The biggest surprise in the by elections is that Reform UK trounced the Lib Dem’s!

Casdon

They are HousePlantQueen. Byline Times is often right, and ahead of the game. It’s definitely worth reading.

Glad I am not alone!

Yes, her name escapes me too, as do most names these days. To summarise the last decade in UK politics.
Farage, the MEP who creamed off expenses from the EU whilst attending very few meetings for his bucks, formed UKIP which posed a real threat to the Tory centrists.
Cameron, aware that the right wing of his party were leaking to UKIP on their anti-immigration, anti-EU stance, promised a referendum as an act of appeasement to those looking over the fence at UKIP.
He got what he wanted, and had to provide the promised referendum whilst being a pro-European, just to keep the Tory power base united.
Cameron did not believe the British people so dumb as to believe the UKIP propaganda, and so approved a referendum without putting in any real democratic safeguards -ie a sensible voting ratio that would have prevented a Leave/Remain win on only a slight margin.
He promised, once the result was in and he realised his folly, to 'steer the good ship Brexit' unaware it was already heading for the inevitable ice-berg. He soon jumped ship and saved himself from being the worst PM ever by being succeeded by the woeful Theresa May who just couldn't navigate the ship to shore because the compass had been lost in the murky waters of the English Channel. Next? Boris Johnson, who clearly loved being at the helm and announcing to the people who had already gone, about being oven ready whilst floundering on the sandbanks of the Irish sea. Next? Liz Truss, who tried to keep the ship afloat with bags of lettuce but in the end had to hand over to another un-elected PM who just grinned inanely and tried to persuade what few crew he had, that he had five ideas to save the ship, completely unware that the ship was now aground with no hope of moving anywhere.
Meanwhile, UKIP regrouped and re-formed. In their little dinghy Reform are now flying the flag for the right-wing to get onboard. A few swimmers are in that boat, confident that they have something to offer in pushing the 'immigrants' back with their short and badly made paddles. It maybe some others will join the flotilla espousing the Dunkirk spirit, but not only are their boats inadequate for the job, they have nothing but waving flags to attract the poor swimmers who once they arrive cold and exhausted on the good ship Reform, will find themselves bringing down the whole thing and sinking into the bottom of the briny sea.
Meanwhile Labour have a nice cuppa in Downing Street and begin the process of restoring the sinking reputation of our tattered and bruised island nation.

No apologies for this post- I got a lot of my chest!

HousePlantQueen

Casdon

They are HousePlantQueen. Byline Times is often right, and ahead of the game. It’s definitely worth reading.

Glad I am not alone!

No youre not alone.

I was glad you posted the link .

I just think people are too invested some times, in the subject matter to realise that articles aren't as truthful as they seem.

I find what ever is written it is always worth while to check out the language used.

Keep linking!

Namsnanny

HousePlantQueen

bylinetimes.com/2024/01/18/reform-uk-limited-the-political-business-brought-to-you-by-billionaires/

For anyone interested.

3/4 conjecture, opinion ie too many "it was reported, it was said, according to etc."

One out right lie, that I know of.

The rest was a collection of info from the public domain of who funded and by how much. Which I presume to be correct as I havent checked.

Quite poor journalism Imo.

All parties are funded by people who believe in the policies they stand for.
What's so different about that?

In what way is it poor journalism?

As you pointed out, the information is in the public domain and verifiable.

Namsnanny

HousePlantQueen

Casdon

They are HousePlantQueen. Byline Times is often right, and ahead of the game. It’s definitely worth reading.

Glad I am not alone!

No youre not alone.

I was glad you posted the link .

I just think people are too invested some times, in the subject matter to realise that articles aren't as truthful as they seem.

I find what ever is written it is always worth while to check out the language used.

Keep linking!

In what way isn't it truthful?

Sparklefizz

Only 39% of people voted in the Kingswood by-election. That's not many people making an effort, is it?

This is my constituency so we have had a whole rainforest of leaflets delivered over the last month but still people didn't bother. ... perhaps because it's half term here and they are busy.

I disagree that it's a foregone conclusion that Labour will get in. People always like to make a point with mid-term by-elections.

People always like to make a point with mid-term by-elections.

I agree.

Whitewave
Interestingly I’ve just read that the reform vote was by no means composed of fed-up Tory voters. I think that they probably are composed of the rump of Brexiters - so in that case I don’t hold out much for their future.

In fact I didn't think that Kingswood was an area which voted overwhelmingly for Brexit. Wasn't the vote 52% in favour of leaving the EU? About the same as the UK as a whole.

growstuff

Namsnanny

HousePlantQueen

bylinetimes.com/2024/01/18/reform-uk-limited-the-political-business-brought-to-you-by-billionaires/

For anyone interested.

3/4 conjecture, opinion ie too many "it was reported, it was said, according to etc."

One out right lie, that I know of.

The rest was a collection of info from the public domain of who funded and by how much. Which I presume to be correct as I havent checked.

Quite poor journalism Imo.

All parties are funded by people who believe in the policies they stand for.
What's so different about that?

In what way is it poor journalism?

As you pointed out, the information is in the public domain and verifiable.

My second point.

A lie is not just reprehensible it is also bad journalism, is it not?

Everyone has a bias, but isn't it better to be aware of it, than be too open to the rhetoric that plays into that bias?

What was the 'outright lie', Namsnanny?

Galaxy

This labour voter would never vote lib dem. I did it once for complex reasons , never again.

Same here Galaxy. Life long Labour voter here from a Labour voting family and I voted Lib Dem once, just like you for complex reasons. Learnt my lesson well and truly.

I once voted Lib Dem and then they ratted on me and joined the Tories. Wholly untrustworthy. Never again.

Vote Reform

Nope. I would tell you why not, but i honestly cannot be bothered, I am too busy looking for Brexit benefits.

I’d encourage right wingers to vote Reform, because I’m totally in favour of wasted votes that will weaken the Tory vote, and lose them more seats whilst not giving Reform any either. Years in the doldrums ‘finding themselves’ is exactly what the Tories deserve after 14 years of treating the electorate as they have.

Under our undemocratic FPTP system, informed voters weigh up the situation in their constituency and in most places there are only two parties in contention.

Therefore many votes are cast against the party you dislike the most, rather than positively for the party you support.

If I had been living in either of the constituencies which just had by-elections, I would have seen that the choice was between Labour and Conservative. Although I support the Liberal Democrats, I would have voted Labour, because it is high time we kick out the corrupt, incompetent Tories.

Many well informed supporters of the LibDems or Greens would do the same. This is tactical voting.

Casdon

I’d encourage right wingers to vote Reform, because I’m totally in favour of wasted votes that will weaken the Tory vote, and lose them more seats whilst not giving Reform any either. Years in the doldrums ‘finding themselves’ is exactly what the Tories deserve after 14 years of treating the electorate as they have.

Good point!

I've just read the Byline Times article which seems to me to be accurate having read most of the information elsewhere.

Short of removing the non dom status from the press owners who of course were pro Brexit because of the EU clamping down on tax havens I don't see what could be done about foreigners funding the right wing think tanks.

PS there was very little conjecture in the article.

Dinahmo

PS there was very little conjecture in the article.

I'm still waiting to be told what the 'outright lie' was.

I read it,too and am puzzled by the comment that it contained an ‘outright lie’. It seemed very low key and factual to me, with no particular opinions put forward.

nanna8

Is the Reform party a break off party from the Conservatives? I hadn’t heard of it. Not sure what they believe in. I assume they were connected with Farage ?

They do have a manifesto, easily found by asking uncle Google.

HousePlantQueen

You just keep on voting for flag waving grifters, funded by dubious overseas donors.....then we will get rid of the Tories. Thank you 😊

As Reform don’t yet have an MP in the house, who did vote against a bill to have the rules tightened on nefariousness ways of donating to parties.
It wasn’t Reform, was it 🤔

www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/may/03/government-defeats-move-to-tighten-uk-foreign-donations-law

Freya5

nanna8

Is the Reform party a break off party from the Conservatives? I hadn’t heard of it. Not sure what they believe in. I assume they were connected with Farage ?

They do have a manifesto, easily found by asking uncle Google.

No, they are not connected to the Conservative Party nanna8, they are the offspring of the Brexit Party. I’m struggling to see why there’s such a fuss about them really, they are polling in no higher numbers than the Brexit Party did. Maybe some of the disenfranchised right will vote for them at the next general election, but I can’t see them making any significant impact myself.

Casdon

I’d encourage right wingers to vote Reform, because I’m totally in favour of wasted votes that will weaken the Tory vote, and lose them more seats whilst not giving Reform any either. Years in the doldrums ‘finding themselves’ is exactly what the Tories deserve after 14 years of treating the electorate as they have.

Afraid I , and possibly others will not vote for who you say. My vote is mine, no-one else's.

Freya5

Casdon

I’d encourage right wingers to vote Reform, because I’m totally in favour of wasted votes that will weaken the Tory vote, and lose them more seats whilst not giving Reform any either. Years in the doldrums ‘finding themselves’ is exactly what the Tories deserve after 14 years of treating the electorate as they have.

Afraid I , and possibly others will not vote for who you say. My vote is mine, no-one else's.

Many will though Freya8. It’s one of the biggest fears the government has regarding the next election.

HousePlantQueen

You just keep on voting for flag waving grifters, funded by dubious overseas donors.....then we will get rid of the Tories. Thank you 😊

How very sad that waving a flag is associated by some with grifting and right wing groups.

Please, anyone who loves their country, start to reclaim the flags, however you vote.
National flags are not a matter of shame as anyone from another country will tell you!

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