Did anyone else spot this about Reform?

44 days is not 4 weeks Chestnut it's just over 6.

...still a "snap" election though.

Parliament has to be dissolved for 25 working days before an election so logically that means a minimum of 5 weeks.

As Reform is a limited company I look forward to Farages declaration of interests MP have to make about their income from all sources.

Don't forget that one reason Rishi Sunak called this election with 4 weeks notice was to neutralise the threat from Reform, hoping they would not be able to gather their troops in time. So then Farage parachuted himself in and they managed to gather as many candidates as possible within 4 weeks. It's not surprising they were struggling within that time frame. I very much doubt any candidates are fake but it won't stop people stating this as fact.

Whether it’s a non-story remains to be seen. Tice was on TV this morning saying they’d provided proof that all candidates were real, the Guardian’s chief political editor has said that that is not the case for three of them.

I don’t see this at anti-Farage. If there is a loophole in the system which allows unverified candidates to stand for any party, it needs closing. And if any constituency was decided as a result of votes going to a fake candidate, that result would be void, and there’d have to a by-election. And, of course, it would potentially be a criminal offence, as the Electoral Commission confirmed last night.

I didn't realise it was an anti-Farage thread.

For me it was a shock to see that some candidates may not be genuine people.
Even Count Bin Face and the Monster Raving Loony Party had real people.
🤷‍♂️

Looks like this is a non story.

Rockyroad

nanna8

I really wish the constant attacks on Farage would cease because now I am beginning to like him and think he has influence after all. He seems to be the whipping boy for everyone. His party only has 5 MPs so why the fuss ?

Yes, I agree. It’s getting very repetitive and boring now.

Name a political party where the leader isn’t the whipping boy? That’s how it works. Perhaps there should be a Gransnet truce to lay off all leaders?

My Reform candidate was real and I voted for him he lives just a couple of miles away, the Labour candidate lived in London about 190 miles away.
Although Conservatives got in here with a very reduced majority.

Our Reform candidate got so few votes, he could have been a broom and no one would have noticed. The Labour candidate did not do much better. Our constituency is one of the many thaat form a bright orange Lib Dem stripe across the country.

For the first time since I first got the vote in 1964, I have voted for and am represented by an MP of a party I support.

nanna8

I really wish the constant attacks on Farage would cease because now I am beginning to like him and think he has influence after all. He seems to be the whipping boy for everyone. His party only has 5 MPs so why the fuss ?

Yes, I agree. It’s getting very repetitive and boring now.

Mine was a real candidate and came third just a few votes below the Conservatives.

The one standing here was real enough. He didn't have much to say for himself so was probably just an 'also-ran'.

‘came’ not ‘cane’.

Nigel was in Clacton yesterday.,

Our Reform candidate was a real person. Lives locally. He cane second with a large number of votes.

For me, it's not "fashionable". I abhor his politics and always have done. I also think the way he operates is despicable.

As for his candidates, it appears that the one who was originally spotted is a real person, but the picture on his flyer was produced by AI, apparently because he didn't have a turquoise tie for an official photo. It doesn't look much like the real person.

I have no interest in him.
I was just amazed that some of the candidates might be fake.
My own turns out to be an ex- UKIP candidate. He is real - not AI generated.

Maybe he has replaced Meaghan now as Public Enemy Number One ? I’d sooner have him than her, I have to say.

I was about to say the same thing! I wonder if it’s just ‘fashionable’ to dislike Farage. I sense a witch-hunt sometimes.
I saw him on ‘I’m a Celeb’ and have to admit that I really liked him. He was fair, considerate and charming. That can’t be said about many politicians I am familiar with.
What is up with people that they have to latch on to people and run them down all the time?

I really wish the constant attacks on Farage would cease because now I am beginning to like him and think he has influence after all. He seems to be the whipping boy for everyone. His party only has 5 MPs so why the fuss ?

I certainly didn’t vote for our Reform candidate. In fact I’ve no idea who he is because I didn’t receive a leaflet and didn’t make any effort to find out anything about him since I had no interest. However, I’m not buying this silly story that these people don’t exist.

Whitewavemark2

Apparently Farage didn’t turn up as his first day as an MP -

Of course he didn’t.

They should dock his pay.

Just as those NI MPs should have had their expenses docked (I understand they don't receive their salaries).
Grow up the lot of you and start representing your constituents.

Perhaps Farage lost his voice with all the talking he's been doing lately.

Apparently they had someone standing in York who was dead! They realised this when they sacked him for 'inactivity'.
Doodledog
Thanks, it’s the funniest thing I’ve heard of all day! 🤣🤣🤣

A Reform source said: “All our candidates are categorically real. Given the rush, a few are just paper candidates and didn’t campaign. Some people began as paper candidates but then did campaign, and one of these – James McMurdock in South Basildon and East Thurrock – ended up winning his seat.” Guardian

It’s apparent that they nominated people who were just working in their regional offices for any random seat miles away. At least one office worker in Leicester has admitted that she was put up for the South Dorset seat. She did nothing to campaign or go near the constituency. Another name has come to light from Leicester who “stood” in Glasgow but no-one saw her.

www.richarddrax.com/news/election-blog-todays-times-reforms-paper-candidate-has-only-visited-south-dorset-once

What perplexes me is that you have to give nomination papers by hand to the Acting Returning Officer. Each nomination must have a sponsor, seconder and eight more assentors, The electoral roll number for each person must be given. The papers don't have to be handed in by the candidate but this applies:

Method of submitting the form to the (A)RO: by hand by yourself, your proposer or seconder, or by your election agent (if the (Acting) Returning Officer has previously received notification of their appointment). It cannot be submitted by post, fax, e-mail or other electronic means.

So this is a concerted administrative effort nationwide to set this up.

Now candidates have 35 days to get all their paperwork to the ARO - which will be interesting.

www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance-candidates-and-agents-local-government-elections-england/after-election/completing-your-return

Whitewavemark2

Apparently Farage didn’t turn up as his first day as an MP -

Of course he didn’t.

Tee hee. I hope he knows the Parliamentary Oaths Act 1866 or rather, I hope he doesn't.

Apparently they had someone standing in York who was dead! They realised this when they sacked him for 'inactivity'.

Clearly the selection process is none too rigorous.

The one in my area has no information online. No picture or information on the 'your local candidates' website, nothing googleable - just nothing at all. I did try to find out what all the candidates had to say before the election, as we are a new constituency since the boundary changes. Everyone else had details, including the barmier independents, but nothing from Reform. They got a couple of thousand votes😲