Re: Reform Party
Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2025 3:33 pm
And there ain't half been some of those
Ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe to sue Nigel Farage for defamation
Great Yarmouth MP who now sits as an independent is also suing two other senior party figures amid bullying row
Liz Truss is, in political terms, toxic. Whatever she believes about who was to blame for the economic catastrophe that occurred under her watch, the British people have made up their minds. Truss holds the dubious honour of the lowest ever popularity rating of any UK political leader. At the end of her short premiership, just one in 10 Brits had a positive view of her. And despite all her efforts to explain how it was really someone else’s fault, that figure has barely budged up in the intervening years.https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/u ... 1745572664
Her name was still being angrily associated with rising mortgages on the doorsteps when hopeful Conservatives were out canvassing for the 2024 election. The Truss brand is so damaging, in fact, that some Conservatives quietly wish Kemi Badenoch would expel her former boss from the party. “Liz Truss is our Corbyn,” I was told by one Tory insider, frustrated that Badenoch hadn’t taken action against her predecessor as Keir Starmer did with his after assuming leadership of the Labour party. When I raised the prospect of Reform tempting Truss to come over, the response from multiple Conservatives was “Please, take her!”
Abernathy wrote: ↑Fri Apr 18, 2025 5:42 pm Apparently, Farage and Liz Truss have been “in talks” about Truss signing up to join Farage’s outfit.I think it’d be a wonderful idea. Truss has an ego even bigger than Farage, and will want to be leader within weeks. And the rest of reform might actually fancy that - having a former PM in charge would be bragging points in their deluded world, plus with Nigel out of the way they might have their own shot at the top job one day. A nice little civil war courtesy of Truss’s kiss of death, and they could be wound up faster than you can say Change UK.
Not especially surprising, I suppose. Nor particularly worrying for Kemi Badenoch.
Might not be a great look for Reform, though.
Boiler wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 1:44 pm Meanwhile, Reform and the Tories expected to do well in mayoral elections:There were 4 council by-elections yesterday, and reform won 0. Out of the 240 since the GE, they’ve won…14. So the mayoral vote is a bit crappy for sure, but they are by no means on some sort of roll.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/li ... 5b05d1eee1
Fifteen points ahead of the Tory in Lincolnshire...
Crabcakes wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 2:16 pmThey don't really bother in by-elections. They need the national Farage coverage that comes with a big slate of elections to get their vote out. I think they'll do well overall in the locals, not just the mayoralties.
There were 4 council by-elections yesterday, and reform won 0. Out of the 240 since the GE, they’ve won…14. So the mayoral vote is a bit crappy for sure, but they are by no means on some sort of roll.
Also, in more reform fun, here’s one of those rare legal cases where you hope both sides somehow lose and lose hugely. But in the meantime it’ll be nice to see them slag each other off!
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... defamation
Tubby Isaacs wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 3:06 pm They don't really bother in by-elections. They need the national Farage coverage that comes with a big slate of elections to get their vote out. I think they'll do well overall in the locals, not just the mayoralties.The shitshow that will ensue if they win a high-profile mayoralty and try to apply their "just apply common sense, simples" philosophy will be interesting to see. As long as it's on the other side of another country, obviously.
The Weeping Angel wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 2:47 pm They won one yesterday.I shall suitably chastise my source!
Crabcakes wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 2:16 pm There were 4 council by-elections yesterday, and reform won 0. Out of the 240 since the GE, they’ve won…14. So the mayoral vote is a bit crappy for sure, but they are by no means on some sort of roll.There are more next week though. Today I spotted a Homeland Party poster, nailed quite high up a post/tree/whatever so it couldn't easily be removed.
Killer Whale wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 3:50 pmWell, Reform seem to be nailed on in Greater Lincolnshire. I expect that given Reform's anti-green energy stance, all the anti-solar farm brigade will be delighted. Given the state of the roads round here are poor at best, I only expect them to get worse under their tenure. Time to buy a hydropneumatic Citroën, I thinkTubby Isaacs wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 3:06 pm They don't really bother in by-elections. They need the national Farage coverage that comes with a big slate of elections to get their vote out. I think they'll do well overall in the locals, not just the mayoralties.The shitshow that will ensue if they win a high-profile mayoralty and try to apply their "just apply common sense, simples" philosophy will be interesting to see. As long as it's on the other side of another country, obviously.