Reform lost 6 by elections this week 🎉

[TheRealSmurfette]

Some good news to start the week!
The mainstream media might be quiet about it, but the numbers don’t lie: Reform UK just lost SIX by-elections in a single week.

Their momentum is officially hitting a wall. On Thursday, they failed to win across the UK and even lost the incumbent seats they were supposed to defend:

• Amble Ward (Northumberland) — LOST (Gained by Labour)
• Hirst Ward (Northumberland) — LOST (Reclaimed by Labour)
• Claremont Ward (Blackpool) — LOST (Held by Labour)
• Long Whatton & Diseworth Ward (NW Leicestershire) — LOST (Held by Conservatives)
• Wick & East Caithness Ward (Highland) — LOST (Stormed by Lib Dems)
• Forth & Endrick Ward (Stirling) — LOST (Held by Conservatives) about:blank 1, 2]

The right-wing vote is splitting down the middle, squeezing them out in low-turnout battles. Proof that real, local communities are seeing through the rhetoric.

Keep it up lads! 🙌

Just seen that Farage has had to do his masters bidding and defend Russia against the fact they interfered in the Brexit debate.

Puzzled a couple of vocal Reform supporters at work. Apparently it's not done to support Britains enemies.

I voted leave in the 2016

It consisted of selecting the box titled NO and marking with a pen.

How can such an action be controlled externally?

It was the information war that Russia interfered with - there are none so blind that will not see. Are you genuinely claiming that Russia didn’t interfere? Can you understand why Russia were absolutely delighted we left? It played right into their hands.

Do you think it needed Russian influence to make people in this country vote Leave? Because Im sorry to say you are barking up the wrong tree there.

One fact I know is that Farage is a proven liar. So pronouncements thereof have the appropriate value.

How do you know?

Did you vote Leave?

If not, why give an opinion on why anyone voted Leave.

Always amazes me why people who voted Remain have a view on why people voted Leave.

If you voted Leave on thr other hand, was your mind influenced by Russian bots? Or were you able to make up your own mind yourself.

What has Farage said that has been proven to be a lie?

Interestingly he says Andy Burnham has lied.

That’s the thing, isn’t it? You don’t know what’s influencing you or where the influence is coming from.

ETA I don’t mean you personally, I mean all of us.

That's not true.

What Russian influence can you pin point?

Did you vote Leave?

Of course it’s true. We’re all influenced by what we read and hear, our friends’ opinions, our circumstances. I can’t tease out where my influences have come from. I bet most people can’t.

I think youre overcomplicating the Brexit vote. It mostly all boils down to facts rather than Russian bots. People either felt one side or the other was for them.

Do you like freedom of movement?

Do you want ever closer union with the ultimate goal being political union with the EU (and therefore the euro)?

Do you prefer your laws to be all made in Parliament and Parliamnet has supremacy or are you happy that our laws are made in Europe?

Do you want to pay large sums in membership fees in order to support poorer members

People will have felt an affinity for either side and voted accordingly. Based on a factual scenario. Not Russian bots. Although they are a convenient excuse for Andy B to try and resurrect this issue, I'll give him that.

OK. Of course you’re right. 🙄

Well whats wrong with what I have said? What else has influenced people that isnt ultimately derived from those points I have listed?

@TheRealSmurfette ,those were council elections not parliamentary by-elections.
People tend to vote differently in council elections.

I said you’re right. What more do you want?

Yes well it doesn't happen very often/ever so I was naturally suspicious.

How would any person know whether they themselves were influenced?

The question is whether there was active interference.

@ElonAteMyHamster

Are you genuinely claiming that Russia didn’t interfere?

Not claiming anything, but asking how choosing a box on a ballet paper can be controlled by another country.

Don’t forget that Article 50 was triggered by 498 MPs by a parliamentary vote on 29 March 2017. Were they swayed by Russia?

@Pineneedlesincarpet

Although they are a convenient excuse for Andy B to try and resurrect this issue, I'll give him that.

I agree. Attempting to build an argument that the 2016 referendum and the parliamentary vote cast on 29 March 2017 are null and void.

Where is Burnham’s evidence?

See my post above at 14.25. I would argue most issues boil down to those points listed. Which are factual.

@concertinacornflake

The question is whether there was active interference.

Where is the evidence there was interference of any kind?

and

even if there is proof of of interference, how can it be proved it influenced anyone?

Are more relevant questions.

Not claiming anything, but asking how choosing a box on a ballet paper can be controlled by another country.

Well given that political parties in this country spend millions trying to influence where people put their "X"s, then what is so different about another country doing the same ?

My concern would be whether they have increased their vote share in these elections.

@JuliaMaesa

Well given that political parties in this country spend millions trying to influence where people put their "X"s, then what is so different about another country doing the same ?

The UK political parties:

Produce manifestos for people to read

Hold Party Conferences

Appear on TV programmes such as, Newsnight, Question Time, etc.

I don’t remember Russia, or any other country, doing any of that between Cameron winning the general election in 2015 and the referendum in 2016.

Nor do I remember Burnham making any reference to Russian interference when standing in the Makerfield election. However, I do remember his comments about not rejoining the EU.