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Farage. Well he’s Top of the Pops right now! šŸ˜‚

(502 Posts)
FriedGreenTomatoes2 Thu 06-Feb-25 20:59:23

This tonight, from the ā€˜i’ newspaper (that I also now subscribe to, not just The Telegraph!) ….

ā€œNigel Farage stood up at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday to hostile silence. Squashed together in the Commons, MPs from other parties glowered at him, and then delighted as he appeared to fluff his lines when asking a question about the Chagos Islands.

Behind the scenes it is a different story, with individual MPs from other parties queuing up to ask the Reform UK leader to sign House of Commons wine bottles and drinks coasters for family members and constituents who are fans of his brand of straight-talking populism. It’s not clear whether those MPs acknowledge the cognitive dissonance involved.

There’s no doubt Reform is having a moment. On average, the last half-dozen polls have put the party on 25 per cent, putting it equal first with Labour. Three of those polls put the party in the lead, either solely or in tandem with Labour.

It’s causing tangible jitters among both Labour and Conservative MPs. At PMQs, Farage accused them of ā€œpanic.ā€

This week a group of around 40 Labour MPs from ā€œRed Wallā€ seats in the north of England called for Sir Keir Starmer to send a stronger message on immigration as they seek to see off the threat from Farage and his crew ahead of local elections in May.

Behind the scenes, other Labour MPs have requested training sessions from No 10 on how to deal with Reform in their areas. ā€œIt really troubles them,ā€ a Labour source said.ā€

C’mon REFORM!

Claremont Fri 07-Feb-25 16:10:27

Goady on speed = very very very goady.

Goady on crack = very very very very very goady.

How can an official political Party, with elected MPs- be legally allowed to be run like a Business Company? Surely she should be illegal, and is totally undemocratic- whatever their policies are.

Allira Fri 07-Feb-25 16:09:52

South? youth!

Allira Fri 07-Feb-25 16:08:55

Whitewavemark2

GrannyGravy13

Whitewavemark2 I have met Nigel Farage, he is definitely not common

Each to their own.

I have relative who went to Dulwich -

I still think Farage is common - it’s the way he conducts himself.

Just something I can’t pin down, but incredibly creepy and not someone I would want to mix with socially.

I’m sure he’d say the same about me - but hey Ho.

It depends on the definition of common I suppose. Not the idea of common that I remember from my South.

More one of those 'posh boys' that were not to be trusted when I was a teenager.

Spiv, yes.

Rula Fri 07-Feb-25 16:06:19

I think that it's a minority of people who take deep interest in politics.

These people possibly like Nigel Farage because he's able to talk. Simple as that. He sounds interesting. He is able to speak without notes . He's affable .

We have Keir who is downright boring. Shocking speaking voice. Rachel, another awful one. Rishi was dreadful as well.

So some will listen to Nigel and like him because he doesn't sound like a robot and that's one reason why he's popular.

His opponents do themselves no favours by calling him a racist and misogynist, common, not common, etc etc. They can't bring themselves to look at a picture of him! Hardly mature arguments.

You can't win by insulting people who vote reform. In fact you're more likely to push them into voting for them. Human nature.

I wouldn't vote Reform but it's fine if others do.

And one more thing, this constant asking those who support Reform what they'd do if they got voted in.

Who knows? After all Labour promised many things but it's all been a bit of a disaster.

Barleyfields Fri 07-Feb-25 16:03:30

I wouldn’t say they will never get anywhere, but they need credible people and policies to do so. At present they don’t have those things, and they are a limited company rather than a proper political party - for reasons best known to Farage I guess.

Kandinsky Fri 07-Feb-25 15:53:49

There is a reason that this thread is as it is, - it’s because Farage’s supporters don’t know what or how Reform would govern

Correct.
Now you can all sleep safely in your beds tonight knowing the Reform party will never get anywhere.

Relax smile

Whitewavemark2 Fri 07-Feb-25 15:46:53

Doodledog

Oreo

Barleyfields

Why are you here then MayBee? Why am I here because like the majority I’m not a member of the fan club either.

Neither am I, but nobody has to come on here just to agree with the OP do they? Say what you think, it’s a discussion.

It's not a discussion though. It's people throwing insults and laughing emojis.

Can we discuss what a Reform government would look like, please, and how NF would go about achieving his aims? Not in vague meaningless slogans though, but policies.

There is a reason that this thread is as it is, - it’s because Farage’s supporters don’t know what or how Reform would govern.

So nothing else to say except throw insultsšŸ˜„šŸ˜„šŸ˜„šŸ˜„

Barleyfields Fri 07-Feb-25 15:46:45

It’s a persona Whitewavemark, an act. Just like Johnson in that respect. When he’s engaged in a serious debate he conducts himself very differently.

Cossy Fri 07-Feb-25 15:45:47

Allira

I can never access the Telegraph.

So I happily read The Mail shock and the Guardian online.
I'm either a fence sitter or well-balanced, take your pick.

Or both! I like to think most of can be both at times - lots of grey among the black and white

Doodledog Fri 07-Feb-25 15:44:41

Barleyfields

A roundabout way!

Yes, and I asked directly, but got no answers either. Quite honestly I don't think there are any.

Whitewavemark2 Fri 07-Feb-25 15:44:00

GrannyGravy13

Whitewavemark2 I have met Nigel Farage, he is definitely not common

Each to their own.

I have relative who went to Dulwich -

I still think Farage is common - it’s the way he conducts himself.

Just something I can’t pin down, but incredibly creepy and not someone I would want to mix with socially.

I’m sure he’d say the same about me - but hey Ho.

Barleyfields Fri 07-Feb-25 15:43:44

A roundabout way!

Barleyfields Fri 07-Feb-25 15:43:11

I did ask that in a roundabout Doodledog. I haven’t noticed any replies.

Ali23 Fri 07-Feb-25 15:35:08

I’m with Kate1949 too.

AGAA4 Fri 07-Feb-25 15:31:29

GG13 he is appealing to some of the electorate, many if whom, were BNP supporters.

Doodledog Fri 07-Feb-25 15:30:27

Oreo

Barleyfields

Why are you here then MayBee? Why am I here because like the majority I’m not a member of the fan club either.

Neither am I, but nobody has to come on here just to agree with the OP do they? Say what you think, it’s a discussion.

It's not a discussion though. It's people throwing insults and laughing emojis.

Can we discuss what a Reform government would look like, please, and how NF would go about achieving his aims? Not in vague meaningless slogans though, but policies.

GrannyGravy13 Fri 07-Feb-25 15:21:03

AGAA4

Despite being 'posh' Farage is also very false. He should get an Oscar for his acting skills.
He tells people what they want to hear that he will make Britain great again. How will he do that? Does anybody know?

Your description of Mr.Farage also applies to the majority of politicians.

Political parties, whatever their colour say whatever they think the electorate wants to hear in order to get elected, including the current government.

Casdon Fri 07-Feb-25 15:15:32

Using the original analogy, he is more the Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep of politician Top of the Pops than Unchained Melody.

AGAA4 Fri 07-Feb-25 15:13:13

Despite being 'posh' Farage is also very false. He should get an Oscar for his acting skills.
He tells people what they want to hear that he will make Britain great again. How will he do that? Does anybody know?

mae13 Fri 07-Feb-25 15:08:08

On a sinister note, I always suspect there's a strong streak of mysoginy running right through Reform. I dunno......maybe it was the General Election images of Nigel Farage in various pubs, pint glass in hand cultivating a "one of the blokes" persona.

Calendargirl Fri 07-Feb-25 14:59:44

I certainly don’t class Nigel as ā€˜common’.

I didn’t think we used the term on GN, because if we have described women as ā€˜common’ in the past, defined as tattoos, ankle bracelets, white stilettosšŸ‘ (wrong colour but right style), cigarette hanging from corner of mouth, etc. etc. we have been shouted down.

But we all know what we mean by ā€˜common’, and Nige isn’t that.

Allira Fri 07-Feb-25 14:59:33

I can never access the Telegraph.

So I happily read The Mail shock and the Guardian online.
I'm either a fence sitter or well-balanced, take your pick.

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Fri 07-Feb-25 14:52:45

Thanks Allira for the clarification of our newspapers for Syracute who lives in America.

The very fact that I’ve been quoting the ā€˜i’ was to bring some balance as I’ve often been vilified for quoting the Telegraph.
The ā€˜i’ is definitely more in tune with the Guardian’s pieces.

Actually it used to be 20p a copy when it first appeared on the market. I bought the first issue and carried on reading it for years.

Allira Fri 07-Feb-25 14:44:37

vintage1950

I thought that Farage went to a public school. But that's by the way. Can't stand him myself.

Dulwich College. His father was a stockbroker.

Hardly common, in fact what my DM would term 'posh' 😁

Allira Fri 07-Feb-25 14:42:02

Syracute

FriedGreenTomatoes2

I think I found this article quite a surprising one considering its not the Telegraph or he Daily Mail. Something is definitely shifting.

It is hardly a solid newspaper . It is just peddling to a certain mindset .

What exactly do you define as a certain mindset?
That is very vague.

What is the political stance of The Independent newspaper?
It has been seen as leaning to the left-wing of the political spectrum, making it more a competitor to The Guardian; however, The Independent tends to take a liberal, pro-market stance on economic issues. The Independent on Sunday referred to itself as a "proudly liberal newspaper".