Farage. Well he’s Top of the Pops right now! 😂

Seems it just took a bit longer than usual, thanks.

Somehow, posts about Farage seem to just disappear down the page and not be shown on recent posts. Why is this being silenced?

For more than 12 long years, most of the media has either ignored or failed to inquire how Farage has been a conduit for Russian influence in UK politics. For most of that time, it was confused with the Brexit vote, and any questioning of foreign influence was dismissed as an attempt to question the legitimacy of the referendum.

But Brexit was finally done in January 2020. In February 2022, Russia’s plan for Ukraine became clear as it launched a full-scale invasion that led to 14 million displaced people and half a million casualties. This war – the first major land war in Europe for nearly 80 years – goes on and the clear and present threat Putin presents to NATO and its members can no longer be overlooked, or the role of fellow travellers ignored.

Farage needs to answer for his role in this historic and epoch-defining conflict.

In the meantime, it is getting clearer and clearer by the day that Farage, with the help of Banks- worked closely with Russia for a long time, and got a lot of help from outside to get the tiny majority on the Brexit vote. Like it or not, it is all linked- Brexit was clearly designed to weaken not only the UK, but Europe as a whole.

Many are now becoming very aware that he is nothing but a Traitor to the UK, with a big T. Some of us have known this for a long time however.

Before supporting Farage and Reform, people will have to ask themselves if they want to support Putin, Trump and Netanyahu.

Meanwhile in Harverfordwest Prendergast Council By-Election Reform were not Top of the Pops, with only 11 per cent of the votes, putting them in 4th place. The Tory votes went to the Independent candidate.

The only way to solve the problem long term is to help improve conditions in countries people are fleeing from. That would not be popular as it could be another form of colonialism.

I was considering the deterrent value if family members cannot join a single person who has travelled to the UK. That single person could seek asylum in another country where families are allowed to join. In the year to September over 19,000 family reunion visas were issued, meaning that the numbers arriving on boats are by no means the actual, eventual numbers arriving here.

Barleyfields

People who are granted asylum can live and work here, and send for family members, without obtaining citizenship. Maybe changing that would lessen the numbers arriving?

Preventing people who have been granted asylum from family reunion would be cruel indeed. They have risked their lives to make the journey in order to find a safe place for their family.

To become a British citizen, you must have lived in the UK lawfully for five years. That leaves wives and children in places of danger, in war zones and areas of persecution and famine for a very long time.

Boz

Because it will not stop the problem. Shut down one gang and another will form as long as there is money in people smuggling.
Labour are so reluctant to take heavy action on this problem which will be their downfall.

By that logic, any action taken against anyone who breaks the law is futile as another criminal will pop up to commit the same kind of crime. Why bother with law and enforcement agencies at all?

Barleyfields

People who are granted asylum can live and work here, and send for family members, without obtaining citizenship. Maybe changing that would lessen the numbers arriving?

So you therefore agree that many small measures can add up to a working deterrent? But are criticising the government for the measures they are putting in place.

Providing safe routes would stop the boats because there wouldn't be a need for them. Not taking up France's earlier offer of letting theIK have a processing office in France was not wise.

This fixation on stopping the boats is not helping the problem

The UK has a declining birth rate, we are not replacing our older population. We will need immigrants to help support our economy by working

People who are granted asylum can live and work here, and send for family members, without obtaining citizenship. Maybe changing that would lessen the numbers arriving?

Casdon

Your posts so strongly remind me of a former poster Barleyfields.
Not granting people citizenship will definitely have an impact on how many choose to come to the UK, because they will have no prospect of bringing their families here. Fining employers who are found to be employing people with no right to work will also have an impact. This isn’t a one strike solves it situation, and it’s a good job that Yvette Cooper is putting in the groundwork and bringing in the multiple measures required to make a difference.

Exactly, it has a considerable impact. It also means that should a country become safe for return then it's possible to do so if not citizens.

Since as you say Barleyfields turning back the boats is pointless (as well as not possible anyway) then it's wise to bring in the measures Cooper has.

Your posts so strongly remind me of a former poster Barleyfields.
Not granting people citizenship will definitely have an impact on how many choose to come to the UK, because they will have no prospect of bringing their families here. Fining employers who are found to be employing people with no right to work will also have an impact. This isn’t a one strike solves it situation, and it’s a good job that Yvette Cooper is putting in the groundwork and bringing in the multiple measures required to make a difference.

Returning them to France or Belgium is pointless as they would probably try to return here. Sending them back to their countries of origin is the answer unless there is an ongoing war in those countries.

Before 31 January 2020, under Dublin III Regulation anyone without existing family links to the UK could have been returned to France and Belgium or any other EU state they have passed though but the UK lost that ability when it left the EU. This has all been pointed out before. The Brexit Party (now Reform) and the Tories put us in this position and now want to thwart any attempts to address the problem.

I agree with Boz.

Denying citizenship to people arriving on boats won’t stop them either. They can still be granted leave to stay.

Far fewer asylum requests need to be granted. That’s the root of the matter. With an ex HR lawyer for a prime minister we will continue to be soft on these people who are coming here from France and Belgium, safe countries

But surely it's an "every bit helps", Boz. What is your "big solution? The "turning back the boats" cant work

You're also missing another measure brought in

UK to deny citizenship to small boat refugees

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9d5wj9l8e2o

Because it will not stop the problem. Shut down one gang and another will form as long as there is money in people smuggling.
Labour are so reluctant to take heavy action on this problem which will be their downfall.

I don't understand, why on earth shouldn't it be a good idea to use counter terror measures against people smugglers? why did Reform and the conservatives vote against?

Silverbrook I'm astonished too.

Equally astonishing is the fact that there appear to be so few MPs in the chamber when such an important debate was scheduled. I'd expect the chamber to be packed.

I am curious why you say not showing up for important debate on immigation. Do you mean the second reading of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill on 10 February 2025? Farage and Anderson were in the house for the debate. You can see them quite clearly in their places when Cooper responds to a question from Corbyn top right in the image.

You can watch the debate here:

www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/63b94343-d4ee-43d3-a784-4d3cc021b788

All five Reform MPs voted with the Tories to oppose Labour proposals to take action against the traffickers.

Yvette Cooper said:

That is why, to be honest, I find it absolutely astonishing that the Conservatives are planning to vote against the Second Reading and against the provisions we are putting forward. [Interruption.] There is no point doing, “Yeah, but no, but yeah, but no, but”; the impact of the reasoned amendment from the shadow Home Secretary, the right hon. Member for Croydon South (Chris Philp) is to refuse to give a Second Reading to this Bill, which puts forward counter-terrorism-style powers to go after the criminal people smugglers and traffickers who have undermined border security and put lives at risk. We have seen reasoned amendments from Reform and the Scottish National party, too, all wanting to oppose this Bill and the powers we need to go after the criminal gangs. Frankly, they should all explain why they want to let down the people of this country and stand up instead for the people smugglers and the traffickers who are putting lives at risk and undermining our border security. On the Government Benches, we believe we should go after those gangs, because theirs is a vile and illegal trade.

Churchview

By the time the next election comes around Farage will have a few years of showing everyone what he really is and what he achieves as an MP. We'll also have seen how his best mate Trump has treated people in the USA which should give us a clear steer on what Farage will roll out if PM.

Four years of grifting, stirring, misogyny, supporting bloodsports and not showing up for important debate on immigration later things might be very different.

Four years of grifting, stirring, misogyny, supporting bloodsports and not showing up for important debate on immigration later things might be very different.

... and of course, Mr Musk isn't on board with Farage either and as he (Farage) says he's "inspired" by Trump, who knows how this might play out if Trump and Musk conspire (as it were) - because there are those over here who are also inspired by the Trump / Musk involvement in UK politics.

Unless Trump and Musk fall out over something - two big egos under one roof could spell trouble. At the moment, I think each finds the other useful, but what happens if that doesn't last? And how will that affect Farage who appears always to have one eye looking for approval from the new administration - might he up his game to win approval from Trump or Musk - Musk who thinks he's definitely not the man for the job and would, possibly, have him replaced with Tommy Robinson, if he could!

So yes, in a few years, we might see Reform - reformed, or straddling. Who knows?!

By the time the next election comes around Farage will have a few years of showing everyone what he really is and what he achieves as an MP. We'll also have seen how his best mate Trump has treated people in the USA which should give us a clear steer on what Farage will roll out if PM.

Four years of grifting, stirring, misogyny, supporting bloodsports and not showing up for important debate on immigration later things might be very different.

It's a long time to the next election.