While I think we can all agree democracy is a good idea, the restoration of the franchise in Keir Starmer’s latest U-turn has led to lots of excited talk of a Reform landslide.
As someone who has flirted with the idea of backing Nigel Farage’s party, I thought it would be worth checking out how it’s been doing in the 14 areas where Reform has control of local authority finances.
The results are massively disappointing, suggesting all the talk about Reform cutting out waste, supporting hard-pressed local taxpayers etc is just so much political guff.
As the cliché goes: politicians are all the same. Bearing in mind that a rise of five per cent or more requires special Government permission, these are the rises proposed by Reform-led councils:
Derbyshire County Council: 4.9 per cent
Doncaster Council: 4.99 per cent
Durham County Council: 1.99 per cent
Kent County Council: 3.99 per cent
Lancashire County Council: 4.99 per cent
Lincolnshire County Council: 2.99 per cent
North Northamptonshire Council: 4.99 per cent
Nottinghamshire County Council: 3.99 per cent
Staffordshire County Council 3.99 per cent
West Northamptonshire Council: 4.99 per cent
Leicestershire County Council (Minority administration): 2.99 per cent
Warwickshire County Council (Minority administration): 4.89 per cent
Worcestershire County Council (Minority administration): 9 per cent
Cornwall Council: 4.99 per cent (Largest party)
At the last local elections Reform pledged to ‘Reduce waste and cut your tax’ (Worcestershire increased councillors' allowances by 17 per cent).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEMOxwFAu7o&t=252s
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