Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

... to think that Nigel Farage will be our next PM?

817 replies

ohime · 06/07/2025 11:04

Or, more accurately: AIBU to be afraid that truly nasty piece of work Nigel Farage who has, by all accounts, always been utterly useless at (or at least completely uninterested in) the actual business end of governing will be our next PM because everyone is so fed up with all the other parties being, variously or all at once, so corrupt, incompetent and useless that we've collectively abandoned all hope? I will never vote for Farage, who is a horrible man, or any of his party which keeps having to fire people for being just a teensy bit too overtly racist - but it seems from the polls that for many people the choice against the status quo outweighs what we may be choosing. (For an example, I can't believe that Farage's stated position that DOGE in the US didn't go far enough with its swinging cuts to the social safety net would be popular with UK voters who recently elected a government on the basis that it would reverse years of Tory austerity... not that that's worked out so well...)

OP posts:
Thread gallery
13
CleverButScatty · 06/07/2025 15:52

babasaclover · 06/07/2025 15:34

Couldn’t agree more. Sick of being told how thick we are, the whole point of democracy is the majority vote wins - except those like OP who think they know better want it their own way 🤷‍♀️

The 'thick' trope comes from a refusal to discuss anything other than immigrants on boats.

Why don't you take the chance to show people they are wrong.

Would you share some of your views about the other policies that reform have and how they will make life before people?

CleverButScatty · 06/07/2025 15:55

Jennps · 06/07/2025 14:51

Or maybe voters look at facts, numbers.

You know like small boats surpassing all previous records so far this year.

You can feel good about the ‘ethical’ ways. General public cares about the reality or numbers.

Can you please link me to some of the figures and facts you want me to be aware of? I'm always wanting to understand the issues more deeply.

BalladOfBarryAndFreda · 06/07/2025 15:55

PiggyPigalle · 06/07/2025 15:40

The Democrats certainly shone with evil speak yesterday on the subject of floods and lives lost in Texas.
Yes, they were really pleased it happened in a red state, because it proves to those doubters that there is climate change.
Nastiness is not exclusive to left, right or the middle.

What was said?

It's worth noting that under Biden, more funding and investment was directed to red states because they needed it more, even though he knew they wouldn't thank him and opposed his clean energy policies. He was a president for all Americans, not just those who voted for him. Those nasty Dems, eh?

All I've seen is concern re the impact of FEMA funding cuts in the new Bill and the lack of visibility or empathy from Trump. Previous presidents (both sides of the aisle) have shown more care in light of natural disasters.

KarmaKameelion · 06/07/2025 15:57

strawlight · 06/07/2025 11:38

What I don’t understand is this: the Lib Dems are (or were) the third biggest party, so why the hell aren’t they sorting themselves out and coming up with a really strong leadership and manifesto while the other two are so unbelievably dreadfu? Surely they’d be onto a winner?!

I always wonder this too. Where are they??? I struggle to even remember who is in charge of them these days….

i do live in a county where the Lib Dems have taken over from the conservatives council (rightly so, they were doing a terrible job) and somehow seem to balls it’s up even more with their little pet projects. Millions on cycle lanes no one uses ect ect and constantly just blame whatever govt is in power for why they haven’t done what they say they would.

I do actually quite like ed davey (just remembered his name!) when you do get a fleeting glimpse of him

CleverButScatty · 06/07/2025 15:58

Jennps · 06/07/2025 15:30

The fact that you can’t get your head around it and understand people’s opposition to illegal migration or support for Reform points to a deficiency in your own critical thinking. So rather than rail against ‘thick’ people as you like to call them, perhaps take a look in the mirror.

Do you realise that if elected, reform will have to deal with all of the complex issues involved with running a country as well as the immigration issue.

Can I ask a genuine question? Have you looked at their other policies and thought your life would be better and your family more secure with them? Could you tell me about this?

Do you have views on
The NHS
State education
The UK getting involved in a way in the middle east
The economy?

I am genuinely asking you to share them

KarmaKameelion · 06/07/2025 16:00

CleverButScatty · 06/07/2025 15:52

The 'thick' trope comes from a refusal to discuss anything other than immigrants on boats.

Why don't you take the chance to show people they are wrong.

Would you share some of your views about the other policies that reform have and how they will make life before people?

On the flip side - it has taken the rise of reform for labour to even talk about the migrant crisis. The left are constantly sneering and calling anyone racist who even dares to bring up the topic.

Jennps · 06/07/2025 16:03

CleverButScatty · 06/07/2025 15:51

Would you mind sharing your sources for these figures? Thanks

Yes I would mind. Google it. It’s not hard.

CleverButScatty · 06/07/2025 16:06

KarmaKameelion · 06/07/2025 16:00

On the flip side - it has taken the rise of reform for labour to even talk about the migrant crisis. The left are constantly sneering and calling anyone racist who even dares to bring up the topic.

To be honest I still think it is way down the list of things that affect the lives of most of those living in the UK and the fact that some people are so bothered is down to racist leanings.

But we live in a democracy and it is right that it is discussed if a significant proportion of the electorate want that.

I just wish they would take a. Interest in things that may take more effort to understand but will affect them and their families much more.

CleverButScatty · 06/07/2025 16:07

Jennps · 06/07/2025 16:03

Yes I would mind. Google it. It’s not hard.

Ok. I mean that does indicate you are making the up as you go along.

Whammyyammy · 06/07/2025 16:09

100% he's going to be our next PM. Tory rule failed, and two tier Keir, rachel and Angela have been simply awful.
As much as I don't want farage to be our PM, he will and I actually think I'll vote for him as don't want Tory or Labour

MaySea · 06/07/2025 16:17

yellowspanner · 06/07/2025 11:38

I would love Nigel Farage to be the next Prime Minister. I think he would sort immigration, cut welfare and lower taxes

Not sure what you mean by 'sort' immigration. He says he wants to introduce an Australian style system so I expect immigration will increase. The Australian system is to encourage immigration and they have at least twice as many immigrants per head as the UK does. I definitely agree that he will cut welfare. Everybody but the super rich's welfare will be greatly reduced if he gets his way. Lowering taxes is a good way of doing that.

Jennps · 06/07/2025 16:18

CleverButScatty · 06/07/2025 15:58

Do you realise that if elected, reform will have to deal with all of the complex issues involved with running a country as well as the immigration issue.

Can I ask a genuine question? Have you looked at their other policies and thought your life would be better and your family more secure with them? Could you tell me about this?

Do you have views on
The NHS
State education
The UK getting involved in a way in the middle east
The economy?

I am genuinely asking you to share them

Since you are ‘genuinely’ asking. I will genuinely try.

I don’t think Reform will be able to get done what the country needs. But that’s not the point.

We have had 28 years of rot that started in 1997 with nu Labour. And it so deep seated, that it will take a shock of gargantuan proportions for something to change within the political establishment.

Blair and Brown were wrong on just about everything. They inherited a strong economy from Major and Clarke at one of the most politically stable periods in global history. And pissed it up the wall. None of their decisions stood the test of time.
Creating a bloated welfare state by making the majority dependent on tax credits and letting low wage culture set in so employers could be subsidized by the taxpayer rather than invest in automation.
Opening the borders to mass immigration. Immigration and change are inevitable. But this pace never was.
Selling our gold before gold prices sky rocketed
Starting the cycle of government debt that now has us at 100% debt to gdp ratio
And finally, being war criminals and de-stabilising Iraq and Syria, the consequences of which we live with to this day.

Then came ‘call me Dave’. A guy you wouldn’t pay to clean your shed. Continued and perpetuated the rot by never investing in infrastructure and having 0 grip on his party.

Maybot was an unmitigated disaster. As well as making a hash of Brexit negotiations, she signed into law net 0 without any public debate, leaving us with the highest energy prices in the world.

Johnson was a corrupt and incompetent lowlife, who used Covid to line the pockets of his cronies, while trying to massage economic growth, unsuccessfully, by driving net migration to a million.

Truss was a footnote in history with the right diagnosis about supply side reforms, but couldn’t organize a piss up in a brewery, let alone enact policies to make those reforms happen.

Sunak was a useless ‘piss in the wind’ kind of dude who had printed a borrowed £1 trillion during Covid to facilitate rampant corruption and then looked all wide eyed and shocked that inflation rocketed to nearly 20%.

And now we have Two Tier and his merry band of clowns. Everything is worse than it was a year ago. Who’d have thought that was even possible. Food inflation nearing 10%, gilt yields higher than when Truss was around, illegal immigration higher than ever, top rate rate taxpayers leaving the country, taxes higher than ever, economic growth nowhere in sight, and welfare and public spending is so out of control, the house of cards could easily collapse.

Reform won’t solve this. But what it may do is that it will consign Labour and Tories in their current form, to the dustbin of history. No one who is in parliament now should be anywhere near the legislature. It may take a shock like a Reform government for a sensible centre right revival to the conservatives, with a completely new crop of MPs, maybe 10-15 years from now . The Tories are so far gone, that it seems unlikely, but what else is there.

CleverButScatty · 06/07/2025 16:19

KarmaKameelion · 06/07/2025 16:00

On the flip side - it has taken the rise of reform for labour to even talk about the migrant crisis. The left are constantly sneering and calling anyone racist who even dares to bring up the topic.

So no, you are not able to do that.
Ok.

You and your family will be very affected by their policies in these areas of elected.
Surely you need to know how their policies will affect your child at school if the behaviour around them is awful, your mum on a waiting list for a hip replacement, your job security, whether your rent or mortgage payment will be affected, your pension in retirement.

Jennps · 06/07/2025 16:22

CleverButScatty · 06/07/2025 16:07

Ok. I mean that does indicate you are making the up as you go along.

No it indicates that either you are not abreast of the subject matter you seem so keen to argue about or you don’t know how to use the Google search function.

EasternStandard · 06/07/2025 16:25

CleverButScatty · 06/07/2025 16:07

Ok. I mean that does indicate you are making the up as you go along.

@CleverButScattyit’s easy to find the recent stats, it’s all available.

Julen7 · 06/07/2025 16:26

CleverButScatty · 06/07/2025 16:19

So no, you are not able to do that.
Ok.

You and your family will be very affected by their policies in these areas of elected.
Surely you need to know how their policies will affect your child at school if the behaviour around them is awful, your mum on a waiting list for a hip replacement, your job security, whether your rent or mortgage payment will be affected, your pension in retirement.

I don’t think we know what Labour’s policies are on all this do we?

Julen7 · 06/07/2025 16:27

EasternStandard · 06/07/2025 16:25

@CleverButScattyit’s easy to find the recent stats, it’s all available.

Yeah honestly…no brain power whatsoever required. All there,

User135644 · 06/07/2025 16:28

Dappy777 · 06/07/2025 15:35

I very much doubt he'll ever be PM. But there is a chance we'll have a Conservative-Reform coalition. I hope so anyway. Mainstream politicians have made it perfectly clear they are not going to do anything about immigration. Well if they're not going to listen, I'll try Reform. Everywhere I look in my home town I see groups of young immigrant men wandering around. My local woods have been cut down to make way for two massive new estates, a second massive estate has been built at the other end of the village, and now the fields in the centre of the village are being built on as well. I would say that well over half the people who've moved onto those new estates weren't born in the UK. The traffic is so awful many parts of town are no-go areas at certain times of the week.

There is a university near me, and it's open knowledge that students are exploiting the visa system. I have a friend whose son in law works for a university admission department. He says he's raised this problem with the authorities and been told not to make waves (i.e shut your mouth). I want a government that not only tightens the borders but deports illegal immigrants, especially those who break the law. It just shows what a strangehold the left have over this debate that we even need to discuss it. If I entered Australia illegally, I would expect to be deported. And if I broke the law, I would definitely expect to be deported. Christ, I have even seen someone who called for a foreign rapist to be deported described as 'right-wing'! That's how insane some people truly are.

And this pressure on Europe's borders is never going to end. People bang on about declining birth rates, but the world's population is still rising. Africa's birth rate is the highest in the world, and the African population is going to double. I quite like Kemi Badenoch, and wouldn't mind her as PM in a coalition with Reform. If Labour win at the next election I shudder to think what will happen.

I'd vote anyone who will actually do something about immigration and will stop the boats. I'd much prefer Lowe to Farage.

CleverButScatty · 06/07/2025 16:29

Jennps · 06/07/2025 16:18

Since you are ‘genuinely’ asking. I will genuinely try.

I don’t think Reform will be able to get done what the country needs. But that’s not the point.

We have had 28 years of rot that started in 1997 with nu Labour. And it so deep seated, that it will take a shock of gargantuan proportions for something to change within the political establishment.

Blair and Brown were wrong on just about everything. They inherited a strong economy from Major and Clarke at one of the most politically stable periods in global history. And pissed it up the wall. None of their decisions stood the test of time.
Creating a bloated welfare state by making the majority dependent on tax credits and letting low wage culture set in so employers could be subsidized by the taxpayer rather than invest in automation.
Opening the borders to mass immigration. Immigration and change are inevitable. But this pace never was.
Selling our gold before gold prices sky rocketed
Starting the cycle of government debt that now has us at 100% debt to gdp ratio
And finally, being war criminals and de-stabilising Iraq and Syria, the consequences of which we live with to this day.

Then came ‘call me Dave’. A guy you wouldn’t pay to clean your shed. Continued and perpetuated the rot by never investing in infrastructure and having 0 grip on his party.

Maybot was an unmitigated disaster. As well as making a hash of Brexit negotiations, she signed into law net 0 without any public debate, leaving us with the highest energy prices in the world.

Johnson was a corrupt and incompetent lowlife, who used Covid to line the pockets of his cronies, while trying to massage economic growth, unsuccessfully, by driving net migration to a million.

Truss was a footnote in history with the right diagnosis about supply side reforms, but couldn’t organize a piss up in a brewery, let alone enact policies to make those reforms happen.

Sunak was a useless ‘piss in the wind’ kind of dude who had printed a borrowed £1 trillion during Covid to facilitate rampant corruption and then looked all wide eyed and shocked that inflation rocketed to nearly 20%.

And now we have Two Tier and his merry band of clowns. Everything is worse than it was a year ago. Who’d have thought that was even possible. Food inflation nearing 10%, gilt yields higher than when Truss was around, illegal immigration higher than ever, top rate rate taxpayers leaving the country, taxes higher than ever, economic growth nowhere in sight, and welfare and public spending is so out of control, the house of cards could easily collapse.

Reform won’t solve this. But what it may do is that it will consign Labour and Tories in their current form, to the dustbin of history. No one who is in parliament now should be anywhere near the legislature. It may take a shock like a Reform government for a sensible centre right revival to the conservatives, with a completely new crop of MPs, maybe 10-15 years from now . The Tories are so far gone, that it seems unlikely, but what else is there.

Edited

All I can see here is a lot of criticism of previous governments and still absolutely no suggestions as to how these issues you have raised will improve.

What fiscal policies will make the economy stronger than in the periods you refer to etc.

I understand frustration with previous governments and I feel quite politically homeless at this time. But focusing on immigration is a red herring. Can you articulate the ways in which you feel you and your family are negatively affected by immigration? And what reform will make better?

I am genuine in my desire to understand other people's mindsets. It's important.

I think there were some positives in the the governments above, the Tony Blair government did an outstanding job with education (I say this as someone who works in this field and has done for many years). They did a shit job with foreign policy, and I agree about the tax credits. The cost of living is at crisis point but what needs tackling is poverty wages, working conditions (e.g. zero hour contracts), profiteering off housing making it unaffordable and it causes resentment to people on tax credits/later UC who are working full time etc.

I haven't got many positive things to say about the Tories to be fair. I think Truss was manipulated like a puppet so she could be made a scapegoat.

I think one of the big issues is that of potential war in the Middle East. That has the potential to destabilise economy, increase the number of refugees in the world etc but I don't see many reform voters talking about this.

I honestly am confused about what positives would be brought about by reform being in power. I just can't see any.

CleverButScatty · 06/07/2025 16:31

User135644 · 06/07/2025 16:28

I'd vote anyone who will actually do something about immigration and will stop the boats. I'd much prefer Lowe to Farage.

Is this your first post username...

Talkinpeace · 06/07/2025 16:32

All the people saying they would vote for Farage
seem to forget that he can only stand in one parliamentary constituency.

For Reform to be the party of government involves them winning enough seats with enough good candidates.
Which is unlikely

CleverButScatty · 06/07/2025 16:33

Julen7 · 06/07/2025 16:27

Yeah honestly…no brain power whatsoever required. All there,

Statistics on? Published by? When?
Just a little clue...

Or have you heard someone chucking unsubstantiated figures around and taken it as gospel...

CleverButScatty · 06/07/2025 16:33

Julen7 · 06/07/2025 16:26

I don’t think we know what Labour’s policies are on all this do we?

We don't know what labours policies on education and the economy are? Seriously...

It's too large to link but their fiscal plan, costed, is on the party's website; there is a document called 'breaking down the barriers to opportunity' which set out with their manifesto their education plans. Some reforms around SEND are already underway.

You may not know what their plans are if you haven't looked for them and read them but they are out there, published.

Sorry is it elitist of me to actually read policies before I comment on them?

Jennps · 06/07/2025 16:34

CleverButScatty · 06/07/2025 16:33

Statistics on? Published by? When?
Just a little clue...

Or have you heard someone chucking unsubstantiated figures around and taken it as gospel...

Still not found the google search function, then? (Other search engines are available)

Julen7 · 06/07/2025 16:36

CleverButScatty · 06/07/2025 16:33

We don't know what labours policies on education and the economy are? Seriously...

It's too large to link but their fiscal plan, costed, is on the party's website; there is a document called 'breaking down the barriers to opportunity' which set out with their manifesto their education plans. Some reforms around SEND are already underway.

You may not know what their plans are if you haven't looked for them and read them but they are out there, published.

Sorry is it elitist of me to actually read policies before I comment on them?

Edited

@CleverButScatty is your username serious? You are being really irritating.