Brexit Party to be reformed as Reform UK

[bramling]

However, saying all this, I think May will be too late. Maybe we can have our way of life back, but the huge debt burden and swathes of failed businesses and unemployment will be irreparable.

Sadly I think this is more and more going to the case the longer this goes on.

The damage caused by this is going to take a very long time to repair.

 

[Horizon22]

I would absolutely vote for Farage at this moment in time. I’m disgusted with Boris Johnson, and will under no circumstances vote Conservative whilst he remains leader.

Just because Farage is wrapping himself up as an "anti-lockdown" man of the people, its not a binary choice with Conservatives and no doubt his xenophobic rhetroic will still be there.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Nov 2020 ==

Maybe this will be a time when Farage actually gains support from the younger population as opposed to the older population as he did with brexit. That being said they are plenty older people who are Anti- COVID restrictions so maybe he would receive support for those of all ages.

I doubt it. Younger people generally detest Farage and his anti-immigrant, anti-European, dog-whistle politics.

 

[brad465]

He's been floating the Reform Party concept for quite a while I believe.

Yes that was on the case of wanting to introduce reforms like Proportional Representation and abolishing the House of Lords. I expect he still has those in mind, however to him (and in general), having a position on lockdowns is a much more pressing issue right now.

 

[ainsworth74]

He's been floating the Reform Party concept for quite a while I believe.

Yes I recall something along those lines floating around I think during General Election 2019 as a response to the inevitable question of "Well what does your party do once it's one obvious policy is sorted?" and he suggested a wider agenda of "Reform" would follow on. He has presumably been biding his time waiting for the right moment for this next step.

 

[Horizon22]

Yes I recall something along those lines floating around I think during General Election 2019 as a response to the inevitable question of "Well what does your party do once it's one obvious policy is sorted?" and he suggested a wider agenda of "Reform" would follow on. He has presumably been biding his time waiting for the right moment for this next step.

You could ask the same again after lockdown eventually ends, if he positions himself heavily in that area with Covid-related policies.

 

[JonathanP]

I am a remainer and despise everything Farage has done to this country in the last 10 years, but if his party is the only organised political opponent to this COVID lockdown nonsense, then it will get my vote in any election during this period.

I'd never vote for Farage but it is good that there a different voice. Its not good if all the parties follow the same path (even if it is the right path, who knows?)

Political opposition in principle is a good thing, but experience has shown Farage is opportunist who has no interest being any kind of constructive voice with a coherent alternative policy, and is demonstrately incapable of being 'organised'(remember the time he tried to organise a anti-Brexit march?).

The only purpose of this entity, which will exist only briefly before Nigel gets bored and wanders off(again) is to raise money from the gullible, and accrue as much TV airtime as possible for grandstanding by one Mr N. Farage.

 

[37424]

Political opposition in principle is a good thing, but experience has shown Farage is opportunist who has no interest being any kind of constructive voice with a coherent alternative policy, and is demonstrately incapable of being 'organised'(remember the time he tried to organise a anti-Brexit march?).

The only purpose of this entity, which will exist only briefly before Nigel gets bored and wanders off(again) is to raise money from the gullible, and accrue as much TV airtime as possible for grandstanding by one Mr N. Farage.

Indeed, my polite description of him would be an Opportunist, Disrupter and Attention Seeker, my non polite view of him would be unprintable.

 

[swissrailpassion]

Follow the money. After a certain billionaire's alleged failed attempt to oust Jacinda Arden in NZ he returns to these shores to throw money at another political outfit. I'm not sure Farage will gain much traction this time, especially if thousands of trucks are sitting in his garages. He seems to want 'power without responsibility' - the harlot's prerogative. (Stanley Baldwin)

In the first lockdown it was a wonderful feeling to see the country united after so much division. It also silenced the populists and other extremists who enjoy small government. All their policies and libertarian rhetoric were exposed as junk whilst a government stepped in to protect its citizens.
I think the majority yearn for sensible pragmatic government. We have not been served well by populist rhetoric because behind the personalities are the super wealthy who don't really care for any interests but their own.

 

[HSTEd]

In the first lockdown it was a wonderful feeling to see the country united after so much division. It also silenced the populists and other extremists who enjoy small government. All their policies and libertarian rhetoric were exposed as junk whilst a government stepped in to protect its citizens.

I think you mean the government stepped in to preserve the lives of its chosen demographic, the baby boomers, by ordering the liquidation of vast numbers of other, less desirable people.
Whilst using insane propaganda messaging to whip up hysteria which claimed thousands of lives by terrifying the populace into not using health services.

 

[43066]

But the real value of UKIP, The Brexit Party or Reform UK as they are going to be called is that they can force an existing government to change their plans.

That’s *exactly* the point that the Guardian etc. miss when the crow over the fact the Brexit party has no MPs, blah blah blah. It was never intended to!

Like him or loath him, Farage has done more to change the political direction of this country than any other politician I can think of...

I would absolutely vote for Farage at this moment in time. I’m disgusted with Boris Johnson, and will under no circumstances vote Conservative whilst he remains leader.

Frankly, with this government, I doubt we would be any worse off if Corbyn had won the last election! Farage is about the only voice of reason at the moment.

 

[birchesgreen]

Political opposition in principle is a good thing, but experience has shown Farage is opportunist who has no interest being any kind of constructive voice with a coherent alternative policy, and is demonstrately incapable of being 'organised'(remember the time he tried to organise a anti-Brexit march?).

The only purpose of this entity, which will exist only briefly before Nigel gets bored and wanders off(again) is to raise money from the gullible, and accrue as much TV airtime as possible for grandstanding by one Mr N. Farage.

Oh i know what Fromage is, but the consensus has been broken and the debate will be healthy.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Like him or loath him, Farage has done more to change the political direction of this country than any other politician I can think of...

This is very true. If it was not for Farage we would not have had UKIP to the same extent. That would probably have meant Cameron would not have needed to hold a Brexit referendum etc etc. Therefore we would probably not have got de Pfeffel as PM. I personally am not a fan of Farage but there is no question the political direction of the country has changed because of him.

Frankly, with this government, I doubt we would be any worse off if Corbyn had won the last election! Farage is about the only voice of reason at the moment.

I have come to this conclusion myself also.

 

[WelshBluebird]

All I will say to people in here saying they would consider voting for this party if they are the only anti lockdown party standing - be careful what you vote for.
Farage and his friends have not suddenly changed. They are opportunists, nothing more.
And I don't they have stepped away from their previous beliefs too. Given what he has stood for in the past and supported - do you really really want to be voting for him?
Remember he doesn't even think we should have the NHS as it currently is - he wants an insurance based privatised system.
He also would like to relax gun laws in this country.
And of course remember he is the same person who promised Brexit with a great trade deal for the UK but who now supports a no deal Brexit.
So remember you who vote for.

 

[Darandio]

Farage and his friends have not suddenly changed. They are opportunists, nothing more.

Of course, they are only telling people what they want to hear right now. It's what they do but it works, just look at this thread.

 

[43066]

All I will say to people in here saying they would consider voting for this party if they are the only anti lockdown party standing - be careful what you vote for.
Farage and his friends have not suddenly changed. They are opportunists, nothing more.
And I don't they have stepped away from their previous beliefs too. Given what he has stood for in the past and supported - do you really really want to be voting for him?
Remember he doesn't even think we should have the NHS as it currently is - he wants an insurance based privatised system.
He also would like to relax gun laws in this country.
And of course remember he is the same person who promised Brexit with a great trade deal for the UK but who now supports a no deal Brexit.
So remember you who vote for.

People of a libertarian political persuasion will likely have found themselves perfectly aligned with Farage on Brexit, and will most probably do so again in relation to his attitude to the COVID restrictions.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Nov 2020 ==

People of a libertarian political persuasion will likely have found themselves perfectly aligned with Farage on Brexit, and will most probably do so again in relation to his attitude to the COVID restrictions.

Of course, they are only telling people what they want to hear right now. It's what they do but it works, just look at this thread.

No, they’re suggesting a change of approach that is going to require some difficult decisions and facing up to the reality that a lot of people are going to die.

“Telling people what they want to hear” sounds more like indulging in fear-mongering based on flawed statistical models. Or perhaps imposing a requirement to wear masks, based entirely on pseudoscience, in order to appease irrational paranoiacs.

 

[HSTEd]

Of course, they are only telling people what they want to hear right now. It's what they do but it works, just look at this thread.

As opposed to the current government, telling people that only "one final push" is needed every time tog et people to go along with their stopgap plans. And constantly saying magical testing systems, perfect track and trace and a vaccine are all just around the corner

They aren't being honest with the public, which is why the public continues to go long with this madness.

 

[Darandio]

No, they’re suggesting a change of approach that is going to require some difficult decisions and facing up to the reality that a lot of people are going to die.

“Telling people what they want to hear” sounds more like indulging in fear-mongering based on flawed statistical models. Or perhaps imposing a requirement to wear masks, based entirely on pseudoscience, in order to appease irrational paranoiacs.

But people have been saying this for months so why all of a sudden did this come about yesterday? Cynical me suggests Trump has no use for him from tomorrow because he ain't going to be re-elected so Farage needs another platform to have his face everywhere. Like many have said, a complete opportunist.

Once Brexit kicks in, goes tits up and the voices again get louder about how we should never have left, the party will be renamed to 'Rejoining Europe'. He's a chancer and a fraud.

 

[43066]

But people have been saying this for months so why all of a sudden did this come about yesterday? Cynical me suggests Trump has no use for him from tomorrow because he ain't going to be re-elected so Farage needs another platform to have his face everywhere. Like many have said, a complete opportunist.

Once Brexit kicks in, goes tits up and the voices again get louder about how we should never have left, the party will be renamed to 'Rejoining Europe'. He's a chancer and a fraud.

This is not the place to discuss Brexit, but Farage is the definition of a conviction politician. He has consistently argued in favour of leaving the EU since the early 90s, when it was politically very unfashionable. You may not agree with him, but at least he’s consistent.

A “chancer and a fraud” better describes the PM who pivots like the wind and is now locking us down, two weeks after he was telling us the regional approach was right, and two months after he was telling us to “eat out to help out” etc.

 

[Darandio]

This is not the place to discuss Brexit, but Farage is the definition of a conviction politician. He has consistently argued in favour of leaving the EU since the early 90s, when it was politically very unfashionable. You may not agree with him, but at least he’s consistent.

A “chancer and a fraud” better describes the PM who pivots like the wind and is now locking us down, two weeks after he was telling us the regional approach was right, and two months after he was telling us to “eat out to help out” etc.

Indeed, chancer and fraud is well suited to the PM. Farage is a liar as well, I accidentally missed that one out but again, that applies to many of them these days.

 

[43066]

that applies to many of them these days.

You mean it applies to all of them .

Farage at least has principles (and I’d say the same about Corbyn, to be fair, who I fundamentally disagree with on just about everything). I have more respect for both of them than I do for Johnson.

What are Johnson’s principles? The man who wrote in and out speeches, and only fronted the official leave campaign to raise his own profile, because he thought it would lose...

 

[WelshBluebird]

Does Farage really have principles when you look outside of the EU question?
Try to nail him down on if he still supports privatised healthcare in this country instead of the NHS then you'll see how much of a chancer he is.
Even within the EU debate - despite being so against it he has used it hugely to his advantage. Making use of the rules around freedom of movement for his wife and kids, and that is before we look at how much he has earned through basically doing nothing as an MEP. Not very principled if you ask me!
But based on that - it will be interested to see what his new party actually support aside from the lockdown stuff - as Farage has never really done well when the debate was more than just whatever single issue he was on about at that particular moment in time.

 

[Spamcan81]

Political opposition in principle is a good thing, but experience has shown Farage is opportunist who has no interest being any kind of constructive voice with a coherent alternative policy, and is demonstrately incapable of being 'organised'(remember the time he tried to organise a anti-Brexit march?).

The only purpose of this entity, which will exist only briefly before Nigel gets bored and wanders off(again) is to raise money from the gullible, and accrue as much TV airtime as possible for grandstanding by one Mr N. Farage.

Quite so. Farage is only interested in furthering himself financially plus the attention his posturing brings. An odious, divisive individual.

 

[43066]

Try to nail him down on if he still supports privatised healthcare in this country instead of the NHS then you'll see how much of a chancer he is.

That’s a false binary.

As far as I know he’s never advocated for abolition of the NHS, he’s merely suggested that the NHS is unfit for purpose in its present state, and ways it could be reformed by learning from the private sector. And perhaps reducing the burden on the NHS by providing tax incentives for those who opt into private healthcare (private healthcare already exists in this country for those who can afford to escape the clutches of the NHS, so we already have a “two tier system”).

Maybe if we didn’t treat the NHS as a sacred cow, and vilify those who suggest ways to reform it, we wouldn’t have wound up with a bottomless financial pit which delivers some of the worst healthcare outcomes in the developed world.

Even within the EU debate - despite being so against it he has used it hugely to his advantage. Making use of the rules around freedom of movement for his wife and kids

Being anti free movement doesn’t equate to being anti-immigration. That sounds like a dog whistle attempt to cry racism to shut down dissent, when the reality is a little more nuanced.

and that is before we look at how much he has earned through basically doing nothing as an MEP. Not very principled if you ask me!

Done nothing as an MEP!? Which other MEP has singlehandedly engineered the withdrawal of a member state from the bloc?! I’d say he represents spectacular value for money .

Oh and he would most likely have earned more money in his previous job as a metals trader (and, no, that isn’t the same thing as a “banker” - just to defuse the next predictable attack).

@Spamcan81

The fact the bloke went to Dulwich College suggests he isn’t likely to be desperate for money...

 

[VauxhallandI]

His principles don’t go as far as turning down his EU pension which will come out of the divorce settlement with the EU he so opposes?

 

[bramling]

Just because Farage is wrapping himself up as an "anti-lockdown" man of the people, its not a binary choice with Conservatives and no doubt his xenophobic rhetroic will still be there.

The thing is at the moment it’s difficult for votes to go anywhere.

I am disgusted with the Conservatives and quite simply will not under any circumstances vote for them whilst BJ or Sunak are anywhere near the helm. Labour I don’t think are materially different. Meanwhile I am reluctant not to vote at all.

That doesn’t leave much choice. They’re all sewer-grade at the moment.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

That doesn’t leave much choice. They’re all sewer-grade at the moment.

I fear for the country of my birth. Difficult times are ahead.

 

[Journeyman]

Farage is entitled to his views, but I would have had much more respect for him if UKIP/Brexit party had adopted an abstentionist position and not taken their seats in the European Parliament, like Sinn Fein at Westminster. To go there, take the money, deliberately obstruct proceedings and turn their backs when the anthem was played was pathetic, insulting, self-aggrandising and hypocritical behaviour of the highest order.

I accept Remain lost. I accept we had to leave. But...I remain convinced that the decision to leave, and the way it's been handled, will heap endless disaster upon the country for no gain whatsoever, and I'm in no rush to (a) forgive those responsible, or (b) vote for them.

As someone who supports the Union, and is an Englishman living in Scotland, it's blindingly obvious that Farage and his minions have increased support for independence as well, and that has me raging too.

 

[birchesgreen]

Done nothing as an MEP!? Which other MEP has singlehandedly engineered the withdrawal of a member state from the bloc?! I’d say he represents spectacular value for money .

I know its an old fashioned view but an elected representative is supposed to represent his electorate. He didn't do a great deal of that.

 

[py_megapixel]

Plenty of words I'd love to use to describe Farage which don't comply with the forum rule about content being appropriate for all ages.

(removed section about Brexit as it was heavily subjective and in hindsight is likely to pull the thread needlessly off-topic - this was not a moderator action and I have chosen to remove the aforementioned section myself)

However, he remains on my mental list - and it's a very short one - of people I trust less than Boris Johnson. Seriously, I wouldn't trust him to return a library book, let alone return a country to a stable state after a pandemic.

 

[Ianno87]

Farage against lockdown, pro-freedom?

Ironic for somebody partly responsible for taking freedom of movement away from people....