If you want to know what Reform would be like in power, look at how it threatened Bangor University

I am quite comfortable with my position Lemonjam. .

Galaxy-. They weren't just contacting Reform out of nowhere - Reform contacted them- utter rubbish.

Their RESPONSE letter quoted it has : - as this is a legal requirement under the UK Equality Act 2010 There is absolutely no problem with that. You may not be aware that there have been press reports of outside speakers at universities breaking the requirements of the Equality Act. It may well be a clause used as a precaution in all such letter responses. For some reason you take exception to the phrase someone has “zero tolerance for any form of racism, transphobia or homophobia" and leads you to accuse them of being a bunch of homophobic misogynists and bigots. That really says more about you than the debating society Galaxy....

They weren't just out of nowhere stating their equality position were they? They were aiming it specifically at reform. If we have established that
t
reform aren't homophobic or transphobic that's fine. There will of course be homophobic members in reform as there are in any party but that's by the by.

If the word transphobia is meaningless for you Galaxy dont use it.

However you described the Bangor students yesterday at 19.33 as "that bunch of homophobic misogynists". For some reason today at 12.50 you then said "SP views trans issues are exactly the same as mine. I view anyone who thinks men should be in women's spaces as deeply deeply misogynistic. Utter bigots". Bangor students have not mentioned men in women's spaces however.

At 14.58 you then said "one of the reasons they gave for refusal was transphobia"- not it didn't- it expressed its position and I quote it has : “zero tolerance for any form of racism, transphobia or homophobia" As this is a legal requirement under the UK Equality Act 2010 what exactly is the problem?

At 16.55 you then ask Galaxy "what evidential evidence do you have that SP is transphobic" - who has said that she is? To whom are you asking the question? I'm aware however SP had made some racist comments - well reported in the national press however.

All these words have real meaning for me but I am not sure why you are throwing them around as accusations without evidential basis. You have accused members of the Bangor debating society as "homophobic misogynists" - for no justified reason.

Transphobic, fascist, toxic, racist ,all words thrown around so regularly and often wrongly that they’ve lost all real meaning.

Yes I was, am just highlighting the meaningless of the term.

One thing is that they keep inventing new parties, so hopefully the vote will be split.

Thought it was you who was asking, Galaxy???

How could I forget - thexTory Party that had 14 years and 5 Prime Ministers that left us a collapse economy - now the same people have joined Reform to have another go!

There is so much evidence revealing why we need to fear Reform getting to power. The Nazi salutes thrown by some of their members and supporters, the Fascist language they use, the demonising of minorities, their plans to dismantle the NHS, their alignment to Trump and Russia, their disastrous performance in local government, Farage's shocking absence rate from Parliament and his absence from his own constituency. Isn't that enough before we even consider just how bad Brexit had been for this country.

Well yes if I Google the labour party and transphobia I can find numerous entries saying that the labour party is transphobic. One group smashed Wes streetings windows because of his 'transphobia'. It is a word that does a lot of heavy lifting.

Google's answer is that Reform is transphobic, without saying that Sarah Pochin specifically is also. Didn't say that she wasn't.
But that was just a skim check,

What evidential evidence do you have that SP is transphobic.

Galaxy 14.58: Touché- once you start throwing words like bigotry and misogyny with absolutely no evidential basis don't be surprised if people respond to you.

You have provided no rational explanation why the Bangor debating society members should be expected to organise for Reform and then turn up in their free time to a Reform Party Q and A session? Many students do actually study and many do have part time jobs alongside to survive financially. If Reform want Bangor students to attend a Q and Q session with SP and JA- SP and JA themselves should organise an event, hire a venue close to University Campus, send out invitations to students etc. There is no reason why the debating society should be expected to do this on Reform's behalf.

If Reform wrote to me, in my local U3A member capacity, asking for a local Reform SP and JA Q and A session for our U3A members - my immediate reaction would also be- it's not in our U3a constitution or values to organise or host party political Q and A sessions. I would not be very popular suggesting it for our monthly outside speaker meeting either. I no doubt would be told quite firmly SP and has said some ridiculous comments read about in the press, some if not many would find her comments racist. Our U3A constitution also has zero tolerance for racism, transphobia and homophobia in all events, activities, communications etc. and the U3a committee might ask me to make that clear to SP and JA in response. If I did so no doubt you would you be accusing me of bigotry and misogyny- when you have no idea what my views are one way or another on "trans issues" - absolutely ridiculous conflation. Plus why should our u3a use precious funds to book a venue. I wouldn't want to organise it and neither would I want to give up my free time to attend.

You have no evidential basis for concluding any individual in the Bangor debating society is a bigot or a misogynist.

Was that the topic of the Reform proposed Q&A?

One of the reason they gave for refusal was 'transphobia', certainly SP s views are the same as mine, i.e no men in women's spaces , anyone that views that as transphobia then yes I will call them misogynists. It is if course the problem with throwing those words around.It doesnt help society to function, in fact it is incredibly divisive, but once you start throwing the words around don't be surprised if people respond.

Galaxy Mon 16-Feb-26 12:50:50
"As I have said SP views on the trans issues are exactly the same as mine, unless I have missed something. I view anyone who thinks men should be in women's spaces as deeply deeply misogynistic. Utter bigots".

If you were referring to members of the Bangor debating society they have not said they support men in women's spaces- no one has on this post to date, unless I've missed that. No need to make accusations of misogyny and bigotry where none exists.

As you say you and SP share the same views on "trans issues", if either of you, or both are willing to act as an proponent on a "trans view" motion in debate and challenge with the opponent speaker of said "trans issue" motion you could get in touch with Bangor or any other university debating society. You or SP could offer your time and give availability. In a crowded field of possible debating topics, close to the heart of the debating society, it's up to them whether your suggested "trans view" motion is compelling enough to be chosen such that they take your/SP's offer up whilst declining others of lesser interest..

I was only posting the results of the polls.
As I said I know some people who have degrees, master's degrees and work in teaching and medicine so well educated.
That they will vote for Reform does make me wonder.

And it isnt as if the middle class 'educated' voters have been nodding along with any idiot mantra that comes along in the last few years.

Caleo

AGAA4

I read in a yougov poll that large numbers of Reform voters have lower education attainments and tend to be mostly manual workers.

Maybe they are hard working and struggling to make ends meet and have little time to read or think about politics and just believe what Farage says. Want to believe what he says.

Having said that I do know people who have high levels of education and will vote for Reform.

That , precisely, is the disadvantage of democracy. Democratic suffrage needs an educated electorate to work as democracy should work.
True, some manual workers are educated, but not in sufficient numbers. In addition to well performing comprehensive schools we need tertiary education for all.

I find your post highly offensive Caleo, condescending and very snobbish. Perhaps you're unaware that formal education has nothing to do with intelligence or the ability to reason. The Labour Party was founded by mostly manual workers was it not, were they too stupid for you too?

I am also surprised by how people can confuse the views and decisions of the planning committee of DebSoc, with the entire University.
Do they really think a University works like that?

So, those Reform folk were seeking to impose their event upon the debating society,
which was at odds with how a debating society operates
which is to debate.
And somehow the debating society is in the wrong?
For wanting to debate?

AGAA4

I read in a yougov poll that large numbers of Reform voters have lower education attainments and tend to be mostly manual workers.

Maybe they are hard working and struggling to make ends meet and have little time to read or think about politics and just believe what Farage says. Want to believe what he says.

Having said that I do know people who have high levels of education and will vote for Reform.

That , precisely, is the disadvantage of democracy. Democratic suffrage needs an educated electorate to work as democracy should work.
True, some manual workers are educated, but not in sufficient numbers. In addition to well performing comprehensive schools we need tertiary education for all.

Universities do a lot more than teach 18-22 year olds. It is, IMO, ridiculous to threaten the future of a research institution because a society that is not regulated by university management has refused to give a platform to a speaker they don't like.

Students are often given to rather simplistic and knee-jerk responses to things - I remember the SU refusing to have newspapers which had 'page 3 girls' in them stocked in their shop when I was a student. It was a point of principle, and extended to a small picket with banners outside a couple of local newsagents. It will have made no difference, as the number of sales of tabloid papers from one shop on a campus (the university-owned outlets still stocked them anyway) would be tiny, and as the newsagents wouldn't allow the protesters into the premises (understandably) customers could buy what they liked in absolute safety. All the same, it was an introduction to standing up for what we believed in, and maybe one or two people who wouldn't have done so otherwise changed their minds about supporting sexism in the form of having photos of semi-naked women in 'newspapers'.

Basically though, we were just making a point. Which is what I suspect the SU at Bangor is doing. As has been said, it is their society and their choice who has a platform there. Pious lecturing about the finer points of bigotry is pointless and irrelevant - they will do what they like, as is their right.

As I have said SP views on the trans issues are exactly the same as mine, unless I have missed something. I view anyone who thinks men should be in women's spaces as deeply deeply misogynistic. Utter bigots.