7 hours ago, TorquayFan said:

Reform will prove to be a 'puff of wind' as time goes on. The intervention of 'Restore' is a disaster for them right now, hastening the irrelevance of opportunist Farage.

Some of us remember the SDP. Apparently at one time they thought they had disrupted politics and would lead the next government.

Opportunist? Another word is Chancer.

Aim High Vote Lowe they are all rattled as the smears ramp up just look at what you got already and make your easy choice X🤔

Edited May 30May 30 by sammieuk1

51 minutes ago, Tourist2 said:

Spain was at one point 95% muslim.

It ain't over til it's over.
Whites can be extremely deadly in the circumstances demand it..
Higher IQ's than people from other places also makes them/us very dangerous

What a bullsh!t comment..... 500+ years ago is not relevant to today

During the Reconquista (roughly 722–1492), Christian kingdoms gradually expanded southward. By 1492, the last Muslim-ruled state, the Emirate of Granada, fell to the Catholic Monarchs.

Give him your vote

4 minutes ago, bannork said:

Reform UK’s Makerfield by-election candidate Robert Kenyon has been plunged into fresh controversy after a new batch of online comments linked to him sparked accusations that he is "not fit to be an MP".

The row erupted after posts attributed to an account linked to Kenyon emerged, containing remarks about television presenter Emma Crosby, girl band The Saturdays, Olympic athlete Jessica Ennis, singer Diana Vickers and former Wigan Warriors rugby player Feka Paleaaesina.

Among the remarks were comments posted on an online rugby fan forum during the 2010s. One post referred to members of The Saturdays and described a fantasy involving the group "in nothing but a pair of Wigan home socks at the bottom of me bed". The same discussion also referenced "a picture of The Saturdays wearing nothing but her birthday suits".

In another post, the user appeared to comment on broadcaster Emma Crosby, writing: "Sorry Ernie She's fit off GMTV, that new one Emma Crosby", before adding that they were "getting a hardwang never mind a wetwang".

The account also appeared to reference athlete Jessica Ennis, posting: "Jessica Ennis……shwing!", an apparent nod to the Nineties comedy Wayne's World.

Singer Diana Vickers was also targeted in the posts. The user described her as "shocking at singing" and claimed she "sounds like an asthmatic yorkshire terrier trying to shift a bit of phlegm".

Another remark focused on former Wigan Warriors player Feka Paleaaesina. Discussing the rugby star's future, the user compared him to "a nice girlfriend who has put a bit of weight on", adding: "you just don't love them".

The comments were attributed to a forum account using the username "post". In other messages, the account reportedly identified its Twitter handle as @robkenyon1 and promoted Kenyon's book, The Blood Waltz.

The latest revelations come after previous reports highlighted other controversial remarks linked to Kenyon online. Earlier messages showed interactions with far-right figures and included sexual comments about broadcaster Carol Vorderman.

Last week, further reporting revealed an account linked to Kenyon had claimed women cannot "ref, drive or give directions" and stated: "I'm sexist, sorry but I am."

The same account also made comments about the appearance of English and European women.

Reform UK did not dispute the authenticity of the latest comments. Instead, a party spokesperson dismissed them as "locker room banter".

The response triggered a fierce reaction from Labour Party chair Anna Turley, who launched a blistering attack on the Reform candidate.

Turley said: "Robert Kenyon clearly has a problem with women. It's staggering that Reform try and shrug comments like this off as locker room talk."

She added that the comments were "degrading and completely unacceptable" and argued that women and girls could have no confidence that Kenyon would stand up for them.

Turley also claimed Reform remained "mired in scandal" while Labour's Andy Burnham was focused on securing investment and a better future for local residents.

The escalating row has placed renewed attention on Reform's campaign in Makerfield at a crucial stage of the contest.

Despite the criticism, Reform stood firmly behind its candidate. The party stressed that the comments were made before Kenyon entered politics and insisted he remained the right person to represent the constituency.

A Reform spokesperson said: "We are confident that he is an excellent candidate who will be a superb local MP for Makerfield."

The party argued that Kenyon's lack of polish as a professional politician was one of his strengths, describing him as a "straight-talking, effective voice for normal working people".

Reform also hit back at Labour, with the spokesperson questioning whether online comments or Labour's stance on women's-only spaces represented a bigger issue.

With polling day approaching, the dispute has become the latest flashpoint in an increasingly heated Makerfield by-election campaign, ensuring scrutiny of Kenyon and Reform UK is unlikely to fade anytime soon.

Reform candidate 'not fit to be MP' after new 'degrading' comments

"Locker room banter"; a rather transatlantic turn of phrase. The British say changing room, not locker room. And often British men, unlike the Americans, don't stand around semi naked chit chatting in a changing room,. We get changed, get dressed and get out ASAP. To linger too long might be a bit effete.

American locker room of men showing off each other's <deleted>. Fairly typical.

What Reform forget is when 2016 Trump used the phrase, he accompanied it with a grovelling apology.

This was locker room talk. I'm not proud of it. I apologize to my family. I apologize to the American people.

That was locker room talk. I’m not proud of it. I am a person who has great respect for people, for my family, for the people of this country. And certainly, I’m not proud of it. But that was something that happened.”

This was locker room banter, a private conversation that took place many years ago. Bill Clinton has said far worse to me on the golf course — not even close. I apologize if anyone was offended

"Locker room banter" is code for private conversations, never intended to see the light of day.

The Reform quote:

these comments, which are little more than locker room banter, were made more than a decade ago — well before Rob was in politics. We simply don’t care about establishment hit jobs. We fully back Rob and are confident he will be an excellent MP for Makerfield

https://thecritic.co.uk/reforms-man-in-makerfield/

There is a difference. Trump's unguarded comments were made in private, at a time when he was very conscious of his public image; we all have a bit of Janus in us. And he attempted to apologise for them.

A decade ago, Kenyon posted these comments publicly for the Likes, the clicks, the followers. This is very different. He might not have imagined all those years later that he would seeking elected office, but Kenyon the Plumber didn't mind, at the time, the world knowing about his thoughts.

When the Reform spokesman used the Americanism, he didn't actually understand why the Americans use that phrase, to denote things that are said in the privacy of men. The British might have used the term "lad speak", "lad culture" "just a bit of laddism", all terms that for most people bring an association with ASBOs. Its not really banter in the British sense, because banter is supposed to be cheerful, humorous, playful teasing, not nasty and cruel, and comments about sodomizing women. The nearest equivalent would be "barrack room talk".

Many politicians have been judged by their life before politics; David Cameron and a Pigs head for example, belittling of John Prescott when he was a ship's steward (Mine’s a gin and tonic, Giovanni), Starmer as Attorney General, Clinton and whether he inhaled, Justin Trudeau and Black Face parties,

Worth remembering when Kenyon wrote these things, he wasn't some pimple faced scrote making he way in the world, he was ex-Army, time served plumber. Good job I have no such political ambitions.

35 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Unrelated to the thread, but if you want to see a glorious video of Farage getting absolutely roasted by Belgium's PM back in 2012 follow the link below. Calls him a waste of space, a grifter, and friends of Putin and dictators:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/4021941438107549

Glorious video? Toofy Verhofstadt? What a joke.

He wasn't the PM of chocolate sprinkle land then anyway.

I doubt Kenyon's banter of yesteryear will affect his voting potential among the committed male Reform voters, and indeed many females ( who vote for Trump in droves).

'He's a straight northern talker' as they'll say, no bs, plus he doesn't really hate women, he's married, his wife works for a legal firm!, and they have two children.

He should be a poet as well as a plumber, describing a singer as "sounds like an asthmatic Yorkshire terrier trying to shift a bit of phlegm"!!

However, some of the uncommitted voters may be turned off by his comments, and when you think of Burnham's experience and achievements, there's no comparison.

Still, many will hold that against Burnham and the Labour Party- he was parachuted in only to be able to challenge Starmer, he won't give a monkey's for Makerfield once he's won.

1 hour ago, Tourist2 said:

Spain was at one point 95% muslim.

It ain't over til it's over.
Whites can be extremely deadly in the circumstances demand it..
Higher IQ's than people from other places also makes them/us very dangerous

Are the thumbs down crew muslims?
If not, are you Brit haters who want the Yookay to be Muslim?
Or proud Englishmen who want England to be Muslim?
Or just haters?

1 hour ago, josephbloggs said:

Unrelated to the thread, but if you want to see a glorious video of Farage getting absolutely roasted by Belgium's PM back in 2012 follow the link below. Calls him a waste of space, a grifter, and friends of Putin and dictators:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/4021941438107549

Unlike Presidents, the title Prime Minister is not honorific. At the time of his remarks to Farage, Guy Verhofstadt was a former Prime Minister, and known for inventing Petrol Head Diplomacy.

11 minutes ago, Tourist2 said:

Are the thumbs down crew muslims?
If not, are you Brit haters who want the Yookay to be Muslim?
Or proud Englishmen who want England to be Muslim?
Or just haters?

Nah, just hate blokes like you who would have sold us out in 1939. In your defence, you are evidence of a failed education system which churns out ignoramuses.

Blokes like you want the dissolution of my country.

Light blue touchpaper and watch him Lowe' Rupert the Hero of the north is coming.

5 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The rightwing argument against taxing the parasites is that they will leave of their own volition, though perhaps not to Dubai.

There is only one reason why a wokie would falsely describe those that pay more tax than most as "parasites".

Major envy for those that succeeded. Tough luck.

18 minutes ago, bannork said:

Still, many will hold that against Burnham and the Labour Party- he was parachuted in only to be able to challenge Starmer, he won't give a monkey's for Makerfield once he's won.

You could say that about many parachuted candidates. Margaret Thatcher, David Cameron, Boris Johnson, Col. Alistair Carns, Tony Blair, Peter Mandelson, Stephen Kinnock and Rishi Sunak were all parachuted candidates. Farage has no familial connection to Clacton.

I think on balance, "name recognition" candidates tend to do quite well when standing for the first time for a seat. Except Farage; took him a few attempts, and those candidates who become famous because they were parliamentary nobodies who cross over party lines.

As you say, it won't sway committed Reform voters, a significant portion of which are former Conservative voters or never bothered to vote before.

The Survation poll indicates a rapid flip for nearly all the wards, for Labour, save Bryn/Ashton North. Conservatives defecting to Reform or LibGreen to Labour doesn't change the forecasted outcome.

What does Kenyon have to say to persuade someone to change their vote at this time to Reform. If he says something that's intended to woo wavering Labour supporters, he risks Restore cannibalising his existing support, on the basis that he's suddenly become all "Woke".

Reform in the end is a Protest Party, during a period of protest politics. Their supporters are agreed about what they are against, but less united about what they are for.

19 hours ago, Tourist2 said:

Are the thumbs down crew muslims?
If not, are you Brit haters who want the Yookay to be Muslim?
Or proud Englishmen who want England to be Muslim?
Or just haters?

None of the above. Just not islamaphobes and indoctrinated by propoganda (like yourself) into thinking all of the UK's problems are because of brown people.

39 minutes ago, johnnybangkok said:

None of the above. Just not islamaphobes and indoctrinated by propoganda (like yourself) into thinking all of the UK's problems are because of brown people.

That's too nuanced for many.