How could Reform form a government when they are such an absolute shitshow?

[noblegiraffe]

James McMurdock (the Reform MP who beat up his girlfriend) has just removed the whip from himself.

Rupert Lowe got kicked out (presumably for being named by Elon Musk as a better potential leader than Farage).

Zia Yusuf, the chairman resigned saying it was a waste of time, and then immediately unresigned.

And yet the polls suggest that they may win the next General Election, with a majority of MPs. What is the path to victory there?

Jeremy Corbyn isn't working class. Neither was Tony Benn. Both came from affluent families and were sent to fee-paying schools. No reason whatsoever why people from backgrounds like that can't be socialists in adult life (Clement Attlee managed it) but let's be clear JC's background was a lot more comfortable than Angela Rayner's, or Keir Starmer's, for that matter.

How Farage manages to pretend he's one of the lads is a mystery to me. He was educated at Dulwich College, and not on scholarships from the public purse as some of his extremely bright contemporaries there would have been. His early working life was in the City. He has about as much of the common touch as Old Etonians David Cameron and Boris Johnson.

Fucking terrifying. But yes, I could see a hung parliament with tory/reform coalition - whether official or causing problems for the minority Labour govt

🥺🥺

I think the 3 key elements to keeping reform out in 2029 will be 1) focus on the NHS which farage doesn't really believe in 2) due to their marmite nature I predict they will be particularly vulnerable to tactical voting 3) avoid making Nazi references because it just feeds into the narrative that their opponents aren't clear headed.

They only have to form a government of some sort. It doesnt have to last. Six weeks is ample time to fill your trousers. They could follow the Trump tactic : announce something completely bonkers then , when shares crash buy them up cheap. Reverse your bonkers policy et voila - lots of lovely moolah £££.

But ...it does seem rather unlikely they'll be given the opportunity. The Tories will probably get their act together and make a modest revival in the next GE. I predict they will quietly bin the headbangers and start on about compassionate Conservatism. It'll be 2010 again in jig time.

Farage apparently said on the record in the last day or two that he doesn't believe in same-sex marriage. Somebody here will have the polling evidence, I'm sure, but isn't it the case that the vast majority of the UK population have no problem with that these days? I hope so. He needs to let the mask slip so that his potential voters see past the 'Good old Nige, he'd be a laugh to have a pint with!' persona.

I'd put money on them forming a government in Wales at next year's Senedd elections, so the wider UK electorate will have a chance to see them in action with bigger budgets before the next GE. We have proportional representation which will strengthen Reform's hands.

While Welsh Labour do need a kicking for the way they've worsened the health and education services here over their 25 years in power (and still resort to blaming Westminster rather than taking responsibility themselves), I've no doubt Reform will also be an utter shitshow.

I've completely lost trust in the political process and have no-one to vote for.

https://www.joe.co.uk/politics/nigel-farage-labels-same-sex-marriage-law-wrong-494689

If/when they win a GE, it will be because the billionaire owned media and the BBC keep giving them great publicity without scrutinising them. Also, because many voters can’t be arsed to look into them properly. (I include some members of my family in the latter).

They'd make Truss look like Churchill.

I think their winning councils now was the best thing to have happened long term.

Wonder if Farage is brainstorming names for UKIP version 3.0 yet?

It was underfunding to Wales that weakened the NHS. Under the Tories.

Except in 1930s it was social democrats and people fell for that post WW1.

Rejoining the Customs Union would be a start to getting prosperity back to the UK.

Is that you Eluned?

Surely the “main” parties should ask themselves why people are so disillusioned and threatening to vote for reform and the main reason for this (eg immigration), especially “boats” and the subsequent costs involved and social issues/unfairness, and address these issues in their own policies?

It is not going to happen. Have a read up of the new PR system. From what I have read, to get a majority means getting 45% + of the vote.

Reform might do well in some parts of Wales, and will no doubt win a fair few seats, but they won't get enough votes to win a majority.

Even if the Tories went into coalition with them, they still probably wouldn't have a majority if wrong going by current polling figures.

This is an interesting read regarding Reform council chaos.

bylinetimes.com/2025/06/16/reform-uk-councillors-nigel-farage-chaos/

They very carefully chose that picture of Farage, didn't they? 😅

I think they probably had a whole raft of similar to choose from 😁

The last nine words sum it all up. Permission to steal that? 😆

Yep this exactly. Prepare for Farage.

Yep.

This guy got through the vetting system to stand as Reform candidate

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/thanet/news/suspended-reform-councillor-appears-in-court-accused-of-thre-326773/

A councillor suspended by Reform UK has appeared in court accused of making threats to kill his wife.

Daniel Taylor, who now stands as an independent on Kent County Council, had the party whip withdrawn last month after being arrested on June 1.

Switching the NHS to an insurance system will make everyone’s lives worse. It will probably affect those who vote for him most.
https://bylinetimes.com/2025/01/27/nigel-farages-latest-nhs-comments-spark-fresh-scrutiny-of-reform-uks-health-policy/

I stand corrected - it won't be enough for them to form the next Welsh Government but they're undoubtedly going to pick up a lot of seats:
Here is the single thing Labour can do to see off Reform and make British politics work | Will Hayward | The Guardian https://share.google/yeqvUafgfIio9chrP

What do you mean 'until they are listened to'? Is this another way for describing them as disenfranchised? As Farage's voters are often described. Except they're not disenfranchised are they. They get every single thing they voted for. They're told repeatedly it'll be shit and cost them dearly (see brexit). They vote for it anyway, at huge cost to the rest of us who also have to live in the shitshow of their making, and they get exactly what they voted for. They are a million miles from disenfranchised or not listened to.