Election Year or Fear!

[ramAnag]

Ah your perception not backed up by reality, there are a number of occasions where RA and I disagree and in the last use of the word, RA was merely making an observaton, he didn't give a view or support me in any way.

I suspect Swale, only suspect because GP provided no quote, that he was referencing MA’s ‘dirty mind’/rear gunner comment and is insinuating that my political agreement with you involves some sort of associated homos*xual liaison. This would make sense because GP’s humour repeatedly returns to some sort of childish third form/Dick Emery level of innuendo.

Best ignored when he’s in that mood imo, but it is curious how our two main political adversaries appear to get so enraged by us being in agreement. It is a forum after all, which by definition involves agreement and disagreement. Almost as if they feel threatened.

[MadAmster]

It seems the "successes" of the few Reform councils to date hasn't dissuaded voters from putting their X in the turquoise box. I sincerely hope they don't live to regret it.

[SithHappens]

It seems the "successes" of the few Reform councils to date hasn't dissuaded voters from putting their X in the turquoise box. I sincerely hope they don't live to regret it.

I don't think they care or even know what Reform will do for them apart from getting rid of foreigners who they've probably never seen anyway.

[swaledale]

It seems the "successes" of the few Reform councils to date hasn't dissuaded voters from putting their X in the turquoise box. I sincerely hope they don't live to regret it.

I sincerely hope they do live to regret it. But suspect that their level of understanding of the political process is so limited they will not have the capacity to remember why and who they voted for.

I suspect that as with Hungary and eventually the US, there will have to be a period durng which those that ignored the obvious folly of voting for a party that is led by a person that is so so obviously a liar and a grifter and has no answers to the issues facing the country will eventually realise that Reform do not have the answers and are much the worst option.


I am somewhat optimistic today though, the results so far are not as bad for Labour as might have been expected. However, much like the democrats in the US, I do wonder if they will take heed of the message and actually use their current majority to make some real changes.

I suspect, that what will happen is a doubling down on the "Reform Lite" policies which will further alienate their core vote, whilst doing nothing to persuade the idiots who vote Reform to switch.

[Geoff Parkstone]

"...But suspect that their level of understanding of the political process is so limited they will not have the capacity to remember why and who they voted for."

Not that the rejection of your values makes you bitter and twisted of course 😃

But let's wait until all results are in and if Starmer survives or not. It's still 3 years until anything can change in Parliament and labour have time to react to vox pop. That may well include appeasing the loss of support to both Reform and Green (the Labour left).

Ultimately not much will change and potholes will stay unfilled.

[swaledale]

"...But suspect that their level of understanding of the political process is so limited they will not have the capacity to remember why and who they voted for."

Not that the rejection of your values makes you bitter and twisted of course 😃

But let's wait until all results are in and if Starmer survives or not. It's still 3 years until anything can change in Parliament and labour have time to react to vox pop. That may well include appeasing the loss of support to both Reform and Green (the Labour left).

Ultimately not much will change and potholes will stay unfilled.

Oh please! Rejection of my values?? I realsied long ago, before Brexit, before Johnson, going back to Thatcher, that a signifciant proportion of the electorate were as totally thick.

And no it doesn't make me bitter and twisted, in point of fact it amuses me that people are so thick and gullible, as an example a voter was interviwed who confidently said he "voted for Farage" to be PM!! I've encountered similar views elsewhere, utter ignorance and crass stupidity displayed by the vast majority who voted for UKIP/Brexit/Reform and those that aren't dumb, voted because they won't suffer the consequences and it suits their agenda.

One only has to take a look at what has happened in the US, Poland and Hungary to understand that Reform and other such parties on the far right are the worst option for the majority of people.

Lets look at the actual evidence, Farage has achieved nothing except make people think there are simple soutions to complex issues, without giving any detail as to how his "solutions" will work.

He is an obvious grifter, earns millions whilst neglecting his duties as an MP, has received a "personal" donation of £5 million far exceeding those that Starmer et al had received during the so called freebie scandal - which of course were legal and properly declared.

Farage declared that the Truss budget was the best budget he'd seen. Farage said that the UK should stand shoulder to shoulder with the US in his illegal and ill thought out war on Iran. Farage criticised rayener over avoding stamp duty, he gets his partner to buy a house in Clacton, but she hasn't it seems the necessary financial resources to have made that purchase.

Farage promotes crypto, a risky unregulated currency which only those willing and able to risk losing substatial amount sof money would get invlolved with. Farage is effusive in his praise for Trump, so apaprently being an authortarian, lying, incompetnent, war mongering, tarrif imposing idiot is a model leader?

Reform councils have all promised savings and tax reductions, none of which was achieved.

I could go on, whatever ones political leaning, Reform and Farage do not represent hope, so much as the embodiement of corrupton, sleaze and the interets of the billionaires who fund them. If the average voter is unable to see they are beeing taken for fools then the only conclusion is that they are fools themselves.

I've long marvelled at how voters who do have real power if used properly, are so easily fooled by rich con artists whether from the right or the left.

I am merely commenting on what should be obvious to a person capable of thinking, I can assure you it doesn't make me bitter, why would it? I'm not the one who is going to feel the effects of such stupidity, I will sit and the sidelines and smile.

Anyway get back to being a grumpy old man viewing the world negatively consistently and ignoring the good that is done.

[MadAmster]

With regard to that house Ms Ferrari "bought", I have seen several pieces online saying she doesn't live in it... make of that what you will... if it's true, that is.

PS - why would the Ferrari family name their daughter, phonetically, lorry?

[Geoff Parkstone]

Oh please! Rejection of my values?? I realsied long ago, before Brexit, before Johnson, going back to Thatcher, that a signifciant proportion of the electorate were as totally thick.

And no it doesn't make me bitter and twisted, in point of fact it amuses me that people are so thick and gullible, as an example a voter was interviwed who confidently said he "voted for Farage" to be PM!! I've encountered similar views elsewhere, utter ignorance and crass stupidity displayed by the vast majority who voted for UKIP/Brexit/Reform and those that aren't dumb, voted because they won't suffer the consequences and it suits their agenda.

One only has to take a look at what has happened in the US, Poland and Hungary to understand that Reform and other such parties on the far right are the worst option for the majority of people.

Lets look at the actual evidence, Farage has achieved nothing except make people think there are simple soutions to complex issues, without giving any detail as to how his "solutions" will work.

He is an obvious grifter, earns millions whilst neglecting his duties as an MP, has received a "personal" donation of £5 million far exceeding those that Starmer et al had received during the so called freebie scandal - which of course were legal and properly declared.

Farage declared that the Truss budget was the best budget he'd seen. Farage said that the UK should stand shoulder to shoulder with the US in his illegal and ill thought out war on Iran. Farage criticised rayener over avoding stamp duty, he gets his partner to buy a house in Clacton, but she hasn't it seems the necessary financial resources to have made that purchase.

Farage promotes crypto, a risky unregulated currency which only those willing and able to risk losing substatial amount sof money would get invlolved with. Farage is effusive in his praise for Trump, so apaprently being an authortarian, lying, incompetnent, war mongering, tarrif imposing idiot is a model leader?

Reform councils have all promised savings and tax reductions, none of which was achieved.

I could go on, whatever ones political leaning, Reform and Farage do not represent hope, so much as the embodiement of corrupton, sleaze and the interets of the billionaires who fund them. If the average voter is unable to see they are beeing taken for fools then the only conclusion is that they are fools themselves.

I've long marvelled at how voters who do have real power if used properly, are so easily fooled by rich con artists whether from the right or the left.

I am merely commenting on what should be obvious to a person capable of thinking, I can assure you it doesn't make me bitter, why would it? I'm not the one who is going to feel the effects of such stupidity, I will sit and the sidelines and smile.

Anyway get back to being a grumpy old man viewing the world negatively consistently and ignoring the good that is done.

Ok if we accept that most Reform voters are as thick as you maintain, does that mean that at least half of them (based on results up to 4pm today) were equally thick when they voted labour at the previous council elections?

Or perhaps they have all become thick in the past few years under the labour period of council (and central government) power.

[SithHappens]

I don't think all Reform voters are thick.

A lot are clever racists.

[SithHappens]

This Reform candidate won

https://hopenothate.org.uk/2026/05/01/melt-them-all-down-and-fill-in-the-potholes-the-bizarre-racist-rant-from-sunderland-reform-candidate/

[ramAnag]

This Reform candidate won

https://hopenothate.org.uk/2026/05/0...orm-candidate/

Why are you surprised? He just represents the unfiltered voice of Reform (or should that be ‘Racism’) UK.

Depressing set of results…or is it? I guess it is for Keir Starmer, which I still don’t personally understand, but beyond that? The results look initially shocking and seem to be suggesting that RUK are on the up. Well they’ve, predictably, done very well in Brexit strongholds and as a party they’ve won the most votes, but we are living in politically fragmented times.
They have about 26% of the vote or, to put it another way, that’s down a little on where they were at the last council elections and they don’t have 74% of the vote…or 74% of voters aren’t overtly racist.

Labour had a bad night, the Tories a very bad night…but, looking to the future, put together Labour, LibDems, Greens, the Scots, the Welsh and maybe half the Tories - who are of the old school one nation variety - and, thankfully, NF remains a very, very long way from becoming the next PM.

[SithHappens]

Why are you surprised? He just represents the unfiltered voice of Reform (or should that be ‘Racism’) UK.

Depressing set of results…or is it? I guess it is for Keir Starmer, which I still don’t personally understand, but beyond that? The results look initially shocking and seem to be suggesting that RUK are on the up. Well they’ve, predictably, done very well in Brexit strongholds and as a party they’ve won the most votes, but we are living in politically fragmented times.
They have about 26% of the vote or, to put it another way, that’s down a little on where they were at the last council elections and they don’t have 74% of the vote…or 74% of voters aren’t overtly racist.

Labour had a bad night, the Tories a very bad night…but, looking to the future, put together Labour, LibDems, Greens, the Scots, the Welsh and maybe half the Tories - who are of the old school one nation variety - and, thankfully, NF remains a very, very long way from becoming the next PM.

I think the lib dems should be picking up more of the vote. Is that down to Ed Davey who is seen as a bit of a clown? I actually quite like him but I don't think hes strong enough leadership material.

Oh another one too BTW

https://hopenothate.org.uk/2026/05/02/reform-uk-es***-white-supremacist/

[SithHappens]

and another

https://hopenothate.org.uk/2026/03/30/shoot-the-pkis-said-reforms-bolton-candidate/

[swaledale]

Why are you surprised? He just represents the unfiltered voice of Reform (or should that be ‘Racism’) UK.

Depressing set of results…or is it? I guess it is for Keir Starmer, which I still don’t personally understand, but beyond that? The results look initially shocking and seem to be suggesting that RUK are on the up. Well they’ve, predictably, done very well in Brexit strongholds and as a party they’ve won the most votes, but we are living in politically fragmented times.
They have about 26% of the vote or, to put it another way, that’s down a little on where they were at the last council elections and they don’t have 74% of the vote…or 74% of voters aren’t overtly racist.

Labour had a bad night, the Tories a very bad night…but, looking to the future, put together Labour, LibDems, Greens, the Scots, the Welsh and maybe half the Tories - who are of the old school one nation variety - and, thankfully, NF remains a very, very long way from becoming the next PM.

Thats the conundrum RA, its a minority, albeit a significant minority that supports Reform, however, the rest a divided, they might all dislike Farage, but they have significant differences in belief and political leaning.

My initial thoughts on Starmer was that he would be "dull" but effective in government and that maybe just maybe the voters would appreciate a stable government with no dramas. In many ways he has been effective, there is considerable progress in many areas, however, he has zero charisma, comes across very much as a "middle managment" figure and from my point of view I see no evidence that he has any personal vision or strategy.

Contrast that with Blair who was chrismatic and actually implemented changes that people could see. Of course, Blair inherited a god economy and Starmer has to contend with 14 years of awful Tory government, an American president who seems determined to **** the world economy and rules based order, plus the Ukrainne war etc.

Much of the "controversial" policies - Fuel allowance, Farmers in heritance tax were the right ones, but delivered in a cack handed way and it appears rushed out with no thought to the finer details. Then there are the freebie and Mandelson "scandels", obviously blown out of proportion by the mostly right wing media and then amplified by a BBC which seems to follow whatever is on the front page of the Daily fail these days.

One only has to compare the scrutiny over Starmers £2,000 freebie on glasses with Farage's £5 million freebie (there has basically been very little apart from some media - yet Farage gets £5 million from a crypto currency billionaire, then stands for parliament and spends a lot o effort promoting crypto curency, clearly no connection there!!

The press and some people were slagging Starme roff well before he had even become PM, he hasn't done a good job of proving them wrong.

The point is though that Starmer seems to be scared of the press, Blair managed them took them on and achieved much, even if he bloted his reputation by cosying up to Bush.

Without a chnage of leader, someone who can actually command attention and not appear to be bogged down by endless SNAFU's then Labour's chnaces at the next GE are poor.

The irony is that Farage is very obviously a con artist, yet the suckers vote for him/

[ramAnag]

I think the lib dems should be picking up more of the vote. Is that down to Ed Davey who is seen as a bit of a clown? I actually quite like him but I don't think hes strong enough leadership material.

Oh another one too BTW

https://hopenothate.org.uk/2026/05/0...e-supremacist/

Can’t get the link to work, not sure why. Agree about the LibDems and Ed Davey. A decent man I think, but sometimes his clowning around publicity stuff detracts from his more serious opinions. Still, being a politician who can be called a decent man is an achievement these days, especially compared with that tw@t in Sunderland and his leader.