To be really worried about Reform?

[FiveHorse]

Just that really. They’re predicted to gain the most from the upcoming elections, if this carries on could we see a reform government at the next general elections? Or is it press scaremongering as usual?

Are people aware that these are local council elections ? and the people you are voting for do not have the power to make changes to government immigration policy ?

This! In our most recent council elections one seat was a tie. The candidates had to draw straws to decide the winner!

just more generally on this, I work in local govt and I’m always bemused after the local elections at the single issue candidates who are successful with a pledge to sort XYZ issue, and then as a PP said, spend most of their time dealing with the mundane/typical council fayre of stuff like bin collections and dog crap!

That’s more to do with tariff threat etc

I don’t think it’ll impact as much here otherwise we’d not see polling / local election results that are expected.

Also agree wholeheartedly with this. So many people have no idea how govt in this country works.

Yes...

But if Reform end up getting local councillors in areas and change is seen to be made it could mean a snowball effect when it does come to the next GE.

It would have to be an avalanche given their lack of MPs.

I think people are well aware that these are local elections, but, as is the way, the conversation on this thread has meandered off piste a bit and I also think, many folk "use" local elections as an opportunity to "send a message" to our leaders. (I use the term leaders, loosely).

What kind of changes do you think Reform councillors could make that would make people want to vote for them?
If they actually make positive changes to the areas where they are voted in, then that might snowball on.
But I am not sure a councillor can promise to reduce immigration when people come to them with parking issues or asking about potholes.
I'd quite like to see a Reform council deal with all our road closures and pot holes, sorting out school places and doing litter picks in the local green spaces.

Great question!

I was an NHS MH Nurse so reality is I’d lose nothing leaving the country, I have nothing to show for 10 years of study and hard work. (Struggling saving for a deposit) I also love travel and have lived abroad before for periods before I qualified (Cambodia, Auz, South Africa). - should have a deposit if I didn’t travel 😂

I suppose I would retrain and teach English and earn what I could. My sister in law left Scotland years ago teaching English and has settled in Portugal. Has a partner now and is very happy. I also worked with a nurse who did this in Spain for a decade where his husband is from, they have gone back now.

DH is from South Africa and has family all over the world, has an EU passport and works in big tech so we would have options because of these factors. He has family in Sweden, NL, Portugal, France, Switzerland, Auz and NZ. All options however his mum said she would disown him if he moved to Australia so that’s off the cards (pleasant woman!)

Truth is without my partner, I’d have no options. His grit and mutitcultural background would set us up for success (he works for big tech so no issue with work or salary)

Everyone’s circumstances are different, it’s not easy to move abroad otherwise we’d all do it. Having connections and money helps however that’s a privilege and many have to try it without. i

My best friend from school lives in Kenya because his uni girlfriend couldn’t stay in the UK and he’s happy. I know lots of British people who have successfully moved abroad, mainly younger though. I imagine having a good career, a house and children or elderly parents in UK makes the decision difficult or impossible.

For context, I’m white British from up north. I guess my mum and many other relatives and friends from back home will be voting Farage, makes me sad however my life is with my partner and if he isn’t welcome here than neither am I. I actually feel pity for them because they will regret it just like they regretted leaving the EU.

This is entirely on Labour, I'm afraid.
They were voted in on a mandate of change and so many people believed them. You just have to look at MN in the days and early weeks after the General Election - people genuinely thought better times were coming.
What did they get? More of the same, with a side helping of shocking decisions no one could ever expect a Labour Government to make.
Posters on here justified free tickets, free stays, the anti-corruption minister being sacked because of corruption, the chancellor lying on her CV with ';yes, but the Tories were worse', which is a somewhat pathetic argument.
So .. here we are. Labour voters are disillusioned, no one wants to vote Tory yet. Reform are in line for a massive seats gain I think.
It may be protest, it may be bloody-mindedness, it may just be people are fed up with both Tories and Labour and want change (although they may not know what that looks like).

I hope Reform will every seat they're contesting . I hate the current shower.

Do you think your Reform candidate will make a difference locally?

@yellowspanner do you mean the shower of local councillors in your area ?

I think Reform will make a difference. And I mean this current Labour government

Just taking immigration off the table for a moment. When you are chatting with friends, colleagues and family who live in your area, what are the things people want to change most ?
Round here its the state of the roads, pothole central and repeated road closures and roadworks and other assorted traffic issues, especially speeding and parking inconsiderately.
Planning issues, so large areas of what is seen as 'greenbelt' land being built on, either for housing or more controversially solar farms.

Rubbish and fly tipping.
There will be a spate of 'watch out travellers on X site' posts on FB soon, as people make their way to Appleby.
Carparking charges going up.
Summer, when the weather allows, always brings antisocial behaviour by youngsters, very little for them to do other than roam the streets and congregate at a local beauty spot.
I imagine those issues are very similar in every area where there are going to be elections, with some additional ones particular to certain localities ?

I think Reform will make a difference. And I mean this current Labour government

The next GE isn't for another 4 years @yellowspanner

Im not worried! Hope they get in. I'll be voting.

I do not vote Reform and was a Remainer but the fact is a portion of the electorate are sufficiently disillusioned with the other parties (even more than the rest of us) that they’re turning to Reform.

That doesn’t make them racist or stupid by default and I think anyone suggesting Reform voters need to use ‘critical thinking skills’ needs to harness their own to see what’s happening globally when voters don’t feel listened to.

My local council is LibDem/Tory.

Do you know any of the policies of your potential Reform councillors? I haven't been able to find anything about mine.

Wow look at you. You know in politics there will always be a resistance, and if you think ahy of those genuinely care about then you’re in for a shock ,

Farage will just do the thing he did while EU politician.

Take the money and do sweet fuck-all.

You have been warned.

I'd quite like to see a Reform council deal with all our road closures and pot holes, sorting out school places and doing litter picks in the local green spaces.

Re roads, as would I in my area...But fear there are far far to many for even a coalition of councillors to deal with....or even want to deal with.

As with a GE most in our area really don't give a toss about their constituency or constituents.

I've been alive long enough to have seen both a Labou, Tory and a coalition government plus various councillors and it boils down to voting for which party we think will shaft us the least.

Litter picking isn't a problem as we don't wait for councillors to decide to when litter picking is done, we volunteers arrange times as groups and go out.

Isn't that Liebour?

Is this another Reform witticism? If they spent as much time on their policies as they did on making up nicknames, they might have something half feasible.

Garage has said many times he will do it.