Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

They change headlines a lot.

Reform did well relative to the last election, but will be disappointed they've lost a seat they were favourites in. I think they might suffer from what Corbyn's Labour did in that they were able to engage a lot of voters, but equally managed to motivate a lot of voters to come out against them.

With Reform and Farage seen as a realistic prospect, we might find voters voting tactually to keep them out. It's what has happened here in this one seat.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

The 'people' have a voice, it's the politicians that have a poor track record. They also have a vote, and if politicians etc only listen to the 'advisor' in their earhole, they won't hear the whispers blowing in from the street.

What follows is the people not voting for someone because they don't seem to listen . . . or as now seems regular, not voting at all.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

LOL, just like every politician then.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

no no no you can't include Angela Rayner in that, she's totally honest :erm:

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Was it Billy Connolly that once said something like "anyone who thinks of becoming a Politician should immediately be barred from becoming one" . . . probably stolen from elsewhere but that's the one I sort of remember

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Is that based on any real evidence, Maggy, or just the opinion you have formed from all the naysayers?

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

One is an article, one is a "live" report ? You often get this.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Why not ?

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

The Reform UK Party is Farage, just like The Brexit Party and UKIP were before that - everyone else are just hangers-on, with no ability to direct or change things…

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

At least they didn't lose their deposit in the welsh election

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Like Kent CC? A forewarning of what they'd be like running the country. They do seem to attract the completely talentless.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

that's labours job init

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Farage is just rocking the boat mate, getting people's knickers in a twist . . . and some people hate wearing twisted knickers . . . makes them come across all Black Adder like :D

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

It drives me mad watching Zia 'rubber lips' Yusuf. What are you going to do about that please?

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Yet more misuse of the term Racism.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

If we’re talking about the comment on representation of minority groups on adverts, she absolutely correct.

The white British nuclear family does not exist and hasn’t for years.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

The purpose of adverts isn't to accurately reflect society, it's to sell things that you do not need.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Oh, absolutely, I’m not that naive.

But one if the goals of a marketeer is to not alienate your customer base.

It’s a small point, it’s not terribly that important, it’s just “whatever”, if an alien landed and started watching tv he’d think that the U.K. demographic was 85% non-white and 15% white and that there was some law that prevented white couples, all couples have to be different ethnicities.

Just a bit annoying which is the point she was making, and it’s a fair observation.

But thinking on, one group you never see represented in adverts are Muslim women, there’s one doing the rounds now for the probation service, which a woman in Hijab, I can’t think of any others, certainly niqabs or burkas!

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

TV in general doesn't reflect society, it's just mind numbing repetitive crap to fill the empty space between the mind numbingly crap adverts :D

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

if they watched TV they'd probably think 90% of the population are lgbtgmfoqr

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Still wrong. Where's the H ?

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Lgbtwtafroflmao.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

No wonder so many teens are stressed out, they have no idea which 'herd' they should join :D

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Yeah, it’s sort of funny-not-funny. Identitarian politics has become ridiculous; look for example at Charlie Farley unveiling a memorial today to individuals booted out of the armed forces for their sexuality. It always was, in law and in fact, a question of sexual orientation. But today it is reported as a memorial to ‘LGBT’ as if deliberate cross-dressing, or mental confusion over whether one was actually male or female, was a thing. It wasn’t. It was never discussed or legislated for in those terms. And yet identitarian activists have in the last 15 years or so managed to make it into an identity issue.

The LGB Alliance exists as a distinct campaign organisation because there are plenty of gay men and lesbian women who (rightly) point out that sexual orientation and personal identity are not the same thing. A great many of our teenagers are seriously confused and under pressure because that distinction has become muddied.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

True, but the advertisers are adhering to this ridiculous edict that they should select actors on that basis rather than on the basis of talent. It's positive discrimination, which is illegal, but nobody in authority seems to care.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Do you have any evidence to back up that assertion, or are you just Pochinating?

Or…

https://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/news/new-re...nd-brand-value

What do you have against Capitalism? ;)

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

I have bad news for you about advertising, modelling and the entertainment world in general.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

We have laws against positive discrimination, Hugh, which is the point. Should the government be ignoring this blatant disregard for the law?

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Nothing makes any difference Old Boy, whatever we do will be discriminating against someone, somewhere, at some time past, present or future ;)

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

I know. I’m still mourning the loss of all common sense in this country. We are the few who can still see the wheat from the chaff.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

As previously requested, please provide evidence for this "blatant disregard for the law"?

The actors are hired to create adverts which have been shown to increase sales, financial performance, customer preference and loyalty, brand equity and market competitiveness - isn’t that the aim of adverts, and the fiduciary duty of the company?

Is using CGI meerkats or nodding dogs "blatant disregard for the law"?

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

I think OB is going down the wrong rabbit hole which is diluting the current point being discussed.

Positive discrimination, which is an oxymoron anyway, or DEI hires or anything like that is not the issue being discussed.

Over representation of minority groups , which then distorts the actual make up of the U.K. which then irritates the majority group, is what was being discussed, and in context the only question was….. if it is racist to make that observation, to which the answer is……absolutely not.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

have you noticed that in adverts every white woman is married to a black man and they have 1 white kid and 1 black one ,is that normal ?

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

They probably aren't married . . you know . . reflecting on todays society and all that :D

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

do all cohabiting couples go interracial, just asking for a friend.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

It's a bit dodgy to say it makes you mad, though.

I am not sure why it would make someone mad any more than the fact that the people in adverts also tend to be more attractive, happy and charismatic than the wider population as well.

Adverts tend to reflect the aspirations of the demographic they're selling to.

If you look at an advert for a phone, it's probably attractive 20-something-year-olds who are go-getters moving around a city. If I see someone like me in an advert, then it's probably advertising Ronseal or life insurance.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

i can remember the uproar when there was a black guy in midsummer murders

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

I've checked things and got some answers for your friend:

The couple aren't a 'couple', they're both single and work in the same call center. They decided on a little nooky and chose to do so at his parents house, which was empty as both parents (being pensioners) had booked a quick world cruise before the Government asked for their winter heating allowance back.

The children are just kids playing truant from school, and had broken in to the empty house 5 minutes before the couple arrived.

After a few minutes of wondering who was getting caught doing what, and worrying who was going to grass on the other, they all decided to sit down and have a wonderful dish of the especially crunchy <insert cereal name here> and enjoy the awesome flavour, now with added Cloritespozeane for that extra energy everyone needs to get through a difficult day.

Now also available in the eco friendly Jumbo pack.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Agreed, but in this age they are influenced by other factors. The white nuclear family is seen as toxic, to the media class, so they don’t use it.

It’s not seen as toxic to the 82% of white citizens, but they pander to the minority to push the minority and skew the perception of the make up of the uk.

As I said, it’s not really an issue, but what she said is a perfectly valid observation and not racist

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Interesting (imho) research article about the "nuclear family"

https://www.campop.geog.cam.ac.uk/bl...family-broken/

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

I think in certain areas and groups the family is strong. I can only speak from experience with my circle of friends and there are two parent (living together) families. (Not all married) all have 2-3 kids (mainly 2) and are all stable. (Which was not my experience growing up)

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics...vers-hjstsd6qm

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

i was talking to my friend about those yesterday we had a couple of them in the town and those 3 wheeled bike thingies that you peddled with your hands, apparently 25% of all new cars are Motability vehicles, my next-door neighbour has an electric wheel chair and a disabled parking spot but doesn't drive

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

I don't agree with that, but neither should you be swanning around in a brand new BMW on the tax payers dollar.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Absolutely, but that stems from positive discrimination in selecting actors, does it not?

Pochin was right to call it out.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Please explain how it is positive discrimination to hire actors which enables the product they are advertising to sell more and increase customer retention?

Are you staying that because they are Asian or Black they can’t act as well as White actors?

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

No, your conflating the two issues.

The advertisers wanted black actors specifically because of the immutable characteristic of their skin colour, nothing to do with any skills.

It's like cats complaining they weren't considered in the lead role of Lassie.

Positive discrimination works like, you want 50% parity between black engineers and white engineers.

Through a recruitment process, you end up with two candidates that are equal in capability in every way. You then give a casting weight to their skin colour. Black guy gets it.

Although I can guarantee you one thing, it would never happen the other way.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

No, of course not. But the black and other minority actors are not consistently better, are they?

Employers must prove that any positive discrimination they have carried out was ‘proportionate, appropriate and necessary’. It’s a high bar to cross.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Once again, where is your evidence there is any positive discrimination?

You seem to be saying that because they hired actors from minorities, it must be positive discrimination…

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

It’s the number of minorities that is the giveaway.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

I get quite mad about the number of meerkats, opera singers, drumming gorillas, knitted monkeys, and good looking people in adverts, but you don’t seem to object to them taking jobs away from white actors…

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

As mad as this chap?

https://www.cableforum.uk/images/local/2025/10/5.gif

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Advertising firms are in it to make money. If an advert includes people in it who consumers in more countries can identify with, they can use that advertising globally and save money on hiring actors for each region the product is sold in. Is this another reason for adverts with a range of ethnicities in them?

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Which also probably explains why many car adverts show left
hand drive models - why bother with two adverts when one will do :D

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Yes, but you always were a bit weird, Hugh.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

:D

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Oh god not SnoopZ. He owes me £6.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics...-uncomfortable

When people see Reform 'in action' , and what they stand for, they'll be coming to the same conclusion as this councillor.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

I doubt that, Mr K. Reform UK has made no secret about what it stands for, and for the time being at least, they have massive public backing.

How this particular MP could not have known about Reform’s intentions when he joined, I cannot imagine.

He’s clearly a Conservative ‘wet’ but he’s unlikely to be elected as a Conservative. They, like Labour, are dead in the water, behind even the ludicrous Greens in the polls.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

What did he think he was joining? :rolleyes:

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

The lady doth protest too much, methinks

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

https://www.onlondon.co.uk/nigel-far...ours-compared/

A comparison between Farage and Oswald Mosely. Interesting.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

https://www.cableforum.uk/board/atta...8&d=1762086024

https://www.eastleighnews.co.uk/2025...lley-ai-image/

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Not really, it’s a set of cherry-picked suggestions. They could equally have added ‘just like Mosely, Farage has two arms and legs but only one head...!!!!’

Look hard enough and you could find equally compelling ‘arguments’ comparing, oh Karl Marx to Hitler!

Look before you all wade in with accusations that I’m deeply in the Reform camp, no. The man is doing the usual technique of the populist, it’s all the fault of <insert group of choice here>, ie offering simple solutions to what are actually complex problems.

And that never works!

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Have a look at Kent CC where Reform have power, and see what's happened. I'm hoping Reform get lot more power before the next general election, so they can be exposed as the frauds and talentless rabble they are. Otherwise, as with Brexit, the electorate will find out the hard irretrievable way.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

I don't think they'll stick with this come election time, but I'll give them some credit for saying it now.

The triple lock isn't sustainable. At some point, a government will have to admit that and remove it, even if it costs them the election. You can't have this massively expensive outlay grow at the highest possible rate each year; it will become an ever-larger part of the budget over time.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Lots of things aren't sustainable.

20% (ish) of the population on the dole isn't sustainable

the money spent on disabled (physically and mentally) isn't sustainable

£millions spent consulting on various vanity projects (subsequently cancelled) isn't sustainable

Pushing headlong into technology and products that require RARE earth minerals doesn't sound sustainable to me either :D

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Despite their name, Rare Earth elements are not actually that rare, its just a misname thats stuck over the centuries.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

You wait until price wars start :D

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

You are confusing Farage with Tommy Robinson, whom Farage has refused to back.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Correct, technically they ‘rare; at all, but they all have very similar chemical properties, (check where they are on the periodic table, well other than Scandium), and only exist in nature as similar compounds, which means that separating and isolating each one tended to be a laborious and costly exercise.

Hence the name. Historically.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

To paraphrase Oscar Wilde
*Robert Ford - expelled, now Independent
Bill Barrett - expelled, now Independent, setting up "Independent Reformers"
Oliver Bradshaw - expelled, now Independent
Brian Black - expelled, now Independent
Paul Thomas - expelled, now Independent
Maxine Fothergill - suspended, now Independent
Isabella Kemp - now Independent
James Buchan - defected to Conservatives
Amelia Randall - defected to UKIP
Daniel Taylor - suspended, now Independent

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

As Hugh points out those councillors who failed to adhere to party standards were immediately suspended, they probably now realise the reform party isn't right for them and have moved on ,or are planning a return in the future


similarly

How many Labour MPs have been suspended since the election?
The seven Labour MPs suspended for six months were John McDonnell, Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Imran Hussain, Apsana Begum and Zarah Sultana, all of whom subsequently sat as independents.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

The thing is…..it doesn’t matter.


Potential Reform voters won’t know of this, and if they do probably couldn’t care even less.

As I say, Reform will continue to be popular because they aren’t the other two.

It’s weather, they can keep that going for another 3.5 years.

But if Labour carry on this trajectory……it’s possible

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

And what does the UK do for 5 years if they do get elected at the GE? It does matter if they are a bunch of incompetent clowns. Then they will become the most unpopular, and theres nothing for years the electorate can do.

I hope they get masses of power before the next GE, so they can be exposed, like they have been in Kent.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

They’ll be no more incompetent than the current bunch of incompetent clowns or previous iterations of incompetent clowns.

If they screw it up, which is entirely possible, even probable, matters not.

What matters is that Labour, and Tory will have to bend towards the wishes of the people if they want to get back into power.

They will have to out Reform, Reform


I don’t expect a reform government, if there is one, to be successful, but I think it is necessary.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Must be some sort of sadism, righties like that sort of thing....

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Change is required.

Concurrent Labour and Tory governments have got us to where we are, and it's not a good place.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

It certainly is, and when it happens it won't be pretty.

I've already got the pitchfork, but the only 'flaming torches' I can find are solar powered . . . which doesn't quite fit the 'angry mob' scenario ;)

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Mmmmmm - suspicions confirmed….

https://www.cableforum.uk/board/atta...1&d=1762523665

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

I'm waiting for any party brave enough to tackle the unsustainable State Pension. What will Reform supporters do if that's what Reform decide to reform, to cut public spending ? Nige will be ok, he has a couple of quid tucked away, and like buddy Donald his priority will be making the rich richer.

Change isnt always for the better , you'd think the public would have learnt that by now.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Lots of things are unsustainable, I'm glad you're finally coming around.

- Illegal Immigration and associated costs - unsustainable

- NHS - unsustainable

- Disability/sickness benefits - unsustainable

- Universal credit/ and other benefits - unsustainable

I'm happy to throw pensions in there too, if you want. Let's go through them all.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

What is it with you (Mr K) and pensioners?

If you're lucky you may get to be one eventually, then you'll find out it's not as brilliant as social media keep telling you it is.

Until that day arrives, carry on paying for all those 'stealing' your taxes that aren't pensioners, and have probably never worked since leaving school (if they went)

:PP:

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Handbags at dawn, Carth.


---------- Post added at 17:20 ---------- Previous post was at 17:08 ----------

Yes - you're right. The culprit is the 2½% minimum element of the triple lock. Mathematically, if annual economic growth remains below 2½% perpetually, then pensions will exceed cash available (in theory). Hence unsustainable.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

I'm a pensioner so can't afford a handbag, I do have a pointy stick though ;)

Surely the answer then, is to attain annual economic growth greater than 2½% . . . how hard can it be? :D

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

I've said it before, but the biggest issue with the triple lock is that if inflation is low, it will still rise by 2.5% or the average increase in workers' wages! It's a crazy system. It's designed to grow more than the tax receipts to pay for it.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Like Junior Doctors and train drivers salaries then?

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

Yes, but we need Doctors, and you need to pay them competitively with the countries they can emigrate to. I remember you saying you objected to their pay rise but in real terms their salary decreased since 2010 by 11-16%.

It's just another thing we've put off, and put off, and now the bill is coming due.

We need more Doctors and we're not going to get them if we pay them less than our counterparts in Europe, America and Australia, to name a few. It's not realistic to just say no.

Re: Reform UK's chronicles
 

It's clearly designed to give the Conservatives the silver vote. Perhaps they hoped that Labour would blink first, abolish it, and lose pensioner votes.