We have a Reform nob in the Family. My BIL is standing as a local candidate. Fortunately in a different ward but won't be showing any support. He's already started posting anti-immigrant stuff on his facebook. Fortunately I don't havr it so can't go upsetting him and causing a family rift.
My sister isn't amused with him. He's a tosser.
Oh things will change alright. There will be no welfare system and no NHS for a start. In a way, if the idiots voting for Reform can't even see that Nige and co ARE the living embodiment of the establishment, they probably deserve everything they get. The trouble is that the rest of us get it too
I would also suggest their handling of the economy would make us look back at the Liz Truss Mini Budget with fondness such would be the level of incompetence.
Oh things will change alright. There will be no welfare system and no NHS for a start. In a way, if the idiots voting for Reform can't even see that Nige and co ARE the living embodiment of the establishment, they probably deserve everything they get. The trouble is that the rest of us get it too
The problem is that here in Wales Reform UK have specifically promised that the NHS would remain free at the point of use, etc. People (including our naive top of the list candidate) seem believe them and throw back memes on Reform’s promises to anyone who suggests that the NHS is at risk under them. They don’t entertain the possibility that this and other similar promises are a Trojan horse designed to get Reform into power.
How do you actually deport someone who arrived by boat with no documentation? where do you deport them to?
Reforms policies are impossible to implement
Facebook is a Reform cesspit, filled with vocal idiots and bots. I understand people feeling failed by Tories and Labour, but thinking Reform can't be any worse is a special kind of desperation.
"Fool me once.. "
Reform are at least something that isn't 'the same old same old'. And I think desperation is the right word - most of us would underestimate how bad things are in many areas. Plus, everyone calls them stupid racists so they support someone who doesn't and sides with them (while generally side-stepping the race thing enough to maintain presence in the media and vindicate his supporters).
I can't stand the guy. But that shouldn't get in the way of seeing how he's doing what he does quite effectively.
Reforms policies are impossible to implement
The point was they were never supposed to be implemented. Reform exist to stand on the sidelines and moan about things. Best of all worlds; you don't actually have to do anything but you can say how brilliantly you would do it.
But as soon as they get into power, they're exposed for the grifters and charlatans that they are which is why so many councillors have stood down (or been told to stand down).
Reform are here, canvassing. Sorry, can't vote for anyone that dresses like me - kind of charity shop Levellers circa 1992, with self cut hair. At least they look like they enjoy a few beers is the best I can say about them.
I have a suspicion that Reform reform aren't just benefiting from online Bots.
I have this hypothesis that they also deliberately inflate their popularity in the real world at a micro level as well. Our local "Vote Reform" page has been busy posting photos of themselves out canvasing in our village, in the local pub, etc. But its a small village (pop ~1500), and I'm on all the political parties mailing rounds as I vote so whoever's at the door ticks my name off their list. Yet I've not seen them once (and the OH works from home so it's unlikely they'd miss us even if canvasing in the middle of the day). I think they just post up to give the impression that they're popular in the village without actually having to do any canvasing.
Reform are at least something that isn't 'the same old same old'.
There are few people who've stayed front and centre of UK politics for as long as Nigel Farage. What's new about him? He's been instrumental in tearing us out of the EU, and in putting the Tories in power after that by picking and choosing where his candidates stood. He's already fooled us UK voters at least twice. He's used up and thrown away multiple party names. And as pointed out earlier in the thread, many in his top team were in government only a few years ago.
How do you actually deport someone who arrived by boat with no documentation? where do you deport them to?
You're labouring under the misconception that there has to be a plan, the reality is that no-one cares beyond "not here." Their supporters would cheerfully "deport" national citizens who were born here.
Labour should make a point of campaigning on the promise of closing down all NHS hospitals in areas that vote reform. And whilst they are at it, removing pensions anyone in that area as well. After all, that's what they clearly want..
Most of the folks that voted for them seem not to be bothered by this.
Which is part of the problem. Thick, gullible people being allowed to vote without understanding the consequences and are easily sucked in by propaganda (also see Brexit and the £40m daily back for the NHS rubbish - more than likely the same idiots who are now voting Reform).
I think you Derbyshire dwellers need to look a bit harder -
Council Tax up by the maximum amount without a referendum- promise to cut taxes, - broken.
“DOGE” cutting waste - none to be found, council running on minimum services allowed by law, promises broken.
Care homes and children’s/young adults centres - closed - promises broken to “look after our own”..
Bins, the most important thing in the world to some people are your district Authority responsibility, not DCC.
Mate lives in Worcestershire which is a Reform council. His view is it's not better or worse than other parties. The council tax has gone up, as it has everywhere else and Reform have blamed that on anyone but themselves, but that's normal council stuff. He said they make a bit more noise, but bar that it's business as usual.
Not sure if this says more about Reform, the parties there before them or how local politics on general.
Not sure if your mate is actually local to Worcester or not, but the first 12 months was an utter pantomime, council meetings falling apart, huge arguments spanning multiple monthly meetings etc etc. It seems to have calmed down a little now, after the previous council chair was turfed out and a more experienced (ex-tory) Reform councillor took over. Their promises came to nothing - our council tax hike was the largest in the country (I'm told) at 9%, not that I expected any different given how all councils seem to be beyond the bottom of the barrel when it comes to budget.
From Facebook
OK everyone. I know many of you are appalled by the announcement by Reform yesterday.
I actively encourage you to lodge a formal complaint with the Electoral Committee. Do it today.You can do this via email to complaints@electoralcommission.org.uk
And feel free to use this template.
Dear Electoral Commission Regulatory Team,
I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding the campaign tactics recently announced by Reform UK on May 4, 2026.
The party's home affairs spokesperson has publicly committed to a policy of "prioritising" the placement of migrant detention centres—with a proposed capacity of 24,000 individuals—specifically in constituencies and council areas that vote for the Green Party. Conversely, the party has "guaranteed" that areas electing Reform UK representatives will be exempt from these facilities.
I believe this constitutes "Undue Influence" under the Representation of the People Act, as it uses the threat of infrastructure placement to pressure citizens into voting a certain way or to penalise them for their existing political affiliations. This tactic appears designed to:
* Intimidate voters by threatening negative local consequences for their democratic choices.
* Incentivise votes through the promise of specific geographic exemptions that are not based on administrative or logistical necessity, but purely on partisan alignment.
Threatening to punish specific geographical areas based on their voting record is a violation of the principle that elections should be free from coercion. I urge the Commission to investigate whether this policy breaches the Electoral Code of Conduct or the legal prohibitions against intimidatory behaviour in campaigning.
I look forward to your response regarding the steps being taken to ensure the integrity of the 2026 local and further national elections.
Not sure if your mate is actually local to Worcester or not, but the first 12 months was an utter pantomime, council meetings falling apart, huge arguments spanning multiple monthly meetings etc etc. It seems to have calmed down a little now, after the previous council chair was turfed out and a more experienced (ex-tory) Reform councillor took over.
Yep - local government is not exactly glamorous work, I think a few new councillors went into it thinking it'd be a bed of roses and then found that council meetings about new signage on the high street or how much should be spent on the local firework display was not the introduction to power that they wanted.
Also, councils do actually have fairly strict rules about public office work, scrutiny, conduct and so on and it turns out that while you can get away with mouthing off down the pub about "bloody immigrants", those sort of comments in a council chambers gets you on the end of a disciplinary hearing.
