Wyllow I’m pretty sure nanna was referring to Keir Starmer. Perhaps she’ll come back and clarify.
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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.
Goodness, I’d forgotten Aussies liked IACGMOOH! I have to say, I can’t in a millions years imagine Starmer doing that show, thank goodness.😅
Casdon 👏👏👏
In just over a week 3 Reform councillors have resigned and one is being investigated.
Whitewavemark2
In just over a week 3 Reform councillors have resigned and one is being investigated.
Quelle surprise!!!
Whitewavemark2
In just over a week 3 Reform councillors have resigned and one is being investigated.
Just goes to show they’re just like the others.
Welcome Reform Uk to the real world of politics where your words and actions are scrutinised and you are held accountable … just like politicians of other parties have always been.
No hiding place now Reform!
I was talking about Starmer. What I meant was that ,mostly, the people I speak to and am friends with are Labor voters over here. Probably around 50 or so people, maybe slightly more ( including family) Most have heard of Starmer, some have British roots but they all think he is dreadful. Various reasons, not all the same viewpoint. I guess he isn’t the sort of person who would do well here as a politician. As for the whole of Australia, I do suppose many have even heard of him or Farage even less so. It is a beautiful day anyway and we are entitled to our views. You are welcome to your leader and I’m glad you mostly seem to like him.
Thanks for the clarification nanna.
Yes, you’re entitled to your views, as are we.
Perhaps Keir Starmer wouldn’t go down well in Australia but, despite our links, the UK and Australia are very different societies.
It’s a beautiful day here too and, fortunately for us, Keir Starmer is our PM not yours
☀️
nanna8
I was talking about Starmer. What I meant was that ,mostly, the people I speak to and am friends with are Labor voters over here. Probably around 50 or so people, maybe slightly more ( including family) Most have heard of Starmer, some have British roots but they all think he is dreadful. Various reasons, not all the same viewpoint. I guess he isn’t the sort of person who would do well here as a politician. As for the whole of Australia, I do suppose many have even heard of him or Farage even less so. It is a beautiful day anyway and we are entitled to our views. You are welcome to your leader and I’m glad you mostly seem to like him.
Starmer is probably the “least worse” polititian that was likely to get elected last year, many dont like his policies now but that’s what we have for the next 4 yrs at least.
My reservations are that they are too timid and wont make the changes needed to improve the economy .
LizzieDrip
Thanks for the clarification nanna.
Yes, you’re entitled to your views, as are we.
Perhaps Keir Starmer wouldn’t go down well in Australia but, despite our links, the UK and Australia are very different societies.
It’s a beautiful day here too and, fortunately for us, Keir Starmer is our PM not yours
Starmer isn’t going down all that well here in the UK either!
He’s hardly likely to secure a second term.
nanna dreadful is quite a powerful word to use for a politician of another country. It seems that Australians have very strong views, even those of British origin. Unless you live in a country it is hard to judge how a government is faring. I haven’t a clue about Australian politics despite my son-in-law being an Australian.
BTW I am not a Labour voter but maybe Labour means something different in your country.
“Probably around 50 or so people, maybe slightly more ( including family) Most have heard of Starmer, some have British roots but they all think he is dreadful. Various”
nanna8
What a strange comment, why would all 50 people think Starmer is ‘dreadful’ when only most of them have heard of him.
Why those who haven’t heard of him think he’s dreadful?
Oreo
He’s hardly likely to secure a second term.
I hope he does because I don’t look forward to a Tory/Reform coalition and Labour/Liberal coalition would be nearly as bad.
Be very careful what you wish for.
Reform appear to be vocal about what needs to be got rid of or banned but are a bit short on giving us any ideas about anything constructive to be put in place.
Rather like the people who ring up radio phone-in progs and start their contribution "I'll tell you what the government wants to get rid of........" in an increasingly irate voice.
Pure hot air.
Chocolatelovinggran
As with others here, I wonder how many of our new councillors understand their remit - and it's limitations.
Mr Farage was quoted as saying " If you work in ...( add any of his bete noires)- you need to look for another job"
Councillors have no authority to hire and fire staff. Oh, but let's not let facts get in the way of a rant.
I understand that the first action of the new leader of Kent County Council was to remove the Ukranian flag from ...wherever.
I feel there might be more pressing priorities.
Yes indeed, their remit has nothing to do with hiring and firing. They are not anywhere near as powerful as Farage appears to think, we are not in the USA.
Oreo
He’s hardly likely to secure a second term.
Actually, an awful lot can change in the next 3-4 years, so you cannot possibly know this, unless you have a crystal ball!
J52
“Probably around 50 or so people, maybe slightly more ( including family) Most have heard of Starmer, some have British roots but they all think he is dreadful. Various”
nanna8
What a strange comment, why would all 50 people think Starmer is ‘dreadful’ when only most of them have heard of him.
Why those who haven’t heard of him think he’s dreadful?
You tell me, I’m reporting what I have been told. I am not a psychiatrist. Don’t really know why they are even interested really but it seems they are. Actually, there are more than 50 , I meet and deal with many people in my different positions . Some of us find it hard to ‘retire’ 🥲🥲
windmill1
Reform appear to be vocal about what needs to be got rid of or banned but are a bit short on giving us any ideas about anything constructive to be put in place.
Rather like the people who ring up radio phone-in progs and start their contribution "I'll tell you what the government wants to get rid of........" in an increasingly irate voice.
Pure hot air.
And yet..
Even their noise has been enough for Keir Starmer to act.
Whether in the "right" ways is debatable. And a whole other issue.
But to those even a week ago, who said what difference could Reform make, the answer is a great deal. Already.
Well not just noise to be fair. Voting.
What has Starmer done?
Please don’t mention the white paper - subject of his speech this morning.
That has been formulated over the months since the election.
Why didnt he release it before?!
That is even worse in that case.
If he had genuinely thought like that, he would have made sure it came out before the Local elections.
Looks like, in that case, he waitied to see how well Reform would do before acting.
And that is stupid too
It looks like he did not understand the voters well enough.
Even on this site, it looks like things are better for Labout than they acutally are.
Presumably in Westminster, it is even more of a bubble situation.
Surrounded by people who think like them.
Real world is different.
Not that I had listened to it all the speech yet..
I am sorry to say this, but it is posters like yourselves and several others on this site, who make things appear different to what they really are.
Maybe I happen to live in a part of England where voters change their minds. Eventually.
My area used to be Liberal for decades. In the last 20 years things have changed. We have had Conservative. Think we are now Labour. I tend to forget.
Now we have a Reform Councillor. Though even I dont know how that happened. I think it must be who we are grouped in with? I dont know.
While I am on this topic I think I will keep going.
I do find on this site[not meaning anyone at all in particular] that there is huge biases.
I do find a few people like that in real life. But on this site, it is rife.
Maybe way out of proportion to voters in real life?
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