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

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

Am I right in thinking this what Conspriacy Theorists have been saying for the last 10 years?

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He does rock up to the HoC occasionally to have a moan about boats. This calendar year he has spoken three times in the HoC, once about boats, once about his other pet subject Chagos and once about oil and gas. He hasn’t spoken at all since 25 March 2026.

I’ve said elsewhere that these local elections were probably his one last chance to wreak havoc as he will never be PM.

Since, Friday, three new Reform councillors have resigned, said they didn’t want the job and two more have been suspended for vile behaviour.

How many more hard working councillors will have lost their seats to these wasters?

Reform has made a mockery of democracy.

I think Reform have made a mockery of their voters, rather than democracy.

I understand frustration, people feeling disenfranchised, forgotten, disenchanted, BUT have these people really looked at Reform “policies” “contract” “manifesto” or “programme” (whatever it is Reform now call their latest set of “ideas”)

From my work in many local jobcentres, I’m only too aware of some claimants attitudes to “foreigners”. Grays and Basildon Jobcentres even had some claimants protesting with banners, the one in Grays was particularly amusing, as their banners accused “foreigners” of stealing their jobs!!

Anyway, I digress, Refirm appear to wish to banish most benefits, there will be plenty of jobs because women will be at home tidying the home, cooking and having countless babies?

Quite how Reform think they’ll deal with the thousands of people who are unpaid carers caring for a cohort of disabled, both mental and physical, and those with terminal or life limiting medication conditions doesn’t appear to have been mentioned and given they think our NHS isn’t up to scratch these people will have no money and no medical help.

As it’s appears to be of their regime to repeal settlement status and send people back, I’m not too sure how the NHS or our residential care home would fare?

Anyone her can respond with answers?

twaddle

It strikes me that Farage has moved on from his initial anti-immigration stance. I have no doubt that he's a bigot, but he's discovered that some foreigners can be useful to him. He couldn't give a monkeys about the old complaints about Polish plumbers undercutting the "indigenous" British plumbers. That argument is no longer useful to him. Bitcoin is the ultimate international currency, so all his arguments against the "global economy" don't work either.

I doubt very much whether Farage will ever be PM. Looking at his behaviour now, he's just in it for himself. Nobody has the guts to challenge him, so he'll wait a couple more years then retire and spend his days sitting in his counting house, counting his money and laughing at all the people he's conned over the years (maybe dreaming he could be the ultimate James Bond baddy).

Reform doesn't have any credible plans. They're a protest party. Just about everything about them is negative and about blaming somebody else. It will pass, but until then, we're in for a rocky ride.

I agree and 🙏🙏🙏 we are both correct.

He does rock up to the HoC occasionally to have a moan about boats. This calendar year he has spoken three times in the HoC, once about boats, once about his other pet subject Chagos and once about oil and gas. He hasn’t spoken at all since 25 March 2026.

I’ve said elsewhere that these local elections were probably his one last chance to wreak havoc as he will never be PM.

Since, Friday, three new Reform councillors have resigned, said they didn’t want the job and two more have been suspended for vile behaviour.

How many more hard working councillors will have lost their seats to these wasters?

Reform has made a mockery of democracy.

It strikes me that Farage has moved on from his initial anti-immigration stance. I have no doubt that he's a bigot, but he's discovered that some foreigners can be useful to him. He couldn't give a monkeys about the old complaints about Polish plumbers undercutting the "indigenous" British plumbers. That argument is no longer useful to him. Bitcoin is the ultimate international currency, so all his arguments against the "global economy" don't work either.

I doubt very much whether Farage will ever be PM. Looking at his behaviour now, he's just in it for himself. Nobody has the guts to challenge him, so he'll wait a couple more years then retire and spend his days sitting in his counting house, counting his money and laughing at all the people he's conned over the years (maybe dreaming he could be the ultimate James Bond baddy).

Reform doesn't have any credible plans. They're a protest party. Just about everything about them is negative and about blaming somebody else. It will pass, but until then, we're in for a rocky ride.

We shouldn't forget Viktor Orban in this:

bylinetimes.com/2026/04/14/exposed-how-viktor-orban-bankrolled-the-network-around-reform-uk/

EXPOSED: How Viktor Orbán Bankrolled the Network Around Reform UK

As Hungary’s Prime Minister suffers a historic electoral defeat, Byline Times maps out how his government’s funding arm channelled hundreds of thousands of pounds into organisations at the heart of Britain’s hard right.

If you want to know what Reform’s policies will be, look no further than the interests of wealthy individuals and associate companies.

So of course tax cutting for large companies.

Reduced employee rights - and of course the killing of EHCR.

Extended use of the private sector in the NHS - eventually leading according to Farage to an insurance based health provision, modelled on the US health provision.

Cuts in public services - along the DOGE model.

Interestingly for those who are looking for a reduction in immigration, Farage has had very little to say about it over recent months. This may be because births in the U.K. is no longer keeping up with deaths and therefore will mean a labour shortage which can only be filled by immigration.

With regard to foreign policy - the uks governments eyes will be turned to the USA - although by 2028 the fascist Trump may well have gone and replaced by a democratic presidency, which will certainly not be in sympathy with Reform.

Expect any closer ties with Europe, on defence, trade etc to be trashed.

Whitewavemark2

As an aside

In December 2022, Harborne gave £1000000 directly to Boris Johnson’s Company.

In early 2023 the British government MOD awarded Qinetiq an £80 million contract.

Well, well, well…

Fallingstar , I agree with your view.

1)The UK has no legal entitlement to return migrants on small boats in this manner.
2) Safety concern- flimsy dinghies in busy shipping channels being turned around could cause capsize and deaths
3) The Royal Navy is not in charge of maritime counter migration. The RN acts as a fighting force ready to engage in conflict to support UK's interests and allies. The RN role runs counter to Reform's proposals, ie its role as it not only deter threats by patrolling and in combat operations, it supports humanitarian aid and peacekeeping, often working alongside NATO allies.
4) The Royal Navy is not a taxi service
5) the RN commanders are not likely to support such a Reform UK proposal
5) France is a Nato and UK ally

Reform Uk's proposal is quite frankly nuts and ill thought through.

keepingquiet

JaneJudge

I don't think people know what they are voting for

People are saying they don't like Reform but voted for them to get Starmer out- and these are people on both sides, Tory and Labour.

I do feel if Starmer goes we are in danger of polical collapse in this country- with people flip flopping everywhere and we all know politics hates a vacuum.

Is constant turmoil, unease and inertia what people really want?

It makes me wonder sometimes...

I've been wondering for quite some time.

I doubt if "the people" (ie us) want constant turmoil and unease, but I suspect that it's being quite deliberately created by those pulling the strings (ie in charge of the bitcoin).

As far as I know Reform are hell bent on pursuing Fracking and raising council tax. Not sure what else they stand for apart from stopping small boats, I think they imagine the Royal Navy will become involved according to Jenrick. And the expense of utilising the armed forces will also be passed onto those already paying increased council taxes I would think. Not that it will imho be at all possible to involve the Royal Navy.
Nor can Reform stop small boats without the cooperation of EU countries, which could be a stretch.

friendlygingercat

I believe many of the people who voted Reform did so tactically to get Labour out and send a message. I did.

Although I approve of some of Reforms policies - dealing with the boats/mass deportations of illegals/ getting rid of the woke agenda and net zero) id dont approve of their misogiynistic policies of encouraging childbirth and penalising women who are unselfish enough to be childfree.

I am a dyed in the wool conservative and very much to the right of the patry. So I feel politically homeless at present.

Whilst I accept your reasons for voting as you did, it’s important sometimes to vote tactically.

Can you please explain exactly how Reform will stop the boats?

What do you mean by “getting rid of the woke agenda”

And finally, why you feel attempting to slow down the damage done to the environment by humans is so wrong? I agree net zero is probably unachievable, but if we simply return to fossil fuels and utilise them they way we did in the past we might not have a world to pass onto our grandchildren and their children.

Harborne seems to be trying to control the next UK government which he will do his best to make sure it's Reform.
Some of the country is already controlled by him.

We should also reflect that if Farage were PM he would have committed straight away to Trump’s illegal war.

AGAA4

I wonder if those who voted Reform realised they were voting for a billionaire business man in Thai who certainly doesn't have the welfare of British citizens at heart.

It does worry me that, as well as the fact that Reform are a company funded by billionaires and Farage has benefitted personally from this, that some of those recently elected to serve on a local council are on the record for making outrageously racist comments. As has been said, if any other political party followed suit they would be hung drawn and quartered in a very short time.
I remember Trump stating that he could shoot a person dead and his supporters would still follow him.
Is this the kind of scenario we are facing with Farage, with supporters prepared to ignore every awful thing Reform represent??
I fear it is very much the case.

keepingquiet

JaneJudge

I don't think people know what they are voting for

People are saying they don't like Reform but voted for them to get Starmer out- and these are people on both sides, Tory and Labour.

I do feel if Starmer goes we are in danger of polical collapse in this country- with people flip flopping everywhere and we all know politics hates a vacuum.

Is constant turmoil, unease and inertia what people really want?

It makes me wonder sometimes...

I disagree. I think if Starmer decides to go in a planned way with a clear plan for succession and the cabinet develops a clear plan to turn things around, that gains some traction and resonance with its traditional Labour base, it has three more years to do some good things.

M0nica

No, its being passed by, by the left who think they know better than us how we want to live and their power hungry leaders, like Starmer, who will not go even though they have been proved incompetent and the majority want them to go. Surprising what Starmer has in common with Trump!

Of course billionaires ahave power and use it, but do not underestimate the power of those who believe that they know what is best for us.

And remember both extremes, Left and Right are united in their anti-semitism.

I find your comments about Starmer most offensive to all Labour voters.

It’s sadly due to comments similar to this repeated time and time and time again in our MSM that Starmer has lost votes and Reform has gained them.

Instead of this, perhaps our MSM could headline “Small boats crossing down 13% on 2022 all time high” or “60,000 people deported since LP took power”

But no, MSM and all the others who loathe Starmer would rather harp on and say all he’s achieved is “flip-flopping” and he’s not done anything to help the Jewish community and some even have the gall to accuse him of anti-semitism.

Where do you think we’d be if ANY other party or Leader had been in charge during Trump’s second reign?

We would be importing cheap USA food and entwined in an ill thought-out and illegal war in Iran.

I sometimes cringe and want to weep at some posters sometimes. 😢😢

As an aside

In December 2022, Harborne gave £1000000 directly to Boris Johnson’s Company.

In early 2023 the British government MOD awarded Qinetiq an £80 million contract.

JaneJudge

I don't think people know what they are voting for

People are saying they don't like Reform but voted for them to get Starmer out- and these are people on both sides, Tory and Labour.

I do feel if Starmer goes we are in danger of polical collapse in this country- with people flip flopping everywhere and we all know politics hates a vacuum.

Is constant turmoil, unease and inertia what people really want?

It makes me wonder sometimes...

Whitewavemark2

The really interesting thing is that if Harbourne had not bankrolled either Farage or Reform, where would we be now.

We can assume that Farage would have retired from the political scene, and Reform would have struggled in the run up to the locals to buy advertising.

The result may have been very different.

I think we can assume that these local elections was purchased by Harbourne.

I think thats a reasonable inference that is more likely than not true.

eazybee

Donations from the Unions are of course entirely altruistic.

Unless Yusuf were to stand in a GE and be elected, were he to become Home Secretary he would not be allowed to enter the House of Commons so he would not be able to make statements or take and answer questions from other MPs. Where’s the democracy in that?
Richard Hermer is unelected , was 'enobled' to sit in the Lords, appointed immediately as Attorney General without any previous parliamentary experience and is unable to make statements or face questions from the Commons.
Is that democratic?

Uk employees, that pay UK taxes, elect to pay subscriptions to affiliated UK trade union. UK trade unions in return represent the interests of their UK tax paying employees.

Recent changes have brought in changes that require UK tax paying employees to OPT IN to paying the political levy that of the proportion of their subscription to donates to the Labour Party, to represent UK tax paying employee interests.

Do you have any problem with the opt in decision of these UK tax paying ?

This is in no way similar or comparable to a business man living abroad, who has history of seeking political favour, who pays no UK taxes, donating £22 million to Reform UK and £5million personally to Reform Uk's leader,

I don't think people know what they are voting for

Maremia

The Labour Party still has a majority. Perhaps priority should be given to a Bill that would effectively stem the bribes from abroad.

Lest hope its is secured over this government's tenure Maremia.

So, Farage being careless with veracity?

Tom Burgis' article about Harborne is interesting especially with regard to when Farage first became interested in crypto.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/apr/25/christopher-harborne-mystery-billionaire-bankrolling-reform-uk-nigel-farage

Extract:

I want to know the origin of Farage’s crypto enthusiasm. A Reform representative tells me, “Mr Farage’s support of cryptocurrencies came as a result of him being debanked.” That does not seem to make sense. Coutts made the decision to close Farage’s accounts in November 2022. By then, he had been promoting crypto for at least two years. During the pandemic in 2020, Farage told followers of his Fortune & Freedom investment newsletter that bitcoin was “the ultimate anti-lockdown investment”.

Gawain Towler spent years as Farage’s communications chief and sits on Reform’s board. I ask him whether Farage’s interest in crypto began with his debanking.

“No,” says Towler. “Far prior to that.” He believes it dates back to early 2019 – when Harborne arrived on the scene.