Thread 22 Starmer - Running up to local elections

[BIossomtoes]

Here we go. Previous thread.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5305431-thread-21-starmer-casting-nasturtiums?page=40&reply=143731831

Local elections also don't take into account tactical voting. I think there are enough good people who will rally against fascism.

My contribution to the playlist

I would join you Saucery I can’t even wave my trusty paintbrush at the moment as have a frozen shoulder & unless it’s at least 25deg can’t leave the house without a cardi as I’m always cold so camping out is a non starter for me

Oh the bins! Might introduce a charge for the black bin if you want them collecting once a fortnight. Otherwise it'll be once every three weeks. @pinkteddy

I wonder how long it will be before the first Reform councillor scandal breaks?

One of my favourite songs is Def Leppard - when love and hate collide.

Title seems apt for our song list!

I was going to bet on which scummy thing they’d do first but stopped myself because Decency. But it won’t be long. Grifters gonna grift.

Lovely bunch aren't they? Wonder how they'll be celebrating tonight? Obviously a cup of tea and a biscuit 😁

Cowboys from Hell by Pantera

Not sure what you were expecting them to look like. Can't see anything wrong with the photo myself.

Highway to Hell is an obvious choice.

But seriously - the Conservatives let UKIP/Reform dictate terms. As they discovered it is an impossible ask if your opposing number offer wishful thinking and unicorns as serious answers.

Every time Reform dodge giving policy information they should be asked why they have time to develop one policy without having anything on housing,
transport, education, social care and the EU. If they want an insurance based model - which one and what will it cost. Ditto trade terms with the US.

They swerve those questions for a reason.

And now I will shut TF up.

2 local elections on my county.

Both the current LD councillors retired and new LD councillors got the seats with 44 and 46% of the vote.

Very low turnout here...about 3000

Hull and East Riding mayor is, just as I expected, reform. Just under 30% turnout.

Why are the BBC showing this on the TV news screen?
They have the Labour and Tory council losses the wrong way round 😲

Very sloppy from the BBC

Those 10 councils

Derbyshire
Doncaster
County Durham
Kent
Lancashire
Lincolnshire
North Northants
Nottinghamshire
Staffordshire
West Northants

Final result for English council seats:

REFORM: 677 (+677)
LIB DEM: 370 (+163)
CONSERVATIVE: 317 (-676)
LABOUR: 99 (-186)
GREEN: 80 (+45)

There's a pattern here.

Ah, I see the argument has got back to "immigration" again. I've posted this elsewhere, but I haven't seen any arguments that make any sense;

So let me get this right;

People voted for Farage and Brexit because of immigration.

Brexit massively increased immigration.

Now they are voting for Farage again because of immigration.

But we're not allowed to call them thick...

I'm Kentish but Medway is my local authority. I'll be honest I wasn't too enamoured of the Tory hold on Kent County Council but Reform gaining overall control makes me uneasy.

Delurking in solidarity with other Lancastrians.........our local fb page has been more of a cesspit than usual this week and have reported so many racist posts 😢 but didn't stop our local council going to Reform as well as the county. Anyone who thinks that Reform voters aren't thick racist twunts really need to look at those 🤬. I look forward to inundation our new councillor with questions about potholes, bins, DD's ADHD diagnosis and more.

@Saucery I noticed the lack of address on the ballot paper for just one party too - I have a feeling we may be near each other. Where I am is remarkable only for it's ski slope!!!

May I offer up Wake Up (Sleepwalker) by the splendid Those Damn Crows for the playlist. It's an absolute banger, they're my faves, wonderful guys and the lyrics are quite apt.

Thanks again to most all for these threads, mostly a haven of decent chat, v educational and lovely pics of animals and flowers.

Hi @TheOnlyMrsW ! I’m not from there, so it’s very interesting to see a possible pattern emerging of certain parties not putting their address on ballot papers. It did happen from time to time previously but much more in recent years, when truly local candidates made a feature of living locally and actively working for their communities.

Yeah, I live in a not very Reform-y area (tbc) and have noticed recently even on my heavily curated Facebook than any random post about anything (eg Universal Studios ) has someone (possibly not even very local) plop themselves down and utter something about Albanians/ asylum hotels (we have none locally) , jobs and foreign workers. There was an incident at a school yesterday and it took 4 posts before someone 'declared it was one of the people from the hotels'. There is a renewed boldness and this will increase. I don't even think they are posting what they believe to be true. They enjoy stirring the pot. A lot of this is the 'speak as I find' brigade.

I am wryly enjoying the machinations of a certain subset of a subset MN ers today trying to suggest only Labour are misogynists and questioning in faux innocence what is misogynistic about Farage /Reform. The mental gymnastics must be exhausting.

Really?!
It is just over a year since Farage claimed Tate was "important voice" for young men!

But then he also wished Truss had held her nerve FFS.
If that doesnt scare the bejesus out of people I dont know what will.