Nigel Farage has finally secured his place in the House of Commons, a milestone in his political journey, as Reform UK secured more than four million votes in a groundbreaking night. The party is now poised to become the third-largest in the UK by vote share, having already clinched four seats. Farage's victory in Clacton, Essex, was particularly notable, as he overturned a Conservative majority of more than 25,000 votes. This victory, marking his eighth attempt to enter Parliament, is seen by Farage as "the first step of something that is going to stun all of you."

 

Reform UK also triumphed in Great Yarmouth and Boston and Skegness, seizing these seats from the Conservatives. Former Tory MP Lee Anderson, who defected to Reform in March, successfully retained his seat in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. The party made significant inroads in areas that had strong Conservative support during the 2019 election under Boris Johnson, often finishing in second place in many constituencies. In his victory speech, Farage boldly declared, "This is the beginning of the end of the Conservative Party," highlighting a perceived "massive gap on the centre-right of British politics" that he intends to fill. He also set his sights on Labour votes, citing a lack of enthusiasm for Labour leader Keir Starmer and his party, and remarked, "There's no enthusiasm for Labour, there's no enthusiasm for Starmer whatsoever. In fact, about half of the vote is simply an anti-Conservative vote. We're coming for Labour, be in no doubt about that."

 

Despite exit polls predicting that Reform would secure 13 MPs, the actual number of seats won remained uncertain. Polling expert Sir John Curtice noted that Reform UK benefited from a significant decline in the Conservative vote in previously held seats and made notable gains in areas that voted Leave in the 2016 referendum. In all four seats won by Reform, over 70% of the population had voted for Brexit. Richard Tice, Reform UK's chairman, managed to overturn a 27,402 Tory majority to win Boston and Skegness. In Great Yarmouth, businessman and former Southampton FC chairman Rupert Lowe narrowly defeated the Labour candidate, with the Tories falling to third place.

 

Reform UK's success was evident in early results from north-east England, where the party outperformed the Conservatives in Blyth and Ashington, and Houghton and Sunderland South, by more than 4,000 votes. This trend continued in several other constituencies, leading to a significant drop in the Tory vote share. However, Reform struggled to win seats from Labour. In Barnsley North, where the exit poll had forecast a 99% likelihood of Reform winning, Labour held the seat with an increased majority of 7,811. Similarly, in Hartlepool, another seat expected to go to Reform, Labour retained a comfortable majority of 7,698. Reform UK's candidate, Robert Lomas, who was disowned by the party last week for offensive comments on social media, came in second place.

 

Farage's unexpected decision to stand in the election, after previously stating he would not, led to a surge in Reform's opinion polls. His takeover from Richard Tice as the party's leader and his prominent role in the campaign significantly boosted their visibility. Farage, who had previously led UKIP and the Brexit Party, had unsuccessfully stood for Parliament seven times, most recently in South Thanet, Kent, in the 2015 general election, where he finished second to the Conservative candidate.

 

Clacton holds historical significance for Farage, as it was the first constituency to elect a UKIP MP in 2014 when former Tory MP Douglas Carswell defected to the party and won a by-election. In 2019, Reform UK's predecessor, the Brexit Party, had stood aside in over 300 seats previously won by the Tories to avoid splitting the pro-Brexit vote. This time, Reform contested 630 seats across England, Scotland, and Wales, presenting challenges due to the scale of their campaign. The party had to disown six candidates over offensive comments made since nominations closed and blamed the surprise announcement of a July election for the lack of thorough vetting. Two Reform candidates also defected to the Conservatives, criticizing the party leadership's failure to address these issues, although it was too late to remove their names from the ballots.

 

Farage's entry into Parliament represents a dramatic shift in the UK's political landscape, as Reform UK positions itself as a significant force, particularly in traditionally Conservative strongholds. His vision for Reform UK to become the main opposition to Labour by the next election sets the stage for a potentially transformative period in British politics.

 

 

Credit: BBC 2024-07-06

 

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Good news for Nigel and good news for democracy in Britain. I look forward to Nigel laying waste to the establishment. Much like Trump was elected to do in the US.

Hopefully he will win more seats next time.

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Good news for Nigel and good news for democracy in Britain. I look forward to Nigel laying waste to the establishment. Much like Trump was elected to do in the US.

Hopefully he will win more seats next time.

Well spotted.

 

They are two examples of the same con.

 

And they both caught you out.

5 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

They are two examples of the same con.

 

this one scores a 4. i kind of smirked at it. now next time try it a different way. 

 

you should of said.... they are examples of a two headed con. 

Edited July 6, 20242 yr by stoner

I wonder if he's actually going to bother to turn up to parliament or spend his time lining his pockets and stashing it away in offshore tax havens like he did when he was an MEP.

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Good news for Nigel and good news for democracy in Britain. I look forward to Nigel laying waste to the establishment. Much like Trump was elected to do in the US.

Hopefully he will win more seats next time.

Time for a reality check. Reform with 0.6% of seats. Despicable corporate media making out like he was posed to take power. 

1 minute ago, pegman said:

Time for a reality check. Reform with 0.6% of seats. Despicable corporate media making out like he was posed to take power. 

Indeed. 
 

Just look at the media attention Farage and Reform are getting.

 

Way in excess of their seats on Parliament.

 

 

11 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Indeed. 
 

Just look at the media attention Farage and Reform are getting.

 

Way in excess of their seats on Parliament.

 

 

Yeah, about 1,000X more than warranted. Aside from Labour it was the Liberal Dems who showed best. 

5 minutes ago, pegman said:

Yeah, about 1,000X more than warranted. Aside from Labour it was the Liberal Dems who showed best. 

 

 

You are joking......................right?

 

In increased voting share of 0.7 percentage points on 2019.

 

 

A stunning performance.

 

 

 

Almost as many votes received as Reform.

 

 

1 hour ago, pegman said:

Time for a reality check. Reform with 0.6% of seats. Despicable corporate media making out like he was posed to take power. 

He will hopefully be a thorn in the side of the Labour party. Like Trump, the media will likely breathlessly report everything he says.

7 minutes ago, James105 said:

 

Reform got 14.3% of the vote share, and were second place to Labour in about 100 seats.

 

Labour have the majority to do to Reform what the left wing socialist Danes did to their right wing parties and pull the rug out from under them by simply listening to the concerns of their voters on immigration and acting on it.   The clowns in Labour are far too stupid to learn from others though and are demonstrating exactly how seriously they are going to take immigration by appointing this person as Home secretary.

 

 

Labour's government is built from sand.  They have only a 35% share of the votes (or 20% of the electorate) and if they fail to listen to the concerns of people then they are heading for an even bigger fall than the Tories next time.  

I get it, you’re not happy with the result.

 

 

11 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I get it, you’re not happy with the result.

 

 

I expected the result.  I don't want either of the members of the Uniparty governing the UK as they are both signed up to the same agenda.   I was just merely pointing out that Labour should be concerned about Reform as when they let the 20% of people that voted for them down (as well as the 80% of people that did not vote for them), then they are heading for an almighty fall.   The main reasons that people voted Labour are:

 

To get rid of the Tories - 48%

The country needs a change - 13%

Agree with Labour policies - 5%

 

https://ygo-assets-websites-editorial-emea.yougov.net/documents/Copy_of_YouGov_Lab_why_VI_21_June_-_1_July_2024_SL.pdf

 

Just 5% voted Labour for their policies.  Its a house of cards that is destined to come crashing down after just a single term unless they do listen to the likes of Farage, who is far more in tune with the people of the UK than Sir Kneel Starmer who seems to blow in whatever direction the shouty blue haired idiots on TikTok tell him to.  

4 minutes ago, James105 said:

 

I expected the result.  I don't want either of the members of the Uniparty governing the UK as they are both signed up to the same agenda.   I was just merely pointing out that Labour should be concerned about Reform as when they let the 20% of people that voted for them down (as well as the 80% of people that did not vote for them), then they are heading for an almighty fall.   The main reasons that people voted Labour are:

 

To get rid of the Tories - 48%

The country needs a change - 13%

Agree with Labour policies - 5%

 

https://ygo-assets-websites-editorial-emea.yougov.net/documents/Copy_of_YouGov_Lab_why_VI_21_June_-_1_July_2024_SL.pdf

 

Just 5% voted Labour for their policies.  Its a house of cards that is destined to come crashing down after just a single term unless they do listen to the likes of Farage, who is far more in tune with the people of the UK than Sir Kneel Starmer who seems to blow in whatever direction the shouty blue haired idiots on TikTok tell him to.  

There is no ‘uniparty it doesn’t exist.

 

Farage runs his mouth with easy promises of easy fixes to complex problems in the full knowledge that he’ll never have to implement any of them.

 

Further more, he can’t stand scrutiny.

 

His response to being hit with hardball questions on BBC QT is a perfect example.

 

He’s a blowhard, an empty vessel that makes a lot of noise.

 

Moreover his policy positions are favorable to the continuing consolidation of wealth and power in the hands of the hyper wealthy.

 

Distract the masses with scapegoats while pushing for stripping them of their rights and pushing yet more money and power up the social ladder.

 
‘Uniparty’ let’s see how that absurdity plays out.

 

 

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Farage runs his mouth with easy promises of easy fixes to complex problems in the full knowledge that he’ll never have to implement any of them.

Same as every other politician then!

6 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Same as every other politician then!

Erm no.

Hence the reaction to Labour’s astounding win.

 

19 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

There is no ‘uniparty it doesn’t exist.

 

Farage runs his mouth with easy promises of easy fixes to complex problems in the full knowledge that he’ll never have to implement any of them.

 

Further more, he can’t stand scrutiny.

 

His response to being hit with hardball questions on BBC QT is a perfect example.

 

He’s a blowhard, an empty vessel that makes a lot of noise.

 

Moreover his policy positions are favorable to the continuing consolidation of wealth and power in the hands of the hyper wealthy.

 

Distract the masses with scapegoats while pushing for stripping them of their rights and pushing yet more money and power up the social ladder.

 
‘Uniparty’ let’s see how that absurdity plays out.

 

 

 

What hardball questions did he have to face on QT about the policies in the reform manifesto?  I don't recall any.  

 

Maybe if the legacy media actually asked him about any of their policies then you would get the detail you pretend to care about.   

 

"Moreover his policy positions are favorable to the continuing consolidation of wealth and power in the hands of the hyper wealthy."

 

Do you have an example of how raising the limit of when people start paying tax to £20K, removing student debt from medical professionals and freezing net immigration "consolidates wealth and power in the hands of the hyper wealthy" or did your left wing media overlord not go into that kind of detail when feeding you your "Farage talking points"?    

1 hour ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

You are joking......................right?

 

In increased voting share of 0.7 percentage points on 2019.

 

 

A stunning performance.

 

 

 

Almost as many votes received as Reform.

 

 

Seems you don't understand how this game is played. Labour increased its seat count by 204%. In first by the post elections overall number of votes are more or less irrelevant. Much like shots in football. It's the goals that count just like seats in this election. 

5 minutes ago, James105 said:

 

What hardball questions did he have to face on QT about the policies in the reform manifesto?  I don't recall any.  

 

Maybe if the legacy media actually asked him about any of their policies then you would get the detail you pretend to care about.   

 

"Moreover his policy positions are favorable to the continuing consolidation of wealth and power in the hands of the hyper wealthy."

 

Do you have an example of how raising the limit of when people start paying tax to £20K, removing student debt from medical professionals and freezing net immigration "consolidates wealth and power in the hands of the hyper wealthy" or did your left wing media overlord not go into that kind of detail when feeding you your "Farage talking points"?    

Again, Farage makes promises he knows he will never have to keep

His promises don’t even add up.

 

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/live/nigel-farages-reform-uk-manifesto-doesnt-add-up-warn-economic-experts-125411543.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAG9U6l2qbZ8eJrg0x6UJS0fA2b2bVPmoUjoiDmwskuehoAr2rSs_LbfEyuWQQFn3RG66-ysUDuVDBnFRrtvVJ_jDEUwZascnlT810gXJwm2oAaVn4lGd0-lYGGPDe9nafI66--9wAJKshONJTRq55x4G9thKWLeYNebI0mMHPBjy

2 hours ago, stoner said:

 

this one scores a 4. i kind of smirked at it. now next time try it a different way. 

 

you should of said.... they are examples of a two headed con. 

Should have said.

2 hours ago, pegman said:

Time for a reality check. Reform with 0.6% of seats. Despicable corporate media making out like he was posed to take power. 

 

I'm no more a Reform enthusiast than you but it's worth noting they obtained 14.5% of the vote.Under a proportional representation (PR) system they would have won about 90 seats.The same point applies to the Greens who won 6.8% of the vote and therefore under a PR system would have won about 44 seats.Oddly enough the Liberal Democrats who have been persistent champions of PR have won almost exactly the same number of seats as warranted by their vote share.

 

Your comment on despicable corporate media makes no sense.No media outlet has suggested Reform are posed to take power

58 minutes ago, James105 said:

 

I expected the result.  I don't want either of the members of the Uniparty governing the UK as they are both signed up to the same agenda.   I was just merely pointing out that Labour should be concerned about Reform as when they let the 20% of people that voted for them down (as well as the 80% of people that did not vote for them), then they are heading for an almighty fall.   The main reasons that people voted Labour are:

 

To get rid of the Tories - 48%

The country needs a change - 13%

Agree with Labour policies - 5%

 

https://ygo-assets-websites-editorial-emea.yougov.net/documents/Copy_of_YouGov_Lab_why_VI_21_June_-_1_July_2024_SL.pdf

 

Just 5% voted Labour for their policies.  Its a house of cards that is destined to come crashing down after just a single term unless they do listen to the likes of Farage, who is far more in tune with the people of the UK than Sir Kneel Starmer who seems to blow in whatever direction the shouty blue haired idiots on TikTok tell him to.  

You misspelled 14% support for Reform. As for the low vote count for Labour just keep in mind that come time for the next election in five years the 6% of the  population that are Muslim will likely return home to Labour. My guess is that Farange topped out with his 14% as that is the upper reaches of the right-wing wingnut proportion of the British population. The ones that always go for the shiny pony. 

9 minutes ago, pegman said:

You misspelled 14% support for Reform. As for the low vote count for Labour just keep in mind that come time for the next election in five years the 6% of the  population that are Muslim will likely return home to Labour. My guess is that Farange topped out with his 14% as that is the upper reaches of the right-wing wingnut proportion of the British population. The ones that always go for the shiny pony. 

 

I don't think so.  If Labour do not tackle Islamism (which of course they will not), then they can expect to haemorrhage their entire muslim vote to muslim candidates.   These people are Islam first.   Even if Labour appease them (and they will appease them) and feed them benefits they can expect to get their hands well and truly bitten by this community.  

 

 

17 minutes ago, pegman said:

My guess is that Farange topped out with his 14% as that is the upper reaches of the right-wing wingnut proportion of the British population. The ones that always go for the shiny pony. 

 

Keep burying your head in the the same sand that Labours government is built upon.   The warning signs are very clear and very loud.   Denmark showed the only way to tackle the right wing is to cut off their oxygen by listening to the voters on their concerns like immigration and then acting on it.  Labour will do exactly what I expect them to do, which is pander to the shouty activists on TikTok who demand open borders and ignore all those people that voted for them and all those that did not, probably even using derogatory terms (such as right-wing wingnut) when they are unable to come up with any kind of coherent argument against their points.    

1 hour ago, pegman said:

Seems you don't understand how this game is played. Labour increased its seat count by 204%. In first by the post elections overall number of votes are more or less irrelevant. Much like shots in football. It's the goals that count just like seats in this election. 

 

 

I understand exactly how it is played  -  and have long been an advocate of PR.

 

 

Labour's seat tally was only so high because of the appalling performance by the Conservatives.........voters didn't want Labour in...............they wanted the Tories out.

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Erm no.

Hence the reaction to Labour’s astounding win.

 

 

"astounding win" 

 

Not when you look at the facts Reform did rather well, they won 5 seats were second in 103, not bad when you think Farage only took over 5/6 weeks ago

 

Only 20% of the population 18+ voted for labour. Jeremy Corbyn did much better

 

Reform would have won 94 seats with proportional representation they got a whooping 14.4% of total votes cast, The lib/Dems had 12% of the vote yet got 70 seats, does that sound fair?

 

This wasn’t a Labour win, it was a Tory collapse, mainy caused by Reform targeting the core Tory voters, and when that sinks in the reality of a Starmer government will be seen for what it is

 

Here is the map would have been with proportional representation, Farage and Reform did rather well, roll on 2029 when they really will have their act together

 

 

 

 

30 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

I understand exactly how it is played  -  and have long been an advocate of PR.

 

 

Labour's seat tally was only so high because of the appalling performance by the Conservatives.........voters didn't want Labour in...............they wanted the Tories out.

 

Indeed.  Doesn't seem quite so impressive when looking at this chart.  

 

reform is needed by every western nation... but politicians sold their homeland decades ago for uneducated people who still makes a lot of kids, but with values not compatible outside their desert country mentality

13 minutes ago, john donson said:

reform is needed by every western nation... but politicians sold their homeland decades ago for uneducated people who still makes a lot of kids, but with values not compatible outside their desert country mentality

I know of a lot of, seemingly, uneducated people who make lots of kids. They don't come from a desert country.

3 hours ago, bradiston said:

Should have said.

 

Yes that too. 

Does Farage really want to be an MP? It will be interesting to see how he goes about representing his constituents. He's always been the consummate grifter so I wonder if he's really going to give up on the money-making schemes. I can see him being another Johnson in that respect.
Also, won't it mean things like having to declare his income? And himself and the Reform UK Party Ltd opening up their accounts to scrutiny?
With such a decent share of the vote, maybe they'll consider becoming a real political party with members that can vote on policy etc. rather than keeping the company status?