German voters slide inexorably to common sense …

According to Google AI, Elon Musk has 14 children.

According to Google AI, Elon Musk has 14 children.

Good at something then!

Wotapalaver

^According to Google AI, Elon Musk has 14 children.^

Good at something then!

If it's true Im sure he can afford the maintenence.

CatsWhiskas

According to Google AI, Elon Musk has 14 children.

Crikey! I'd read in an earlier article he had 7 living children- evidently written before one of the briths in 2021.

Googled again specifically how many children has had to date:

with Justin Wilson- had 6, though one passed away at 10 weeks in 2002.

with Grimes- 3 children- born 2020, 2021 and 2022 respectively.

with Shivon Zilis- 4 - twins born in 2021, one born 2024 and the last born recently in 2026.

with Ashely St Clair- 1 born in 2024.

Similarly Farage and Lowe both want higher birth rates and would prefer women to be “housewives” and “stay at home mothers” churning out children and ensuring we have the workers we need from our own population.

The element of the original post that is incorrect in my view is the use of the word inexorable. The dictionary definition is: ‘process, event, or force that is impossible to stop, prevent, or persuade. It means relentless, unstoppable, and unyielding—something that continues on its course regardless of any pleas or efforts to change it.’.
It is not an accurate word to use to describe any political movement as they all can, and do, change?

Hello everyone sorry I’ve been AWOL for a while. Thank you for so many interesting posts. I’m glad a ‘report’ button hasn’t been activated. I feel it’s good to be able to discuss and debate or viewpoints, respectfully but robustly - otherwise what’s the point? We are not molluscs.

My views are that the UK needs to step up and look after our citizens better. The UniParty (both cheeks of the same you know what) is no longer the right vehicle for representing conservative values.

I’ve voted Labour in the past (cried when John Smith died), voted for Boris who promised to Get Brexit Done (after the useless and craven Theresa May with her side kick Ollie Robbins continually capitulated during negotiations with the EU) and ended up feeling disappointed and disenfranchised. The governments of the day (both) just seemed to disregard the voting public. Jo Swinson (Lib Dems) cooked her goose by having the temerity to say she’d just overturn the referendum result. Ye gods.

So, I’ve moved to Reform UK, viewing it as a party that prioritizes "family, community and country.

Now maybe I’m wrong and the majority on here are right. However I feel that by voting for the same thing, over and over again, nothing will change. I want change and the UniParty isn’t delivering - no matter what soundbites and platitudes they offer voters in the short term.

I don’t want this turgid status quo. I’m unhappy that the silent majority have not been listened to. I don’t want Net Zero. I don’t want porous borders that are open to abuse. We are tolerate in the UK, kind and generous but we are being taken advantage of. I don’t want our government to just keep throwing money at the NHS.

I want change. We need clever people with experience in business running our country. Experts in their field. Only by voting differently can I foresee any change being made. I hope for better days ahead for our youngsters. I believe it can happen but not if we keep voting for the same thing on repeat.

Just voting for something because it’s new or different doesn’t not guarantee change for the better, on the contrary, history suggests it often means change for the worse. Brexit being a good example.

Thank you for that detailed response.
May I ask, which of Farage's stated policies, if such exists, will benefit families?

Which 'communities' will Reform benefit?

You are entitled to your views FGT2 and it's good that we can all agree to disagree.

I do not share your view Reform UK stands for family, community and country. It's dominated by Farage and a handful of mostly Conservative MP defectors. The Party lacks experience, skills and numbers to run a government. Kenyon in Makerfield is sexist and completely out of his depth judging by his Question Time appearance.

Farage has little regard for anything other than feathering his own nest and loves the limelight. He takes lessons from Trump and will promote personal wealth and crypto currency benefactors above community and country in a similar way to Trump no doubt. I view both of then as corrupt.

If Andy Burnham wins on Thursday, as predicted we will see change- watch this space if its change you're after as there are three more years of this government before the next GE.

Common sense is not something I attribute to ReformUk or AfD- far from it. It what way you attribute common sense to Reform UK values and rhetoric is hard to understand.

Common sense tells me that a UK ICE and DOGE and Musk equivalent will lead to greater and more prolific civil disorder, decimation of the NHS and public services and tax cuts for all the wealthy- making the gap between rich and poor even wider.

Common sense tells me that will not be good for the UK domestically or on the world stage.

LemonJam

Common sense tells me that a UK ICE and DOGE and Musk equivalent will lead to greater and more prolific civil disorder, decimation of the NHS and public services and tax cuts for all the wealthy- making the gap between rich and poor even wider.

Common sense tells me that will not be good for the UK domestically or on the world stage.

I guess we all have different experiences and different expectations of our public servants and services.

Reform’s history within local authorities with the last 12 months, just prior to the recent local elections shows almost 50% of the councillors stepped down/expelled/sacked for a myriad of reasons.

The only ways Farage will ever be able to form a government is:-

1) Join up with another party
2) Magic up 300+ candidates to become new MPs
3) Persuade existing MPs from other parties to defect to them.

I cannot put my faith in a party which has a Leader with a history of starting many things but not quite seeing them through, who spent a decade or so as an MEP but didn’t fight the UK’s but rather sought to undermine the EU, whilst being happy to accept his salary and rarely bothering to attend votes. A leader who makes no secret of his admiration for Trump and Musk and is highly motivated by money, lots and lots of it. There’s so much than I despise about Farage.

I’m not happen with the division in the current government. I feel many have been very unfair to Starmer and two years is no time at in government. The wheels of our legislation turn extremely slowly.

If I have one huge gripe about our current government it would be their lack of good positive communication around and their inability on too many occasions to “read the room”

Only when the time comes for our next GE will we know which way the wind blows.

In the meantime Farage would do well to drop his other business interests, and start to serve his constituency.

Talking about ICE and arrests made. Allegedly, one of it's main organisers has stated that up to 40 per cent of people detained are innocent.
We do not want that sort of malignant action on our shores.

Sorry about typos! On a phone and hands not great today, hope my recent post makes sense.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Hello everyone sorry I’ve been AWOL for a while. Thank you for so many interesting posts. I’m glad a ‘report’ button hasn’t been activated. I feel it’s good to be able to discuss and debate or viewpoints, respectfully but robustly - otherwise what’s the point? We are not molluscs.

My views are that the UK needs to step up and look after our citizens better. The UniParty (both cheeks of the same you know what) is no longer the right vehicle for representing conservative values.

I’ve voted Labour in the past (cried when John Smith died), voted for Boris who promised to Get Brexit Done (after the useless and craven Theresa May with her side kick Ollie Robbins continually capitulated during negotiations with the EU) and ended up feeling disappointed and disenfranchised. The governments of the day (both) just seemed to disregard the voting public. Jo Swinson (Lib Dems) cooked her goose by having the temerity to say she’d just overturn the referendum result. Ye gods.

So, I’ve moved to Reform UK, viewing it as a party that prioritizes "family, community and country.

Now maybe I’m wrong and the majority on here are right. However I feel that by voting for the same thing, over and over again, nothing will change. I want change and the UniParty isn’t delivering - no matter what soundbites and platitudes they offer voters in the short term.

I don’t want this turgid status quo. I’m unhappy that the silent majority have not been listened to. I don’t want Net Zero. I don’t want porous borders that are open to abuse. We are tolerate in the UK, kind and generous but we are being taken advantage of. I don’t want our government to just keep throwing money at the NHS.

I want change. We need clever people with experience in business running our country. Experts in their field. Only by voting differently can I foresee any change being made. I hope for better days ahead for our youngsters. I believe it can happen but not if we keep voting for the same thing on repeat.

I 100% agree with you FGT

MT62

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Hello everyone sorry I’ve been AWOL for a while. Thank you for so many interesting posts. I’m glad a ‘report’ button hasn’t been activated. I feel it’s good to be able to discuss and debate or viewpoints, respectfully but robustly - otherwise what’s the point? We are not molluscs.

My views are that the UK needs to step up and look after our citizens better. The UniParty (both cheeks of the same you know what) is no longer the right vehicle for representing conservative values.

I’ve voted Labour in the past (cried when John Smith died), voted for Boris who promised to Get Brexit Done (after the useless and craven Theresa May with her side kick Ollie Robbins continually capitulated during negotiations with the EU) and ended up feeling disappointed and disenfranchised. The governments of the day (both) just seemed to disregard the voting public. Jo Swinson (Lib Dems) cooked her goose by having the temerity to say she’d just overturn the referendum result. Ye gods.

So, I’ve moved to Reform UK, viewing it as a party that prioritizes "family, community and country.

Now maybe I’m wrong and the majority on here are right. However I feel that by voting for the same thing, over and over again, nothing will change. I want change and the UniParty isn’t delivering - no matter what soundbites and platitudes they offer voters in the short term.

I don’t want this turgid status quo. I’m unhappy that the silent majority have not been listened to. I don’t want Net Zero. I don’t want porous borders that are open to abuse. We are tolerate in the UK, kind and generous but we are being taken advantage of. I don’t want our government to just keep throwing money at the NHS.

I want change. We need clever people with experience in business running our country. Experts in their field. Only by voting differently can I foresee any change being made. I hope for better days ahead for our youngsters. I believe it can happen but not if we keep voting for the same thing on repeat.

I 100% agree with you FGT

So do I and my voting history is similar too.

I voted Labour for most of my adult life, then voted Conservative a few times but now I would vote Reform.

It doesn’t bother me what people on here say against them or me. I have made my mind up. A lot of people are so fanatical about their party that they want everybody else to vote the same way and ridicule others for not voting “their way”.

We are all entitled to change our minds but not all of us can admit we may have been wrong in the past or a new party comes along and you see a glimmer of hope.

Maremia

Talking about ICE and arrests made. Allegedly, one of it's main organisers has stated that up to 40 per cent of people detained are innocent.
We do not want that sort of malignant action on our shores.

Which means almost 60% are not. Good odds. Over half. Shows how many chancers are out there taking liberties.

. "I’m unhappy that the silent majority have not been listened to. "
I don't think the "silent majority" think as you do FGT More people in NI came out to protest peacefully about the vile riots than the thugs who came out to burn and intimidate immigrants. I think they represent the majority.

I don’t want Net Zero.
I and many people like me want a world where our children and our children's children and their children (and so on) can exist. We don't want huge areas of the world becoming uninhabitable because that will fuel further migration, poverty and starvation. Moving to net zero is an important ambition.

I don’t want porous borders that are open to abuse.
I don't know any people who want uncontrolled migration but most of us understand the forces that drive it. We can't build a wall around the UK but we can have effective policies that treat genuine asylum seekers in a humane way whilst deporting those who have no right of entry.

We are tolerate in the UK, kind and generous but we are being taken advantage of.
I think most of us are tolerant, kind and generous but it seems some are not. Thankfully, I think they are still in the minority. I don't feel taken advantage of because I recognise the benefits that we have firstly from the colonies we had, secondly from the migrants who came here to help our economy and lastly I see myself as a member of the human race as well as British, English, Female, white and old. I belong to many different groups of people but I don't see any of those groups giving me an advantage over anyone else in a different group.

I don’t want our government to just keep throwing money at the NHS.
I would like you to explain how you think the NHS could be run more effectively. Farage wants privatisation but if you look at the US, It is more expensive than the NHS, It has poorer outcomes, and ranks lower than the NHS in world rankings. In the US the main reason for bankruptcy is chronic poor health or a terminal disease, that doesn't seem like a good advertisement for a privatised system.

It's OK to want change but that change has to be for the better not the worse.

….ps Nigel was in Clacton on Friday, as he often is (most MPs are in their constituencies on Fridays). Just to forestall the next smear.

Our UK deportation rate is abysmal.
We know it and the politicians know we know it.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Our UK deportation rate is abysmal.
We know it and the politicians know we know it.

Do you actually know what the rate is?

FGT, you think that if just over half of the people being detained by ICE are actually not supposed to be in the USA, the rest of them are collateral damage,that's "good odds" & shows it's working?

I'm just curious, if just over half the prisoners in the UK were guilty, the other 40% innocent, would that also be "good odds" because, hey, we're locking up a lot of criminals?

FriedGreenTomatoes2

….ps Nigel was in Clacton on Friday, as he often is (most MPs are in their constituencies on Fridays). Just to forestall the next smear.

Nigel Farage doesn’t hold in person constituency surgeries. Everything for the constituency is done virtually. He may have been in Clacton, what was he doing?

Well from personal experience, my values and attitudes have changed very little, but the party that represented them has shifted. This has created the gap that new political parties are now filling.

It’s not the people who are reactionary; it’s the mainstream politicians.