Good point Cumbrianmale56 about political parties not looking down their noses either at Reform or their voters.
They underestimate them at their peril.
A drop in the ocean in the great schemes of things....but replicated by how many more
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Reform, their policies and local government
(231 Posts)An explainer of some policies that Reform will try to implement, often, it appears breaking the law.
1. Net zero
Major solar and wind energy projects face threats from Reform-controlled councils whose members are instinctively hostile to net zero policies.
“We will attack, we will hinder, we will delay, we will obstruct, we will put every hurdle in your way,” said the party’s deputy leader, Richard Tice, of such projects.
A solar farm in Romney Marsh, Kent, which could power 20% of homes in the county, is in the crosshairs of party, which controls the council. In Staffordshire, a proposed windfarm in the county’s moorlands area and a solar farm in Cheadle will be opposed.
But Reform’s plans will also meet hostility from within communities. In Greater Lincolnshire alone, net zero industries contribute about £980m to the local economy, accounting for 12,209 jobs, according to analysis by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU).
Legally, the picture is also unclear. Reform could try to block pylons and large solar farms through the judicial review process, though the new planning and infrastructure bill aims to make the challenges harder.
2. Send provision
Farage’s unsubstantiated claims that doctors are “massively over-diagnosing” children with mental illness and special educational needs has sparked fears that Reform UK councils could further restrict or make dramatic cuts to special educational needs and disabilities provision (Send).
The 10 councils where Reform have overall control are projected to have a combined deficit by March next year of £489m. It is as much as £95m in the case of Kent and £71m in Derbyshire.
Reform councils could call for changes to the law to reduce access to education, health and care plans, which are much sought after by families of some children after years of state underinvestment in education.
However, any moves to push for cuts or reshaping of policy also potentially risks sparking a backlash from both its own voters and splits within the party. Andrea Jenkyns, the mayor of Greater Lincolnshire, has spoken about her son having ADHD and appeared to contradict Farage. James McMurdock, a Reform MP in Essex, also cast himself as a champion of parents struggling to get Send support for children.
Reform councils who unlawfully try to restrict access to Send support will face the prospect of being challenged at tribunals by families.
3. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies
In an echo of the axe taken by the Trump administration in the US, Farage has already warned: “If you are working in DEI or climate change then perhaps alternative employment is where you should be looking.”
The party’s hostility to “gender ideology” could have repercussions for councils working with charities such as Positive Health, which runs sexual health promotion, education and HIV training for Lincolnshire.
Any savings from cuts to supposed DEI-related schemes are likely to be minimal. Derbyshire and Lincolnshire have each pointed out they don’t have DEI schemes.
4. Immigration
Farage has said that Reform-controlled councils will “resist” accepting any more asylum seekers, pitting then on a potential collision course with Westminster.
Zia Yusuf, the party’s chair, has also said its legal team is examining planning law mechanisms to challenge the use of hotels for asylum accommodation.
The moves would have consequences in places such as Kent, where the county council has been at the forefront of handling provision for unaccompanied minors.
But again the law would not be on the side of councils. The responsibility falls to the Home Office, which selects the hotels and contractors for the scheme.
5. Heritage and culture
Reform has said only the St George and union flag will be flown at council property, although it backtracked when it came to the question of county flags.
The policy appeared to be aimed at the flying of rainbow flags in solidarity with LGBT+ people and to celebrate Pride. It would also spell the end of councils flying Ukrainian flags, serving as a reminder that Farage has frequently been accused by Labour of “fawning” over Vladimir Putin.
Other potential culture wars could arise over council funding of museums or galleries with exhibitions that are deemed to denigrate Britain’s history or the empire.
6. Transport
Opposition to 15-minute cities – an urban planning concept that has become a lightning rod for conspiracy theorists – and support for “pro-motorist” policies have long been red meat to Reform.
Farage lashed out in the local election campaign at “cycle lanes that no one uses” while Reform’s likely leader of Worcestershire county council, Alan Amos, claimed: “All the other parties have bent over backwards to please a small minority.”
At the same time, Amos was eager to emphasise that Reform was eager to support bus travel, a hot issue in a number of counties where Reform’s voter base has tended to be older.
When it comes to cycling, existing policies at many councils are already advanced while there is strong public support for cycling schemes.
Guardian today.
The parties all need to remind themselves, that it is ordinary no political party membership people, called electors that vote them in, not party activists, and no matter how much the activists may want something to be party policy and in the manifesto etc etc. if ordinary people diagree with it, it will just ensure they do not vote for that party.
That is why Mrs Thatcher and Tony Blair were so successful, people voted for them because they offered policies that appealed to them.
I find nothing more laughable than to listen to Labour activists, dissing Tony Blair and New Labour, while making themselves unelectable. They need to remember that in last year's election they got only 34% of the vote. Add the share that Reform got to the Conservative share and it was 4% more than Labour.
If an election was held next week, we would have a Reform/ Conservative coalition government and Labour would lose almost as many seats as it gained.
Oreo
eazybee
If it means there will be much closer scrutiny of Net Zero, SEND, DEI, Immigration, Heritage and Culture, and Transport, Good.
Since the Supreme Court ruling about Biological Sex and transgender issues, we have learned that so much we were told about these issues is actually NOT the law and can be disputed.
The huge rise in children claiming mental health issues since Covid is extremely unlikely; Net Zero is impractical and increasingly expensive; the imposition of flags supporting various protest groups on work places unfair, and buses are important for all the population, not just the elderly. Immigration is a huge issue, one that concerns many and will have a far -reaching impact.
I doubt if Reform will be able to stop much, but at least these subjects will be open to discussion and people, previously unable or too intimidated to voice their opinions, will be given a hearing.
And I am not a Reform voter.I hear you!😃
Discussing these issues at local council level already goes on at great length in councils of all different political hues, throughout the UK already though. Ultimately the councils’ responsibility is to deliver against a set range of laws and policies, so their ability to make real change is limited, as is their ability to influence national direction, whichever party is in power in Westminster.
Councils often waste both time and money on ridiculous projects.
Oreo
Councils often waste both time and money on ridiculous projects.
Yes, but they are usually very local issues. Councils have so much to do and a massive remit, that the time available to pursue the councillors’ wish lists is very limited, as the officers they rely on to do the legwork have lots of other must do work to meet all the legal requirements and policy adherence expected of them.
The huge rise in children claiming mental health issues since Covid is extremely unlikely
Not sure what you mean? I don't think children or teenagers or adults are making this stuff up?
I do wonder about neuro diverse though. Who is neuro?
One of my daughters works at a high school and I can tell you there are definitely quite a number of children diagnosed with mental health issues since our 2 year Covid lockdowns. My state was about the worst in the world for this so it is understandable. We were prisoners in our own homes and not allowed to socialise. Not so bad for adults perhaps but for young teenagers it was a recipe for disaster. I don’t think this is imaginary on the part of the youngsters.
Reform is attracting a lot of support from lower paid young working families who are struggling with living costs the taxes they pay NOW are not benefiting them NOW.
For all the reasons the OP gives, promises of a better future are wearing very thin, net zero, DEI, SEND, cost of migration, the Reform agenda has a lot of appeal. The party structure seems to be gathering pace and I’m sure will be a big influence in future.
nanna8
One of my daughters works at a high school and I can tell you there are definitely quite a number of children diagnosed with mental health issues since our 2 year Covid lockdowns. My state was about the worst in the world for this so it is understandable. We were prisoners in our own homes and not allowed to socialise. Not so bad for adults perhaps but for young teenagers it was a recipe for disaster. I don’t think this is imaginary on the part of the youngsters.
Truly, I am deeply concerned about Reform's attitude to Mental Health and Neurodiversity issues. Perhaps this short article from Disability News Service will explain better than me
www.disabilitynewsservice.com/reform-silence-after-farage-suggests-again-that-he-favours-sweeping-cuts-to-disability-benefits/
Just as mental health services struggle and can't offer the support needed to help people get to the situation where they can work, Farage, instead of recognising this, has spoken up for very punitive policies.
I find it puzzling that cuts to PIP are included in the reasons Labour is losing support. Meanwhile, Farage has at least twice stated that he favours cutting disability support and recognition of SEND, yet he and Reform are gaining support. Please could somebody explain.
Because Starmer is so unlikeable ?
fancythat
1.
they can hinder planning can they not?
Pretty sure Councils have that power around here.
They can, but they won’t be the only ones on the planning committee, and they’ll need to turn up to all votes.
I think many of them will find being a local councillor is quite dull and extremely time consuming and hard work!
Be interesting to see how they handle their “allowances & expenses”
nanna8
Because Starmer is so unlikeable ?
I don’t find him in the least bit “unlikeable”
I think it’s because, in the main, Reform voters are swayed by Farage and his great speeches and they believe Reform can stop migration
growstuff
I find it puzzling that cuts to PIP are included in the reasons Labour is losing support. Meanwhile, Farage has at least twice stated that he favours cutting disability support and recognition of SEND, yet he and Reform are gaining support. Please could somebody explain.
Because as I mentioned on another thread people are looking for a knight on a white charger, they are blinded by the rhetoric from Farage. He is untried, and will doubtless turn out to be as much of a disappointment as all the previous showmen in politics have done.
David49
Reform is attracting a lot of support from lower paid young working families who are struggling with living costs the taxes they pay NOW are not benefiting them NOW.
For all the reasons the OP gives, promises of a better future are wearing very thin, net zero, DEI, SEND, cost of migration, the Reform agenda has a lot of appeal. The party structure seems to be gathering pace and I’m sure will be a big influence in future.
Really? I get what you’re saying but none of Reforms policies are properly costed - it’s the “how” that’s missing from almost every policy
Maybe, maybe not. You don’t find him unlikeable and that is good. Others disagree. In fact everyone over here, even real hardline Labour people , think he is dreadful. We see things differently from afar.
Casdon
Because as I mentioned on another thread people are looking for a knight on a white charger, they are blinded by the rhetoric from Farage. He is untried, and will doubtless turn out to be as much of a disappointment as all the previous showmen in politics have done.
Well put.
People hear what they want to hear and are delighted. . . . until the things they heard don’t happen.
Then they’re doubly upset about that and about the things they didn’t hear, which start to roll out.
I think there should be a lot more info about what local councillors can do (and often find excuses for not doing), and what they can’t do.
nanna8
Maybe, maybe not. You don’t find him unlikeable and that is good. Others disagree. In fact everyone over here, even real hardline Labour people , think he is dreadful. We see things differently from afar.
I think that if you are sold on charismatic figures, you certainly don’t get that with Starmer. (Although I think his private persona is very different according to everything I read)
What you do get is a serious person, who does not pander to the media by popping up and selling his policies every 5 minutes as the likes of Farage (although in his case it isn’t so much policies as moans) do.
Starmer right from the very start of his premiership said that he prefers to work quietly behind the scene to bring results.
I do prefer that sort of character to the more idiotic characters that we’ve been subjected to recently, but I also recognise that much of the voting public appear to need to be spoon fed, and Starmer’s preferred modus operandi will go against him.
growstuff
I find it puzzling that cuts to PIP are included in the reasons Labour is losing support. Meanwhile, Farage has at least twice stated that he favours cutting disability support and recognition of SEND, yet he and Reform are gaining support. Please could somebody explain.
I don’t think it is to do with what Reform policies are (which we know can change like the wind). I think it’s homeless Tory voters doing the same in the English local elections as they did in last year’s GE. Few voters make the leap from red to any shade blue or vice versa. Red is more likely to go yellow or green.
This graphic showed what happen from 2019 to 2024.
I wrote elsewhere about the small poll that Savanta did - just over 2000 peple - from which they claim that a third of people who voted Labour last year are unhappy with their choice. But so are almost 20% of people who voted Reform.
At least with Labour you can point to things they are doing in government that you may not like. But why are 800,000 people who voted Reform in 2024 unhappy with their choice? That’s what I would like to know.
Silverbrooks your last question "But why are 800,000 people who voted Reform in 2024 unhappy with their choice? That’s what I would like to know"
I think the major split in the Reform party has at least something to do with it, many agreed with Rupert Lowe and think the way he was pushed out was unacceptable?
nanna8
Maybe, maybe not. You don’t find him unlikeable and that is good. Others disagree. In fact everyone over here, even real hardline Labour people , think he is dreadful. We see things differently from afar.
Wow, nanna, “everyone” in Australia thinks Keir Starmer is dreadful? What an extraordinary claim!
Clearly you don’t like him - you’ve made that abundantly clear. At times you even appear to despise him, though I don’t know why? I love to know your reasons.
Anyway, that’s up to you. From my perspective here in the UK, Keir Starmer is not in the slightest ‘unlikeable’.
nanna8
Maybe, maybe not. You don’t find him unlikeable and that is good. Others disagree. In fact everyone over here, even real hardline Labour people , think he is dreadful. We see things differently from afar.
That’s an extraordinary claim nanna8, I doubt most Australians are even invested enough in British politics to even know who he is? Do you mean your family and friend group, rather than all Australians?
(I thought nanna was referring to Farage as we were discussing him just above her post?)
Wyllow3
(I thought nanna was referring to Farage as we were discussing him just above her post?)
I don’t think so Wyllow3, because it wouldn’t be at all odd if hardline Labour people in Australia dislike Farage - I doubt most Australians know who he is either though?
😂 I did a quick google Casdon ("what do Australians know about Farage) and was mightily amused by the result -
its "I'm a celebrity get me out of here" in the Australian Jungle.
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