If it is "an old-fashioned Establishment stitch-up" that you want, Prince Harry, then look no further than the change in dynasty that was engineered in no small part by your undoubted ancestors, the Spencers, who went on to bankroll the new line for many years. It was a highly successful partnership until they intermarried. But that has made you the fifth in line to the throne for a good decade yet. If you are not the old-fashioned Establishment, then no one is.
So much so, in fact, that your self-pity can knock off the top of the news the exposure of the existence in England of two political nations, one in which Labour competes with Reform UK, and the other in which the Conservatives compete with the Liberal Democrats. Reform has won County Durham, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lancashire, the south east of Northumberland, and a by-election in Bridgend. Even Kent has a coalfield, and Staffordshire has two, so from Labour's point of view, at least there was no longer a South Yorkshire County Council to lose to Reform. Beyond a few localities such as Durham City, Labour and the Lib Dems should not fight each other, and are not doing so. And beyond a few localities, the Conservatives and Reform should not fight each other. But the Conservatives, at any rate, will insist on trying.
Reform obviously benefit from being over-exposed but do the Lib Dems benefit from being ignored? Reform have left Labour with barely more councillors than the Greens but the Lib Dems have come second and taken Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Shropshire off the Tories, become the largest party in Devon and made big gains in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. Labour have to win people back from Reform but the Tories have to win people back from the Lib Dems.
ReplyDeleteAnd just as neither Keir Starmer nor Wes Streeting could beat Reform for Labour, neither Kemi Badenoch nor Robert Jenrick could beat the Lib Dems for the Conservatives.
DeleteThat inroad into South Wales is interesting, what do you think of Reform's chances in the coalfield areas of Scotland?
ReplyDeleteA harder nut to crack, but there is potential.
DeleteFinal results are in. No. of councillors -
ReplyDeleteReform 677
Lib Dem 370
Con 317
Lab 99
Indep 89
Green 80
Labour has only 10 more seats than Independents, 19 more than Greens.
Has Morgan McSweeney been sacked yet?
DeleteThis is glorious. After Reform’s sweeping election victory, Farage vows Trump and Musk style cuts to the woke bureaucracy to cut council taxes, telling Durham’s equality, diversity and climate workers to “find another job.”
ReplyDeletehttps://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/2025-05-02/farage-tells-diversity-and-climate-council-staff-to-find-alternative-careers
Both of them? And if I had a home-based, part-time job, then I would already have another one.
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