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So what is the alternative. Patel is trying to get Badenoch to forge closer links with Reform ( along with their mate Musk?). And what are Conservative policies other than reducing taxes and Rwanda?
Labour has a horrible streak of class envy ….It’s coming back with a nasty vengeance
says Baroness Mallalieu
(whisper it quietly so’s not to upset certain sensitive souls here ….she’s a Labour peer)Is this guy for real?!
It just gets more bizarre, as each week passes with this fledgling government.
Unbelieveable, quite frankly.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the chancellor and business secretary have written to the UK’s main regulators asking them to come up with ideas for reform that could boost economic growth.
“But our economy took a massive hit because of Brexit”.
No it didn’t, Moe. Or nothing like I thought it would, or most of the Remain campaign thought it would prior to Brexit. It’s taken a hit yes. Not a “massive” one. Otherwise similar European countries inside the EU (like France and Germany) would be doing far better than us – and they simply aren’t.
Reeves seems to be doing her best to drive us down though.
Value Is Everything‘Is the UK better off since Brexit?
Economists and analysts at Cambridge Econometrics found that, by 2035, the UK is anticipated to have three million fewer jobs, 32% lower investment, 5% lower exports and 16% lower imports, than it would have had been. The report states that the UK will be £311bn worse off by 2035 due to leaving EU.’Is it time to start taking Reform very seriously?
Now OK, opinion polls and predictions this far away from a General Election need to be taken with an industrial sized pinch of salt. We all know much can change.
However, Reform is polling consistently well. It only has 5 MPs but finished second in 90 other constituencies. It would not take much to win them.
It is already winning in council by-elections. It recently won one in St Helen’s of all places – somewhere they normally weigh rather than count the Labour votes.
Reform has also attracted some serious financial backers. Money is going to be no object in the next campaign, especially if Musk gets involved.
Then there is Reform’s claim it now has more members than the Conservative Party. I think Badenoch has made a huge mistake in questioning the figures. Aside from drawing more attention to the story, she is almost certainly wrong. Another sign she would be out of her depth on wet grass.
The two party duopoly has existed for a century. It will still be difficult to break under FPTP. The Alliance looked like it might break it up in the 1980s but failed. However, I think Reform is better placed. It already has a foothold in Parliament, a skilful media operator as leader, some serious financial backing and an alternative message from the two main parties.
Time to start taking it seriously, no matter what your personal taste might believe.
Reform are the SDP of the time , you can’t realistically think Farage can be PM , at some point the Tories will have to invite him on to the good ship severe right anyway …then the **** will really hit the fan
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
I didn’t say that, HDLG. Even on the poll figures in the “Sunday Times”, he could not be PM. But Reform is better placed than the SDP, which only offered uninspiring, wishy washy policies. Reform offers a clear alternative view, no matter what anyone thinks about it.
Personally, I think it would struggle to do much of what it wants, mainly because the entire civil service and other parts of the British state would be opposed to it. MPs are only a small cog in the wheel. Power is held much more widely.
Reform absolutely need to be taken seriously. We could start by actually applying some scrutiny to their policies. You think Labour have been bad, they’d be a complete disaster and they’d be found out even more quickly. They’re very good at telling people what they want to hear, not so good at telling us how they’d achieve it.
The trouble is that in the current climate, little of that seems to matter hence why they need to be taken seriously (as a threat).
I still think they’ll do some sort of deal with the Tories, there’s a long time to go before 2029 remember. They like standing on the sidelines shouting but I don’t think they’d actually want to govern and will leave that to those with experience of doing so. Far less time for grifting if you’re actually in power.
Which brings me on to their ‘membership’, have they got voting rights and all the other things that come with being a party member yet or have they thrown money at a private company with a handful of shareholders?
We,ll need to see where we are in 2 years time , if things start to improve in the country then the Tories are bound to panic , let’s be brutally hones they aren t going to the country with the current leader , she’s far to light weight
Pick 3 on Saturday champion 2025/2026
Agree HDLG. I think she will be gone well before the next election, possibly in 2025. I can see Cleverley and his allies launching a coup against her.
Note how he has refused to serve in her Shadow Cabinet. Why would he do that otherwise?
Jeremy Hunt is still an MP as well and may not have given up on leadership ambitions.
“What is their clear alternative view? What actually are their policies?”
Ending mass immigration, reversing Net Zero and lowering taxes are just three I can think of.
As Richard points out, it is far easier to talk than to govern. Even Starmer and Co have found that out in the last six months. And as I said, there will be plenty of interest groups lined up against Reform and its agenda. The BBC for a start.
But based on the figures in the “Sunday Times” poll, a Conservative/Reform coalition after the next General Election is by no means an outlandish thought. I doubt Farage and Olukemi Olufunto Adegoke Badenoch would want to work together – but I doubt she will still be in post in 2029.
You need a heart of stone not to laugh:
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