Reform. 140,748 members and counting. The Tories are well and truly in trouble!

Wyllow3

Casdon

We’ll see, won’t we. Neither of them are backward at coming forward with their viewpoints.

Getting to feel like something in the playground I'm afraid.

I suspect you’re right - for once I don’t feel invested though, so it will be good to watch from a dispassionate perspective!

Wyllow3

Yes, Maybee in 2015. Here is an article that shows how they axed 9 green policies

"Onshore wind, solar, green homes ... we round up the measures that have gone under the knife in what some are calling the worst period for UK environmental policy in 30 years"

www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jul/24/the-9-green-policies-killed-off-by-tory-government

They removed the gas storage facilities in 2017.
www.gov.uk/government/news/rough-gas-storage-facility-undertakings-to-be-removed#:~:text=The%20CMA%20has%20confirmed%20its,undertakings%20from%20Rough%20gas%20storage.&text=Removing%20these%20will%20facilitate%20the,deemed%20unsafe%20by%20its%20operator.

People have such short memories. And, even if they’re reminded of things they just choose to ignore things that the last government did . Preferring to believe that a rookie party with a handful of dodgy MP’s are the future of this country. I despair and, quite frankly, have given up caring any more.

But it's a kind of "magical thinking" Maybee. We really don't have any idea what most Reform policies will really be, get fed up with how difficult things are now, choose someone who promises "with me, everything will be all right" as if it were the second coming...

MaizieD

Allira

Dickens

Jeanathome

Bixiboo

It’s interesting the number of young people who Farage said are joining Reform. I wonder if it’s because they are disillusioned with Labour and Conservatives.

Weimar Rebublic plus Racism plus Social Media.

Weimar Rebublic plus Racism plus Social Media.

... yes - "Tomorrow Belongs To Me" 🧑‍🎤🧑‍🎤🧑‍🎤

That's a neo-Nazi song, isn't it?

The Weimar Republic was not Nazi.

I understood that the song wasn't even a nazi song. It was written for the original play on which Cabaret was based.

And yes, Wiemar wasn't nazi. They were the ones who caused the hyperinflation which made Germans vulnerable to Hitler's fascist populism.

Yes, they were rather ineffectual in government consequently Germans became disillusioned which did lead to the rise of Hitler.

Wyllow3

But it's a kind of "magical thinking" Maybee. We really don't have any idea what most Reform policies will really be, get fed up with how difficult things are now, choose someone who promises "with me, everything will be all right" as if it were the second coming...

Like Trump and MAGA

Maremia

All the party memberships seem low. Less than 200,000 out of 60 billion. And yet we are all enthused by these political threads. It just doesn't translate into paying subs.

60 Billion??? is that meant to be million?

Allira

Wyllow3

But it's a kind of "magical thinking" Maybee. We really don't have any idea what most Reform policies will really be, get fed up with how difficult things are now, choose someone who promises "with me, everything will be all right" as if it were the second coming...

Like Trump and MAGA

On my mind, yes, Allira.

sundowngirl

Maremia

All the party memberships seem low. Less than 200,000 out of 60 billion. And yet we are all enthused by these political threads. It just doesn't translate into paying subs.

60 Billion??? is that meant to be million?

A typo, I'm sure.

'b' and 'm' are very near each other on the keyboard

That's more people than there are in the entire world... (about 8 billion)

MaizieD

Allira

Dickens

Jeanathome

Bixiboo

It’s interesting the number of young people who Farage said are joining Reform. I wonder if it’s because they are disillusioned with Labour and Conservatives.

Weimar Rebublic plus Racism plus Social Media.

Weimar Rebublic plus Racism plus Social Media.

... yes - "Tomorrow Belongs To Me" 🧑‍🎤🧑‍🎤🧑‍🎤

That's a neo-Nazi song, isn't it?

The Weimar Republic was not Nazi.

I understood that the song wasn't even a nazi song. It was written for the original play on which Cabaret was based.

And yes, Wiemar wasn't nazi. They were the ones who caused the hyperinflation which made Germans vulnerable to Hitler's fascist populism.

That's not really true. Hyperinflation happened in 1923. The German currency had stabilised by 1924 and the Weimar Republic lasted for another nine years until 1933.

I don’t know where the party membership numbers were sourced, in 2022 the Tory party claimed 170,000. Members at £39 with discounts for retired and under 20s.

There was a lot of support across Europe for either left wing or fascist political groupings through the 20's & 30's.Franco, Mussolini, Action Nationale in France, Oswald Moseley's lot here all had significant popular support.
The first world war, the Russian revolution, many countries having extended franchise so everyone could vote for the first time, huge estate duties in the UK so ancesteral estates couldn't automatically be passed down, the Depression, new technology at a headlong pace - unsettling times & it seemed to polarise politics. Hitler had Trump's trick of mesmerising mass groups into believing & doing things that as individuals they wouldn't have countenanced.

I still don't understand how a member of the public can become a member of a limited company.

On a separate, but linked note, did any of today's Reform supporters pay to join Farage's previous 'political party'? UKIP I think, it was. That went up in a puff of false promises and unexplained financial transactions I believe?

Maybe FGT who seems to be a staunch Reform supporter, knows?

David49

I don’t know where the party membership numbers were sourced, in 2022 the Tory party claimed 170,000. Members at £39 with discounts for retired and under 20s.

"The Conservative Party's membership was revealed as 131,680 at the end of the 2024 Conservative Party leadership election".

Wikipedia

Just saying - there will not be an election for nearly five years.

People tend to vote to oust a Government irrespective of what they vote in. Britain just wanted the Tories out and will probably do the same to Labour, sooner or later with Populism picking up the baton?
Americans know what Trump is but do not like the alternative;Britain knows what Reform is etc. etc..

Ladyleftfieldlover

Just saying - there will not be an election for nearly five years.

... quite.

And if a week "is a long time in Politics" then 5 years is a very long time to ride the crest of a wave.

Dickens

Ladyleftfieldlover

Just saying - there will not be an election for nearly five years.

... quite.

And if a week "is a long time in Politics" then 5 years is a very long time to ride the crest of a wave.

Well, they're still in the trough so we must give them time.

Boz

People tend to vote to oust a Government irrespective of what they vote in. Britain just wanted the Tories out and will probably do the same to Labour, sooner or later with Populism picking up the baton?
Americans know what Trump is but do not like the alternative;Britain knows what Reform is etc. etc..

This isn’t America though. The Democrats are more akin to the Tories than to Labour. We don’t have a history of right or further right voting as they do there, here most people are within a few degrees of the centre ground. When Labour eventually lose power, it’s unlikely to be to be Reform who are the biggest party, I’d predict a big surge in Lib Dem popularity if the Tories don’t reconfigure in time (which I think they will myself).

Casdon

Boz

People tend to vote to oust a Government irrespective of what they vote in. Britain just wanted the Tories out and will probably do the same to Labour, sooner or later with Populism picking up the baton?
Americans know what Trump is but do not like the alternative;Britain knows what Reform is etc. etc..

This isn’t America though. The Democrats are more akin to the Tories than to Labour. We don’t have a history of right or further right voting as they do there, here most people are within a few degrees of the centre ground. When Labour eventually lose power, it’s unlikely to be to be Reform who are the biggest party, I’d predict a big surge in Lib Dem popularity if the Tories don’t reconfigure in time (which I think they will myself).

You are quite right. Reform is not so much a winner as an Influencer.

Casdon, I hope you’re right and that the Conservatives reconfigure well before the next election. They need a better leader to do that. They’re the Reform challenge, much needed

spabbygirl

KB could start a fight in a paper bag. She cannot resist responding to something she'd be much better off ignoring. Farage will respond as he likes the oxygen of free publicity so will twist it to his benefit.
Both of them are loathsome creatures who want are desperate to be PM and are best ignored

👏👏👏👏

MayBee70

Shinamae

Casdon

Any politician can promise the world when not in power. When the manifestos are published before an election is when you know what they are actually planning to deliver on.

Starmer and co promised rather a lot and have reneged on a lot of it
Liars and cheats….

Didn’t the Conservatives government actually remove existing incentives/grants to install solar power? ( along with removing gas storage facilities which made us vulnerable to international events).

Your point being?

Shinamae

MayBee70

Shinamae

Casdon

Any politician can promise the world when not in power. When the manifestos are published before an election is when you know what they are actually planning to deliver on.

Starmer and co promised rather a lot and have reneged on a lot of it
Liars and cheats….

Didn’t the Conservatives government actually remove existing incentives/grants to install solar power? ( along with removing gas storage facilities which made us vulnerable to international events).

Your point being?

Can’t be bothered to reply to be honest. I hope you enjoy the brave new world that Reform will give you.

Sick to death with a lot of the people on this forum….

This forum Maybee? As in GN?
You probably mean just this thread. Take timeout and have a breather.