At the expensive private school he attended, he used to shout Hitler youth songs. He had Enoch Powell ('an inspiration to me') support him at UKIP rallies. A quote from Nigel, to UKIP founder Alan Sked after Nigel dropped the ban on National Front members: "we shouldn't worry about the n****r vote, they won't vote for us." He famously said he'd be worried if he had to live next to door to Romanian immigrants. He believes Britain is 'unrecognisable' and looks like a 'foreign land' in places. He said it feels awkward to hear other languages. He believes anyone from overseas with HIV shouldn't be allowed in the country. He stood in front of a poster during the EU referendum, which said 'Breaking Point', which was blatant Nazi-style propaganda. He believes calling someone from China, a 'ch*nky' is fine. He described muslims living in Europe as the 'fifth column'. He said (less than a year ago) that 'some people loathe our country' and when asked if he was talking about muslims, he said 'we are'. The following people/groups endorsed Reform at the last general election: Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, Britain First, Patriotic Alternative and the Homeland Party. Neo-Nazis, the lot. His favourite leader is Putin. And he regularly appeared on far right, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' InfoWars show. Reform is far right. Nigel is far right. And the polls suggest they're leading. So yes, the far right is on the rise. And people on this very forum vote for them. Without admitting it. Why?
Deluded, in denial, lame and now blind! Good job Lady Kaht keeps an eye on me! I am beginning to suspect we may never agree on Starmer, Mr KCP. But do you have any time for anyone in the present Labour Cabinet, or would you sack them all off? That would leave a big hole to fill (bigger than the 22Bn). And is John McDonnell really your right choice of champion? (He couldn't challenge for the leadership as he is currently suspended) The serial rebel so outre that even Ken Livingstone sacked him? Who will he put up to challenge? Richard Burgon?
You've got me with the cabinet Mr Kaht. I'm not sure any of them have any spine to seriously challenge the current direction of travel. I did originally hope Rayner might have some bottle but I'm not so sure now. As for McDonnell he's not my champion in any real sense, I just think he's correct about the Party. I'm equally unsure as to who, in the present climate could feasibly come through the ranks. I think Labour have had it. All down to Starmer, McSweeney and a lack of principle. One day you might wake up from your 'must support Starmer at any cost' trance and see what's happening........ P.s. Best wishes as always.
I like Ange. People make a big mistake when they mistake her lack of polish for any lack of smartness. She is a shrewd and worldly-wise operator who knows (as did Starmer) that you have to work with the existing hierarchy and establish yourself before you can rise to head it. As for McDonnell, won't Farage give him all he wants? Scrap two-child cap, reinstate WFA, raise IT threshold to 20k. What's not to like? Oh, wait................!
I'm so tired of hearing about Corbyn & from his acolytes like McDonnell. He was an absolute clown promising unfunded schemes such as broadband for all and full compensation for WASPI. If any more were needed, his pathetic response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine is evidence that he wasn't fit to lead. If supporting Starmer is letting in Reform then those who supported Corbyn are directly responsible for Johnson's 2019 landslide and everything that happened afterwards, the COVID response, Truss, Rwanda, all of it.
I take your point, as I said, I don't like it at all and I do accept your points. But I also stand by call for pragmatism.
John McDonnell, when shadow chancellor, thought it was a good idea to bring Mao's little red book to the house of commons and quote it from the dispatch box, these ideological extremists will never be happy with anything but a Marxist revolution - eventually all far left, and far right fanboys end up violently imposing their idea of a brotherhood of man on society given the chance.
I've been thinking recently that at the next general election Carol Vorderman should put her weight behind a replacement for the "Stop The Tories" tactical voting website with something like "Stop The Tories, Labour and Reform". Sounds about right to me. Sorry to bang on but we need electoral reform urgently. It's noticeable that now Reform are polling 30% plus, they have stopped talking about electoral reform, strange that innit?
Reform isn’t on Starmer. It’s on politics full stop. Governments red and blue that barely differ from each other. I’ll keep voting for left wing parties. Because that’s democracy. And I vote for what I believe in. The majority of the country votes for parties on the right. And wins. Gains power. Control. Has the ability to enforce rules, policy, shape the world we live in. Own your choices/decisions. Stop blaming others.
With the caveat that I voted twice for Labour under Corbyn and support most of the manifesto policies they put forward, he was a poor leader of the party, is a poor politician and one with too much easily-exploitable baggage. It needed someone 20 years younger, who was not so easy for the media to tear into at any opportunity - especially when the party is looking to curtail their power and tax their owners.
People should vote for the parties they believe in. As Starmer is ably demonstrating the lesser evil is still evil.