Mailwatch(ed) Forum

33 seats lost in Sunderland that is a disaster for Labour.

I’m sure Reform will stop the Viking boats mind.

Boiler wrote: ↑Fri May 08, 2026 3:12 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:The turnout was high. I'm afraid that Farage and Polanski seem to be able to drive turnout.

That's the effect of simplistic, uncomplicated and fact-free messaging for you.

In 2029, I think Farage and Reform will swerve the tv debates. He can't get tripped up or have his policies (policy singular sorry) questioned if he's not there. Didn't Boris swerve them in 2019 and it worked a treat for him.

Very high child poverty in Sunderland. Sort of place that might be expected to care about the work Labour's done on it. Apparently not. It actually wants a load more of it.

AOB wrote: ↑Fri May 08, 2026 4:31 pm
In 2029, I think Farage and Reform will swerve the tv debates. He can't get tripped up or have his policies (policy singular sorry) questioned if he's not there. Didn't Boris swerve them in 2019 and it worked a treat for him.

Bozo skipped Andrew Neil, doubtless because Theresa May had had a very tough time with him in 2017.

Trump did 1 debate with Harris, then skipped the others. Did him no harm. Lots of the electorate seem to hate clever people anyway.

mattomac wrote: ↑Fri May 08, 2026 4:24 pm 33 seats lost in Sunderland that is a disaster for Labour.

I’m sure Reform will stop the Viking boats mind.

So do Reform gained the council then?

Yeah

Current Cambridge City Council:
Lab 17
Green 12
LD 11
Tory 1
YP 1

What should the LDs do, accept Labour's terms or carry the shit can for a Green administration in four years time?

I'm asking the wrong people, and I'm perennially out of sync with my compatriots but can someone explain what Reform actually offer other than:

1) Immigrants bad
2) Change good
3) ??? patriotism good ???
4) nuff said

?!!!!

Well their current running of the councils doesn’t look good.

Plaid are the largest party in Wales, bit of a relief for my centre left friends there.

ITV poll did again very well.

North East looks a disaster for Labour, it’s very similar to the Brexit vote what is it with years ending in 6?

Ive got a Reform councillor now.

I feel for you.

My town now has a Reform council although the Lib Dems still won all 3 seats in my ward. Grim times.

Honestly, there's a spiteful streak in me that wants all those Reform and Green councils to be utter crap.

Well based on what we know they probably will.

Whoever decides to be London Mayor candidate for Labour is probably ok with those results.

Yeah, the Greens haven't done as well as I expected in London. Sadiq probably done a lot of heavy lifting for Labour there.

It's a Reform lockout in my town, displacing some Labour councillors who'd been working hard for their wards for forty years.

I know that nobody's entitled to a seat, but whatever you think of the party nationally, those people deserved better than to be short-sightedly shown the door like this.

What Farage appears to have achieved is putting the 2019 Boris Brexit alliance back together. With some crucial differences; there's no Corbyn to deliver the Blue wall and southern marginals to the Tories. And between 5-10 percent of that alliance has now died of old age. Its unlikely the Tories will dart to the centre but the LDs need a fresh face at the top. Particularly as the Greens appear to be a damp squid for the left of centre protest vote. It'll be a surprise if Farage has mined new seams.

Lovely line on The News Quiz tonight about Plankski:

"...very popular amongst younger voters... less so with those of us who actually remember Rik from The Young Ones."