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)

We have a PR system!

Reform (the party) literally IS mixture of Reform and Tories! It baffles me that anyone can think that Suella Braverman, Nadhim Zahawi, Nadine Dorries, Robert Jenrick and Lee Anderson etc wearing purple rosettes will suddenly develop a level of competence which evaded Suella Braverman, Nadhim Zahawi, Nadine Dorries, Robert Jenrick and Lee Anderson etc wearing blue rosettes.

😂

Of all of the issues you have raised. I guarantee you that reform will address none of them. Nigel farage basically created the whole issue of illegal immigrants when he convinced poorly educated people that Brexit would stop the boats. What people failed to realise was that the French had a responsibility to keep the immigrants from crossing their boarders under the treaty of le Torquet. It became nul the moment we left the EU, meaning the French basically now offer to pump up the immigrants boats as they usher them through. Stage 1 completed. Now there actually is an immigration problem he is suggesting that we leave the European convention on human rights, in order to be able to remove these immigrants. This is important. Do not take my word for it. Google what this covers YOU for. If we leave that treaty suddenly your right to sick pay, right to a fair trial, prohibition of torture and slavery, minimum wage, holiday pay, maximum wage. Gone. All of it. This is what he wants. He doesn't give a rats bum about immigration. He's created that whole situation in order to move the public opinion to this point. He has actively said that the NHS would be privatised.

This is because Nigel farage is extremely rich and privately educated. He's too conservative for the conservatives. He doesn't give a shit about immigrants. Likewise he doesn't give a shit about the British middle and working classes. And unless you earn over 100k you will be worse off as a result if he comes to power. All of reforms party if you look at them are reject members of the conservative party that everyone hated from when they were in power. Wake up. And if you are in any doubt still look at the complete mess that the reform party is doing in Kent. It's an absolute mess, trust me. I'm living it currently. They don't know their backside from their elbow and half the party have been removed for violence and racism. It's ridiculous.

As pp said part of Reform's core vote is older retired people. Another part of its core vote is people on benefits (whom you so clearly despise). There is plenty of data out there if you have a look.

Hahaha, the first page of this thread is so funny - all those posters accusing you of being a Russian bot OP because they can’t understand your views or accept your right to have a different opinion.

FWIW I believe you’re a human OP, and that your opinions are valid. Ignore the bot hunters and stick to your view.

Agree and would only seek to add that older retired people are, largely, also on benefits.

I’m an older retired person! I’m voting SNPX2 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

What am I waiting for?. What power do you think an MEP has over UK domestic legislation? He did lots as an MEP mainly by highlighting what an expensive pointless and harmful institution the EU was and is. He did this successfully which is why we voted to leave. His voting record was I agree average but the institution is pointless and achieves little. Of course he like everyone there who mostly did very little took his salary and quite frankly he could have earned significantly more if he’d stayed out of politics but he loves his country. Also why do people end posts with “wait” do you all think you’re so clever that everyone agrees with you and immediately gets your point. Bit condescending and unpleasant.

I know this is England not Scotland, but the people of Kent are starting to reject Reform. The Greens took a seat from Reform after the serving Reform councillor was jailed for coercive control of his wife.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxde5e4rngo

Oh I didn't mean that as a criticism of older or retired people! Just to remind OP that the largest expenditure of the DWP (about 55%) is pensioner benefits.

Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-expenditure-and-caseload-tables-information-and-guidance/benefit-expenditure-and-caseload-tables-information-and-guidance

Truth stings, does it?

Farage is a grifter.

👍😊. I don’t get any. Won’t even get my pension for another five years 🤬

He was supposedly representing the UK on the EU Fisheries Committee, but he threw away some of the UK fishing rights because he couldn't even be bothered to attend the meetings. Apparently he only attended one out of 42 meetings. He is in politics in the interests of one person only.
And he is in favour of the UK supporting the US on the war in Iran. He's the UK version of Trump, who is also in politics for one person only.

@Bemused89 he may have contributed to the boat people but not that first life changing wave of people who changed the face of the UK
That was blairs workers control which deeply affected the UK. And unfortunately has set the tone ever since around immigration

There are few phrases I despise more than “boat people”

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/26012393.scots-tories-challenge-reform-uk-antisemitism/

It feels as though there’s something every day about reform candidates.

"I own my house outright. I retired in my early fifties a few years ago and thankfully I can afford private healthcare (just, although it's a struggle and I have had to adjust my budget for it)"

How about doing something useful with your time instead of contributing nothing.

What a well considered erudite, thoughtful and reasoned reply backed by facts and information. You are obviously an educated and well read person who can present reasoned and well researched arguments without reaching for insults and internet tropes.

Have a look for Offord and his 'joke'

She obviously did hence she owns her home and has retired early.

Yes. I saw it!

https://www.thenational.scot/news/25972920.nigel-farage-defends-malcolm-offord-homophobic-joke/

Thank you ☺️