Election Year or Fear!

[ramAnag]

IMHO Farage/ Reform are a growing attraction simply because they say they will address the single biggest issue that aggravates Joe public right now - immigration. In the view of those people (I believe) the mainstream parties have neither the will, stomach nor desire for that battle. Reform say they will - but it's easy to say what you will do if you get power, it's another thing entirely to do it (as Starmer has shown).

So Reform represents a "port in the storm" that a growing number of people turn to, and they care not a toss about other aspects of Reform's profile or ability to govern. They sure as hell don't care if garage has made an ill advised video clip.

Labour would be well advised to take heed. Act decisively on immigration, strongly, and they will cut the ground from under Reform's feet and they will become irrelevant and ultimately go back to being Tory. Do nothing and appease the "liberal do gooders" and they will face a firestorm. They won't garner enough immigrant votes in the next 4 years to control that storm, and it isn't going away. The major parties should learn a lesson from Brexit - it didn't go away, but could have if 15 years ago they weren't so arrogant as to know better than vox pop.

But anyone sensible knows that immigration, or more to the point illegal immigration, isn’t the biggest problem and shouldn’t be the main source of aggravation facing today’s society. It may be an issue which is more easily visible and identifiable but beyond that it’s a largely contrived and manufactured ‘problem’.

I understand that prejudiced supporters aren’t likely to care about Farage’s own nasty, dishonest and prejudiced personna but surely they should see through the foolhardy referendum lies and his responsibility for Brexit which, a decade on, now regularly takes as much blame as Covid and Truss for the current plight of our economy.

As for Labour acting decisively on immigration. They are doing aren’t they? They may be acting slightly more compassionately than their predecessors, but I honestly can’t see how they’re ‘doing nothing’ in order to appease those you describe as ‘liberal do gooders’.

[Geoff Parkstone]

rA "But anyone sensible knows that immigration, or more to the point illegal immigration, isn?t the biggest problem..."

Whatever makes you think one is dealing with "sensible". 90% of the population aren't. You've perfectly illustrated my point. Stick your head in the sand and pretend the problem has gone away - it hasn't and won't until something concrete is seen to happen

[swaledale]

rA "But anyone sensible knows that immigration, or more to the point illegal immigration, isn?t the biggest problem..."

Whatever makes you think one is dealing with "sensible". 90% of the population aren't. You've perfectly illustrated my point. Stick your head in the sand and pretend the problem has gone away - it hasn't and won't until something concrete is seen to happen

I'd have thought reducing legal immigration by half since Labour came to power was doing something "concrete"?

Bit arrogant to say 90% of the population isn't sensible! Weren't you slagginf off RA forwhat you claimed was a very similar statement, though in fact it was more nuanced than yours?

[ramAnag]

I'd have thought reducing legal immigration by half since Labour came to power was doing something "concrete"?

Bit arrogant to say 90% of the population isn't sensible! Weren't you slagginf off RA for what you claimed was a very similar statement, though in fact it was more nuanced than yours?

Lol…missed that. So I’m arrogant, woke and elitist for questioning the mindset of those who continue to support ‘Mr. Brexit’ with his highly questionable views and behaviour, but GP saying that ‘90% of the population aren’t (sensible)’ is all tickety boo?

Go figure. Not for the first time today…I’m confused.