It would be truly laughable if it wasn’t so serious, but just like the US, we’re being dragged down by the simplistic ranting of a scheming, conniving, self centred narcissist who doesn’t care about this country or the people in it.
I’m trying to distance myself from people who support him and his party, but more and more are coming out of the woodwork at every turn. People wouldn’t previously trust to tie their own shoelaces, are spouting support for the swivel eyed loon, and are wanting their country back - with all the usual spelling mistakes and caps locks. Is this the lowest common denominator?
Many years ago on my first visit to the USA I bought a foam drinks can cooler printed with -
“Never Underestimate the Power of Stupid People in Large Groups”
I bought it with a jokey irony in mind, it should now become a mantra to all sensibly minded people in the country, don’t underestimate them.
Great summary, thank you.... but how can we get these responses to the gibberish printed in the likes of the Daily Fail to it's readers? I get so frustrated with someone so absolutely certain about the issues using the 'facts' they have read
Thank you for this excellent article. I wish this would be published more widely.
The fear that these policy announcements is creating is real and depressing. Logically thinking one knows that these ideas are not feasible but there’s always a little nagging voice in the back of one’s mind “but what if reform does get in power? After all we have and are seeing what Orangina (farage’s idol) is doing and getting away with.
The Reform rhetoric is creating real and almost daily experienced anxiety and fear for a large number of foreign born citizens. Also experiencing increased animosity towards them. I speak from experience and I am white European. My daughter in law black born in the UK is experiencing increased hostility towards her as well. So incredibly difficult.
Your article is taking away a little of my anxiety.
Please Bear, can't we set up our own political party? The Bear Faced Truth Party or something. You would make a fabulous PM. You might, of course, have to take British citizenship and... well, I am seriously considering applying for the Iranian passport I am entitled to, which kinda gives an idea of how much I rate British citizenship at the moment. Its interesting to see the average IQ in the UK is dropping. Boy, is it ever in evidence!
We need to get your articles on national TV, we need you on national TV. We need you and James O’Brien with a 15/20 minute prime time slot, every evening if needs be, to call out the absolute nonsense that this bunch of grifters keep spouting. Some form of sanity may start to prevail! “ReformWatch”
Spot on, as always. But the real issue is Brexit and its necessity to maintain the feudal system of governance in the UK. Rejoining the EU and actually following the rules, instead of constantly carping on about them and demanding exceptions, would help alleviate a lot of these problems.
dear @thebear (no idea why that's not working). Anyway back in the room. Please, please could you try and write a column about beery Nice and his cronies that doesn't make me comment '*ckwits. Please. I only have the one word to describe them. I've used it too much already.
I'm no good at maths, but even I can see that the 'savings' mentioned in Reform Ltd's imagined Bodget (not a typo) is unachievable and the product of severely disordered and fantasy-swamped minds.
Thanks as ever Bear for this latest distillation of the nonsense that comes from Farridge n friends.
I feel I have to mention though that with regard to: “…it was just yet another shopping list of the legally impossible…” as has been demonstrated by the latest incumbent of the White House in Washington DC and rather more forcefully by a certain German chancellor in the 1930s, “legally impossible” is only a restriction under a given set of circumstances. If a leader is elected into a sufficiently powerful situation with enough support in other branches of government and “the establishment” then they can simply change any laws which obstruct their will. Of course if enough people are willing to do their bidding regardless then they may simply choose to ignore the law. Also, as we saw during the Brexshit farce, if the largest penalty which can be imposed for something is a fine of a magnitude seen by the perpetrators as just “the cost of doing business” then it ceases to be an effective penalty. Ho hum.
Bear, I couldn’t agree more. By taking funding away from disabled people it will only lead to a deterioration in our mental and physical health (I can use myself as an example. Since my PIP was stopped in August, my health has got a lot worse and I’m going to cost the state a heck of a lot more if I end up in hospital).
I can see two problems with this approach. Firstly, it is merely performative cruelty, but the people who support these kind of politicians will never be satisfied with how cruel it is - see Mahmood’s immigration policy ideas and how Badenoch, Farage and others have said “it’s a step in the right direction” - presumably to more cruelty. The Express’s front page had a picture of some asylum seekers having fun for a short while, presumably to escape the grim reality in which they live, and the paper was shouting “how dare they be having a good time!?!” So my advice is get some fun in while you can before it is illegal.
Second, with Labour trying to out-Reform Reform, many of these policies are creeping in anyway - punching down on immigrants, the disabled and other vulnerable groups.
If productivity is low, why can’t they see that if we felt a bit safer financially and socially, we’d be a bit happier and might want to work harder? But, and excuse my language (swearing does help sometimes), if we feel the country is saying “fuck you” to us, is it any wonder we are all saying “well, fuck you too, then”?
It would be truly laughable if it wasn’t so serious, but just like the US, we’re being dragged down by the simplistic ranting of a scheming, conniving, self centred narcissist who doesn’t care about this country or the people in it.
I’m trying to distance myself from people who support him and his party, but more and more are coming out of the woodwork at every turn. People wouldn’t previously trust to tie their own shoelaces, are spouting support for the swivel eyed loon, and are wanting their country back - with all the usual spelling mistakes and caps locks. Is this the lowest common denominator?
Many years ago on my first visit to the USA I bought a foam drinks can cooler printed with -
“Never Underestimate the Power of Stupid People in Large Groups”
I bought it with a jokey irony in mind, it should now become a mantra to all sensibly minded people in the country, don’t underestimate them.
Great summary, thank you.... but how can we get these responses to the gibberish printed in the likes of the Daily Fail to it's readers? I get so frustrated with someone so absolutely certain about the issues using the 'facts' they have read
Thank you for this excellent article. I wish this would be published more widely.
The fear that these policy announcements is creating is real and depressing. Logically thinking one knows that these ideas are not feasible but there’s always a little nagging voice in the back of one’s mind “but what if reform does get in power? After all we have and are seeing what Orangina (farage’s idol) is doing and getting away with.
The Reform rhetoric is creating real and almost daily experienced anxiety and fear for a large number of foreign born citizens. Also experiencing increased animosity towards them. I speak from experience and I am white European. My daughter in law black born in the UK is experiencing increased hostility towards her as well. So incredibly difficult.
Your article is taking away a little of my anxiety.
Please Bear, can't we set up our own political party? The Bear Faced Truth Party or something. You would make a fabulous PM. You might, of course, have to take British citizenship and... well, I am seriously considering applying for the Iranian passport I am entitled to, which kinda gives an idea of how much I rate British citizenship at the moment. Its interesting to see the average IQ in the UK is dropping. Boy, is it ever in evidence!
We need to get your articles on national TV, we need you on national TV. We need you and James O’Brien with a 15/20 minute prime time slot, every evening if needs be, to call out the absolute nonsense that this bunch of grifters keep spouting. Some form of sanity may start to prevail! “ReformWatch”
Russian provided Crayons?
Spot on, as always. But the real issue is Brexit and its necessity to maintain the feudal system of governance in the UK. Rejoining the EU and actually following the rules, instead of constantly carping on about them and demanding exceptions, would help alleviate a lot of these problems.
Farage is incoherent, fuel by his own prejudices and wilfully ignorant of any facts that might counter his position.
He must rate as one of if not the most dangerous people in this country.
His viciousness matches Trumps.
If he becomes PM we will be in for a catastrophe.
dear @thebear (no idea why that's not working). Anyway back in the room. Please, please could you try and write a column about beery Nice and his cronies that doesn't make me comment '*ckwits. Please. I only have the one word to describe them. I've used it too much already.
Thank you Bear for writing the truth about Reform fiscal policies
I find the policies not only fiscally bankrupt but morally bankrupt too
I'm no good at maths, but even I can see that the 'savings' mentioned in Reform Ltd's imagined Bodget (not a typo) is unachievable and the product of severely disordered and fantasy-swamped minds.
Thanks as ever Bear for this latest distillation of the nonsense that comes from Farridge n friends.
I feel I have to mention though that with regard to: “…it was just yet another shopping list of the legally impossible…” as has been demonstrated by the latest incumbent of the White House in Washington DC and rather more forcefully by a certain German chancellor in the 1930s, “legally impossible” is only a restriction under a given set of circumstances. If a leader is elected into a sufficiently powerful situation with enough support in other branches of government and “the establishment” then they can simply change any laws which obstruct their will. Of course if enough people are willing to do their bidding regardless then they may simply choose to ignore the law. Also, as we saw during the Brexshit farce, if the largest penalty which can be imposed for something is a fine of a magnitude seen by the perpetrators as just “the cost of doing business” then it ceases to be an effective penalty. Ho hum.
Beery nice. Damm. Auto correct. Beery Nige.
Bear, I couldn’t agree more. By taking funding away from disabled people it will only lead to a deterioration in our mental and physical health (I can use myself as an example. Since my PIP was stopped in August, my health has got a lot worse and I’m going to cost the state a heck of a lot more if I end up in hospital).
I can see two problems with this approach. Firstly, it is merely performative cruelty, but the people who support these kind of politicians will never be satisfied with how cruel it is - see Mahmood’s immigration policy ideas and how Badenoch, Farage and others have said “it’s a step in the right direction” - presumably to more cruelty. The Express’s front page had a picture of some asylum seekers having fun for a short while, presumably to escape the grim reality in which they live, and the paper was shouting “how dare they be having a good time!?!” So my advice is get some fun in while you can before it is illegal.
Second, with Labour trying to out-Reform Reform, many of these policies are creeping in anyway - punching down on immigrants, the disabled and other vulnerable groups.
If productivity is low, why can’t they see that if we felt a bit safer financially and socially, we’d be a bit happier and might want to work harder? But, and excuse my language (swearing does help sometimes), if we feel the country is saying “fuck you” to us, is it any wonder we are all saying “well, fuck you too, then”?