reform than in any other party.

Edited

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Oh right. Well they would wouldn't they. They are politicians same as all the others.

SubstandardMotelsOnTheLa · 19/10/2026 11:57

Pineneedlesincarpet · 19/10/2026 11:53

Oh sorry..missed it. Sorry...I sometimes dont carefully read all your posts.

I cant see your question about Kemi. What time was the post?

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I will repeat. Was Badenoch being a hypocrite when she criticised Reform for its racism?