Council Elections

[OneTealShaker]

The first declared seats going to Reform.

Reform +2
Labour -1

Buckle up people.

Yeah if you're primary school age.

😂😂😂

People obviously don't want this much diversity, do they? That's what we are seeing in this election. People voting with their feet.

On Rayner specifically, she hasn't evaded Stamp Duty... Yet! HMRC haven't yet decided whether she did or did not, though apparently, HMRC have, according to "rumours" deemed no wrong doing.... we shall see.

I'm not saying people shouldn't have "freebies" IF declared, so we know their original and reasons for...

Starmer rightly (as did Rayner) get huge scrutiny, yet Farage and Tice get very little.

I'm not surprised with so much around telling us to not trust the "Others" and how they aren't like us and have funny ways that we don't understand.

There is too much of people trying to divide us rather than how we are alike and can get on if we all respect eachother.

Thank fuck Reform didn't take control of my area as it was suggested they might. I was in such a state of relief this morning that I have been in tears.

I truly fear though for the country as a whole, and for my children especially, with Reform becoming more successful.

From a woman with a mixed heritage family, and friends and colleagues from a variety of backgrounds, I thank every one of you nationwide who did not vote for Reform.

Except the usual route to citizenship is getting indefinite leave to remain first, then citizenship - there’s always a fair number of people in that in between stage who would be affected by the changes to indefinite leave to remain that reform want to make

There’s also a fair number of people who are skilled but fairly low paid workers, like nurses for example who don’t go for citizenship because they’ve already spent thousands getting indefinite leave to remain…who again would be affected.

So voting for reform if the only migration you’re worried about is illegal doesn’t follow because that’s not the only migration their policies deal with.

To me, the big issue here is the collapse of the Tory vote, why hasn't Badenoch been able to capitalise on Labours undoubted problems?

Many reform voters will tell you that isn’t the UK’s problem. As I say I’m not a reform voter. I’m just making a point that I see where they are coming from. Migration in it’s 100s of thousands is enough now so it needs to be controlled one way or another.

Reform are winning because many people in this country - in particular the working class - are seeing a massive reduction in quality of life and their children are less safe. It's not unreasonable to be upset by this.

I think it's not healthy to see Reform voters as evil, that way can only lead to division. What needs to happen is some understanding about why people are voting this way, and listening to their concerns. Which, apart from the conservatives, none of the other parties seem to be doing.

My Reform candidate for MP last time around was a black former immigrant (now citizen) who works in the NHS. Presumably he doesn't think they're all racists.

Well people often say 'that's not Labour's fault because the Tories were in power for 14 years etc.' and I don't think Reform UK voters are oblivious to that fact either. Except they don't use that idea to forgive things that are happening in Labour's time in power, they use it as a reason to vote for an alternative right wing party to the Conservatives.

Reform have been able to capture both a lot of the usual Tory vote and a lot of the traditional working-class Labour vote. They have done a very good job of triangulation and appeal to the disgruntled on both sides of the pollical spectrum.

If it's Worcester the opposition Councillors wouldn't let any cuts that would save money go through. A Councillor was on BBC Hereford and Worcestershire was saying that another Councillor (nameless I think) had said that they would oppose a Reform budget whatever it was. The Councillors ended up having to be written to and told that they would be committing a criminal offence to not agree a budget. So it sounds like it was a shit show but in no small part due to opposition Councillors. Their refusal to sanction any cuts is the reason no savings were made.

I'm a left-leaning centrist and absolutely despise Farage. However, we've had a few Reform councillors here since the last local election and they've actually been good. They have sorted out loads of potholes, fought against school closures and always reply to emails etc. So hopefully that gives some of you hope in your current despair?!

Well, thats odd too, Reform has accepted many senior Tories, heavily involved in the 14 years of Tory failure.

So it cannot be that.

Though i expect many more Tories to switch to Reform.

Running a council isn't that hard. You just cut the things people don't care about and concentrate spending on the things people do car about, such as emptying the bins and maintaining the roads.

In just under 24 months, there was quite a lot of wound-licking to be done after the GE. KB is starting to gather some momentum now, and there's still a long way to go before the Tories are a credible electable force again.

Agree spot on!

This is a huge problem the student visa and bringing massive families. It’s been abused to oblivion …

This entire day has been depressing this far.

What tf is going on?

The Labour candidate who volunteers in the community (I see her around a lot) and has been instrumental in some changes around her, was ousted for the Reform candidate, a man I know personally who is a selfish pos. Great.

Proportionately, they 've lost (so far) more council seats than Labour, i don't see anyway back for the Tories.

Reform will attract most former Con voters, who don't like immigration or the EU & the Tories cannot appeal to more right wing EU fans (yes there are plenty) who will go LD or stay at home.

Labour have a chance (very slim) if Starmer goes & they change policies too.

But the issue no one is addressing, is even if these results were replicated in a GE, Reform would get a huge majority, on less than 30% of the vote.

A recipe for disaster with 70% against the the Govt, hardly democracy.

Agree they are not evil by any stretch of the imagination. However, it is fair to say that many are unaware of what they are voting for and have been hoodwinked into believing that Reform are the party of the people and anti-establishment which is worrying.

But you didn’t answer my question.

I agree that there’s been a lot more scrutiny of Rayner and Starmer than Tice or Farage.

There may be a number of reasons for that: firstly, those holding high office are usually subjected to more scrutiny; secondly, there are elements of the media that are heavily biased towards the right; thirdly, there’s a sense, I think, that people expect better of Labour (after all, the left does hold itself out as the more virtuous position), whereas few people expect high standards of integrity from the far right.

Those who present themselves as morally virtuous run more of a risk of accusations of hypocrisy when they fall short, than those who play on people’s self-interest.

Vast majority of Students cannot bring in dependents, that changed in January 2024.

The difficulty is though, if we want the very best students in the UK, they will not come here if they cannot bring in a partner.... USA allows in dependents, inc children.

Sometime ago I was chatting with a group of Swedish people and they told me that they get a year off for maternity on full pay (if I remember the details correctly). I told them that you couldn't do that here because people would just keep having babies to get another full paid year off - they looked at me like I had 2 heads.

I also heard that the most common reason for male suicide in Sweden is a belief that they are not making enough contribution to society. Massive angst about not contributing to society is not a culture we share!