And so it begins, Reform’s Britain

Galaxy

Well maybe they think reform will see them as the deeply disadvantaged group they are rather than privileged because they won't be impacted by DEI cuts. Now that probably won't be the case but their vote is completely understand.

What will Reform do for them though? What is Farage doing in his constituency to help disadvantaged people?

County Durham voted Leave despite receiving hundreds of millions of pounds of EU funding.

I think it is dangerous to think Reform is a flash in the pan. I hope this result makes the main parties sort themselves out.

But will they actually stick around to do anything? Farage has a well known history of not turning up to meetings. Plenty of 'able' folk are against them, and so they will be under so much scrutiny and comment. Will be interesting to see how many manage to stay the course

Well if he ignores the Equality Act he probably had 15 years before anyone notices.

Farage will come up against Employment Law (not to mention the unions)

Just run your eyes down this clutch of employment law and specifics for Local authority workers.

www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=employment+law+for+coucil+employees&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Growstuff's point is really really important about DEI matters as in "the money doesn't just fund policies and staff, but actual programs to support people with severe learning difficulties and mental health issues" It helps some of them find paid work

And of course physical disabilities of all kinds!

This affects the very families who've voted Reform as much as any other, indeed helps more since more well off families have other ways to support disabilities.

But there are laws under the Equalities Act which obliges councils to make provision for support for disabled groups so Farage and co might soon end up in court for not meeting statutory obligations not to mention Disability organisations.

Not mentioned but relevant is Farages commitment to reducing resources for SEND children which also disproportionally affects children from poorer families. will that go down well.

Galaxy

Well maybe they think reform will see them as the deeply disadvantaged group they are rather than privileged because they won't be impacted by DEI cuts. Now that probably won't be the case but their vote is completely understand.

If Reform fail to deliver, do you think they will be angrier than ever? So far, I haven't seen anything which suggests the voters' situation will improve. Who will they vote for next?

growstuff

It's going to be an interesting few years. I've picked up that voters are unhappy about Labour's moves on WFA and PIP - and I understand that. Concerns which have been rumbling on for years is about social care and the long waiting lists to get children with special needs assessed - I understand that.

However, what I don't understand is what Reform is planning to do about the issues which bother people most. About 70-75% of county council's budgets is spent on social care, so what is Reform planning to do? Unless Council Tax is increased, even a 10% increase in the budget for social care would mean a cut of more than 25% in the remaining services provided by County Councils. Other major County Council responsibilities include education (including SEND transport), transport (including subsidised bus fares and the senior bus pass) and fire and public safety. Insisting that nobody works from home will involve increases in costs for heating and cleaning. Very little is actually spent on diversity and net zero initiatives, so savings in those areas won't compensate for shortages n other areas.

The people who have been hit hardest by the cut to WFA, changes to PIP and increase in bus fares are exactly the same people who will be affected by any cuts to County Councils' budgets.

I'm grateful my council didn't hold elections for another year, but it's going to be interesting to watch from the sidelines.

Your point about social care is very important, and is what we should be asking all potential politicians about, Reform included.
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It's all too easy to unite people against an outside threat, real or perceived, but unless they are ready to address existing issues with equal fervour, they are a waste of space.

Understandable even.

Well maybe they think reform will see them as the deeply disadvantaged group they are rather than privileged because they won't be impacted by DEI cuts. Now that probably won't be the case but their vote is completely understand.

Galaxy

That's my region churchview, unless they have been shipped in those men are from some of the most deprived areas in the country.

So what do they think Reform will do to improve their situation?

I just looked it up. Essex County Council spends approximately 1% of its total budget of £2 billion on DEI policies and programs. The money doesn't just fund policies and staff, but actual programs to support people with sever learning difficulties and mental health issues. It helps some of them find paid work.

The council already spends nearly double the amount spent on DEI on repairing potholes, so if other councils are similar, people can drive around with fewer potholes while they, their children and grandchildren are stuck at home without support.

Cutting DEI roles will make minimal difference.

That's my region churchview, unless they have been shipped in those men are from some of the most deprived areas in the country.

Either way growstuff, your quite right regarding the money needed.

County Durham meeting.

Interesting that when Farage said this he was speaking to a room full of mostly older, white men - the group who will lose least from scrapping DEI policies.

J52

Cossy

Just in case photo never arrives:-

*
Farage: Council staff working on diversity and net zero face sack
Council employees working on diversity and net zero initiatives should seek “alternative careers”, Nigel Farage has said.*

I would imagine that there will be a myriad of unfair dismissal cases. Probably the Unions are working on scenarios right now.
Not so easy here as it is in the US.

If the jobs disappear, they'll be redundancies not dismissals. I hope the councils have a few million squirrelled away to pay for all the redundancies.

Cossy

Just in case photo never arrives:-

*
Farage: Council staff working on diversity and net zero face sack
Council employees working on diversity and net zero initiatives should seek “alternative careers”, Nigel Farage has said.*

I would imagine that there will be a myriad of unfair dismissal cases. Probably the Unions are working on scenarios right now.
Not so easy here as it is in the US.

Yes.
I would say away with the fairies, but actually, it's the bats. The street lights are keeping them awake.

I think everybody is getting a bit carried away here. To put it into context, the Lib Dem’s lead 68 councils…..

lafergar

I think we all know what Reform is really about.

We do.

Ilovecheese

There is more to life than potholes though. A bit of arty fartiness can lift the spirits of a community.

As long as the potholes are filled in first.

I know what you mean, but no, maybe I wasn’t clear enough Anniebach
I don’t think a lot of Councils are doing outstanding successes of it, and as long as Reform Councils aren’t actually worse than what we have now and they put their backs into it and try and do a good job, that will be something.
Am not a fan of Reform but understand why so many voters think the main political parties aren’t listening to them.
Starmer really needs not just to listen but to make sure Labour acts on the things that concern so many people, to think outside of the Westminster elite.

There is more to life than potholes though. A bit of arty fartiness can lift the spirits of a community.

Quote Oreo Fri 02-May-25 17:50:24
I’m not dismayed by any cutting of ‘diversity’ or ‘net zero’ jobs from Councils when there are pot holes to be mended and rubbish to be collected and gulleys to be cleared and all the many practical and useful jobs to be done.Councils have wasted money in lots of places on arty farty stuff.Look at the mess Birmingham are in.
It remains to be seen if Remain Councillors will be any better but at long as they try that’s something.

Surely success is something, you will settle for less ?

It's really Reform's England. They don't figure much in Scottish politics at the moment