simonroche.bsky.social
Pro-European, Cricket loving, Broxtowe Liberal Democrat 🔶️ and former (and hopefully future) candidate for Toton, Chilwell and Attenborough, who likes a bit of science and history.
292 posts
478 followers
510 following
Discussion Master
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Raising the income tax threshold to £20k is another one of these misdirections. The £1500 that most would get will be very quickly swallowed up by his mates profiting from premiums to use his new privatised NHS.
When will people see through his lies? Reform is NOT the party of the working class.
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I'm taking measures to ensure Ed Miliband is totally owned next. I am going to take measures to ensure my house is more energy efficient, so I have to buy less of the green energy he want us to use.
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I agree, but it would be fun to watch the Tories implode.
With Badenoch imitating Reform, I am hope their more centrist voters won't be able to stomach much more and will look towards the Lib Dems.
I think that Reform has peaked, as I have faith that at least 70% of UK aren't racist or gullible.
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If it were up to me, I would leave her in place until the next election, and the one after that too if need be.
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The media, especially the BBC, have their own political narrative and only devote large amount of time things that fit it. I understand regarding voting. It shows the sad state our democracy is in that you feel you can't vote for you want to, but feel obliged to vote to keep the worst out.
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This is going to hurt the pockets of some Tory and Reform doners. They say they don't want migration but are more than happy with it at the same time. As long as they profit from it. Classic 1984 doublethink.
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Yes. So, if based on vote share, I would expect Lib Dems to get nearly as much airtime as Reform. They don't. Greens should get half as much as Reform. They get nowhere near that. If on seats, I would expect Greens to get as much airtime as Reform. The BBC is definitely entranced by the far-right.
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But Ed Davey was brilliant on The Matt Forde Focus Group afterwards at 6.30pm.
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Why don't they just go the whole hog and say they want to mandate a party uniform we have to wear at all times? It would keep everyone in line and avoid any of that pesky individuality.
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How dare you post such blatent untruths on here! Let me put you straight on everything you got wrong.
1. Reform has 5 MPs again now.
2. Err. That's it.
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It is a sad state of affairs, but inevitable these days. Lib Dems do all the work behind the scenes to get things done as a constructive opposition, the media then credit those who just shout loudest (e.g. Reform Ltd in this case).
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I wish they would stop using the words Brexit and benefits together. It is an oxymoron. There are no benefits to Brexit.
All Labour are doing here is making leaving the EU a little less disastrous.
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I'm not sure what they hope you gain. No one, including Greta Thunberg, disagrees that the 7th October attacks were horrific. It is Israel's response that is the problem.
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I think we will be OK even if they managed to win a small majority. With their track record so far, they would soon implode.
We are 3/4 years from an election, so much can change, but I feel Starmer likely to still to be PM with a small majority or a minority with LD confidence and supply.
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Cornwall is a good case study here. Reform are the largest party but no one will work with them as they have no coherent policies. Hence, second largest party, the Lib Dems, work with the other parties (who together represent 70% of voters) to run the council. We could do the same nationally.
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It is like 1984. Reform are practised in doublespeak and doublethink. Their supporters are the proles who lap it up all up and believe whatever the Party and Big Brother Farage tells them.
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The chaos continues at Reform with Yusuf back again. Who knows what is happening in their strange little world.
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I already have a carry official government in the form of a driving licence. I have a UTR number for HMRC, an NI number, an NHS number, a passport number, etc. I would only be in favour of yet more government numbers if they take over from one or more of these. Please no more ID numbers.
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The government seem to like Lib Dem ideas. They have picked up a few lately. Extend WFP to more people, free school meals to more students.
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The fun thing to watch will be which of the other 120 non viable candidates will replace her?
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The Tory fightback will start just as soon as they actually have an MP capable of leading the party, maybe 2029? Johnson cleared out anyone vaguely capable.
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Interesting how the percentage of those suffering insecurity generally fell during the Lib Dem coalition years and started rising again after 2015, when the Tories were given a free hand.
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Mine was a Shipwright, and I think ABS. Then CPSA when he got older and moved into the office.
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Over 2/3rds of the people who voted went centre and left, so a good night. Focus on delivering for the majority and ignore the people who think that a national conversation on whether we should ban burkas is the biggest issue facing the country.
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Reminds me of caravan holidays when I was very young. My dad, who was a union rep, used to get up and sing along to this at the clubhouse disco.
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It has given me faith in the British electorate. Shows that only about a third of voters are prepared to vote for overtly right wing parties. The majority are still around the centre or left leaning, which is where the next election will be won.
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If I recall, didn't Reform bring some rather dodgy characters up from England too? One even travelled all the way from the States and was so unpopular he got himself barred from a local butchers.
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Chris Mason is trying to put a brave face on it, put he must be hurting inside.
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The cult of Farage.
It is a shame it has taken Yusuf so long to realise Reform are the 21st Century incarnation of the National Front. He would never fit in there.
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The cult of Farage strikes again.
They try to tell us they aren't a racist party whilst simultaneously showing off their racist credentials in parliament. If Farage wants to try to show he isn't racist he should be disciplining Sarah Pochin and backing Yusuf.
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I now have to switch off from any media source that tries to give weight to Netanyahu's government propaganda.
I am pretty sure in WW II, the BBC and the press didn't try to seek this "balance".
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I don't blame him if he's avoiding PMQs. The clashes between Starmer and Badenoch are the same each week. Maybe it is just my selective memory, but I am sure there used to be a time when there was a chance the Leader of the Opposition could get the PM on the ropes. No hope of that at the moment.
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I live in hope that Starmer will realise who wafer thin his large majority really is and sees it as his best chance to be PM after 2029. However, I tend to agree that it is a long shot. I just wish someone would do something to make the system fairer.
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I think they have maxed out. There are only a certain number of people in the UK who will fall for their policies which are flawed, populist, and generally far-right. However, this is the reason Labour need electoral reform. We can't risk them getting a majority on less than 30% of the vote.
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I agree that Cleverly would be the least worst option for any sane person. But we are dealing with Conservatives here, and sanity is a commodity in short supply among their remaining members. So Jenrick does seem a good bet.
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A quick 'tidy up' of drives is needed to remove any files you are not legally obliged to retain. I wouldn't want an employee to break any GDPR laws etc.
Hopefully, there will be lots of Sir Humphrey's at KCC to use the pointless line 'Any documents that might be assistance' to its maximum effect.
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I agree. Their first year has been squandered. With such a big majority and so far out from an election, a complete overhaul of how we finance public spending could have been done. They have chosen to tinker round edges, making some of the most vulnerable poorer and alienate some their core voters.
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What we really need is a party to come in to power to make really difficult decisions, like properly funding social care (not just say they may do in 2035), knowing they will likely lose at the next election. As the party that succeeds them won't dare roll back but just blame the previous party.
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Mr Blobby doesn't really fit Reform's image. He has a greater ability for critical thinking than Farage looks for in his subscribers (or members as he rather quaintly likes to call them).
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I think they can ask that question now. BBC News seems to be undergoing a trial separation from the Tories and now dating Reform. They seem very smitten and just can't stop talking about them at every opportunity. I fear it will all end in tears for the Beeb.
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Farage would run a mile if asked. Sir Ed would win hands down. As more people look at LDs fully costed policies, most work out they would be better off. Reform's plans just make the rich richer at the expense of everyone else, especially with them scrapping the NHS and making everyone get insurance.
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I think their have been some trials around the world and the outcome has been mixed, but it certainly simplifies the benefit system and helps people on zero hours contracts and/or seasonal workers. There would be lots of discussions to be had around things like people with children or on PIP etc.
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I agree, you think it would be simple. 2 obstacles are tax is HMRC, WFPs are DWP and tax is personal and WFPs are household. It is disconnected government that makes it complicated. That doesn't stop them giving every pensioner not on pension credit, say £150, and taking it back as income increases.
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Excellent news. It just goes to show there are plenty of votes in standing up to Reform and not trying to trying to be more like them.
The majority of Britons don't want Reform and great local Lib Dem candidates like Corina are showing this up and down the country.
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You're so funny. I find it very hard to believe you don't know the Tory big beasts such as Gareth Bacon, Andrew Bowie, Rebecca Harris and Stuart Andrew. They're pretty much household names. When they speak, the whole country listens.
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You make it appear that he is on yet another jolly. We all know that as well as representing Frinton's historic Bitcoin community, he is on a fact finding mission with a view to developing the Clacton 'Strip' to create the Vegas of the South. He hopes to emulate Richard Tice's success in Skegness.
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We can't go on letting people profit from something that is vital to human life.
Even with the record fine yesterday, no doubt creative accounting will ultimately see Thames Water customers foot the bill in some way. Investors will still demand their return and directors will expect their bonus.
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Personally, I would like to see some experts in there too, ideally still elected, or we risk party lists being stuffed with the same old faces of ex-MPs who have no comprehension of the world outside their privileged Westminster bubble.
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We definitely can't let things go on as they are. As water is the second most important need after oxygen, it is something that should never, ever have been allowed to used as a capitalist plaything.
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They aren't allowed to increase water bills beyond that agreed by the government. However, may I suggest a new £10 admin fee added to all bills, unless you pay in person by AmEx Platinum Card at their HQ in Reading during their new customer service office hours (5am - 6am every other Sunday).