How the media created Reform

'Farage should have called it out', I agree MT62 , but didn't one of the Reform speakers say he would buy new stick?
If so, that is approval and reward.

Anyone who thinks that the Reform rabble in those videos was a group of 'ordinary middle class citizens', MT63

mum2three

Labour refuse to acknowledge the reasons why Reform are so popular so they are doing their best to discredit them. They must think we are too stupid to realise.

🤣🤣🤣🤣

Aveline

I'm the poster who raised the point that Reform seems to be addressing a perceived gap that the mainstream parties don't seem to. My comments were not directed at current or recent governing parties. It was meant more rhetorically. The boat people, large numbers of fit young men scare people. The apparent proliferation of Islam does the same. The ballooning benefits bill etc etc. I'm sure I'll be jumped on for daring to post this but I know I'm not alone.

I don’t think you’ll find ANYONE on here who doesn’t want the people arriving on small and large boats stopped.

Perhaps for different reasons to you.

It’s dangerous, people drown, traffickers are making so much money.

BUT, with wars, corrupt governments, entire parts of countries being bombed and 300,000 people being displaced from their own countries, what do you expect?

As for rhetoric around Islam, our country has 6.5% of its population made up of Muslims.

In terms of the “ballooning” benefits bill, I’ll think you’ll find that it’s the under 26 British born citizens who’ve pushed this up, not migrants.

eazybee

I would like to hear what the protesters said/shouted out before I pass judgement. I noticed a large number of people recording the incident on their phones so it should not be too difficult to release a full account.

Why?? What does it matter what she said?

Violence aimed at anyone, because of what they say, is simply NEVER acceptable.

Hecklers and protesters turn up at all events, it’s expected. Violence isn’t. None of the women were a “threat” and there was more than enough security there.

JenniferEccles

Well wasn’t that entirely predictable?
The Reform Party’s Annual Conference and along with the other protesters is an hysterical woman screaming, shouting and waving her arms around causing so much trouble that she had to be removed.

Then lo and behold there’s an accusation of an assault.

Yet another set up.

The very existence of the Reform party has certainly rattled a few cages!

It’s not a “set up” These events, for all parties, attract “hecklers” and “protesters”

The mob reaction from Reform’s supporters and indeed security was totally ott. What this “gentleman” did with his stick and other audience members did was assault.

Excuse it all you like.

Aveline

I'm the poster who raised the point that Reform seems to be addressing a perceived gap that the mainstream parties don't seem to. My comments were not directed at current or recent governing parties. It was meant more rhetorically. The boat people, large numbers of fit young men scare people. The apparent proliferation of Islam does the same. The ballooning benefits bill etc etc. I'm sure I'll be jumped on for daring to post this but I know I'm not alone.

These opinions are quite common, even among Labour voters., who think immigration is too high and " diversity" has gone too far. I don't like Farage, think Reform are very dubious, but the mainstream parties need to address voters concerns. It's all very well tarring people as being far Right for expressing concerns about immigration and asylum seekers, but something needs to be done.

I'm the poster who raised the point that Reform seems to be addressing a perceived gap that the mainstream parties don't seem to. My comments were not directed at current or recent governing parties. It was meant more rhetorically. The boat people, large numbers of fit young men scare people. The apparent proliferation of Islam does the same. The ballooning benefits bill etc etc. I'm sure I'll be jumped on for daring to post this but I know I'm not alone.

Maremia

I don't know where you live but around here 'ordinary people' do not go around assaulting people.
Thank goodness the Police are now looking into the footage of those disgraceful Reform delegates.

Who’s that question aimed at Maremia?

I don't know where you live but around here 'ordinary people' do not go around assaulting people.
Thank goodness the Police are now looking into the footage of those disgraceful Reform delegates.

LemonJam

Re the poster raising the 'gaps' created by the Labour or other parties and the reasons for Reform's popularity ratings.

The poster felt that Reform UK has become so popular because of gaps caused or created by the Labour Party over the last 2 years and the LP is 'refusing the acknowledge the reasons for Reform's popularity. The second part of that statement felt a bit bizarre as the LP is currently more popular than Reform UK and Farage doesn't go about acknowledging the reasons for this. The poster did not specifically outline what the gaps created by the LP are or whether the LP inherited the gaps from the Conservative Party and has not managed to turn them around within 2 years.

No government ever can or ever does address everything 100%. neither can they do so in a 2 year period when they inherit such a mass of problems. Each successive government has different priorities/ideology and differing cohorts of voters to the one just voted out of office.

Labour inherited a government from the Conservative Party that had been in power for over 13 years after many years of austerity. That had an adverse impact on the nation's health, welfare, education etc, with annually increasing welfare budget spend. The small boats annual figures were much higher than they are now and there was back log of asylum seekers claims, housed meanwhile in hotels. That backlog has been largely addressed. The LP inherited a large government debt and Trump of course has continued to cause his chaos made worse this year as he invaded Iran that pushed up fuel and food prices. That is no government inherits a neutral clean slate and every new government experiences global influences outside its immediate control.

Reform UK has never been sufficiently popular with sufficiently large numbers of the electorate to gain more than a handful of FPTP MP seats. Local Council elections are a different kettle of fish to central government. Reform UK has never been in government so not tested whether it could or would be able to form a functioning government or how its 'policies' as promoted would work in the real world as they inherit the government form the previous incumbent party, e.g. currently the Labour government.

Plus Reform UK 'policies' are ver4y narrow ranged, leaving many gaps from the off, not very detailed and not well costed. Many would involve breaking current international law, changing domestic law to implement. Many would necessitate making changes that would breach the Brexit agreement and the Northern Ireland Windsor agreement so alienate the EU.

Take one conference announcement- for example if in the first 100 days of government Reform UK upped the tax allowance to £15,000 and immediately lost that tax revenue from day one before achieving savings as proposed that will take time to implement and may not achieve the savings proposed- Reform UK has less government spending available from day one and most likely will spook the markets potentially raising the cost of borrowing on immediately increased government debt.

Trump made similar 'I will do this immediately etc if elected'. Eg I will release all Epstein files immediately upon entering office. He did not. I will cut energy prices in half within 12 months. They have increased. I will uproot 'the deep state' by firing government employees who are 'corrupt bureaucrats' He has replaced many law abiding officers with his own corrupt replacements. I will end the war in Ukraine within a day.....mmmmm!

Different posters will have their own differing views whether: 1) they agree with Reform UK's policy statements
2) whether they agree with Reform UK's chosen priorities
3) whether they think Reform UK will actually be able and will deliver successfully their policies in the real world
4) whether Reform UK is sufficiently popular in their eyes to vote for Reform UK at the next GE

They promise the earth all these different parties.
I think I am definitely, politically homeless 😔

I agree with what you are saying Lemonjam

Therein lies the problem Cossy. Because of the shenanigans of the Conservative Party and the debacle of the rapid PM replacements. There is very little patience for the now Labour government to embed policy and practice. I had hoped Starmer would have been given longer, but each party is chasing popularity and the next GE. I would like AB to have the honesty to say that many of the problems we face for eg asylum seekers, the cost of living will require long term solutions. It seems everyone expects immediacy, a bit like ordering fast food. Party's panic and give knee jerk quick promises. This isn't sustainable. I'd much rather hear the reality, even if it is longer term for our children's children. So the honey pot for immediate solutions becomes irresistible and that's what Reform off. Unattainable but seductive.

Ie voters less likely to vote Reform if they lose their PIP and UC eligibility?

Plus PIP- just look at the figures of those claiming PIP is the constituencies of the few Reform UK MPs. those constituencies have some of the highest number of PIP claimants of the country. Clacton I think I read maybe the second highest of PIP claimants in the country? The number of those PIP claimants far surpasses the Reform majority. One Reform constituency only has a majority of six votes!

Reform UK has yet to specify what the changes to PIP eligibility will be as proposed. Once PIP claimants do know and if they would totally lose their benefit in the huge numbers Reform UK proposes, I would suggest on the balance of self interest possibility no.

The same with Universal credit- not forgetting many UC claimants do actually work in low paid jobs. If they lost UC if may be more financially viable for their families to give up their low pad jobs.

The bedevil will be in the detail- all as yet unknown.

Re the poster raising the 'gaps' created by the Labour or other parties and the reasons for Reform's popularity ratings.

The poster felt that Reform UK has become so popular because of gaps caused or created by the Labour Party over the last 2 years and the LP is 'refusing the acknowledge the reasons for Reform's popularity. The second part of that statement felt a bit bizarre as the LP is currently more popular than Reform UK and Farage doesn't go about acknowledging the reasons for this. The poster did not specifically outline what the gaps created by the LP are or whether the LP inherited the gaps from the Conservative Party and has not managed to turn them around within 2 years.

No government ever can or ever does address everything 100%. neither can they do so in a 2 year period when they inherit such a mass of problems. Each successive government has different priorities/ideology and differing cohorts of voters to the one just voted out of office.

Labour inherited a government from the Conservative Party that had been in power for over 13 years after many years of austerity. That had an adverse impact on the nation's health, welfare, education etc, with annually increasing welfare budget spend. The small boats annual figures were much higher than they are now and there was back log of asylum seekers claims, housed meanwhile in hotels. That backlog has been largely addressed. The LP inherited a large government debt and Trump of course has continued to cause his chaos made worse this year as he invaded Iran that pushed up fuel and food prices. That is no government inherits a neutral clean slate and every new government experiences global influences outside its immediate control.

Reform UK has never been sufficiently popular with sufficiently large numbers of the electorate to gain more than a handful of FPTP MP seats. Local Council elections are a different kettle of fish to central government. Reform UK has never been in government so not tested whether it could or would be able to form a functioning government or how its 'policies' as promoted would work in the real world as they inherit the government form the previous incumbent party, e.g. currently the Labour government.

Plus Reform UK 'policies' are ver4y narrow ranged, leaving many gaps from the off, not very detailed and not well costed. Many would involve breaking current international law, changing domestic law to implement. Many would necessitate making changes that would breach the Brexit agreement and the Northern Ireland Windsor agreement so alienate the EU.

Take one conference announcement- for example if in the first 100 days of government Reform UK upped the tax allowance to £15,000 and immediately lost that tax revenue from day one before achieving savings as proposed that will take time to implement and may not achieve the savings proposed- Reform UK has less government spending available from day one and most likely will spook the markets potentially raising the cost of borrowing on immediately increased government debt.

Trump made similar 'I will do this immediately etc if elected'. Eg I will release all Epstein files immediately upon entering office. He did not. I will cut energy prices in half within 12 months. They have increased. I will uproot 'the deep state' by firing government employees who are 'corrupt bureaucrats' He has replaced many law abiding officers with his own corrupt replacements. I will end the war in Ukraine within a day.....mmmmm!

Different posters will have their own differing views whether: 1) they agree with Reform UK's policy statements
2) whether they agree with Reform UK's chosen priorities
3) whether they think Reform UK will actually be able and will deliver successfully their policies in the real world
4) whether Reform UK is sufficiently popular in their eyes to vote for Reform UK at the next GE

Aveline

Farage never does himself any favours every time he opens his frog mouth 🐸

I don’t suppose he can help having a frog mouth Aveline 😔

Aveline

I'm not laughing MT62. I'm quite serious. Those people shuffling through the conference areas looked like the average middle aged middle class. The other parties could do with their votes but why don't they have them?

Because most voters of the reform party are just every day citizens who are probably cheesed off with the other the parties,
looking at those clips the poster sent over.
Most people perceive reform voters to be knuckle dragging folks, I have heard that mentioned on GN before.
I noticed that the people of Piddington had reform banner behind them.
(now could be fake as chestnut says videos can be doctored), but they couldn’t look more on the left if they tried.
I heard they were mainly on the left but I bet that’s not the case any longer.

Plevey08

A couple of posters are asking 'what is the gap other parties are not addressing ,and why are Reform so popular,"
They have risen in popularity because they turn the public against essential civic and legal checks and balances.
Social and Policy risks...intense focus on border control and asylum seekers deepens social divisions and hostility.
They align themselves with extreme far-right groups.
They don't self regulate on how they handle wealthy donors and rules on foreign funding. They have links to controversial figures.
With the current global difficulties and the impact on the UK many people are struggling and suffering.
Farage and Reform have strategically tapped into the distress many are feeling. So they are trying to sell us the solution.
Is it not a solution as we found the Conservatives Brexit campaign wasn't. The intent is to divide and rule.
I think it is now very apparent what an unsavoury character Farage is. And of course his unscrupulous financial dealings are now coming to light.

What Reform, AKA, Farage have done is to exploit the fears, anxieties and ignorance of many many disenchanted and disenfranchised people, almost brainwashing into believing other political parties only support foreigners and don’t care about British born citizens.

Along with blaming Jonny Foreigner for stealing jobs, houses and benefits.

Then, just to add insult to injury, they’ve encouraged aggressive action (cold, hard, rage), consistency insisted they, and only they, can “save” our country and painted every single asylum seeker as a murderous, rapist.

Whilst Farage laughs all the way to the bank, doing sweet FA for his own or anyone else’s constituency, breaks the rules, and made an utter mockery of our political system with his ludicrous and expensive by-election.

LizzieDrip

^Allegedly there was hair pulling by others at the conference^

Not ‘allegedly’ - it’s caught on camera. Have you watched the footage David?

I thought the bloke in front gave her a right hook 😳 if you look his hand goes from down to up in front of her face, I expected to see a bloody nose😩
It’s out of order

Graphite

It’s understood the protesters in the audience were from Climate Resistance.

They shouted “Nigel, you’re bankrolled by billionaires” which he is.

Two held up a banner which read “Reform works for billionaires” which it does.

Greenpeace has claimed it put the small banners on the stage which read, "Collect £5 million Burn the Planet."

People have a right to protest and not be beaten to the ground.

Today, Lee Anderson has been joking about having a whip round to buy a new stick for the pensioner who used his to hit two women. Audience members clapped and cheered.

Reform are disgusting.

He’s just making matters worse for that party 🙄

Reform is simply a revamped UKIP.

Farage has been around, in politics, for decades.

He was literally desperate to become a UK MP, having tried at least half a dozen times at previous elections.

Reform has more £££££££ in “donations” than any party (probably put together)

Farage has/had pretty weighty mates internationally, including Trump, Musk and (allegedly) links to Russia.

Farage owns a small stage in GB News, appears regularly in GB News, writes columns for at least one right wing newspaper, had paid content on X and owns two media companies.

Why is it a surprise he is ALWAYS in the spotlight?

Farage literally is Reform.

Allegedly there was hair pulling by others at the conference

Not ‘allegedly’ - it’s caught on camera. Have you watched the footage David?

A couple of posters are asking 'what is the gap other parties are not addressing ,and why are Reform so popular,"
They have risen in popularity because they turn the public against essential civic and legal checks and balances.
Social and Policy risks...intense focus on border control and asylum seekers deepens social divisions and hostility.
They align themselves with extreme far-right groups.
They don't self regulate on how they handle wealthy donors and rules on foreign funding. They have links to controversial figures.
With the current global difficulties and the impact on the UK many people are struggling and suffering.
Farage and Reform have strategically tapped into the distress many are feeling. So they are trying to sell us the solution.
Is it not a solution as we found the Conservatives Brexit campaign wasn't. The intent is to divide and rule.
I think it is now very apparent what an unsavoury character Farage is. And of course his unscrupulous financial dealings are now coming to light.

Farage is playing the media game brilliantly every event gains him support a very large number of voters agree with his views, even worse a good section back Rupert Lowe.

The protesters were manhandled out of the room whether that amounts to assault the police will determine, but if you try to disrupt an event you will be asked to leave if you don't you will be ejected, kicking and screaming if needed. Allegedly there was hair pulling by others at the conference