What can an individual do to keep Reform out?

[Thepoliticsofchaos]

I have a young friend (a university student) who is getting depressed about the prospect of Reform getting in next election. He thinks that the UK is fucked, basically. He's left-leaning, I assume a Labour voter. I've advised him to get politically engaged (so that in the future he'll at least be able to feel that he did what he could). He's not the most outgoing of people, though is interested in politics. Can anyone suggest how he could become usefully politically engaged to try to reduce the Reform vote? Not just joining a party and turning up to meetings, but actually doing something?

https://road.cc/content/news/reform-council-conduct-review-see-cycle-lanes-worth-315747

added to which George Finch wants to send government funds for cycling lanes, back to government as he sees cycle lanes as a waste of time - but is happy to take away transport for home to school from 8 year olds and make them walk

Look. You said what you said. We can all read. There's no point you insulting people to excuse your owm appalling comments. Own what you said or get MN to delete the comments.

I have owned what I said. 🤷‍♀️

No. You’ve attempted to twist what I’ve said. Goodness only knows why.

I’ve already said that I think Farage is wrong. The inquiry should be entirely independent of parliament and no MP should be anything near it. Did you read the link, by any chance?

We can indeed all read and I see your disingenuousness. You are deliberately twisting her words, it’s not ok. Your manner and use of the words “all” doesn’t sit right with me. Make your point by all means but don’t imply everyone sees things the same way as you because that simply is not the case.

Obviously those who cannot see past Nigel Farage and what his political party stands for will pretend they see absolutely nothing wrong with using the word grooming in the context of a grooming victim. And using the example of Isis terrorists who groomed 15 year old girls to go and be child brides in the caliphate. Perfectly reasonable comment apparently. Nothing to see here at all.

And yet if someone they don't like uses the word "love" to a journalist they are shocked and appalled.

It's quite amusing and yet at the same time quite weird. But that's the left for you these days! Winning support wherever they argue with their hypocrisy and double standards.

Anyway let's not argue about these peculiar views on MNs. Obviously most reasonable people agree with me so it's perfectly reasonable that you don't agree with me.

Again you are distorting reality, omitting information to suit. He said “Listen Love” not just “Love” asides from his disparaging tone, the listen part matters because it compounds the patronisation, it’s demeaning and belittling. I’m not “shocked” as you hyperbolise, but no I don’t like chauvinism. You seem to be selective in what you see and find all this behaviour amusing. See I find that weird. I won’t make sweeping generalisations about political spectrums like you have but I find it a very Trumpian type behaviour. Frankly, I find this behaviour weird and I wouldn’t want this normalised in our country. I think our girls and women deserve better. I believe in respect and accountability, but by all means you do you.

In my opinion you are strange in your distorted priorities. Form over substance. But that's the world we live in these days sadly.

Let's leave it there.

Best wishes

Donald J

LARP-ing? No kink shaming here, you do you 💐

Well I shall kindly allow you to have the last word, despite having no idea what that last word means.

Move to Scotland or NI.

Vote SNP or SF respectively.

Vote to leave UK.

If Reform tried to abolish devolution, to close Holyrood, Stormont or The Senedd I think that I would take up arms a la The Troubles.

Not acceptable. And don't quote "but that's democracy" because that is exactly what the UK lacks ie what England - mainly SE - wants we all get.

So OP. I'm worried too.

What bizarre blackmail! So if the majority of a country you are part of votes for a policy that you don't like then you will take up arms? What happens if Scotland achieves total independence and then you find that a policy you don't like is still enacted because the areas that have the highest populations want it? Would you start taking up arms again but this time against Edinburgh?

I don't live in the South East but any idiot can see that the majority of the British population lives there and other regions happily take the subsidies from this region to fund levelling up or the Barnett Formula. You can't have it all ways.

"Take up arms a la Troubles"

What arms would you be taking up out of interest? Nail bombs? Kneecapping?

But we are not "One Country". Nor "One Nation".

We are a union of four Nations in a consenting political union. Allegedly.

I'll tell you what is bizarre: Reform & Farage.

And so long as England is the largest nation then the entire UK gets what England wants.

We need electoral reform. Badly. Westminster needs to be equal to Holyrood, Stormont & The Senedd and not treat those institutions as "pretendy Parliaments".

I mean, c'mon. Farage as PM. Jeezo.

Any attempt by Reform/Farage to close Holyrood, Stormont or The Senedd would surely invite reaction.

I suspect that Farage would be advised agin it.

Mind you, OP the Commons in September of this year voted for electoral reform ie end the stupidity of having a First Past The Post election.

Starmer's legacy could be electoral reform or Farage as PM. (Polly Toynbee. The Guardian).

I'm sure. But you said you were going to take up arms like the Troubles. I just wondered whether that included bombing England or kneecapping people?

Of course not. Think Civil Rights Movement of '68/'69. Not IRA/B Specs/UVF etc.

But how would a Reform PM shut Holyrood, say? Army? Because by God there would be protests all right.

However, on reading Hansard Electoral Reform has & is being debated. If we can get First Past The Post confined to history then there may be no need to worry about another Johnson or Truss or Farage.

So when you "take up arms" as you said you would, what arms do you mean? What level of violence are you going to use to get your way politically? Because that civil rights movement ended up with the Troubles. Is that what you are suggesting for Scotland?

Or Starmer who has very little mandate if you’re talking about FPTP. Low votes at GE and very low support now.

He’s got a bigger majority than the last government had. Presumably they had less of a mandate, particularly since two of its three PMs had never led it to an election victory.

I think the number of votes are the relevant part. Yes Labour have the most seats but very few members of the electorate voted for them due to poor turn out. Our own fault of course. In 2029 I expect the turnout will be a lot larger to get them out with any luck.

Yes there’s no point in talking about the FPTP system leading to lower vote share without mentioning Starmer and 2024 GE.

In any case there’ll be another indication of how people feel in various elections next May.