Page 18 | Council Elections

ThriveAT · 08/05/2026 09:46

Happyjoe · 08/05/2026 01:11

Well, the only, very thin positive I can think of is that Reform do what they've already done - screw over the local councils where they're already sat.

Perhaps 2 years of it may give people pause to think if they want this nationally.

Jesus, I am totally depressed but not surprised. Bloody Farage's mug everywhere, the nasty party in charge.

This is a good point and it gives me hope. Thank you.

Walkyrie · 08/05/2026 09:47

I’m centre right, I LOATHE Reform but all the flapping left wingers this morning have nobody to blame but themselves.

Just think, if immigration had been properly and vigorously tackled 15 years ago, would we be here today? Of course not. But they shouted down anyone who mentioned it, and called them racist, so they’re reaping what they sowed

Senescence · 08/05/2026 09:47

Reliablesource · 08/05/2026 09:34

You’re just proving my point about how obnoxious it is to call people racist or stupid just because they vote differently to yourself. I didn’t vote Reform by the way, but I absolutely defend everyone’s right to vote as they see fit without being branded racist or stupid.

And if you want an example, many many people support the cutting of benefits to people with minor MH conditions, and I agree that this has got completely out of control over the past 15 years. That’s one of Reform’s flagship drums to beat, so there you go… People are sick and tired of both main parties failing to tackle that issue.

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That’s a very long way of saying you can’t provide even one single rational and fact-based reason then, as I thought.

By the way the percentage of people with mental health conditions in employment has continually risen and continues to rise. Pesky old facts and data!

Walkyrie · 08/05/2026 09:47

WhaleEye · 08/05/2026 09:44

Well we live in a democracy so should respect the votes of others. I did not vote Reform but clearly there are a log of people unhappy with the status quo.
This has been a protest vote. Everyone who voted reform are not bigots and racists. They are protesting.
It gives mainstream political parties time to get their act together before the next general election because that’s where it will really count.

I also find the ‘protest vote’ really patronising, who are you to say what their intentions are?

Swiftie1878 · 08/05/2026 09:47

Senescence · 08/05/2026 09:37

Ummmm… a vote for local representatives should be based on the things that local representatives have power over.

Does this really need explaining? To adults?

Other posters have already explained this several times in the thread. Do you really not understand that there’s no point voting for a local representative expecting them to change something totally outside their remit or power and irrelevant to their job role?

It’s would be a bit like me criticising my postman for not emptying my bins. Totally irrelevant.

You say “we need to stop patronising people”. Meanwhile we have other posters on the thread who have explicitly stated that allegedly it’s the job of people who aren’t totally thick to educate those who are. If they tried to do so they’d no doubt be accused of being patronising (all the “had enough of experts” nonsense i.e. “we’d much rather wallow in ignorance”), so people can’t win whatever they do, can they? Apparently it’ll always be the fault of the people who aren’t stupid and didn’t vote for Reform/ Brexit that the stupid people did so.

The only thing left at this point is to leave the idiots to carry on until they figure it out for themselves and decide they’re bored of making themselves continually poorer year on year.

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Again, we don’t KNOW the local representatives. How do I know how well they’ll organise my bin collection? (Actually, my vote yesterday was for County Council seats, so bin collections don’t come into it - it’s more about potholes and Education provision)
All we know is what they stand for, due to their affiliation to a political party. So people vote based on that.
You’re an adult too. Why is this so difficult to understand? People don’t think they’ll stop immigration; they think they’ll follow a ‘style’ of council leadership, extrapolated from their views on national matters.

ERthree · 08/05/2026 09:48

icepop2 · 08/05/2026 08:34

Yes but you clearly don't understand, they are a populist party - that means they tell you exactly what you want to hear and they say it loudly. Just like good old Nige during Brexit with his bus telling everyone how many millions would be able to go to the NHS after Brexit. Just like Trump in the US telling everyone he's going to make America great again.

If you want your country to work you don't vote for people with no experience who don't know what they're doing just because they're saying all the things you want to hear.

There is the same attitude as Brexit because Brexit was/is a complete disaster and we're now scrabbling for closer ties. People believe the lies though because it's what they want to hear.

The reason council tax goes up so much every year is to pay for social care, we have an aging population, there are an increasing number of kids with SEN that need support. People want the roads fixed, they want frequent bin collections, they want buses for their kids to get to school, they want visible police but they don't want to pay for it and choices have to be made by any council. It doesn't matter who gets in, the budget is still the budget.

Just because someone promises you the world doesn't mean they're going to deliver any of it, but people fall for it every time.

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Sounds a lot like you are talking about Starmer and his band of norighters.

Senescence · 08/05/2026 09:48

Walkyrie · 08/05/2026 09:47

I’m centre right, I LOATHE Reform but all the flapping left wingers this morning have nobody to blame but themselves.

Just think, if immigration had been properly and vigorously tackled 15 years ago, would we be here today? Of course not. But they shouted down anyone who mentioned it, and called them racist, so they’re reaping what they sowed

Without immigration the UK economy would have collapsed long ago.

Flyingintotheunknown · 08/05/2026 09:48

FernandoSor · 08/05/2026 09:42

Looks like the winnners so far are Reform and the Libdems. Labour and Conservative are losing seats everywhere. So much for the Green surge. Libdems hoovering up a lot of Green-wavering voters and one nation Tories I suspect.

I was quite surprised to see this too considering all I’ve seen in the media lately is that it’s a race between Reform and Greens.

Senescence · 08/05/2026 09:49

Swiftie1878 · 08/05/2026 09:47

Again, we don’t KNOW the local representatives. How do I know how well they’ll organise my bin collection? (Actually, my vote yesterday was for County Council seats, so bin collections don’t come into it - it’s more about potholes and Education provision)
All we know is what they stand for, due to their affiliation to a political party. So people vote based on that.
You’re an adult too. Why is this so difficult to understand? People don’t think they’ll stop immigration; they think they’ll follow a ‘style’ of council leadership, extrapolated from their views on national matters.

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How can you possibly ever cast a vote for anybody then if you need to know them personally in order to do so? Effectively you’re saying that you don’t think democracy should exist at all if that is your view. What alternative do you propose instead?

Papyrophile · 08/05/2026 09:49

I rather think we're nearing democracy's end game -- you know, the bit where the electorate discover that they can vote themselves more and more from the national income.... until the house of cards collapses.

Voters can reach this pitiable state from both ends of the political spectrum.

Monty36 · 08/05/2026 09:50

Labour still don’t get it. Warbling on about reflecting on the results and not getting the messages across.

The approach has been crap Labour.

From the clothes, concerts, Mandelson. Sentencing and prisons. People being let out early. Angela Rayner not paying her taxes. Giving NHS doctors a massive pay rise but not with tied in agreements on performance. And as for Immigration. Carrying on in the same way hoping nobody will notice. Hopeless.

Sharptonguedwoman · 08/05/2026 09:50

OneTealShaker · 08/05/2026 01:13

Lovely things? You should travel more and see more of the world to raise the bar.

This country has been on the fastest trajectory to terminal decline for the last 30 years.

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I don't need to travel more to know exactly what Reform is and what it stands for.

Swiftie1878 · 08/05/2026 09:51

Senescence · 08/05/2026 09:48

Without immigration the UK economy would have collapsed long ago.

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OMG. That isn't the sort of immigration people object to, and you know it.
Wilfully misunderstanding, bashing, dismissing; none of these things are helpful. We need more understanding (even if we completely disagree with it!) if we are ever to make any progress.

ProudCat · 08/05/2026 09:51

I think it's relatively simple. The largest. voting demographic in the UK is the over 65s, closely followed by the 50-65 bracket.

Reform is promising to enhance the triple lock by cutting working age benefits, abolish inheritance tax and 'reform' social care for the elderly. Yeah, people are voting in their own interests.

However, what Reform doesn't do is explain how it's going to manage the massive chunk of the public sector (NHS and care homes) at the same time as cutting immigration.

Although none of this really matters because at local council level they can't do a damn thing.

tabulahrasa · 08/05/2026 09:51

Passingthrough123 · 08/05/2026 08:56

I think it's insulting to Reform voters to say it just comes down to the boats issue.

People are tired of two-party politics and how the shit show has just bounced back and forth between Labour and Tories for decades. They want change. They're desperate for it. Like him or loathe him, Farage has presented a plausible alternative to two-party politics and people like the fact he's shaking things up. Now Green are starting to do the same in other areas and with the youth vote.

It's not a one-policy issue.

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You might want to tell reform that

Because they sent various people to the BBC last night who all said that they don’t have fully formed policies on everything else and people were voting for them because of their immigration policies.

nam3c4ang3 · 08/05/2026 09:52

Is anyone surprised really? Of course Labour would be taking a battering, i expected worse, a total wipeout - most of the country hate them and KS. And this whole 'green surge' - no one took that seriously, its just bullshit chat. Not surprised with the other results. But you know, as someone said when they came into power - give them a chance, they are different, they are good.... OK then 😂

Sharptonguedwoman · 08/05/2026 09:52

OneTealShaker · 08/05/2026 00:35

The first declared seats going to Reform.

Reform +2
Labour -1

Buckle up people.

Awful.

Senescence · 08/05/2026 09:52

Swiftie1878 · 08/05/2026 09:47

Again, we don’t KNOW the local representatives. How do I know how well they’ll organise my bin collection? (Actually, my vote yesterday was for County Council seats, so bin collections don’t come into it - it’s more about potholes and Education provision)
All we know is what they stand for, due to their affiliation to a political party. So people vote based on that.
You’re an adult too. Why is this so difficult to understand? People don’t think they’ll stop immigration; they think they’ll follow a ‘style’ of council leadership, extrapolated from their views on national matters.

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And yes, they will indeed follow a “style of leadership extrapolated from their view on national matters”, i.e. the economically illiterate and detached from reality views argued over by a bunch of incompetent people with sub-standard intelligence and very dubious morals (even at MP levels I struggle to name one who isn’t involved in fraud, domestic violence, racist abuse at a level of police investigation, etc… never mind the even more poorly vetted reprobates they’ve recruited as local council candidates).

Enjoy!

It will be amusing to watch over the next few months as reality dawns on people.

FernandoSor · 08/05/2026 09:53

Swiftie1878 · 08/05/2026 09:47

Again, we don’t KNOW the local representatives. How do I know how well they’ll organise my bin collection? (Actually, my vote yesterday was for County Council seats, so bin collections don’t come into it - it’s more about potholes and Education provision)
All we know is what they stand for, due to their affiliation to a political party. So people vote based on that.
You’re an adult too. Why is this so difficult to understand? People don’t think they’ll stop immigration; they think they’ll follow a ‘style’ of council leadership, extrapolated from their views on national matters.

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Speak for yourself. I do know my local representatives. Our local councillors at parish and at borough level are well known - they are at every village fete, every school performance, every sports award day. In many cases they are people we have known since childhood.

Reliablesource · 08/05/2026 09:53

Senescence · 08/05/2026 09:47

That’s a very long way of saying you can’t provide even one single rational and fact-based reason then, as I thought.

By the way the percentage of people with mental health conditions in employment has continually risen and continues to rise. Pesky old facts and data!

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i have give a rational reason as to why Reform appeals to many voters. You think you know better. Clearly one of the arrogant Labour voters I was referring to.

Not interested in your ‘data’. We all know there has been an explosion in working age people claiming benefits due to ‘anxiety’ etc. Sickness benefits should be for those with a really serious illness or disability that prevents them from working, not for the workshy who feel a bit ‘anxious’ at the thought of it.

Sharptonguedwoman · 08/05/2026 09:53

ProudCat · 08/05/2026 09:51

I think it's relatively simple. The largest. voting demographic in the UK is the over 65s, closely followed by the 50-65 bracket.

Reform is promising to enhance the triple lock by cutting working age benefits, abolish inheritance tax and 'reform' social care for the elderly. Yeah, people are voting in their own interests.

However, what Reform doesn't do is explain how it's going to manage the massive chunk of the public sector (NHS and care homes) at the same time as cutting immigration.

Although none of this really matters because at local council level they can't do a damn thing.

Do you think it's that? I come into the older age bracket and think Reform are the absolute pits. Maybe I'm a minority?

Original poster

OneTealShaker · 08/05/2026 09:54

Senescence · 08/05/2026 09:48

Without immigration the UK economy would have collapsed long ago.

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No it wouldn’t. Thats a lie that’s often trotted out by people who don’t understand how supply and demand works.

Without immigration, businesses would have been forced to pay very high wages, which would have forced then to invest in automation. Raising UK productivity. Win/win.

OP posts:

Winter2020 · 08/05/2026 09:54

Senescence · 08/05/2026 02:45

Constantly bleating on about how it’s everyone else’s fault that they make dumb voting decisions. Telling us “they know what they are voting for” and “don’t care if it makes them poorer” then when it inevitably makes them poorer moaning about this and instead of doing anything to improve their own communities or economic prospects blaming everyone else for their situation (which they voted for) and then voting for more of the same that will make them poorer still.

The places which have the highest Reform/ Brexit majorities are mostly propped up by enormous amounts of tax revenue earned by people in other areas of the country already but instead of being grateful for being subsidised continually they do nothing but complain and have the highest rates of people sitting on their backsides doing very little to contribute, then wonder why their areas are shitholes and like to blame everyone else/ migrants/ the EU/ disabled children/ whatever for their problems. And say they’ll continue voting for idiotic things to make themselves even poorer until somebody else sorts their life out for them. Understandably, those who are propping them up are largely sick of listening to their moaning about largely self-inflicted problems, and the sympathy of many of us was exhausted at the point where they started trying to gaslight us and pretend we are to blame for their stupid decisions that impacted the rest of us as well.

They propose no solutions themselves, as evidenced by them voting for undeliverable cloud cuckoo land manifestos and being so gullible that they believe nonsense claims about what is causing the UK’s economic problems and what needs to be done to fix it, and vote in ways (like for Brexit) which undermine any possibility of improving things. Then try to blame everyone else for the idiotic decisions they have made and say “you made me do it because you told me it was a stupid thing to do and that made me do it, and it was stupid so now I’m even poorer like you said I would be if I did this so now I’m angry with you and it’s your fault!”.

It’s like trying to reason with a toddler having a tantrum because because they’ve thrown their own ice cream on the floor.

Sometimes, natural consequences are the only way to learn when someone hasn’t developed the intellectual understanding of the average 3 year old.

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A cloud cuckoo land manifesto was Labour saying they weren't going to raise taxes.... then raising taxes.

Gullible was believing Labour would help hardworking people when all they are doing is taking from businesses and working people to pay more and higher levels of benefits.

Nonsense was Labour claiming they will achieve growth then taxing businesses more and more. Higher unemployment/lower productivity/ disincentives to be productive- incrntives to work less and get the perks or benefit top ups. If you work hard to earn good money you'll get fuck all so sit back and enjoy.

Original poster

OneTealShaker · 08/05/2026 09:55

Reform +397
Labour -259

OP posts:

Hallowedturf · 08/05/2026 09:55

Look at this correlation.

The three parties with the biggest gains, the Liberals, the conservatives and Reform are ALL advocating lower welfare and lower government expenditure and the hard left, labour and the greens who want to continue the greatest transfer of wealth from the haves to the have nots, are not really doing very well at all.