What I would like to ask Reform supporters what are the specific Reform policies they support?

[CurlewKate]

Just that really. I am a Labour voter, and I know what Labour policies I support. I think I know what Conservative and Lib Dem policies their supporters like. I don't know about Reform.

It’s not actually my party and I know they have - I’m not happy and will campaign against it where there’s options to do so. But the Tories started restricting rights to protest and Reform will also stand on that side very firmly.

There is indeed - they literally set fire to Manvers though - anyway it’s not ok to incite it either.

I find it morally repugnant to be indifferent to the burning of hotels with or without people inside and I also certainly wouldn't want her as my child minder.

That said she did plead guilty to the charge whereas Ricky Hatton pleaded not guilty to his charge.

But the clear point is that being indifferent to the burning of a hotel is not incitement to the burning of a hotel.

Reform voters vote on emotion not cold hard facts, very similar to other populist parties across the world, see US. Argentina etc...just look at the 5 million bung to farage it doesn't matter to them, but if it was any other political leader, they would be up in arms, reform is a bit like a cult, read about leon festinger and his research about cognitive dissonance, the cult he studied carried on believing no matter what, quite scary really...

Even though the evidence was clear for anyone not blind or deaf. BTW. I think predictive text has changed his name for you.

What are you prepared to do without to get that? It would cost a fortune.

It's immigration, stupid. The subject that the main parties will not touch with a barge pole. And still won't, despite the wave of support for Reform. Asked to address the reasons for Reforms popularity, neither the Tories or Labour spokespeople could bring themselves to mention it. And now, the fight back from Labour ? Gordon Brown as some sort of trade envoy, and bloody Harriet Harman ( the woman, who decades ago, argued for the age of consent to be lowered to 10 ) as some sort of Czar for women and girls !Does Starmer in any world imagine that this rearranging of the deckchairs will impress anyone, least of all Reform voters .These local elections were a dress rehearsal for the next general election. Be prepared for a majority Reform government in a maximum of 4 years time. And the two main parties will have themselves 100% to blame.

ha

@flytyer27
Thanks for posting the Reform policies you like. I agree with most of these policies too and I think their policies are much clearer than most of the other parties. Lib dem policies are generic pap in comparison.
However, my concern is Reform's budgeting. How will they finance so many tax cuts and maintain public services? I understand that spending less on benefits, civil service administration, immigration hotels etc. saves some money but it is not that much relative to the whole budget. I think when Robert Jenrick joined them they said that the tax cuts cannot happen until they cut spending. They also need to think carefully about what tax cuts help the economy and which ones don't. Only 4% of people pay inheritance tax-the most wealthy. I don't think we should get rid of it as such a minority pay it.
@ilovesleep6
I think you said about the issue with triple lock pensions. This is something that we need to come out of as it is too expensive.

When the Indians, Pakistanis and Windrush people came in the 50s they did not come to fill the jobs the English wouldn't do. They were invited to fill labour shortages after the war and some came because of partition.In those days nobody had a choice whether to work or not. You went to the Labour exchange and were given a job to go to if you were out of work because if you didn't work in those days you got sod all.They weren't all treated with hostility either. Stop over generalising. They worked alongside the English in the mills and transport and the NHS who were already and still are doing these jobs, apart from the mills which are mainly shut. Who do you think worked in the mills before the immigrants came? They were treated with curiosity. They were different to us. It's human nature and it happens everywhere. The local midwife in my street in the 50s worked tirelessly to help the immigrants who had nothing for their babies and neighbours gladly gave. Stop bashing the English.

@fairyring25
@flytyer27
@ilovesleep6

Thank you all for posting such thought through, clear and rational posts.

Too often whenever there is a thread on Reform the argument against them is that "they're racist", "their voters are thick" or " they want to abolish the NHS". Most of these posters are simply parroting social media sound bites rather than taking the intellectual effort to read Reform's policies.

Personally I would not vote for Reform for the same reason that you have identified- where is the money coming from for their tax cuts and spending increases?
They talk vaguely about efficiency savings but this is too vague and as you point out will not raise much money. I also agree about IHT not being a priority and triple lock being unsustainable.

Lastly although Reform's policies lack financial credibility they are at least better than the Green Party policy of funding their increased spending by simply printing more money- anyone for hyperinflation?

I think it important to read manifestos. Reform do not say they would abolish inheritance tax, only increase the tax free amount, something that hasn't been done for many years. The tax free amount has not kept up with inflation and house prices, so more and more people (not just the very rich) now have to pay it.
What's interesting is what is difficult or impossible to find. Reform have a clear list of financial estimates at the end of their manifesto -savings versus extra expenditure. The Greens list some tax rises, but not a full balance.
Try and find the greens policy on legalising street prostitution (in certain areas) and legalising Class A drugs. You really have to hunt for it - I wonder why.
What is the Greens policy regarding defence and the armed forces - well they say a ban on first strike use of nuclear weapons, as though that is something that the other parties would be happy to consider. Apart from that there is next to nothing that I can find, other than getting rid of nuclear weapons and depending more on the EU and "peace focused strategies". A pity Russia doesn't plan to do the same.

She plead guilty because she was being held in custody and could have waited a long time for a court date whereas Ricky Jones was granted bail. That was key difference

I haven't read any of Reforms policies but just chipping in for some reality of the French Health care system. The first 70% is free once you are in it, which is after 6 months of coming here. You get a top up to cover the rest. And anyone can see a doctor for €30. The prescriptions are very decently priced and reclaimable through insurance or the system. You can see a doctor on the samw day, you can book a doctor or specialist online, you get blood tests the same day, and if you go to A&E, last time I went i was in and done in 30 mins. And a French doctor diagnosed on the first visit somwthing id seen multiple consultants about in the 15 years before leaving the UK, after numerous scans, inside and out, operations to remove what they thought it was (it wasnt) and she diagnosed it by listening to the words I was saying. And she was right. And I was speaking in a different language.

I think the key point to your comparison is "and anyone can see a doctor for €30".

In the UK it is free and when things are free demand will always exceed supply. For example when carrier bags were free people took loads even if they didn't need them or paper napkins in take aways where people grab a handful even if they only need two.

Now where supply is limited (as in the case of healthcare) then this excess demand is managed by queuing - same thing happened in communist Eastern Europe where there were queues for heavily subsidised food.

And exactly the same thing happens with free healthcare, where if you have the time to wait you get an appointment, whereas if there was a small charge of say £5 then people would reconsider if they really needed that appointment.

@Shedmistress Interesting to hear your experience of the French healthcare system. I had heard that it works better than the NHS but I believe the French also spend more per person on healthcare.
Google suggests that the Dutch system costs roughly the same as the British system per person but has better outcomes. Apparently, each person buys basic private insurance from competing non-profit insurers. Through taxation, the government subsidises low earners to pay for their healthcare premiums. GP visits, maternity care and healthcare for children is free.
Maybe we need to consider better options than the NHS.

The NHS is a holy cow in the UK and any attempts to alter its setup will be met with howls of protest.

The only thing that seems acceptable is for the NHS to be given more and more money.

Any non white your f**d. Horrible vile racist but hey ho

I think the NHS needs addressing. I firmly believe in it, however, I’m not blind to the potential need to make it more private healthcare based.

When our dear Nige bangs on about the French system, I’m strongly reminded of the time he banged on about a Norwegian style Brexit.

He would sell out to a US style one, reward his paymasters looking for a 70m person market. This is even more clear to me now as he has obviously just pulled France out of a hat and a PP has found other cheaper places. He’s not mentioned options - just floating an idea like the second hand car salesman he is.

It would also cost a lot to set up a European style healthcare system and require more, not less, investment. This is never going to happen under Reform - they are here to asset strip the U.K. for themselves and their cronies.

I do think folk won’t be too happy but, there’s a lot of variables there, so we may see - fingers crossed we never have to see though!

What I meant 'anyone' is like, anyone. A day tripper can get ill, go see a doctor that day and pay the €30 and walk out with a prescription. And the prices for those drugs are usually less than €10 not the private prescrition costs that the UK charges.

For those in the system, most of it gets refunded so it costs a couple of € but before I left the UK, it tooks hours and hours of being on the phone to even get an appointment let alone actually see someone the same day. I remember sitting on Zoom meetings with a phone to my other ear waiting patiently as I was the 45th in the queue just to try and get an appointment to see someone.

Last month I got a prescription for a Dexa scan, I went home, booked it online, for the next week, drove there, parked for free in the car park right outside the premises, went, had the scan, waited by reception, paid the fees, got the results in an envelope before I left. And I can get the fee reimbursed by the top up insuance. And it was as calm and measured as can be. People just calmly doing their job.

It is a whole different world. You do not realise just how disfunctional it all is until you leave.

Perfectly expressed 👏👏

Why are the greens dangerous??? I thought they were tree hugging hippies who care about the environment, no? (How the hell can they be more dangerous than Reform????!)

Remainers are not dickheads!
You could say Brexit voters were the dickheads because they were foolish enough to believe everything they were told
We were told Brexit would save us millions
It absolutely didn't and has cost us more now that we're not in the EU
I didn't vote either way as felt I didn't have sufficient information. I was right

I reca hearing that about Polish people....:(