Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
This should be making the news here in the UK every day just as events happening in another part of the world does every day, but it doesn't, why?!
Its not "the latest" thing anymore.
But the implications for Ukraine and the NATO alliance should mean that this remains one of the most urgent Foreign policy matters for a US President to deal with right now. Trump and his adminstration are utterly and dangerously short sightedly clueless when it comes to even trying to get himself in a position where he can still call the shots on the global stage while portraying himself at home in the US as someone who is isolationist to the MAGA base.
Trump keeps kicking the legs from under Zelensky and Ukraine and selling the country down the river and then he wonders why plucky Ukraine won't give in after being aggressively invaded by Russia, and Putin won't come to the negociating table because Trump keeps making it easier for him to continue so he can go after his original goal with impunity. Did Trump really think he could get Zelensky and Putin to sit around a table so he and Putin could carve up Ukraines assets to the benefit of both the US and Russia while he continues to weaken military aid to Ukraine making it easier for Putin to continue the war so he can claim victory at home and take control of it all? The words useful idiot spring to mind.
I don't disagree, I am just saying the media get bored, it doesn't drive clicks and another "latest thing" comes along. Now its all about the baddies Israel and antisemitic ranting musicians.
Kiev is literally the top story on the R4 6am news. But in any case congrats on your personal embargo on talking about ‘antisemitic ranting musicians’.
Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
Young Europeans losing faith in democracy, poll finds
Support is lowest in France, Spain and Poland, while 21% back authoritarian rule under certain circumstances
Only half of young people in France and Spain believe that democracy is the best form of government, with support even lower among their Polish counterparts, a study has found.
A majority from Europe’s generation Z – 57% – prefer democracy to any other form of government. Rates of support varied significantly, however, reaching just 48% in Poland and only about 51-52% in Spain and France, with Germany highest at 71%.
More than one in five – 21% – would favour authoritarian rule under certain, unspecified circumstances. This was highest in Italy at 24% and lowest in Germany with 15%. In France, Spain and Poland the figure was 23%.
Nearly one in 10 across the nations said they did not care whether their government was democratic or not, while another 14% did not know or did not answer.
This is probably the weirdest piece of research ever conducted. If you read it (and clearly the Guardian writer hasn't) you discover it didn't put many of the questions to its British respondents, yet the sponsor - TUI - YouGov and the Guardian all still report the total of the non-British respondents as "this is what Europeans think"
This should be making the news here in the UK every day just as events happening in another part of the world does every day, but it doesn't, why?!
Its not "the latest" thing anymore.
But the implications for Ukraine and the NATO alliance should mean that this remains one of the most urgent Foreign policy matters for a US President to deal with right now. Trump and his adminstration are utterly and dangerously short sightedly clueless when it comes to even trying to get himself in a position where he can still call the shots on the global stage while portraying himself at home in the US as someone who is isolationist to the MAGA base.
Trump keeps kicking the legs from under Zelensky and Ukraine and selling the country down the river and then he wonders why plucky Ukraine won't give in after being aggressively invaded by Russia, and Putin won't come to the negociating table because Trump keeps making it easier for him to continue so he can go after his original goal with impunity. Did Trump really think he could get Zelensky and Putin to sit around a table so he and Putin could carve up Ukraines assets to the benefit of both the US and Russia while he continues to weaken military aid to Ukraine making it easier for Putin to continue the war so he can claim victory at home and take control of it all? The words useful idiot spring to mind.
I don't disagree, I am just saying the media get bored, it doesn't drive clicks and another "latest thing" comes along. Now its all about the baddies Israel and antisemitic ranting musicians.
Kiev is literally the top story on the R4 6am news. But in any case congrats on your personal embargo on talking about ‘antisemitic ranting musicians’.
It still gets reported, but it has become a secondary story in most media outlets and quickly they move on to something else e.g. Its not on the front page of the BBC News, instead two celebrities who weren't married have broken up apparently.
And Middle-East conflicts are the top billing on wars. Every day the BBC does a major story on it. Top story on BBC News at the moment.
Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
So two reform defences and two losses.
Is the Reform bubble bursting? Seems to be a few political commentators still trying to keep it afloat so they have some clickbait to keep their careers going. It's going to be a long four years.
I've been arguing for ages that the parralells between Reform and the Alliance in the early 80s are uncanny. You have an unpopular government struggling with a dire economic situation and an official opposition discredited by recent office with an unpopular leader. Just like the Alliance Reform have come roaring in early but are very vulnerable to even a small shift back of support for the government later in the Parliament. I also expect the results at the next election to be broadly similar. Reform will win around 20% of the vote spread evenly around the country which will win them some seats but nowhere near enough to become the official opposition.
Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
My wife gets up at this time as she still works and I like to make her breakfast and a cuppa.
Ive been up since 4.30 ( been in Germany this week so german hours )
Mrs B will lie on till somewhere past 7.00 as being a retiree she likes her sleep
So how long have you got left ?
My LinkedIn seems full of people I used to work with retiring now. I really don’t miss it, especially the overseas travel.
I can go any time I want, but the other half keeps welching on doing some travel ( grandkids take priority ) . Im 64 this month and will give it another year or so. The place I am working will end up getting sold as the owner is well in to his 80s and the family want out. Ill probably run the sale and then quit.,
Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
My wife gets up at this time as she still works and I like to make her breakfast and a cuppa.
Ive been up since 4.30 ( been in Germany this week so german hours )
Mrs B will lie on till somewhere past 7.00 as being a retiree she likes her sleep
My "retired" wife is just heading off for an hour long walk. I would usually go with her but I have to be in Edinburgh fairly sharp this morning.
Is that "normal" or a function of the light ?. I find I get up any time from 4.30 as daylight creeps in to the bedroom and the birds kick off from 4.00 onward. In winter I can lie in until 6,00
Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
My wife gets up at this time as she still works and I like to make her breakfast and a cuppa.
Ive been up since 4.30 ( been in Germany this week so german hours )
Mrs B will lie on till somewhere past 7.00 as being a retiree she likes her sleep
My "retired" wife is just heading off for an hour long walk. I would usually go with her but I have to be in Edinburgh fairly sharp this morning.
Is that "normal" or a function of the light ?. I find I get up any time from 4.30 as daylight creeps in to the bedroom and the birds kick off from 4.00 onward. In winter I can lie in until 6,00
Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
My wife gets up at this time as she still works and I like to make her breakfast and a cuppa.
Love that.
My wife once said she'll know if I ever stop loving her, as it'll be the day I don't make her a coffee in the morning.
Some routines you don't change. 😀
Mrs Foxy and I have a rule, whoever is up first makes the tea and brings it up to the bedroom. I think I have the slight advantage as she needs to leave for work at 0700 three days a week. Neither of us are big on lie ins. Early morning is the best bit of the day.
Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
My wife gets up at this time as she still works and I like to make her breakfast and a cuppa.
Ive been up since 4.30 ( been in Germany this week so german hours )
Mrs B will lie on till somewhere past 7.00 as being a retiree she likes her sleep
My "retired" wife is just heading off for an hour long walk. I would usually go with her but I have to be in Edinburgh fairly sharp this morning.
Is that "normal" or a function of the light ?. I find I get up any time from 4.30 as daylight creeps in to the bedroom and the birds kick off from 4.00 onward. In winter I can lie in until 6,00
Yes, it has been driven by the light. We walk on country roads and you really wouldn't want to do that in the dark whilst half asleep commuters drive by. But we have both become earlier risers as we have got older. Probably bladder related.
Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
So two reform defences and two losses.
Is the Reform bubble bursting? Seems to be a few political commentators still trying to keep it afloat so they have some clickbait to keep their careers going. It's going to be a long four years.
I've been arguing for ages that the parralells between Reform and the Alliance in the early 80s are uncanny. You have an unpopular government struggling with a dire economic situation and an official opposition discredited by recent office with an unpopular leader. Just like the Alliance Reform have come roaring in early but are very vulnerable to even a small shift back of support for the government later in the Parliament. I also expect the results at the next election to be broadly similar. Reform will win around 20% of the vote spread evenly around the country which will win them some seats but nowhere near enough to become the official opposition.
If Reform are the Alliance surely this Corbyn vanity project will be The Alliance mark 2. A few seats on a personal vote held and that’s it.
In an age of failing economies and a neofascist backlash, what we need is Marxism. To free ourselves from our technofeudal overlords, we must think like Karl Marx. The corporations are asset-stripping our brains, but we can take back control.
Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
So two reform defences and two losses.
Is the Reform bubble bursting? Seems to be a few political commentators still trying to keep it afloat so they have some clickbait to keep their careers going. It's going to be a long four years.
I've been arguing for ages that the parralells between Reform and the Alliance in the early 80s are uncanny. You have an unpopular government struggling with a dire economic situation and an official opposition discredited by recent office with an unpopular leader. Just like the Alliance Reform have come roaring in early but are very vulnerable to even a small shift back of support for the government later in the Parliament. I also expect the results at the next election to be broadly similar. Reform will win around 20% of the vote spread evenly around the country which will win them some seats but nowhere near enough to become the official opposition.
If Reform are the Alliance surely this Corbyn vanity project will be The Alliance mark 2. A few seats on a personal vote held and that’s it.
Or like the Liberals pre Alliance for the reason you suggest.
Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
So two reform defences and two losses.
Is the Reform bubble bursting? Seems to be a few political commentators still trying to keep it afloat so they have some clickbait to keep their careers going. It's going to be a long four years.
Reform being the insurgents is one thing. Having a ground game to defend seats against determined opponents is another.
They do seem to have peaked and their numbers are falling slightly.
It’s fine being the insurgents but you need to start delivering when you get power.
I agree - though I think delivery of anything that much at this point is tricky.
Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
So two reform defences and two losses.
Is the Reform bubble bursting? Seems to be a few political commentators still trying to keep it afloat so they have some clickbait to keep their careers going. It's going to be a long four years.
Reform being the insurgents is one thing. Having a ground game to defend seats against determined opponents is another.
They do seem to have peaked and their numbers are falling slightly.
It’s fine being the insurgents but you need to start delivering when you get power.
I agree - though I think delivery of anything that much at this point is tricky.
Yes and I think one thing thst pretty much unifies the diverse views across PB is the local govt model is not fit for purpose.
The bin strike in Brum is still going on with no sign of resolution.
Now Ange is promising to move money from the South to the North that may help less well off regions but it’s simply moving money around. It will not help overall.
Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
So two reform defences and two losses.
Is the Reform bubble bursting? Seems to be a few political commentators still trying to keep it afloat so they have some clickbait to keep their careers going. It's going to be a long four years.
I've been arguing for ages that the parralells between Reform and the Alliance in the early 80s are uncanny. You have an unpopular government struggling with a dire economic situation and an official opposition discredited by recent office with an unpopular leader. Just like the Alliance Reform have come roaring in early but are very vulnerable to even a small shift back of support for the government later in the Parliament. I also expect the results at the next election to be broadly similar. Reform will win around 20% of the vote spread evenly around the country which will win them some seats but nowhere near enough to become the official opposition.
If Reform are the Alliance surely this Corbyn vanity project will be The Alliance mark 2. A few seats on a personal vote held and that’s it.
Or like the Liberals pre Alliance for the reason you suggest.
Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
My wife gets up at this time as she still works and I like to make her breakfast and a cuppa.
Ive been up since 4.30 ( been in Germany this week so german hours )
Mrs B will lie on till somewhere past 7.00 as being a retiree she likes her sleep
My "retired" wife is just heading off for an hour long walk. I would usually go with her but I have to be in Edinburgh fairly sharp this morning.
Is that "normal" or a function of the light ?. I find I get up any time from 4.30 as daylight creeps in to the bedroom and the birds kick off from 4.00 onward. In winter I can lie in until 6,00
Yes, it has been driven by the light. We walk on country roads and you really wouldn't want to do that in the dark whilst half asleep commuters drive by. But we have both become earlier risers as we have got older. Probably bladder related.
Do you also go to bed early ? We turned in at 9 last night. In the winter even earlier.
Young Europeans losing faith in democracy, poll finds
Support is lowest in France, Spain and Poland, while 21% back authoritarian rule under certain circumstances
Only half of young people in France and Spain believe that democracy is the best form of government, with support even lower among their Polish counterparts, a study has found.
A majority from Europe’s generation Z – 57% – prefer democracy to any other form of government. Rates of support varied significantly, however, reaching just 48% in Poland and only about 51-52% in Spain and France, with Germany highest at 71%.
More than one in five – 21% – would favour authoritarian rule under certain, unspecified circumstances. This was highest in Italy at 24% and lowest in Germany with 15%. In France, Spain and Poland the figure was 23%.
Nearly one in 10 across the nations said they did not care whether their government was democratic or not, while another 14% did not know or did not answer.
The impact of the nihilism and cynicism of the media/industrial complex is clear here. In a way it is a good thing, since it forces the proponents of democracy to make a positive case. However, when we still see lazy nonsense- "Reform will storm the next election"- leading the news agenda, then it should remind us that there are still plenty of headwinds.
Reform will not be able to come close to being the next government and may well even disappear before the next general election even happens. Lib Dems learned the lesson of the Alliance- you have to win seats, not votes. Reform and the Popular People´s front of Judea (Sultana Branch) have yet to show that they understand this. The county elections for Reform may well be like the last European Parliament elections for UKIP- a flash in the pan, but of remarkably little long term significance.
In the meantime, the case for a responsive, inclusive and open democracy still needs to be made and electoral reform is only part of the package.
Looks like tactical voting by Labour & Lib Dem to stop Reform.
I think that’s overanalysing one low-turnout by-election.
Quite telling that this is literally Kemi's greatest electoral triumph whilst in office though.
I think that Kemi will take this as a simple key local gain over the Reform party rather her than her greatest electoral triumph as the new leader of a party now in Opposition after 14 years in power.. Onwards and upwards, I have no doubts that other party leaders have seen bigger 'electoral triumphs' when they have won constituency by-elections in Office or in Opposition.. Hoping for more of the same from Kemi as she finally gets some serious media exposure and the voters start to get to know her.
Good morning all. I don’t see much on the BBC about Reform’s bad night in yesterday’s council by-elections. It would have been different if it was the other way round. It will be easier for Reform to maintain their support with such help from the media.
On morning routines, does anyone on PB still use a Teasmade?
Will anyone admit to it?
I have a nifty alternative from Morphy Richards that can do tea and filter coffee simultaneously in two separate cups. I have the tea when I wake up and sling the coffee into a thermos for the commute. It even has a built in FM radio.
Good morning all. I don’t see much on the BBC about Reform’s bad night in yesterday’s council by-elections. It would have been different if it was the other way round. It will be easier for Reform to maintain their support with such help from the media.
Does the BBC routinely report local by-elections? Ever? You're paranoid.
Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
So two reform defences and two losses.
Is the Reform bubble bursting? Seems to be a few political commentators still trying to keep it afloat so they have some clickbait to keep their careers going. It's going to be a long four years.
I've been arguing for ages that the parralells between Reform and the Alliance in the early 80s are uncanny. You have an unpopular government struggling with a dire economic situation and an official opposition discredited by recent office with an unpopular leader. Just like the Alliance Reform have come roaring in early but are very vulnerable to even a small shift back of support for the government later in the Parliament. I also expect the results at the next election to be broadly similar. Reform will win around 20% of the vote spread evenly around the country which will win them some seats but nowhere near enough to become the official opposition.
Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
So two reform defences and two losses.
Is the Reform bubble bursting? Seems to be a few political commentators still trying to keep it afloat so they have some clickbait to keep their careers going. It's going to be a long four years.
I've been arguing for ages that the parralells between Reform and the Alliance in the early 80s are uncanny. You have an unpopular government struggling with a dire economic situation and an official opposition discredited by recent office with an unpopular leader. Just like the Alliance Reform have come roaring in early but are very vulnerable to even a small shift back of support for the government later in the Parliament. I also expect the results at the next election to be broadly similar. Reform will win around 20% of the vote spread evenly around the country which will win them some seats but nowhere near enough to become the official opposition.
The Fukkers are the British equivalent of M5S. A syncretic left/right party overlaid with populist claptrap and wholly dependent on a charismatic and fluent liar to stop the inherent contradictions in its internal coalition tearing the whole thing apart.
It's easy to envisage a similar trajectory for the Fukkers. Modest electoral success, splits on factional grounds, godhead departs and the party eventually becomes a minor part of the establishment it once sought to destroy.
The City of London police are fining people for cycling without hands - while groups of lads angle grind £1000 sports bikes like it’s ordering a cup of tea.
We incentivise numbers and low hanging fruit over dealing with actual crime. Mad.
Cycling without hands in a public area is stoopid, anti-social, and potentially dangerous. The sort of thing police in ye olden days would have given you a clip over the ear for doing (allegedly...)
Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
My wife gets up at this time as she still works and I like to make her breakfast and a cuppa.
Ive been up since 4.30 ( been in Germany this week so german hours )
Mrs B will lie on till somewhere past 7.00 as being a retiree she likes her sleep
My "retired" wife is just heading off for an hour long walk. I would usually go with her but I have to be in Edinburgh fairly sharp this morning.
Is that "normal" or a function of the light ?. I find I get up any time from 4.30 as daylight creeps in to the bedroom and the birds kick off from 4.00 onward. In winter I can lie in until 6,00
Yes, it has been driven by the light. We walk on country roads and you really wouldn't want to do that in the dark whilst half asleep commuters drive by. But we have both become earlier risers as we have got older. Probably bladder related.
Do you also go to bed early ? We turned in at 9 last night. In the winter even earlier.
I struggle to get to sleep early in the summer, I think I need a couple of hours of darkness to wind down. I have by now learned to sleep through the dawn chorus and sunrise though.
Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
Good morning all. I don’t see much on the BBC about Reform’s bad night in yesterday’s council by-elections. It would have been different if it was the other way round. It will be easier for Reform to maintain their support with such help from the media.
Does the BBC routinely report local by-elections? Ever? You're paranoid.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service is a BBC project, which covers it I think. It created 165 jobs in local media at a time when it was going backwards, funded by the BBC.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service created up to 165 new journalism jobs to help fill a gap in the reporting of local democracy issues across the UK.
The journalists are funded by the BBC as part of its latest Charter commitment, but are employed by regional news organisations.
A total of 165 reporters are allocated to news organisations in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
These organisations range from television and radio stations to online media companies and established regional newspaper groups.
Local Democracy Reporters cover top-tier local authorities, second-tier local authorities and other public service organisations. https://www.bbc.com/lnp/ldrs
Bloody hell, LD gain from Reform in Durham, Reform pushed into third
Classic LD by-election.
In fairness to them unlike Labour and the Tories they actually held on to most of their support in the all out Durham elections.
Exactly. I did say earlier in the week there’s been a swing away and I expected Reform to lose, although I thought Labour would gain it. Look at the previous result and it was one Reform only just took. Their win was not convincing.
So two reform defences and two losses.
Is the Reform bubble bursting? Seems to be a few political commentators still trying to keep it afloat so they have some clickbait to keep their careers going. It's going to be a long four years.
Reform being the insurgents is one thing. Having a ground game to defend seats against determined opponents is another.
They do seem to have peaked and their numbers are falling slightly.
It’s fine being the insurgents but you need to start delivering when you get power.
I agree - though I think delivery of anything that much at this point is tricky.
Yes and I think one thing thst pretty much unifies the diverse views across PB is the local govt model is not fit for purpose.
The bin strike in Brum is still going on with no sign of resolution.
Now Ange is promising to move money from the South to the North that may help less well off regions but it’s simply moving money around. It will not help overall.
The background to the bin strike (Covid) is interesting - the additional and reportedly unnecessary extra person. Similar to guards on the Railways.
Plenty of similar strange IR disputes around and wonder how Reform will deal with an intransigent 'blob' apart from the name calling.
Young Europeans losing faith in democracy, poll finds
Support is lowest in France, Spain and Poland, while 21% back authoritarian rule under certain circumstances
Only half of young people in France and Spain believe that democracy is the best form of government, with support even lower among their Polish counterparts, a study has found.
A majority from Europe’s generation Z – 57% – prefer democracy to any other form of government. Rates of support varied significantly, however, reaching just 48% in Poland and only about 51-52% in Spain and France, with Germany highest at 71%.
More than one in five – 21% – would favour authoritarian rule under certain, unspecified circumstances. This was highest in Italy at 24% and lowest in Germany with 15%. In France, Spain and Poland the figure was 23%.
Nearly one in 10 across the nations said they did not care whether their government was democratic or not, while another 14% did not know or did not answer.
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Mrs B will lie on till somewhere past 7.00 as being a retiree she likes her sleep
But in any case congrats on your personal embargo on talking about ‘antisemitic ranting musicians’.
My LinkedIn seems full of people I used to work with retiring now. I really don’t miss it, especially the overseas travel.
https://www.tui-stiftung.de/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/2025_0630_YouGov_Ergebnisbericht_TUI_Stiftung_Junges_Europa_2025_DE_final.pdf
And Middle-East conflicts are the top billing on wars. Every day the BBC does a major story on it. Top story on BBC News at the moment.
Primary School Bangers at Glastonbury:
https://youtu.be/uA-K0W4DTP8?si=m9QkbU9fEsKqpay7
My wife once said she'll know if I ever stop loving her, as it'll be the day I don't make her a coffee in the morning.
Some routines you don't change. 😀
https://x.com/yanisvaroufakis/status/1940693510874976728
Will anyone admit to it?
The bin strike in Brum is still going on with no sign of resolution.
Now Ange is promising to move money from the South to the North that may help less well off regions but it’s simply moving money around. It will not help overall.
Reform will not be able to come close to being the next government and may well even disappear before the next general election even happens. Lib Dems learned the lesson of the Alliance- you have to win seats, not votes. Reform and the Popular People´s front of Judea (Sultana Branch) have yet to show that they understand this. The county elections for Reform may well be like the last European Parliament elections for UKIP- a flash in the pan, but of remarkably little long term significance.
In the meantime, the case for a responsive, inclusive and open democracy still needs to be made and electoral reform is only part of the package.
It's easy to envisage a similar trajectory for the Fukkers. Modest electoral success, splits on factional grounds, godhead departs and the party eventually becomes a minor part of the establishment it once sought to destroy.
NEW THREAD
Thanks @rcs1000 and @TheScreamingEagles . You shouldn't have to go through this crap.
Out of interest do you know why only some of us were affected, whilst most seemed to be able to carry on unimpacted?
The Local Democracy Reporting Service created up to 165 new journalism jobs to help fill a gap in the reporting of local democracy issues across the UK.
The journalists are funded by the BBC as part of its latest Charter commitment, but are employed by regional news organisations.
A total of 165 reporters are allocated to news organisations in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
These organisations range from television and radio stations to online media companies and established regional newspaper groups.
Local Democracy Reporters cover top-tier local authorities, second-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
https://www.bbc.com/lnp/ldrs
Plenty of similar strange IR disputes around and wonder how Reform will deal with an intransigent 'blob' apart from the name calling.
https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/news/article/1552/factsheet_on_industrial_action_by_unite_the_union_in_the_waste_service