Thread 41 Starmer : "Alban Arthan" the returning of the light

[DuncinToffee]

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Welcome to 2026 for political discussion, general chat and taxes in kind.

Tracy Brabin described Reform as “a care home for clapped out Tories”. It’s a view a lot of commentators seem to have adopted.

Well unless and until the top Labour bod (may not be an MP) lands next week, reforms options other than Farage will be Jenrick and Zahawi. Who can be forever needled by having to forever shit on the party that they represented in power.

It will be increasingly harder to attract disenchanted tories now.

And I would like to know how many Labour voters - no matter how reluctant - are going to look at reform and say "Well that's the alternative to the tories I was holding out for".

There’s talk of Kate Hooey on other sites, as she’s met or been seen being friendly with Farage recently. But she’s not currently labour so I don’t think so myself.
Does labour have any Lee Anderson types around, as I can see how he jumped to reform - though he did go via the Tories.
I don’t really expect it’s an MP - it’s probably someone I’ll have to consider whether to look up on my browser or not, however Reform frame it as a coup.

I think ultimately the Tory party will come out best - they need to get their overall act together though.
Still Tory 1 or Tory 2 - splits the vote well.
I wonder if some Reform may consider defecting to Advance if that starts picking up?
Pass the Tory to the right hand side.

In this case I was thinking of people like me who voted Labour in 2024 with a heavy heart, but desperate to get rid of the tories. How many of them are now going to say "Thank Dawkins Reform are a credible alternative to the Tories I was seeking to be able to not vote Labour" ?

If Labour was not a viable choice for me, it would still have been LibDems, Greens. and whoever before Tories or Reform.

The Tories secret weapon could be a considered dumping of Brexit. If they could pull that off they would leave reform as the only half credible party that still backs it. Against a very clear majority now ranged against it. It's the one policy that could separate the Tories from reform. Otherwise it's do you want genuine tories or the shops own brand that is reform ?

Thanks for the earworm 😅

Seen mention of Graham Stringer - MP for Blackley and Middleton south. A Eurosceptic and climate change sceptic, I believe.

Hardly Churchill is he ?

Who?

Hardly well-known, is he?

I wish there was something you could do to personally affect Trump and JD Vance. I admired the pub in the Cotswolds where the staff said they would all resign instead of serving him.

The Labour MP Rubbing Shoulders With the Far-Right
Labour under fire for failing to discipline Graham Stringer.

https://www.desmog.com/2025/10/30/labour-mp-graham-stringer-rubbing-shoulders-with-the-far-right/

Hardly a big beast. Has anyone outside hospital constituency ever heard of him?

Wonder why he continued to stand for Labour as his views drifted away from theirs hmm.
Although he’s an MP I wouldn’t say he’s a big name, or even known at all really.

Some of us Up North have heard of him. 🙄
He’s gone increasingly odd over the last few years, but unfortunately I can see him carrying quite a few voters with him if he goes to Reform.

Stringer is well known in the north. I find it odd that some haven't heard of him.
He was very vocal after the Heaton Park Synagogue attack as he's a local MP. He is definitely the type of MP where you would vote for the man rather than his party.

I don't think it is possible for us to be familiar with every MP. I am in Wales and don't have knowledge of every Northern England MP.

@Saucery in what way has he gone odd?

Oh sorry @Spandauer 's link probably explains the way!

I recognise the name but that is it.

And after reading that linked article, I can see he is a good match for Reform or even Advance

Ooh Rossindell’s gone to reform.

I suppose he’s already got the practice in not going to Parliament. Even if that wasn’t exactly his choice.?

Another one that isn't a surprise

Yes, he’s very Old Labour, but a climate change denier etc now.

Three in one week. I wonder how Badenoch's feeling?

I can’t imagine that getting rid of rosindell is a bad thing even for Badenoch.