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Parcel Of Rogue's avatar

The local elections in May, plus by elections in Scotland and Wales will be illustrative of what is happening at this early stage in the term.

The Farragists may be doing well in opinion polls as he swans around with endless free national publicity but what track record, experience or organisation do they have on the ground? They are 2nd in about 90 seats, but it's mostly a poor 2nd. They will need big, big swings to get up to where the LibDems are now. But look at the 5 MP's they have. They are clueless in Parliament, hardly ever there and not making any kind of impact. Nor is Farage handling his constituency queries properly, as he's too chicken to appear regularly in case he gets stabbed. He might find Clacton residents voting tactically to get him and others out. UKIP could never get one of their few MP's re-elected.

Nor have ReformUK got a serious costed manifesto. Their previous one called for smaller government and lower taxes while offering £50bn in extra spending. They are not a serious political party but are doing the Reform Party of Canada grift of taking various monies ( him through Farridge's company), while attempting to terrify the Conservative party and push them to the right, before an eventual merger or take over, with a change of name.

Marr was very right when he said that what would finish ReformUk and similar populists would be having the demands of government loaded upon them (and probably even just leading the opposition). They would be clueless and unable to deal with the relentless weight of work, disciplines and the need to choose between priorities. Farage only works sniping from the sidelines when he is not pulled up on his terrible and failing positions previously. If given the smallest amount of scrutiny, the man falls apart, walks out of studios, goes red with rage and boycotts organisations.

Populists sometimes get to power but it's always a disaster and they rarely get re-elected. Nor are Reform sweeping to power any time soon. meanwhile Farridge is 60 and looks at least his age. He smokes like a chimney and drinks like a fish, mostly wine. Apparently you can smell him coming up a corridor. Are we seriously to believe that he won't have retired to spend more time with his money when Reform get another go at a General Election and he is nearly 70?

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Gillian Sathanandan's avatar

Our country is coming out bottom, that is what bothers me. Out on our own, we need Europe as much as Europe needs us right now. What a time in history to have left our true home. And I have wanted a European Army for years, we cannot depend on the US and Ukraine needs us and we are helpless without the US. I am no neoliberal but nor am I a socialist. We are lacking talented politicians both in the UK and the EU to help deal with all the desperate problems we have.

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