What Reform has actually put forward.

AGAA4

I hope people, especially women, will think carefully before voting Reform.
They want to dictate how we live our lives, when to have children and will try to ban abortion as in the US.

Their close ties with Russia is very worrying too. They take tens of thousands of pounds from Russia so are effectively working for a dangerous enemy of the UK

I too hope voters think very carefully before supporting Reform. My concern is not simply about personalities, but about political patterns we have already seen play out elsewhere.

There are clear parallels between Nigel Farage’s political style and the kind of populist, personality-driven politics associated with Donald Trump in the United States. In both cases, the appeal often centres on strong rhetoric, anti-establishment messaging, and the projection of decisive leadership. That kind of politics can be emotionally compelling - but it can also overshadow close scrutiny of policy detail and long-term consequences.

In the U.S., we have seen how highly personalised politics can intensify division, weaken trust in institutions, and produce policies whose real-world effects differ from campaign promises. Many voters initially believed certain policies would not affect them directly; in practice, economic disruption, social division, and institutional strain have had far wider consequences.

My concern is that some voters here may assume that “it will be different this time” or that controversial policies will only affect others. Political decisions rarely work that way. Structural changes, once made, affect the entire country.

This is not about dismissing voters or questioning their intelligence. It is about urging careful examination of policies, constitutional implications, economic realism, and democratic norms before casting a vote. We have a contemporary example to study. It would be unwise not to learn from it.

AGAA4

I hope people, especially women, will think carefully before voting Reform.
They want to dictate how we live our lives, when to have children and will try to ban abortion as in the US.

Their close ties with Russia is very worrying too. They take tens of thousands of pounds from Russia so are effectively working for a dangerous enemy of the UK

Yes.

They’ve read Handmaids Tale.

Many in the military and others believe that we are already at war with Russia. Treacherous behaviour should never be tolerated. .

A biology check sounds like some strange form of eugenics.
But anything farage says is always utter garbage regardless of the topic.

It probably would be more helpful if Matt Goodwin and Reform UK has an attitudinal change to try and stop Reform's fall in the polls. Looking forward to knowing Matt Goodwin's results in the Denton and Gorton by election.

Siptree

I saw an article about this a few days ago with comments underneath. My favourite was ' I've taken the batteries out of my biological clock and put them in my vibrator' 😂

I love this.

I hope people, especially women, will think carefully before voting Reform.
They want to dictate how we live our lives, when to have children and will try to ban abortion as in the US.

Their close ties with Russia is very worrying too. They take tens of thousands of pounds from Russia so are effectively working for a dangerous enemy of the UK

LizzieDrip

“In 2023, the GB News presenter and former academic [Matt Goodwin] called for the introduction of "a ‘negative child benefit’ tax for those who don’t have offspring".

In other words, those who don’t have children should pay an additional tax as a punishment.

Whatever happened to choice, not to mention the heartbreaking situation of those unable to have children - do they deserve to be ‘punished’ twice?

Absolutely disgusting, despicable little man!

That would be me then, I am without child. My choice. Didn’t fancy bringing any into this world.
Most young couples can’t afford to get on to the property ladder, never mind have kids.

I’m losing track of all of them.

Mark Pack tries to keep track - and, of course, Private Eye has its Reform Watch column.

www.markpack.org.uk/175342/how-many-councillors-has-reform-uk-lost-since-may/

Hope Not Hate is good at individual exposés. This is the obnoxious Paul Bean:

hopenothate.org.uk/2025/08/15/first-reform-uk-councillor-defects-to-advance/

Now suspended:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyvxy6npllo

“Warrington’s only Reform councillor has defected to the Conservatives after just months in the role.

John Roddy, elected in August 2025, says he repeatedly raised detailed concerns about the town’s spiralling finances, only to be met with silence. Emails unanswered. No serious engagement. No credible local strategy.

According to Roddy, Warrington’s financial crisis was “not a priority”.

Reform says he was expelled for allegedly trying to damage the party. Roddy says there was no serious team structure, no detailed policy, no economic plan. Just headlines.

And here’s the thing… this isn’t news in Warrington. 😬

Back in October, after Reform UK suspended its Warrington branch, local member Terry White quit. He didn’t go quietly.

He said Reform:
😬 Welcomed two former BNP members to local meetings
❌ Had no local policies whatsoever and just wanted members to to push national messages about migration
🤐 Silenced members who spoke up
🪂 Tried to parachute in an MP candidate who doesn’t even live in Warrington

White said the party talks about democracy, free speech and strong local communities. But when challenged locally, dissent is shut down and issues are brushed aside. 🤯

They want to run the country.
They can’t even run local branches.”
Not sure if this has been posted already but I’m losing track of all of them.

I only know of 2 people who WFH. I often wondered how new staff gets trained if there is no office and senior staff to train them.
Never yet found anything I agree with NF on . Our last M.P has joined him. That just confirms my opinion and voting intention.

Is it the usual lack of staff rather than staff not working hard enough?
Both my DSs WFH and I know how hard they work. Often at their desks by 7am because there is no commute to take up time.
The amount of work can fall heavily on fewer staff and they feel they have to work late to get their work done.

Allira

DaisyAnneReturns

Glenfinnan

I think the current pension fiasco (some not receiving pensions until 6 months after retirement) is indicative of the working from home culture. All government depts should work in the office!!!

Yes, there is a current pension administration issue affecting some public sector schemes.

No, it’s not a universal UK State Pension problem

The cause is mostly administrative/outsourcing challenges, not “work-from-home”.

Yes, the pension schemes in question are outsourced to Capita, a firm which manages a lot of essential services for both public and private sectors.

Newly retired Civil servants have not received their pensions for months. Whether or not that is due to working from home I do not know.

When the pensions were dealt with in house it was inefficient even then; I did not receive my pension for six months after I retired.

I have been waiting for my pension to come through as a result of this. Luckily, it is not my 'main' pension, but a small one from when I did consultancy after retiring from my main work, so I am not reliant on it, unlike some people who need theirs to pay the bills.

Anyway, it is a private company (Capita) who is responsible - nothing to do with government departments.

This is an example of what I referred to earlier. I don't know much about pension administration, but I assume it is easy enough to have targets for staff, and if they do not complete X number of cases a week they could be disciplined, and if necessary the right to wfh could be withdrawn. Where people are meeting targets, however, I can't see a good reason for dragging them into the office.

Yes I think working from.home is essential for some people.
My SiL left his job as they insisted he worked in the office which was an hour's drive away.
He takes my six year old GS to school and wouldn't be able to do that if he had to leave before 8am.
He got another WFH job very quickly.

There must be many parents in this position where if made t6o go to an office would have to leave work.
Also as a previous poster said it may not work for disabled people either.

I did wonder why they outsourced to Capita Allira. Haven't they had problems with them in the past? At best that must have felt very uncomfortable; I'm sorry you had to feel with something like that when you should have been celebrating retirement.

It’s about providing pensions for the future.
Also not good to have babies to late in life. Spoils everyone’s enjoyment of a new baby in the family. Parents tired, grandparents too old to commit to long hours while parents work. Take it from me it’s a killer.

I had my children fairly late at 35 and 37 because I didn't marry until I was 31. My DD is currently 36 and has not yet found a life partner so has no children though she very much wants them. People's circumstances vary so much and no political party should be proscriptive about things which are subject to personal choice but also may be beyond our control.
As for working from home so much depends on the type of work you do. Both my children enjoy hybrid working, which their jobs allow. They both work very hard and DD works long hours when in her workplace and only works from home once or twice a week.
I never had a job I could do from home. During the pandemic I was unable to do much from home as I worked in a school. By the time systems were in place to enable us to work remotely I had retired! Even then remote working was less than satisfactory, but it was better than nothing at all.
I worry about what the future might hold with a reform government in power!

Work from home is vital to keep many disabled people employed. All the talk about the benefits of being in the office and no one thinks about the disabled. It's like they don't count or are an "exception" that doesn't deserve consideration. How about we make work more accessible to everyone rather than less? Many jobs don't need to be in person.

I don't want or need the social interaction that come with working in the office. What I need is quiet to process things. I do not and can not function in the office. The end of work from home would be an end to my ability to be employed and pay my taxes.

What a privilege it must be to not have to think of the impact on disabled folks. And yet the disabled folks will continue to be criticized for needing government support.

DaisyAnneReturns

Glenfinnan

I think the current pension fiasco (some not receiving pensions until 6 months after retirement) is indicative of the working from home culture. All government depts should work in the office!!!

Yes, there is a current pension administration issue affecting some public sector schemes.

No, it’s not a universal UK State Pension problem

The cause is mostly administrative/outsourcing challenges, not “work-from-home”.

Yes, the pension schemes in question are outsourced to Capita, a firm which manages a lot of essential services for both public and private sectors.

Newly retired Civil servants have not received their pensions for months. Whether or not that is due to working from home I do not know.

When the pensions were dealt with in house it was inefficient even then; I did not receive my pension for six months after I retired.

sundowngirl

My Sister-in-Law wanted to add her daughter to her current account and was told that this could only be done in person at a branch. However, there were no appointments available until the end of April as "the majority of our staff work from home"

Unsurprisingly she has decided to close her account

I find it difficult to understand how working-from-home arrangements would affect the availability of in-branch appointments, given that this service can only be completed in person.

It seems more likely that this is a matter of how branch staffing and appointments are being managed and that is down to management who would take into account both expected need and cost. The WFH people will be getting on with their work.

I wonder if the member of staff who told your sister this leans towards Reform?

Love it, Siptree!
How about we just leave women, and their partners, to decide if/ when/ how many children? It seems that the choice of many couples is the two child family, so they can wait until the time is right.
It might be important to start early if you're planning six or more, but...

That plan, to tax folk who don't have children, is a disgrace.
How do Reform Politicians vote on the abolition of the 2 child cap?
That will tell us how sincere they are about encouraging families.

My Sister-in-Law wanted to add her daughter to her current account and was told that this could only be done in person at a branch. However, there were no appointments available until the end of April as "the majority of our staff work from home"

Unsurprisingly she has decided to close her account

Kitty55

I think Reform need to rethink what they think is good for the country, which the state it’s in won’t be easy. Instead they pick on certain groups/people which is easy. If they don’t get their own way like Trump they threaten people/instititions. Time to grow up guys stop taking huffy fits.

Another new far-right party has been formed and there is still talk of Nigel Farage being ill. Interesting times for the far and hard right.

Glenfinnan

I think the current pension fiasco (some not receiving pensions until 6 months after retirement) is indicative of the working from home culture. All government depts should work in the office!!!

Yes, there is a current pension administration issue affecting some public sector schemes.

No, it’s not a universal UK State Pension problem

The cause is mostly administrative/outsourcing challenges, not “work-from-home”.

I think Reform need to rethink what they think is good for the country, which the state it’s in won’t be easy. Instead they pick on certain groups/people which is easy. If they don’t get their own way like Trump they threaten people/instititions. Time to grow up guys stop taking huffy fits.