Worried about Reform Electoral Victory

[RolandH]

Hello everyone,

I'm worried about a possible Reform electoral victory. I do disagree with alot of their policies, but the main thing which concerns me is, if they get in, I have doubts about whether they will preserve the integrity of our electoral system.

Looking at far right governments around the world just now, many of them seem to be happy to attempt to undermine the electoral process. Trump tried to after he lost to Biden, and I doubt that the next election in the US will be free and fair, as the republicans will be trying to replace the electoral officials with their people. In Hungary, the free press has been repressed. Things can obviously get worse than this.

I would like to hear if other people are worried about this, for people who are thinking about voting Reform or have done have thought about it, and also how people who are committed Reform voters would respond to this. Will you be ready to fight against this party if it looks like they are taking the country in an anti-democratic direction?

You seem to be deliberately ignoring the many reasons why people keep travelling the UK to seek asylum. I don’t know the law here and can’t be bothered to google. But I can empathise with how it must feel to have to leave your country. You would want to go somewhere where you had family, a community etc. So posters saying why don’t they stay in the first place they came across let’s hope you are never in their situation.

Well actually it’s been clarified/updated in primary legislation but it still holds weight. An asylum seeker can still claim at entry to U.K. and have their claim heard. It was said anyone on a small boat couldn’t claim after the Illegal migration bill came into force, but they actually can and do. However with the new bill it has to be checked whether it’s an admissible claim as well as a genuine asylum one. Assessing this is not as clear cut as all are or all aren’t. Just entering the U.K. on a boat doesn’t make their claim inadmissible (I know this was implied). Generally inadmissible claims that are upheld are only where the claimant has actively claimed asylum in a 3rd country for example and not waited for the outcome form or perhaps have strong ties to a safe country - just because they passed through France doesn’t mean they should have stayed there (or Greece or anywhere). This is all still being debated and clarified through court cases and will get clearer over time as to what inadmissible constitutes in practical terms.

I see why people accuse him of being workshy… as he is portrayed as someone who doesn’t fulfill his many obligations and responsibilities in office. He appears far more interested in networking with Trump and his friends than his constituents. I’ve no idea whether he is genuinely a good MP it would be interesting to hear from some of his constituents. It could be this “workshy” image is being pushed by media outlets but he does seem to have spent an awful lot of time in America since being elected. To many this is being workshy.

He's considered a grifting spiv because he doesn't do the job he's paid to do and has been embroiled in various financial scandals.

When he was an MEP for example, he turned up to one fisheries meeting out of 42. As an MP he lied and said he couldn't have surgeries because he'd been advised it was too dangerous. He hadn't.

I think he's had one surgery since being elected and I haven't heard of anything positive he's done for his constituency which is very deprived.

He has however made a lot of money from lucrative deals whilst an MP. He's also spent a lot of time toadying in the States. It could be argued that he's exploiting his position.

I would agree with you. It’s interesting how MPs with “personality” like him and Boris Johnson can get away with pretty much anything…

I think the police would need to provide full security at his surgeries. There are too many far left nutters that want to, at best, cause disruption and, at worst, consider themselves righteously justified in doing him harm.

They're very good at masking. I remember when Johnson was mayor and people saw him as a loveable buffoon.

What far left nutters? The Communist party?

The “nutters” who threaten MPs tend not to be left wing. All MPs are under threat, it’s an occupational hazard. If they can’t cope with doing a vital part of their job because of that they shouldn’t do it. After all he knew what he was getting into.

Farage can pay for his own security. Not only does he make enough money, but why should he be privileged over any other MP? The violent nutcases out there seem distributed across the political spectrum.

Who are these "far left nutters' ?

Anyone who didn't vote Reform, no doubt.

Oh, so anyone who isn't an entitled ex-tory then!

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/mar/22/farage-calls-anti-ukip-protesters-who-forced-him-out-of-pub-scum

Okay, but so far actual attacks on MPs are across the political spectrum. Farage should get security, but I don’t think you can reasonably claim it’s solely a far left issue.

That happened over 10 years ago but also when you hold views that are controversial, expect to have them contested. I mean do you honestly believe Farage feels like a victim; is he not robust enough to endure a bit of opposition, a bit worrying isn't it, that he's not as tough as he makes out, how's he going to cope if he became PM?

You’ve got a long time to worry about this op.

None of them are 'far left'.

Farage now barred from a Larkhall Butcher due to complaints. Unsure whether the butcher is far left, but presumably Farage’s relative unpopularity means he’s worried about custom

It seems that anyone whose views certain people in the media and elsewhere don’t agree with are branded far left, it’s become laughable. My views haven’t changed in 25 plus years and would have been seen as left of centre but certainly not far left but now they are seen as far left. It’s all utterly meaningless and stupid and an attempt to stifle debate.

"Accusation In a Mirror"

A tactic commonly used by the Far Right, Fascists, Authoritarians etc. Joseph Goebbels was an exponent. It's another aspect of Divide & Conquer. You are either with us, or you are part of the problem itself, hence, anyone who objects to the extremists' policies, challenges their behaviours, or points out the obvious pitfalls is vilified and accused of being an extremist themselves.

So you're invoking the Nazis while simultaneously claiming to be the victim of being falsely labelled as extremist?

Your lack of self awareness is hilarious.

😂😂😂

Oh and Godwin's Law means you've lost the debate.

Are you going to elucidate your definition of the far left or not?

https://x.com/OccupyLondon/status/579622902917660673

They're far left nutters.

Again, such current references, these are over a decade old!

What is your actual definition of far left?