Oh my! Farage isn’t up to it - according to Musk😄😄

Clearly, Mr Musk sees America as a place with no problems, leaving him plenty of time to give his advice freely to Europe.
It's interesting that his concerns about free speech etc seem to be aimed at Britain, rather than China, or Russia...

Personally I think Elon will be off to the funny farm shortly. They say that genius' are mad. There goes an example. Good for Nigel to distance himself. People are not Far Right they are just Right.

Aren’t there enough problems in the USA for Musk to deal with rather than stick his nose in ours?

I was referring mostly to their stance on gun control

Christmaspudding

Not a fan of Farage, but I couldn't give a toss what Musk thinks, and find it absurd that we are constantly fed comments made by Trump and Musk. They don't live here! They cannot possibly think they understand the intricacies of the British culture and attitudes of the British public. I moved to the UK from Australia a couple of decades ago with my (then) young family, and British husband. One thing I have found as a "foreigner" is that - although we speak the same language (English), our cultures are very different. My Australian relatives occasionally express grave concern over what they read in their media about Britain, and I always tell them they have to live here - a long time! - to really understand what is actually going on in Britain; likewise, to read news articles with a good dose of scepticism. So I feel very reluctant to express any comments on the state of Australia, the US, and - to be honest - most of the countries of the world! I think I've finally figured out Britain, but I don't purport to understand the American culture - nor even Australia, as it has been such a long time since I lived there.

Couldn't agree more!

Bluebell - Musk should keep his nose out of other country's affairs. Perhaps he could focus on stopping mass shootings in his adopted homeland for a start.

Not a fan of Farage, but I couldn't give a toss what Musk thinks, and find it absurd that we are constantly fed comments made by Trump and Musk. They don't live here! They cannot possibly think they understand the intricacies of the British culture and attitudes of the British public. I moved to the UK from Australia a couple of decades ago with my (then) young family, and British husband. One thing I have found as a "foreigner" is that - although we speak the same language (English), our cultures are very different. My Australian relatives occasionally express grave concern over what they read in their media about Britain, and I always tell them they have to live here - a long time! - to really understand what is actually going on in Britain; likewise, to read news articles with a good dose of scepticism. So I feel very reluctant to express any comments on the state of Australia, the US, and - to be honest - most of the countries of the world! I think I've finally figured out Britain, but I don't purport to understand the American culture - nor even Australia, as it has been such a long time since I lived there.

I'm not up to it, though Nigel Farage is a publicity whore. I don't care what that egotistical little shit Elon Musk thinks, this country is none of his business. His complete ignorance of world affairs and particularly this country is staggering. Elon and Donald sitting in a tree, K I S S I N G.

Reform got more votes than the LibDems and almost two thirds as many as the Conservatives....

Jeanathome

KateW19

It’s amazing anyone would support either of them - both self centred arrogant misogynistic fools

Some people , for whatever reason, like " a strong man who tells is as it is"

they are so agressive because they are so insecure and weak, and tell lies, lots and lots of lies.

BevSec

Leelaylo

NannyJan53

Maybe I too would like to know what Reforms policies are. Apart from anti-immigration. No-one here has ever been able to enlighten me.

assets.nationbuilder.com/reformuk/pages/253/attachments/original/1718625371/Reform_UK_Our_Contract_with_You.pdf?1718625371

Their manifesto is quite easy to find just google it or use the link I have provided

Thank you for the link, that is a great contract, fingers crossed they get voted in.

Err ... Farage made a point of saying that Reform, unlike other parties would not have a manifesto as these were full of lies. Instead Reform would have a contract as a contract is a legally binding agreement to do something. It says:

Our Contract with You is not just another party manifesto. It sets out the reforms that Britain needs in the first 100 days following a general election and thereafter.

On 3 September 2024, this:

So much for being a ‘man of the people’ and Reform UK being an ‘anti-establishment’ party, for Reform has decided to scrap its ‘contract with the people’ just two months after the election.

The ‘contract with the people’ was supposed to differentiate Reform from other mainstream parties, unlike a manifesto, which Reform said was full of lies. Reform, we were told, would honour their promises.

Yet just weeks after the election, Reform’s party chair, Zia Yusuf, has announced a change in direction, saying that the contract with the people should now be considered “more as the philosophy of what the party wants to achieve rather than policy details.”

At the time of its launch, the ‘contract with the people’ was slammed as “Liz Truss economics on steroids”, after it promised £140bn in tax cuts including raising the threshold of income tax to £20,000, claiming it could find £156bn in spending cuts.

The IFS at the time rubbished Reform’s maths behind their spending pledges, saying that the sums simply did not add up.

Addressing the problematic spending plans, Yusuf said: “They don’t add up on the basis that you implement everything in there on day one for arriving in Downing Street. That’s fair. But that was never going to be the plan.”

It comes as the Reform chair admitted that the party was looking to learn from far-right, xenophobic parties such as ‘Germany’s AfD and Marine Le Pen’s National Rally’ on how to ‘boost its vote’.

KateW19

It’s amazing anyone would support either of them - both self centred arrogant misogynistic fools

Some people , for whatever reason, like " a strong man who tells is as it is"

MaizieD

That's one policy that I agree with too.
The bank reserves that the BoE pays interest on are money that was created by the BoE in the first place. The rationale for paying interest on reserves is that they are deposit accounts with the BoE. As the commercial banks didn't actually make the deposits the interest payments are completely free, unearned profit for the banks, used to pay equally unearned excessive bankers' salaries and bonuses.
The economic ramifications IMO are that it takes some bricks out of the government's 'we can't afford it' wall.

I think that an announcement such as Farage is suggesting would crash financial stability, and we would once again be at the mercy of the markets, and in a full blown financial crises.

And default? How would they deal with that?

I am not suggesting however that interest payment should continue for ever, I think that the BoE might say that it intends to stop paying interest once the QE has been fully re-paid.

Whitewavemark2

If Farage had supported Robinson, as he has shown to do in the past - he knows that it would be political suicide - Farage is a dab hand at hiding true principle.

I absolutely agree.

Those that are taken in by Farage’s “man of the people, fag, pie and a pint” need to look so much further.

Ask the people of Tendering! Where is he in terms of serving his constituency? Joining the Frinton Cricket Club and buying a house just outside Frinton doesn’t seem to have helped the extremely deprived wards of Jaywick and in Clacton, Pier Ward.

Instead of being on a mission to become PM Farage should be doing the job he’s paid to do, and stop trying to push himself forward as the most important man in the UK

I can"t see that Trump will "go behind Musk's back" and work with Farage. Farage spent so long and so many days over there cultivating relationships.

mum2three

'Doesn't have what it takes to lead the party'? That is true of Keir Starmer and now he is ruling the country (although not for much longer if reports are to be believed).

I don't think it matters who leads Reform UK so long as they stick to their promises and rescue our country.

“Rescue our Country” from whom or what?

Reforms “policies” are not solid, they have no “how”, no costing whatsoever and other than immigration and almost doubling the personal tax allowance there’s nothing else “solid” in their policies.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

So, Musk falls out with Farage because Farage has stuck to his principles and doesn't want Tommy Robinson anywhere near Reform. I would go for Farage's principles over Musk's money every time.

Mmmmm Farage’s principles?

It was mentioned above that Musk is trying to do the same in Germany, ie mocking and denigrating the current government just as he does here, plus cosying up to the AfD. I hope they take note of what has just happened - Musk's my way or no way.
Even though politics is a rough game, this sudden level of stabbing in the back in a petulant, public way speaks a lot to Musk's character issues and how he's likely to operate as part of Trumps team.

Leelaylo

NannyJan53

Maybe I too would like to know what Reforms policies are. Apart from anti-immigration. No-one here has ever been able to enlighten me.

assets.nationbuilder.com/reformuk/pages/253/attachments/original/1718625371/Reform_UK_Our_Contract_with_You.pdf?1718625371

Their manifesto is quite easy to find just google it or use the link I have provided

Thank you for the link, that is a great contract, fingers crossed they get voted in.

That's one policy that I agree with too.
The bank reserves that the BoE pays interest on are money that was created by the BoE in the first place. The rationale for paying interest on reserves is that they are deposit accounts with the BoE. As the commercial banks didn't actually make the deposits the interest payments are completely free, unearned profit for the banks, used to pay equally unearned excessive bankers' salaries and bonuses.
The economic ramifications IMO are that it takes some bricks out of the government's 'we can't afford it' wall.

petra

There is one policy that Reform have put up that I fully support.

neweconomics.org/2023/11/government-could-save-55bn-over-next-five-years-by-limiting-bank-of-englands-interest-payments-to-commercial-banks

What do you expect the economic ramifications of this to be?

There is one policy that Reform have put up that I fully support.

neweconomics.org/2023/11/government-could-save-55bn-over-next-five-years-by-limiting-bank-of-englands-interest-payments-to-commercial-banks

Leelaylo

NannyJan53

Maybe I too would like to know what Reforms policies are. Apart from anti-immigration. No-one here has ever been able to enlighten me.

assets.nationbuilder.com/reformuk/pages/253/attachments/original/1718625371/Reform_UK_Our_Contract_with_You.pdf?1718625371

Their manifesto is quite easy to find just google it or use the link I have provided

I’m too stupid to understand that. I’d like Reform supporters to explain it to me in simplistic terms.

Leelaylo

NannyJan53

Maybe I too would like to know what Reforms policies are. Apart from anti-immigration. No-one here has ever been able to enlighten me.

assets.nationbuilder.com/reformuk/pages/253/attachments/original/1718625371/Reform_UK_Our_Contract_with_You.pdf?1718625371

Their manifesto is quite easy to find just google it or use the link I have provided

Don’t forget that it is de-funct. I am not aware that another has been published.

NannyJan53

Maybe I too would like to know what Reforms policies are. Apart from anti-immigration. No-one here has ever been able to enlighten me.

assets.nationbuilder.com/reformuk/pages/253/attachments/original/1718625371/Reform_UK_Our_Contract_with_You.pdf?1718625371

Their manifesto is quite easy to find just google it or use the link I have provided