To think BBC news is lost to us now - bloody Farage on this morning

[pinotnow]

Why is he being platformed yet again to repeat the surely libellous and undoubtedly inflammatory language about KS and JP spouting from Elon Musk. Saying it's free speech?! Just irresponsible and vile. Even the way he refers to the PM as Starmer is just so rude and disrespectful.

I'm a massive supporter of the BBC and the licence fee but the news branch has clearly been infested with Tory supporters in high places and it's just not what it was now.

It's reputation and standing is being shredded😓.

Was the BBC the only outlet that reported that?

Is it unusual for a celebrity’s legal woes to be in the news?

If they didn't I could always argue that its another example of the BBC's leftwing bias by not wanting to report on a "darling" of the establishment who was feted as a hero on anti-racisim/anti-poverty causes but now that he is convicted of something terrible the BBC don't even want to report it... Wonder why etc etc etc

Damned if they do, damned if they don’t eh!

Reform is a registered political party. It's registered with the electoral
Commission

I also think it's a bit much to compare the Greens or even in many cases the Lib Dems on this topic. Have they said anything useful? Not really - maybe their lack of comment should be noted.

The fact is that Farage really hauls ass as far as getting his position out there to the public and commenting on things the public cares about. Greens, or whomever, may call that populist, but it's literally his job.

Media people will say that they always know if they want someone to make a public comment, Farage will oblige. Maybe other parties need to make a point of being more available as well, rather than staying silent rather than risk saying something people won't like.

I doubt that he gives a hootsie about the victims. He doesn't like Labour because he has no influence. He knows his money would give him enormous power with Reform - as he's now demonstrating.

So Elon Musk has turned on Farage all of a sudden. This is clearly because Musk wants the UK to be as far right as possible - with the addition of Tommy Robinson. Farage isn’t stupid, he knows the majority of reform voters don’t want a far right party and they don’t want the likes of Robinson in power.

im pleased to see the vast majority of replies to musk state that Farage is essential to the UK/Reform.

Musk is throwing his toys out of the pram basically because Farage isn’t the lapdog he thought he was.

I actually think that Elon Musk could end up either causing Reform to implode or at least hurting Farage, I really don't like Farage, and I can't see myself ever voting for reform but I feel... worried about that. A lot of people voting for reform are people who feel disenfranchised/not represented by mainstream political parties. The collapse of Reform or it being effectively taken over by a foreign billionaire is going to leave them if anything feeling more disenfranchised and even less represented. And just adds to the cynicisim. People much further to the right of me deserve to have political parties that aren't undermined by external forces as much as I do. But then, also, it is a bit funny. And on an individual level Farage deserves it.

Musk did him a favour. Being attacked by Musk at this point makes Farage look principled and towards the centre ground.

Guess the $100m is off the table!

I wonder if Musk’s latest intervention will be even more useful to Farage than any money would have been. And easier than getting through legal wrangles over donation laws.

You can’t buy this kind of publicity. So now Farage appears right and principled. If this is manufactured, it’s a master stroke.

Yes! I’m voting reform next anyway if things in the UK don’t drastically change (which is highly unlikely under Labour) but Farage has gone up even further in my estimations now for sticking to his principles, despite the money being waved at him.
if Tommy Robinson was to join reform I - and many others would withdraw their support. We don’t want a hooligan in charge, we just want change.

Farage wouldn't let TR be a member of UKIP either. TR was eventually allowed in when the party was under different leadership.

TR plead guilty to contempt of court after he repeated a libel he had previously found guilty of. It's one of several convictions.

This is one area where Farage has consistently exercised good judgement, it's a shame he didn't apply the same caution with Musk.

I'm not a fan of any of the three men mentioned in this post but I try to retain a degree of objectivity.

Is it just me that thinks Musk just stirs things so that people argue on X and he gets richer. If everyone avoided X then people like Farage wouldn’t get excessive air time. Recently he is on tv or radio all the time and Musk is constantly mentioned too.

@thisisnotmereally - it's not me who has a problem referring to politicians by their surname!

Starmer is a POS. Jess Philips is a disgrace blocking Oldham councils call for an inquiry.

Yet your problem is Nigel Farage? Give me a break. I don’t care for him and I think Elon is off his meds at the moment but he is keeping this topic in the public eye. It will hopefully lead to the removal of Starmer and his party before they completely destroy this country.

Farage is dishonest (personally I think he is a con-man who keeps creating problems then using public anger at said problems to grow his power so he can create more problems) but he has good political instincts and knows much better than Elon Musk what British voters will/won't tolerate.

Who hasn't, an ex MP called Ed Vaisey or leader of Lib Dems Ed Davey. Assume you are actually talking about the later.

Ed Davey was given plenty of air time around Christmas with his bid to be Christmas no 1.

I totally agree. He is given loads and loads of air time.

Sorry, that was meant for the OP’s post that you had replied to

Ed Davey is a total and utter waste of space...

Totally agree! I read some of the court papers wish I hadn't it is sickening and depraved and needs shouted from the roof tops....which Farage has done....the rest are covering it up...not an Elon fan but he is keeping it in the news which has to be good news it can't be swept aside again....

It needs looking into big time....how this can have been allowed beggars belief....Labour told police don't investigate it was a lifestyle choice of those youngsters ....truly unbelievable....😟

Why does Farage get more air time than the Lib Dems? Air time us definitely not distributed as it should be according to how people have voted, so I do agree with you OP.

He barely shows up in his constituency either. He's a politician in name only, doesn't do the job he is meant to do. Just one of Trumps lackeys.

Who?

Why wouldn’t he get more air time than the Lib Dems? Reform had a bigger vote share at the 2024 election than the Lib Dems did, therefore in that regard it is according to how people voted.

Who is LK?