Bring it on Elon!

Why would Musk bother? I think he sees an opportunity there because the current government has a very,very poor leader. Most seem to agree with him and it isn’t improving at this stage. I think that they really need to dump Starmer and get someone else in charge. There must be someone, surely ? They have a huge majority. I have no idea who would be capable, as a lovely person pointed out, I don’t see the every day stuff and see who is who there but some of you who follow politics will have an idea. Just needs to be done before people totally desert the Labour Party.

*But I do worry that Farage appears to be wedded to American Capitalism which, IMO, is quite brutal and that, should he gain sufficient support with Reform (aided by Mr Musk), he could take us down that route, and we end up with the American model of healthcare and social care.

Who knows? I don't study him sufficiently, and Reform's manifesto has not been fleshed-out enough, for me to make any valid observation. Could we ultimately end up as the 51st State of America - so to speak? I just don't know why Musk is so involved with UK politics*

Absolutely.

Musk's basic far right ideology is shared by Reform, and for several months (Southport and the riots being a prime example) Musk and Farage have worked together.

finally, Musk offers enough to try and seriously try to change the path of UK politics by throwing unheard of amounts of money Reforms way and with Farage's obsession with Trump as I've said well upthread, turn the Uk back into the tail that USA the dog wags.

LizzieDrip

I saw Farage in an interview some time ago (think it might have been a Newsnight, but not sure) where he said the UK should have an ‘insurance based health system similar to that in America’.

I very much doubt that Farage would ever call for a French style system - or any European system for that matter!

... not that I agree with him, but I think Farage's animosity was towards the EU institution rather than Europe itself, or any particular nation within it?

As it appears to be with some Brexit voters who still enjoy travelling and visiting mainland Europe.

I vaguely remember there was a catchphrase doing the rounds on social media during the referendum - "Love Europe, Hate The EU".

... it would be odd for anyone, even ardent Brexiteers, to hold the whole of mainland Europe in contempt!

But I do worry that Farage appears to be wedded to American Capitalism which, IMO, is quite brutal and that, should he gain sufficient support with Reform (aided by Mr Musk), he could take us down that route, and we end up with the American model of healthcare and social care.

Who knows? I don't study him sufficiently, and Reform's manifesto has not been fleshed-out enough, for me to make any valid observation. Could we ultimately end up as the 51st State of America - so to speak? I just don't know why Musk is so involved with UK politics.

LizzieDrip

I saw Farage in an interview some time ago (think it might have been a Newsnight, but not sure) where he said the UK should have an ‘insurance based health system similar to that in America’.

I very much doubt that Farage would ever call for a French style system - or any European system for that matter!

This is your bias of him though, why would he not like the idea of the French health system?

I said his manifesto said he wanted the French type system as linked above.

Who would have said Starmer would get rid of the winter fuel allowance l.

Reform election pledge. June 2024.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqll1edxgw4o

I saw Farage in an interview some time ago (think it might have been a Newsnight, but not sure) where he said the UK should have an ‘insurance based health system similar to that in America’.

I very much doubt that Farage would ever call for a French style system - or any European system for that matter!

Actually love0c I don't see any comparison between the elected Prime Minister of my nation and a man who has not been chosen by anyone, but is keen to interfere with the legislature of his own country, and, now, with ours.

Yes Galaxy, I should have said Alex Jones rather than Joe Rogan. But Rogan has changed since his early days on his podcast and has recently dropped from his #1 on Spotify. The reasons for that are varied and has nothing to do with the purpose of this thread on Elon Musk. So I won't go further on that and derail.

My point was, young people are getting news from non traditional sources and what they are being fed looks a whole lot different.

Time to recognise that the UK is not a first rate power in the world, has much less influence on the USA than some believe and that any UK PM has to navigate a passage between the US with NATO in mind and the EU which despite turbulence is an important trading partner with scope to exercise influence alongside France and Germany.

Dinahmo I am a fan of the French health system, it seems to be very efficient, much better to adopt that system than USA.

(Also my experience of the Spanish and Austrian doctors and clinics, quick to access, clean and reliable)

Earlier in the thread I asked what are the actual policies as otherwise it is speculation as in different understandings above.

But if people say Reform is best thing since sliced bread (and it will have the Musk millions to make the Reform Party the force it wants to be) we need at least broad brush visions because they claim "total overhaul".

In the meantime I'll just be glad if we can set boundaries to this kind of pernicious "gifting".

Dinahmo

Farage also likes the French health system which is a mix of private and public but I don't think that is what he actually wants. Probably more like the American system

... that's what worries me.

I do not support any party as I do not think any run the country this is ran via the Civil service.

How much is done with the average person in mind? Let's take electric cars as an example since I use one. We are told the government want to go all electric cars by 2030.
Now I can travel to an electric charge point and low and behold the space is filled with a petrol car. The government forgot to make a little law to make it nationally illegal to park in a charge point when non electric.

When was the last time the minimum size car park bays were altered?

There are loads of these examples that could easily be put in place to help everyday people but governments of all colours only focus on the bigger things.

Maremia

Haven't read the whole thread yet so mea culpa, if this has already been answered, What is Farage's policy on the NHS? Would he go full USA, and then everyone undergoing cancer treatment will have the lifestyle choice to go bancrupt?

Farage also likes the French health system which is a mix of private and public but I don't think that is what he actually wants. Probably more like the American system.

Personally I think that the French system is good and could work well in the UK, if people can understand it.

A comparison between two.

Three years ago now I had an emergency operation for an umbilcal hernia. My aftercare was excellent - a nurse came in every day for two weeks to give me an injection and to change the dressing. At the end of that period the visits were reduced to every other day and the stitches were removed.

On Saturday a friend in the UK was taken to hospital to have a tumour removed from his stomach. He went home on Tuesday. He has to inject himself and he has to go back to hospital for the stitches to be removed.

You could say that his treatment is acceptable and he can deal with the jabs. I deal with jab for asthma - not a problem. But, as one ages, it is good to know that the nurses will come to one's home rather than us having to wait in a doctor's surgery or at a hospital.

Ohhowwelaughed

Maremia

Haven't read the whole thread yet so mea culpa, if this has already been answered, What is Farage's policy on the NHS? Would he go full USA, and then everyone undergoing cancer treatment will have the lifestyle choice to go bancrupt?

These are the type of silliness we see all the time in our politics. Where has Farage said that he would like a USA type of health service.
When I looked at his manifesto at the last election he said he wanted a European insurance based system that works fine when I have lived abroad over the times

I talk to loads of different people on my travels from cheap pubs to high end hotels and I feel that Reform will do well in the next election.

When I looked at his manifesto at the last election he said he wanted a European insurance based system...

Thanks for that information.

I understood he proposed an insurance-based system, but I couldn't find anything (at the time) that specified which type.

There's a world of difference between the European model and the USA one.

I will try to find that manifesto. Not that I have any intention of voting for NF, but I do like to see factual information rather than hype / misinformation - which is always counter-productive and just muddies the already muddied waters even more.

Social media is alive and thriving with mis-information, speculation, and downright lies, at times. I want to separate fact from fiction, and opinion. Regardless of who we are discussing.

Maremia

Haven't read the whole thread yet so mea culpa, if this has already been answered, What is Farage's policy on the NHS? Would he go full USA, and then everyone undergoing cancer treatment will have the lifestyle choice to go bancrupt?

These are the type of silliness we see all the time in our politics. Where has Farage said that he would like a USA type of health service.
When I looked at his manifesto at the last election he said he wanted a European insurance based system that works fine when I have lived abroad over the times

I talk to loads of different people on my travels from cheap pubs to high end hotels and I feel that Reform will do well in the next election.

Haven't read the whole thread yet so mea culpa, if this has already been answered, What is Farage's policy on the NHS? Would he go full USA, and then everyone undergoing cancer treatment will have the lifestyle choice to go bancrupt?

Galaxy

I am not surprised people voted trump, I listen to Joe Rogan now and again, I dont agree with him at times and agree with him on some issues. To put him in the same category as Andrew Tate is ridiculous. If Harris had bothered to go on Joe Rogan instead of thinking the avengers were going to help her win she might have had better results.

I wasn’t surprised either. I bet on trump the first time round and again in this election. Not because I support Trump but listening to the man in the street.
Millions of voters said they were far better off financially when Trump was last in power.
Americans love successful people whichever way they make that money.
Millions of the black and Latino voters were angry that their vote is taken as a given by the democrats.
And then they had Kamala. What exactly did she say she was going to do. 🤷‍♀️

Wasn't BREXIT about removing foreign interference in our politics? And now Farage is courting a foreigner, to support his party. Hypocrite or what?

Wyllow3

Let Reform win, if they can, fair and square under our own systems. We wanted sovereignty, apparently...

Yes, we voted for sovereignty so that we wouldnt be bound by EU rules and the so called elite could carry on making up their own rules. Which is exactly what will happen if Reform help the right wing Tories get back into power.

I am not surprised people voted trump, I listen to Joe Rogan now and again, I dont agree with him at times and agree with him on some issues. To put him in the same category as Andrew Tate is ridiculous. If Harris had bothered to go on Joe Rogan instead of thinking the avengers were going to help her win she might have had better results.

Wyllow3

I really don't know how many people want for us to end up like that whatever our politics.

I truly think there are those among us (I don't mean specifically on GN, but in wider society) who think that the Left are the devil incarnate.

They, such individuals, don't distinguish - they assume the Left is an homogenous group, and they blame it for all the ills of modern society, and I don't think they care two hoots whether their voices are silenced. As far as they are concerned, the Left is a quagmire, a morass that needs to be destroyed, and I also think they would happily see voices like The Guardian silenced permanently.

Dickens, he can not stop it himself. What he did do is tell Trump and Congress to stop the funding bill from passing. Republicans have now stopped the bill from passing. Because Musk said so.

Once that happens, there is no funding for the government, which shuts it down completely. No one gets paychecks. Contracts do not get paid, so companies end up laying off workers. Small businesses will go under.

He is not an elected official yet holds all the power in the US right now because he is the richest man in the world.

imaround

Why would I need to start my own post? I am being respectful and I am posting pertinent information regarding the OP.

What is happening in the US with Musk is real and it is coming to your shores. You all are in a unique position to be knowledgeable and stop it before it starts.

I think it is a terrifying prospect.

Let Reform win, if they can, fair and square under our own systems. We wanted sovereignty, apparently...