Is democracy being by-passed in favour of the billionaires?

Yeh, it probably was £5million worth of glasses and frocks!

LizzieDrip

Here’s a post I’ve just put on the ‘Andy Burnham’ thread, in response to a comment saying that all politicians should be treated the same (paraphrasing).

I’m re-posting my comment here because it’s relevant to this topic.

“When Keir Starmer was given a few pairs of glasses by a Labour Party donor - gifts which were declared - it was media headline news for days and days. It was apparently apocalyptic!

Fast forward to Nigel Farage’s secret, undeclared gift of £5 million from a Thailand based crypto guy … hardly a mention🤔 Even though Farage promotes cryptocurrency; says he’ll deregulate it ‘when’ he’s PM; and even promoted his donor’s crypto company Tether, in radio interviews.

Farage refused point blank to answer any questions about it in an interview with Beth Rigby the other day - she just accepted that and moved on to his agenda.

When Rigby asked Keir Starmer about glasses etc she was like a rabid dog with a bone. She would not let it drop, to the point of embarrassing herself.

Level playing field? I don’t think so!”

This dirty money is overriding our democracy, and the media (main stream and social) is complicit.

Glasses? I thought it was full outfits for him and his wife.

WithNobsOnIt, Surely you can see the difference between defined groups of people (the landed gentry or the unions) giving money to political parties to promote their interests and one individual giving a significant amount of money to another individual, which he then tries to hide. This isn't just "business as usual".

A secret five million pounds in crypto given to an individual does not count as 'pocket money'.

Forget Reform.

This is just pocket money compared to what various individuals,politicians and bankers and Political parties have trousered over the years.

Plus you have all the various lobbyists. The Influencers.

The Tories did not become the Landed Gentry by giving gold sovereigns to beggars.

Let us also include Labour who have had a ton of money from the Unions and the Coop over the years.

See some of the Unions like Unite are now questioning this.

And of course the 3 or 4 American Banks the UK Govt borrow money off to pay for the Welfare Bill., Bonds etc

Due to their connection eithpower, lobbying and influence.

The people of neary all countries on this planet are just here to serve the financial and other interests of the Super Rich..

Think of recent Scandals about Mandelson, Andy Boy and Jeffrey Epstein..Loads of money.!

MP's expenses a few years back with relatives being described by the Daily Mail as having their snouts in the trough.

Nigel Farage also served as an MEP
The Europeas Union s very corrupt, dodgy place. Especially around expenses.

Maybe he picked up a few tips and tricks from Brussels?

This document is shown as withdrawn now as “Levelling Up” is no more but the data profile for Clacton will still be largely the same.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67cf11d775d299c71177bd1a/_WITHDRAWN_Clacton-on-Sea.pdf

It’s a constituency which could really do with an MP who wants to work hard to make a positive change.

In the GE, more people in Clacton didn’t want Farage than did but sadly that’s how FPTP works and they got a dud.

A lot of money has and is is still being pumped in by central government to try to improve things but Farage had attended none of the meetings which have been held by the Clacton Town Board to discuss how best to allocate funds.

Best thing that could happen is that he gets a suspension over the £5m bung and there's a recall and by-election. However, the mood in Essex at the moment seems to be to want to elect racists, Islamophobes, conspiracy theorists, fraudsters and perverts so he'd probably retain his seat.

hopenothate.org.uk/2026/05/02/reform-uk-essex-white-supremacist/

Whitewavemark2

Yes looking at the voting pattern of the recent local elections, it is the poorest, less well educated and over 65s and most deprived areas that voted for Reform.

That should tell the other political parties something.

Apparently, there is also a very strong correlation between voting for Reform and for Brexit - maybe not surprisingly.

Ironically, one of the people who did some good academic work on studying the profile of those voting Brexit was Matt Goodwin. He labelled them the "left behind" voters - these are the same people who now vote for Reform.

Whitewavemark2

Yes looking at the voting pattern of the recent local elections, it is the poorest, less well educated and over 65s and most deprived areas that voted for Reform.

That should tell the other political parties something.

My ward voted for a Reform County Councillor, we are a commuter belt village (not big enough to be a town) high property prices, lots of young families.

Definitely not deprived, old or less educated.

We were all flabbergasted at the result as our local council is fully independent.

Clacton itself might be predominantly a holiday destination, but the constituency includes areas such as Frinton and Walton on the Naze. Notoriously, it also includes Jaywick, which is the most deprived district in the country.

The population is older than average and predominantly white British. The level of economic inactivity is twice the national average. It's true that many of the residents have moved from areas nearer London with more immigrants. Essex CC uses it as a dumping ground for problem families because housing is much cheaper than most other areas of Essex.

The polling organisation Electoral Calculus categorises the seat as being part of the "Strong Right" demographic, those who have fiscally conservative views on the economy but are also fairly nationalist and socially conservative, alongside strong support for Brexit.

Barbadosbelle

Whitewavemark2

Have you been equally incensed at the Labour Party being financed by the Unions for the past (c) 100-years?
Or is your annoyance and venom only directed at the Reform Party?!
.

Well, I think if you had read this thread, you would have had no need to ask this question.

Whitewavemark2

Have you been equally incensed at the Labour Party being financed by the Unions for the past (c) 100-years?
Or is your annoyance and venom only directed at the Reform Party?!
.

Yes looking at the voting pattern of the recent local elections, it is the poorest, less well educated and over 65s and most deprived areas that voted for Reform.

That should tell the other political parties something.

.

Hasn't it been 'going down that road' on and off for the (c) 100-years that the Unions have been financing the Labour Party?!
.

seventhfloorregular

Farrige chose Clacton because a lot of people there can be fooled by his and reform's immigration rantings. People in Clacton are mainly from the east end who have gradually moved along the c2c railway line (and further) to "get away from immigrants".
They then moan because there is no one around for healthcare, social services etc.
Well now Essex has these reform councillors who have promised to stop the boats (and ignore the bins and potholes and can't do social services as no staff which the local elections are about) life will be idyllic

The C2C line does not go anywhere near Clacton, it goes from the City of London to the City of Southend-on-Sea.

Clapton is predominantly a holiday destination made up of numerous caravan sights.

There are areas of abject poverty (Jaywick) but also areas of wealth further away from the coast.

Oh and it’s Farage, not Farrige.

I am neither a Nigel fan girl or Reform UK supporter.

undines

Does anyone seriously think that Labour aren't funded the same way? Come on! Everyone is jumping on Reform now as being the Big Nasties, but if/when they get into power they will control the media same as other parties have done, when they've been in power, and you'll hear all about Labour's wickedness. I'll say this for Reform at the moment - they are listening to what the 'working class' want, in certain respects (Labour were supposed to be the party for that). However, once in power, I'm not that hopeful!

No- no one seriously believes the Labour Party is funded in the same way as Reform Ltd UK.

The Labour Party has an entirely different financial structure to that of Reform UK Ltd.

Does anyone seriously think that Labour aren't funded the same way? Come on! Everyone is jumping on Reform now as being the Big Nasties, but if/when they get into power they will control the media same as other parties have done, when they've been in power, and you'll hear all about Labour's wickedness. I'll say this for Reform at the moment - they are listening to what the 'working class' want, in certain respects (Labour were supposed to be the party for that). However, once in power, I'm not that hopeful!

Farrige chose Clacton because a lot of people there can be fooled by his and reform's immigration rantings. People in Clacton are mainly from the east end who have gradually moved along the c2c railway line (and further) to "get away from immigrants".
They then moan because there is no one around for healthcare, social services etc.
Well now Essex has these reform councillors who have promised to stop the boats (and ignore the bins and potholes and can't do social services as no staff which the local elections are about) life will be idyllic

The new proposed bill, restricting cryptocurrency 'donations' might help.
Also, I hope it deals with 'foreign interests' donations.

I was listening to a podcast this morning describing how Trump “won” some local elections recently. There is no point going into the detail as it isn’t important, what is important, is, that Trump “won” because he pumped in a massive amount of money and in effect bought the votes.

The U.K. must never go down that road.

And because they keep voting for him, presumably they are happy enough with what they re getting from him.

Googled it.

Says it is because of security concerns.
Which may be fair enough?

Presumably he sorts out Clacton concerns by other methods.

You would have to address that question to the people of Clacton.

Why dont Clacton complain?
And keep voting for him?

Farage never attended a surgery for the people of Clacton to hear their concerns. That's how much he cares.

Not exactly true, fancythat. Farage was supposed to negotiate for our fishermen, during BREXIT discussions. He rarely attended.
He did not turn up for the 'day job'. They were severely let down. Did not get the terms they needed, as he wasn't there to advocate for them.
It is on record, along with their disappointment with his performance.