Ben Habib is launching a new political party ‘Integrity’ in 2 months.

Valdavi...you got in there before me.

Reform is very much a regional party, with the exception of Lee Anderson in East Nottinghamshire, all their MPs are in what I would describe as Eastern East Anglia.

To have any chance of increasing the number of MPs they have, let alone get enough to form a government, they will have to win many many more seats outsside their core area, and I cannot see them doing that. They will get some votes in most constituencies, but then so does The Monster Raving Loonies party and the Green party.

It’s whether it translates into seats that will matter though, personally I think Reform will do very well in the local elections next week, but that will be their zenith.
The predictions all seem to be that the likely outcome of the next election, based on current voting intention, is a hung parliament.

I mean recently,though, not last year. A week is a long time in politics, as they say and in 4 years time he will most likely not be around anyway so it doesn’t really matter.

nanna8

I thought that Farage was hoovering up a lot of Labour voters ,more than the Conservative ones. Perhaps that information is wrong ?

Yes, it’s wrong, at least based on the election result.

Reform won two seats in the East Midlands (Ashfield, and Boston and Skegness) and three seats in the East of England (Clacton, Great Yarmouth, and South Basildon and East Thurrock). All Reform gains were from Conservative seats. All Reform gains were from seats the Conservative would have won in 2019 on the current boundaries. Lee Anderson won Ashfield for Reform, he was elected for the Conservatives in Ashfield in 2019, but defected to Reform UK in March 2024.

I thought that Farage was hoovering up a lot of Labour voters ,more than the Conservative ones. Perhaps that information is wrong ?

I still have no idea who Ben Habib is. Shouldn't a party have a leader who is capable of grabbing public interest.

Given the mercurial nature of Reform and Farage's inability to remain on good terms with anyone or achieve anything material for his constituents I wonder if the party will even exist by the next election. I'd put money on it not, at least in the form we know it now.

A new party to the right of Reform? Makes you shiver.

David49

argymargy

But we don't have PR here David - so if someone wants to set up a new party it's not going to destabilise anything.

I think it’s quite likely that Reform will hold the balance of power at the next election, I don’t see that as a desirable outcome.

If Habib’s new ‘party’ makes it through to the next GE it is entirely possible that it could split the Reform vote… making the possibility of them holding the balance of power more unlikely.

The tories will have to buck their ideas up a bit, though…Get rid of Badenoch for a start…

argymargy

But we don't have PR here David - so if someone wants to set up a new party it's not going to destabilise anything.

I think it’s quite likely that Reform will hold the balance of power at the next election, I don’t see that as a desirable outcome.

I think PR probably encourages the development of a lot of small parties, as they are more likely to get some influence with a small number of reps under those systems, & for that reason less likely to be the victims of tactical voting & lose their deposits.
I'm all for "Integrity" splitting the far right vote - bring it on!

But we don't have PR here David - so if someone wants to set up a new party it's not going to destabilise anything.

argymargy

David49

We do not want a large number of small parties to distort election results, as for Integrity, you can’t have that and follow any party policy that I know, if you want to be an MP you sell your soul.

Who exactly is "We"?

It is not in any countries interest to have an unstable government caused by a small number of delegates from an extreme party holding the balance of power, we see this in Israel today, many other countries using PR voting get this and never have stable government.

David49

We do not want a large number of small parties to distort election results, as for Integrity, you can’t have that and follow any party policy that I know, if you want to be an MP you sell your soul.

Who exactly is "We"?

Like one of the parties here ( Trumpet of Patriots, would you credit? ) the very name of the party would turn you off. If you have to proclaim it, you ain’t got it, in my mind. Perhaps I am unduly cynical. These new parties are often full of bright ideas and seeming commonsense but not so much on how they will actually achieve any of their policies and ideas. If I lived in the UK I really wouldn’t know how to vote and I suppose they play on that. The leaders all seem to be b.awful ( not quite at the level of the USA awful , thankfully )

I don't think that will suit either his ambition and or his anger/frustration with Farage as well as policy disagreements.

Ben Habib should just stand as an Independent I think.

We do not want a large number of small parties to distort election results, as for Integrity, you can’t have that and follow any party policy that I know, if you want to be an MP you sell your soul.

Yes, but it doesn't suprise me or nor do I find its specific to any one political party as circumstances or indeed ideas change. polices or circumstances change however.
Badenoch was a full on New Zero supporter under Johnson and has completely changed her view.

Perhaps Mt61 meant everything they proclaimed loudly when they were in opposition but perhaps it wasn't actually in the manifesto?

Casdon

Freya5

Oreo

Integrity?😁 You can just imagine down the line, when MP’s from it are hauled up before the beak for various transgressions what the papers will make of that name.

Rather like the other two parties then.

Don’t you mean rather like all the other parties then? They have all had their fair share of transgressions.

Not Gods but mortals then? Worth accepting that as "Where there are no expectations, there is no disappointment."

It really is those who set their politicians up as superior beings, who end up disappointed and often claiming they "didn't know".

Anyone for Trump's as a God-like being. Ah yes, at least one on this forum.

Mt61

M0nica

Who is he and he can form all the parties in the world, and it is perfectly pointless unless he tells us first waht the new group's policies will be.

I think I will form a party called 'Truth and Lies'. I won't bother with policies.They seem unnecessary these days.

Try telling labour that! They have chopped & changed their minds on just about everything in their manifesto.

Ah, I must have missed the post where you gave details of that Mt61 (so we know what you are talking about). Could you tell us what exactly they have chopped and changed?

Just because they choose to call it Integrity doesn't make it true.. I think it will be a terrible travesty of the word and action. Greens and Lib Dems get closer..

The MSM are consistently disinterested in Habib but it is clear that Habib supports Tommy Robinson which of course where Farage drew the line. GB news says on X "Ben Habib announces new political party that will be 'on the right of Reform UK".

Ghastly prospects.