UK General Election 2024

[Gloster]

Rochdale I fully expect to go back to Labour, mostly because Galloway is a chancer.

Unfortunately he is a very astute and persuasive chancer, who is adept at shape-shifting whenever necessary. (I would have said ‘adept at changing his principles’, but he ain’t got any.)

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Hmmm, just got my letter today to apply for my state pension. Happy to receive it and the application's in already, sad that the day has come. From now on I'm an official grumpy old git!! Hopefully the pension goes up a bit before I get my first which should be late October - when are the increase dates annually??

The cycle starts with the inflation figures published in I think September.
That drives a formula for the pension increase the following April (much like the rail fares cycle).
The government then confirms in the autumn statement what the increase will be (if any different from the formula).
You then get a letter in January confirming your specific figure, to apply from April 6.
State pension is paid in full, but your tax code is altered so they collect pension tax on your other income.
There are several layers of pension depending when you earned it, so your specific increase may not be the same as the headline figure.
Then there's the triple lock or whatever they decide on.

 

[dgl]

Farage is to become the leader of Reform UK it's been announced on the BBC News website. Tice offered him the job and he's accepted.

 

[D6130]

Farage is to become the leader of Reform UK it's been announced on the BBC News website. Tice offered him the job and he's accepted.

Shouldn't that be put to a democratic vote by party members?....oh, wait!

 

[SuspectUsual]

I see that Reform/Farage are going to make an 'Emergency General Election Announcement' at 4pm today - what could it be?

Obviously not that emergency if it can wait until 4

That's quite an emergency if its six hours after the announcement

 

[brad465]

If you would like to support Farage and Reform UK don't forget to tick the box titled "grift aid".

He's also the political equivalent of thrush, unpleasant and keeps coming back.

 

[YorkRailFan]

The controversial politician revealed the move in an "emergency" election announcement at 4pm today.

In his announcement, it was also revealed Mr Farage would be taking over as the leader of Reform UK ahead of the General Election.

There were rumours he would stand either in Clacton or South Thanet.

Clacton became the first constituency to have a Ukip MP ten years ago.Former Clacton MP Douglas Carswell sensationally defected from the Conservatives to Ukip in August 2014.

The move shocked the Westminster establishment.

Nigel Farage announces he will stand for Reform UK in Clacton in General Election

The controversial politician revealed the move in an "emergency" election announcement at 4pm today.

www.clactonandfrintongazette.co.uk

Time to bring out the dolphin.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Farage has decided to stand in Clacton, having said a few days ago he wouldn't

 

[Sorcerer]

At this point Nigel Farage might as well become a Mortal Kombat villain, because no matter how many times he loses, he'll always come back with the confidence of a winner despite jobbing every match up he takes part in.

 

[brad465]

Farage has decided to stand in Clacton, having said a few days ago he wouldn't

What? He lied? I can't believe it.

 

[Energy]

Farage has decided to stand in Clacton, having said a few days ago he wouldn't

His original intention was to help Trump in the US election. I'm sure his choice to remain in UK politics isn't affected by Trump's conviction....

 

[Purple Train]

Farage should just become a figure skater now, shouldn't he? U-turns, twirls, furious banner-waving, he's got the lot. Either that or he's not yet worked out that the Hokey Cokey is not a good song to base one's political career on, and that it isn't actually about Brexit.

All that being said, Clacton is probably one of the few constituencies where he may actually get a fairly large proportion of the vote.

 

[edwin_m]

His original intention was to help Trump in the US election. I'm sure his choice to remain in UK politics isn't affected by Trump's conviction....

Now the election's in July, he has scope to head off across the Atlantic in good time for November - probably in time for the Convention on July 15. His opponents in Clacton could usefully point out his likely first move, should they decide to choose him as their "representative".

 

[Thirteen]

I get the feeling Farage standing in Clacton will just split the vote and enable Labour to win the seat.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Unfortunately he is a very astute and persuasive chancer, who is adept at shape-shifting whenever necessary. (I would have said ‘adept at changing his principles’, but he ain’t got any.)

He didn't succeed in Batley & Spen, but then he didn't have a recent terrorist attack to capitalise on.

 

[Gloster]

Douglas Carswell won the seat as a Conservative in 2010, resigned his seat in 2014, won it for UKIP in the resulting by-election, retained it in 2015 but lost to the Conservative in 2017. My feeling is that Clacton is Reform’s best chance of winning a seat and Farage’s profile will only increase that chance. I have no doubt that he is looking forward to the cheap beer, and the chance to grandstand, disrupt the Commons and raise his money-making profile. If Lindsay Hoyle suddenly decides to stand down, we will know why.

EDIT (for accuracy): Carswell did not lose the seat in 2017, but stood down.

 

[bavvo]

At this point, they might as well release Rishi's videos with a green key background!

And again.... Lib Dems photobomb the PM in campaign boat

From BBC News Lib Dems photobomb the PM in campaign boat

Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper gatecrashed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on his campaign trail.
Mr Sunak was speaking to people in Henley-on-Thames when Ms Cooper sailed past on a boat, filled with Lib Dem campaigners holding signs.
A Lib Dem source said: "This is just another small boat Rishi Sunak can't deal with."
The prime minister seemed to not notice that he was being photobombed, but later posted a message on social media: "Classic Lib Dems, always selling voters down the river."

 

[adc82140]

I get the feeling Farage standing in Clacton will just split the vote and enable Labour to win the seat.

This has just got a lot more interesting. Reform under Tice were just a sideshow, with Farage in charge they won't win seats, but they will seriously split the Tory vote. Starmer must be loving it.

This will be Farage's 8th attempt at becoming an MP. So far he has failed each time, and on one occasion fallen out of an aeroplane in doing so.

He won't win in Clacton. One thing the voters can't stand is people being parachuted in to their constituency (sorry pun not intended) in order to further their own career, with no local knowledge.

Carswell was the local MP who became a 'Kipper. The dynamics were different.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

He won't win in Clacton. One thing the voters can't stand is people being parachuted in to their constituency (sorry pun not intended) in order to further their own career, with no local knowledge.

You mean like George Galloway didn't win in Rochdale after parachuting himself in with apparently no local knowledge? Oh hang on ....

 

[simonw]

Farage is to become the leader of Reform UK it's been announced on the BBC News website. Tice offered him the job and he's accepted.

I think you mean, Farage told Tice that Farage was taking over and Tice said certainly sir.

 

[jon0844]

I think you mean, Farage told Tice that Farage was taking over and Tice said certainly sir.

They had a bit of an argument recently didn't they? Tice was apparently upset about Farage getting in trouble for his statements about Muslims that got called out on Sky News.

Of course, the fanbase loved it and now think it's another example of the MSM ganging up on Reform UK and that he was just telling it like it is.

 

[JonathanH]

Farage will no doubt now get a place at some of the TV debates which will make quite a difference in how those will go.

 

[dgl]

Tice came up to Farage to talk to him and only managed to say hi! before Farage butted in with "Now! Now! Now!, let me speak"

 

[adc82140]

You mean like George Galloway didn't win in Rochdale after parachuting himself in with apparently no local knowledge? Oh hang on ....

By elections are the natural home of protest votes. And George Galloway had been ingratiating himself in Rochdale for some time. Farage on the other hand has arrived in Clacton with four weeks to go.

 

[deltic]

This has just got a lot more interesting. Reform under Tice were just a sideshow, with Farage in charge they won't win seats, but they will seriously split the Tory vote. Starmer must be loving it.

This will be Farage's 8th attempt at becoming an MP. So far he has failed each time, and on one occasion fallen out of an aeroplane in doing so.

He won't win in Clacton. One thing the voters can't stand is people being parachuted in to their constituency (sorry pun not intended) in order to further their own career, with no local knowledge.

Carswell was the local MP who became a 'Kipper. The dynamics were different.

The bookies have him as favorite to win Clacton while the Evening Standard reported today

A poll carried out by Survation in January, which asked people in Clacton who they would vote for if Mr Farage were on the ballot, put the Reform leader on 37%, Mr Watling for the Conservatives on 27%, and Labour – no candidate's name was specified – on 23%.

 

[Thirteen]

I've discovered Nigel Farage is 60. I thought he was nearer 70 but I guess the cigars and booze make you look older.

 

[brad465]

You mean like George Galloway didn't win in Rochdale after parachuting himself in with apparently no local knowledge? Oh hang on ....

Galloway benefitted from a dodgy Labour candidate having to be abandoned by the wider party, making the election a free for all. Had this not happened, Labour would almost certainly have won (remember Galloway lost in Batley and Spen when Labour's national polling was dire).

However, I do currently think Farage will scrape this one, mainly because the Tory vote will collapse on the back of far worse national polling than all the previous occasions Farage has run.

 

[nw1]

I've discovered Nigel Farage is 60. I thought he was nearer 70 but I guess the cigars and booze make you look older.

He says he was born in 1964, but he acts as if he was born in 1864....

 

[Mcr Warrior]

...he acts as if he was born in 1864....

Thought that was (Sir) Jacob Rees-Mogg.

 

[edwin_m]

He says he was born in 1964, but he acts as if he was born in 1864....

I'd have said about 1900 - just like Private Walker from Dads Army.