Inside the Reform Party

fancythat

I sometimes feel, I am a younger generation to some posters on here.

Perhaps I should qualify some of the above, so as not to get misquoted in the future
[tbh wish I hadnt written some of the above, but wont ask for it to be gone]
my mum and mil are still alive and fine.
Part of what makes me feel a different generation.
But I am not that young nowadays, and not that much younger than some on this forum.

I echo what Maizie said: This really isn't a party to seriously consider for government.

It is a matter of "says who" isnt it?

The Andy by election[I should imagine votes were skewed in allsorts of ways], Reform gets 34% of the vote, and conservatives 2%.

Barbadosbelle, and, of course, Mrs Thatcher sold off water to asset strippers, and that has worked out splendidly for the people of Britain, hasn't it?

CatsWhiskas

Shinamae

Casdon

We know that Nathan Gill, the Reform leader in Wales was paid by Russia when he was an MEP. He’s now in prison.

Peter Mandelson? 🤔

I didn't know Mandelson received Russian money.

Did I say he did?…🤔

They probably didn’t understand Quantitative Easing, either…

I take notice of people such as Heseltine who can see the historical parallels of what Reform (and Restore) stand for and who also recognise the problems a Prime Minister of any stripe has and would have to manage … Donald Trump’s US administration, the war in Ukraine, conflict in the Middle East and the impacts of Brexit. Those problems will still be there whether Burnham or Farage were in Number 10.

The point of Lammas’s piece was to highlight the chaos and factionalism within Reform which is true in many parties but, as he says, Reform … they don’t like each other and are united by grievance alone.

Last time I looked, Nadhim Zahawi was the Reform spokesperson on Foreign Affairs. According to Lammas:

The factions deeply distrust each other and perform shadow operations within Reform to undermine each other, in order to avoid one faction getting too powerful. For example, when … Nadhim Zahawi defected, I was delighted. I was then surprised to be told of high level discussions to encourage branch chairs to write into HQ in a unified protest, in a hope to expel him.

He says of the former Tories:

… they privately admit how much they miss their former Party and how concerned they are with the dysfunction within Reform. They say ‘focus on what you can get out of it’ and ‘just go with the flow’. Many share my concerns but unlike me they are afraid to admit they made a mistake.

It isn’t a promising blueprint for a party that, were there to be a snap election, could find themselves in power or, with no overall majority, would need to forge an alliance with the Tories.

If there were to win an overall majority, they would be barely be able to function, again as Lammas says:

For all of you political nerds reading this that have sat in one too many meetings with the oldies repeating themselves – cherish them. For when there is no institutional experience, it is alarming.

We have witnessed that in the chaos in local government since 2025 and most recently in Kirkless where they have a new Reform councillor wishing to lead the council saying: “I don’t understand the Constitution… I don’t understand standing orders… I don’t understand what an amendment is … ” These people did no homework whatsoever before standing for office and when elected have no clue what they are doing.

Reform has little in the way of institutional experience. A leader who treats Parliament and Parliamentary process with contempt and MPs who are regularly exposed for lack of knowledge. Lindsey Hoyle called them a shambles when they were trying to introduce a bill to prohibition Quantitative Easing. Six months into the job and they still didn’t know how to introduce a Bill. This week, witness Luke Pollard Minister of State for Defence had reprimand to Sarah Pochin over Special Forces security.

I echo what Maizie said: This really isn't a party to seriously consider for government.

I sometimes feel, I am a younger generation to some posters on here.

Really,it is a case of my memory. As I remember Thatcher.

Casdon

You must be young fancythat? He was in Thatcher and Major’s governments, and he’s in the House of Lords, he’s one of the heavyweights, he often comments on current politics.

I am younger than a lot of people on this forum.
But my memory is also poor!

One of my DDs became a mum at a comparatively young age for nowadays.
She was youngest mum at the playground for about 5 years.

I did join this site about 8 years ago, but left again, as I felt too young at the time!

Casdon

You must be young fancythat? He was in Thatcher and Major’s governments, and he’s in the House of Lords, he’s one of the heavyweights, he often comments on current politics.

I’m 67 and I remember him well.

Wasn’t he depicted as, or called, Tarzan on Spitting Image?

MayBee70

He was a great supporter of the people’s vote campaign. Margaret Beckett said she never thought she’d be sharing a platform with him but she did and he was warmly received. As with a lot of elder states people he talks a lot of Sence and he’s incensed by what Farage is trying to do to the country. Politics these days leads to strange alliegances.

I agree.

You must be young fancythat? He was in Thatcher and Major’s governments, and he’s in the House of Lords, he’s one of the heavyweights, he often comments on current politics.

He was a great supporter of the people’s vote campaign. Margaret Beckett said she never thought she’d be sharing a platform with him but she did and he was warmly received. As with a lot of elder states people he talks a lot of Sence and he’s incensed by what Farage is trying to do to the country. Politics these days leads to strange alliegances.

Hestletine is so long ago I can barely remember him.
And cant remember where he sat politically, without looking him up.

I don’t suppose the rest of us will be, but I guess he is primarily speaking to them, because their votes will make the difference.

Possibly but I am not sure why those of us who aren't old school tories should be guided by him. His barely concealed contempt for voters and his trotting out of every cliche possible are unlikely to help matters.

I suspect people, particularly the old school Tories, whoever they vote for now, are more likely to pay heed to Heseltine’s thoughts than to yours or mine Galaxy, as he has at least worn the t shirt and gained their respect?

Do the thoughts of Heseltine really fool people? He I am afraid appears to has very little understanding of the issues that have led to the rise of reform.
I am enjoying this rolling out of people who not so long ago were the bad guys ( see also Alistair Campbell) and who now we are expected to take moral guidance from.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202606/medium-dw5162-screenshot-2026-06-18-at-20-42-51.png https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202606/medium-8tzvfj-screenshot-2026-06-18-at-20-43-02.png

Interview with Lord Heseltine:

We Must Not Have Reform Or Restore Anywhere Near The Corridors Of Power

www.politicshome.com/news/article/lord-heseltine-we-reform-restore-anywhere-near-corridors-power

Even if the formal mechanisms for one haven’t yet been triggered, a Labour leadership contest is effectively underway. Would Burnham or Wes Streeting make a better PM than Keir Starmer?

“I actually like Keir Starmer,” the peer replies. “I think he’s a nice guy and a good guy – and he’s got a terrible job.”

Starmer is struggling, he points out, amid problems caused by Donald Trump’s US administration, the war in Ukraine, conflict in the Middle East and the impacts of Brexit.

While the PM is “undoubtedly culpable” for the effects of his government’s tax policies, Heseltine argues there is “very little he can do” about those other four issues, calling it an “absolutely non-win” situation.

“In many ways, any prime minister would be in this present situation, because the underlying malaise affecting this government is the one that always affects governments: living standards are falling and people want change. It’s as simple as that.”

He will not be drawn further on the question of Labour’s leadership, but adds: “My preoccupation with the Makerfield by-election is very simple. We must not have Reform or Restore or anything like it anywhere near the corridors of power in this country. I’ve seen it all before. [Oswald] Mosley in the 30s, Enoch Powell in the 60s.”

He claims that “the Reform and the Restore generation” are making “the most sinister, antisemitic, extremist appeal to a very nasty side of the human character”.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has always admired Thatcher, saying after her death that she was a “great inspiration” to him. What might the Iron Lady have made of Farage, had she been alive to see the rise of his political project?

“She’d have hated him,” Heseltine replies without hesitation. “Nigel Farage will assimilate himself with anyone he thinks has got a resonance in public opinion. He is Donald Trump’s vicar in Britain…

“But the origins of ‘Nigel Trump’ are a guy with a beer tankard and a fag. Then the farmers get into trouble, and he turns up looking like a farmer – and this is all a communications process.

Successful, but based on opportunism, based on a degree of prejudices which I find abhorrent. She would have had nothing to do with him.”

Speaking of beer - the photos are from Farage on X. One from last night and one from 2024 when England were playing Slovenia in the Euros. Does this malarkey really fool people?

Barbadosbelle

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But .....

...... if you can t afford them then don't have them. Simple.

And frankly, unless they're a millionaire+, no-one can afford to feed
clothe, entertain, educate and take holidays for more than two children.
.

We have 5 children! (Between us and with four living here all the time and one in shared custody)

We both worked full time and managed to pay a mortgage, feed and clothe our children, they all went on school holiday trips, some more than once, they all had after school activities and leisure activities. We have a very modest five bedroom, 1904 mid terraced house. We ran one car, we had most of our holidays in this country, but also managed two USA holidays, a couple of French and Spanish holidays and one big family holiday to Jamaica.

We are not, nor have we ever been anywhere close to millionaires.

LizzieDrip

Agreed MollyNew.

The ‘let’s give ‘em a go’ attitude is very dangerous. Giving Reform ‘a go’ could bring about the ruin of our wonderful country.

The damage they would do in a 5 year term is immeasurable, and the country may never recover.

So let’s not ‘give ‘em a go’ eh!

“Give ‘em a go” with who??

Farage aside, they have 7 defected Tories as MPs, and actually Farage started life as a Tory.

We do not have a GE for three more years.

Let’s just concentrate on the here and now.

We have the Makerfield results to be declared, then a leadership challenge IF Burnham wins the seat.

Let’s not worry too much ar this moment about a small but very visible, loud party, when we have so much more to be thinking about.

It has been made pretty clear that some on here support Farage and fewer Lowe, but it’s pointless asking them why, as we’ve asked this for months without any tangible replies. Yes, they are “different”.

Tea is different from arsenic! I won’t be drinking that anytime soon.

Positive and fruitful change is good.

Let’s give those elected two years ago more of a chance to make the change they feel we need after 14 years of Tories.

Give them than chance to actually finish the job they started, then, in three years time, the voters get their chance to vote them out.

fancythat

But the problem is, many are now fed up of the two previous main parties.

It may not be the answer, but what is?
That is how many now feel.

There are other parties, LibDem, Green, there are other choices.

Personally, and it pains me to say this, if Reform and Restore were the only two parties (limited companies!) available I’d abstain.

Well no Barbadosbelle, because it has all been declared in a completely upfront way? That is the whole issue here.

.

No-one ever mentions the £150MILLION that the Unions have given to the Labour Party since 2001 when they started keeping records.
Goodness knows how many hundreds of millions they were given before 2001
.

.

But .....

...... if you can t afford them then don't have them. Simple.

And frankly, unless they're a millionaire+, no-one can afford to feed
clothe, entertain, educate and take holidays for more than two children.
.