Scottish voting coming up soon and I think I am voting reform

[ScroogeMightHaveBeenOnToSomething]

Scottish elections coming up next month. I think I have decided to vote reform.

I guess my reasons are (in no particular order)

1. Policing - I am getting really worried by the lack of law and order. I live in a decent place and there is constant trouble at the bus station at night with buses getting their windows smashed. Police have been seen riding the buses to try and get it under control. However I just don't think our current police force is fit for purpose. The job is too dangerous for what it pays and so it can't attract people. They don't have enough powers to deal with the little scrotes and there is no respect. I mean look at the whole shoplifting chaos and the tik tok riots. The whole thing is start to feel quite dangerous and reform are saying they will have more police with more powers and be more strict with law and order. This is what I want - more jails, more police, tougher sentences, respect brought back
2. Housing. Okay so we all know about the housing situation and it's long been an issue. Tonight I was watching an old episode of 'how to get a council house' and I felt so angry and helpless and outraged. Family of romanians come to UK with no money. Mum and Dad and 5 kids. The dad has no particular skills so has been doing odd jobs at a car wash but currently not working. Both have broken english and missing teeth (in other words I don't think they will find getting work easy). So what does the council decide. Well the man is claiming job seekers allowance which maintains his 'work status' and so because of this and the fact he has 5 kids he gets a 4 bed council house. Presumably paid for then by benefits since neither he or his wife are working. They were both very, very pushy and aggressive and then when they got the house waxing lyrical about 'how generous english people are'. You couldn't make it up. Update on how they were getting on a few months later. Neither parent had started working so them and their 5 children were just in their paid for house living on their benefits with no skills that the UK needed. I mean seriously if you want to see what is wrong with the UK this is a good place to start. British people homeless and this outrage going on. So yes give me reform who can hopefully do a Trump and start rounding the fuckers up. I have no issues with people moving to UK and coming with a plan and money and getting jobs and supporting themselves etc. This family came to the UK with no money, no jobs and literally were outraged when they thought they were not getting their free house. The housing lady said they were getting a house through gritted teeth. I got the impression that it was to shut them up and get rid of them but totally unfair on homeless british people.
3. Benefits/Welfare - well I guess I have touched on that above. I think most of us used to have real sympathy and no issue with real disabled people or genuine out of work people being helped. They were in the minority, it was often short term as it was something they were embarrased about. Now I feel like because there are so 'many of them' I have no empathy at all. Which means the genuine folks are being lumped in with the scroungers and I sort of hate them all now if that makes sense. So another reason for voting reform.

Now I'm no doubt going to get told how terrible I am and that the kids are just having fun throwing bricks at buses, that I'm racist for not wanting unskilled romanians and their 5 children to live life free on our tax pounds. I'll also be a monster for being sick of the benefits issue and woah is me little johnny is going to be out on the streets with his 25 disabilities. Fuck me though. Surely voting for more of this shitshow would be insane.

Will it be better under reform. Yeah probably not but at least it's someone different and it might be better and yes I have read their manifesto.

(By the way one episode of get a council house had a boy with multiple sclerosis and he was getting a council house which of course was right. However you saw him crying and telling his dad he didn't want to live on his own (he was about 20) and it made me think of the posters here who are dead against homes or institutions for their disabled kids. I just thought what a disaster giving this boy a house on his own with careers 4 times a day was going to be (he was in trouble with police alot and was always drunk and getting brought home by them). He was just far too disabled to be living alone even if he was getting a house plus benefits. Sure enough the update was he had been moved into supported accomodation. So for this chap some kind of home was the right place to be and where he wanted to be. I've digressed a bit with this point as it's not really about reform and voting but I just wanted to throw that in there to see why people don't want their kids to go into homes. I mean do they really want to live alone in a council house with benefits. This one definately did not. Anyway might need a seperate thread for that issue or I guess we can discuss both issues here)

NF has only recently become a MP. Before that he had no position of power in parliament or any local authority so what exactly is the “record” you are referring to

He was an MEP for over 20 years. Maybe have a look at all the great work he did for the people he represented? He didn't just pocket his salary and then a fat pension, do nothing but agitate and not bother turning up to actually do his job.

Oh, wait...

Loads. But the opinion polls are probably asking even more and Reform are at about 16%, bearing out my point that the vast majority of Scottish people don't hold these views and don't want to vote in a bunch of corrupt racists.

In other words, you watch GB News and read the Daily Mail while sitting in your house you own outright, not working, with your pension and spare money, and you've decided the country's gone to shit and it's the immigrants' fault?
You sound like my parents in law. Volunteer, take up gardening, do a craft. It's good for your blood pressure.

For the love of God, how is anyone taken in by Nigel Farage ?!

All you have to do is look at Brexit’s impact on our economy (compare our standard of living to Euro neighbours, it’s embarrassing ) and look at the impact Trump (Farage’s role model) has had in dismantling global security.

it is purely about personal power and enrichment for people like Farage and Trump. They certainly do not give a flying fig about the “little people”.

brexit was bad enough. But to vote Farage in now knowing what we know and seeing the precedent across the pond, would be the utter height of stupidity- and we’d deserve all the shit that we’ll get as a result.

and the Greens - Zack Polanski - are no better.

where has the moderate middle ground gone.

Do you live in a bad area?

No. They have said as much on other posts. Obviously they just spend too much time watching garbage on TV and getting in their own head. Possibly need a hobby -

"I am being affected by law and order (not directly) and I watch alot of current affairs and am really worried for the future of our country."

(Emphasis added)

OP crime in Scotland (including violent) is at its lowest since the 70s. You must be so relieved to learn that. You can watch something else now. Maybe a nice comedy or nature documentary.

no we aren’t, we’re ’taxed to death’ to form a functioning society where everyone has access to basic needs such as healthcare, education and policing etc without needing to fund it privately.

out benefits bill is made of pensions in the majority - are they the work shy you mention? People out of work though choice make up a very tiny fraction of that amount. Yeah people should work where they can, and by and large they do, but the odd few that don’t aren’t what’s causing the financial ruin of this country.

Please tell us exactly how Reform would fix each of these problems?

I think the majority of people who are looking to vote Reform are actually working folk with huge mortgages, who’s standard of living has seen a significant decline due to the government’s decision to grow absolutely nothing but the welfare state.

How long do you think this is sustainable?Having a welfare bill that’s bigger than our tax intake and growing?
What do you want to do? Tax working people a bit more? Redistribute ‘wealth’ a bit more? There are people on benefits right now, better off than people who work. How is that OK? What’s stopping more people saying ‘well, I may as well not work’ and then they join the welfare state too. At what point, do the left leaning voters realise that actually, all that’s happening is that everyone is being made equally poor.

Personally it’s really difficult struggling to keep on top of bills and university fees for kids at the moment, whilst having a bit left over for a nice holiday and things that working should offer me …especially when I see my bone idle future sister-in-law do yet another degree for next to nothing, and have a envy inducing contribution towards her living costs, because she is supposedly “a single mother, living alone, with no partner”. I’m seeing my standard of living reduced, despite working harder than ever and all I can see in the future, is higher tax rates again.

I am so fed up of people taking the mick at my expense, that I have made the decision to phone the DWP about future SIL, and do you know…I no longer care about how that impacts my wider family. Get out and get a sodding job.

And illegal immigrants. Why are we giving them anything? Other EU countries don’t offer the same benefits as we do. They add pressure to an already struggling system. And no one who comes to this country without a passport/ID should be free to walk around in communities. I don’t care what colour skin they have. It’s not about racism, it’s about safety. Detain immediately. If I as a white woman arrived in another country without the appropriate visa, I’d be detained and rightly so. What’s it got to do with race?

At this point I don’t care what I’m called, how I’m challenged or how I’m shouted down. Nobody can stop me putting that pen to paper on voting day. The power of telling people they are selfish, privileged, bored racists has gone. Poof! I see that as nothing more than a desperate attempt to try to get voters back in line.

The only thing that worries me about Reform is that they won’t go hard or far enough. I prefer Rupert Lowe to be fair.

No One thinks you are racist for wanting better things for the UK.
We do however , think you are racist if you so readily believe that foreigners are the sole cause of the problems.
Do you know what percentage of the population is from an ethnic minority?
Do you know who are the largest group receiving benefits? Eg ethnicity, age, circumstances.
Do you understand the issues behind the housing crisis ?
Do you actually believe that unemployed Romanians just turn up and are given a generous income and free home on request !
I respect that you are feeling disillusioned by your current situation but Reform have no substance, plans or concern for the public. They are out for themselves and will definitely will make your life worse.

How about you tell us how Labour, the SNP or Plaid are fixing it?

They aren’t…so what you’re suggesting is to just allow the status quo to continue? That is unacceptable to me.

Op probably thinks we should re open the work houses

If you think Reform is a mixture of Reform and Tories, why do you reckon it’ll be any different than the Tories? They were in power for 14 years and caused most of the issues you have problems with and improved nothing. Nothing will improve under Reform. They will only ensure the richest get richer

Well aren't you a delightful human being. Maybe one day, if you or a family member becomes disabled or chronically ill, you'll gain a little insight and empathy to go with it.

I think that’s utter BS from someone who hadn’t lived in England . I have ! Schools are far from dumbed down , my oldest is miles ahead her cousins , fair enough she is top of her class and school but still . NHS is great up here where I am truly great . I gave real examples in my previous comments that where recent . Have you lived in England ?

Ah… I don’t recognise the Scotland she’s posting about.

@LlamaBasket "I think the majority of people who are looking to vote Reform are actually working folk with huge mortgages"

What "you think" isn't really a very good data set is it? Particularly if your factually incorrect views on migration are anything to go by

Why don't you share some data about Reform voters by age, employment status, and mortgage status? Rather than just going on your own thoughts?

Because there are tonnes of data available and they show that Reform is massively more popular in the 50yo+ (and especially 65yo+) demographic. Just like OP, early retirement in 50s, no mortgage, sitting in a house and on a pension which a 25yo can never dream of achieving now, but banging on about how life is so hard.

If this is real then what a misguided fool you are.

So many are unfortunately, the uneducated and bigoted love him . It’s easy to believe him if you grow up around xenophobia and hate .

So you don’t live in Scotland?

Why so defensive?
The thread is about Reform. The Op believes Reform will fix the problem on her life. She believes Reform have the potential to improve things.
Again, please tell us how they will do that .

Well im no fan of any party and I'm a swing voter.
I didn't fancy Tory any more more and part of me did think fresh eyes and brains may help us when strarmer et al came in. .
However I'm utterly appalled at nearly everything they have done I think they are dreadful.
Kemi is finding her feet and is doing well so far me it will be between them and reform

The problem in Scotland is that we effectively have a one party system. It's been non-stop SNP for years and they are incompetent. The Greens are even worse - a current candidate wants to abolish all prisons. Labour and Conservatives are a bit of a dead duck and haven't been able to do anything useful in recent years. The SNP massively overspend on welfare, bring in soundbite policies like free bus travel for under 22s with no way of revoking your free bus pass even if you murder a driver (recent case). I won't vote Reform myself as they seem even more incompetent but can sympathise with people fed up with the status quo and wanting to improve law & order & cut the welfare/public servant bills. Whoever is in government will have to cut spending anyway as there is nae money.

You’ll be thrilled to hear we give illegal immigrants nothing. That’s one less worry on your plate.

If you SIL is committing benefit fraud by declaring she lives alone when she doesn’t, then absolutely you should report her. Don’t think anyone would disagree with you.

What’s stopping people saying “I may as well not work” is the fact that benefits really don’t pay as much as people think they do when used as a lifestyle choice - due to the caps, sanctions and tapers.

Yes the welfare bill is exorbitant, for many of the reasons I’ve already listed. Mainly the expenditure on pensions, which makes up the bulk of welfare spending (people living longer and keeping the triple lock in place), spiralling living costs forcing low paid workers to rely on state assistance just to stay afloat and long NHS waiting lists meaning we can’t get people fit and back to work as quickly as we’d like.

No pensioners on the whole earned their pensions (not a benefit regardless of how categorised), although this is increasingly not going to be the case with NI credits are handed out like confetti when only SAHMs should get them. Millions of NEETS don’t work and aren’t looking for work and have no intentions of working. Sickness benefits are off the scale and simply cannot be justified in many cases. Look at the official numbers and how they are exponentially increasing. And we haven’t even started to consider funding illegals and benefit dependent legals. We are simply funding a society which no longer functions. Open your eyes, read the statistics.