Some contributors write in as if this is a Conservative site or to tell me to back Reform. Please read the recent statement over what this site is seeking to do.
I propose to welcome the new governmentās main aims on growth, law and order and helping people get on in the world. This site will explore what changes and remedies are needed in pursuit of these aims. It will appraise the likely impact of Ā their policies and propose things that might work better.
Whilst it is true only 34% of people voting voted for Labour, if people had wanted a Reform government they could have voted for one. We need to work with the government we have, as they can pass any law and spend anything they want all the time they have such a large majority.
July 6, 2024
I can’t help coming to a conclusion that you would like to be more involved in Government than you were with the last one? Offer yourself to Labour!
reply Why canāt you understand the idea of independent analysis and commentary?
July 6, 2024
What is the readership of this site Sir John? Will your independent analysis and commentary through this have much influence?
July 6, 2024
Maybe the readership is somewhat different of the ācontributorshipā? In all cases thatās what I hope for Sir Johnās blog.
July 6, 2024
Hefner
That would be preferable
July 6, 2024
I see you two pals are back with your brilliant wit.
July 6, 2024
will it be different from before? This time independent analysis and commentary not from an MP.
Stronger critique, harsher opinion, more ‘I told you so?’
Will various media be more welcoming?
July 6, 2024
I think Starmer will continue where Sunak left off. Sunak did not want the blame for more EU, he set up Starmer as the alternative- who declared he wanted closer ties and the public voted for it. That will be the line to act in lock step and prevent divergence from EU. This term will see renegotiation of the EU sell out agreement, it will become worse with Blaire and Mandelson pulling the strings. So continuity Sunak has passed the baton to Starmer. Remainers working together in practice the rest a farcical show for the masses.
Therefore Reform party are the only truly alternative party. The chameleons left in the EU one nation Tory party have no direction or aim different to Labour. Johnson can crow all he likes, but it was him who wrecked the economy, highest taxes, worst public services, introduced mass immigration against his manifesto, went net stupid and resoundingly failed to deliver Brexit.
What surprises me is that Johnson knew remainers would do everything to oust him, both politicians and civil service, yet he allowed himself to be set up! Utter stupidity. Perhaps he listened to his wife too much.
My advice to Teform steer well clear of the Blaire tribute act formerly known as Tory party.
July 6, 2024
Readership is wide and probably beyond known measurement.
It is the quality and substance of the message reaching the right decision takers that causes effect.
Even millions of others that other media reach might be less important.
July 6, 2024
The fact that 15% of the voters chose Reform indicates that given time they will form a government. They are the only centre right party available and the tories are even talking of appointing Hunt as leader. There seems to be denial as to why they got a trouncing which is very sad.
July 6, 2024
You say we would have voted for a Reform government but in 2019 we voted for a Tory government to get Brexit done and take control. We did neither
We’re still shackled to Brussels through bozos TCA and Northern Ireland is a province of the EU so that argument doesn’t hold water.
July 6, 2024
We COULD have voted in a Reform Government. We chose not to do so.
That is a fact. There are many reasons, not least of which is that the leadership themselves had not met many of their candidates!
Any government can withdraw from any treaty it likes.
July 6, 2024
Lynne,
You will be waiting a long time for any opposition questions from EU one nation party, lie dumbs or greens. Farage is the Only one who will question mass immigration, net stupid, high taxes or Brexit!
You might have noticed the UK left the EU, but the EU One Nation Tory party gave away N.Ireland to force lock step and prevent divergence! Sunak increased inter connectors to force close alignment through energy and stopped any scrapping of EU laws. Sunak even recently introduced EU equality legislation into domestic law! Starmer will force closer alignment even though the public mandate was to leave. He has already made clear he wants to give away our military which will mean giving EU control over our foreign policy, do not expect Lammy to resist! The EU one party fulfilled its aim and now handed the baton to Starmer to continue u der the guise he has a mandate for close alignment. Wake up.
July 6, 2024
What a joke. 35% of people who went to their polling stations voted Labour. Thatās the smallest share of a UK-wide vote ever obtained by any party winning an outright majority. It is one of the weirdest landslides that any mature democracy has ever served up.
One has to be somewhat deluded to think that the voters could have voted a Reform Government but chose not to vote in such a Government as if such a Reform Government had any chance of being elected this time.
That shows a rather limited understanding not only of the impact of FPTP (Reform: 14% of votes, 0.8% of MPs), but also of the actual strength and trends of various parties in different constituencies, and of the role of the rather extensive anti-Tory efforts put by Make Votes Matter, Electoral Reform Society, Compass or other pressure groups to (at least try to) make sure that Labour would not push too hard where LibDems had a good chance of winning (and reciprocally from LDs in other constituencies where L had been shown by January MRP poll to be ahead).
But the āarmchair generalā thinks that āWe chose not to doā.
July 6, 2024
MSM and successive govts have drummed into us the idea of choosing a side.
Obviously the side of their choosing.
It suits them!
So it is very hard not to imagine ( wrongly) that a retired MP is looking for new causes etc.
Maybe the concept of retirement has become blurred by the very same establishment which wants us working into our 80s?
But JR is always very clear about his intentions.
July 6, 2024
SirJ you’ve made that cut, both phyically and emotionally ā¦it may take some of us a little be longer, but we’ll get there
July 6, 2024
I read the bit about law and order on our now new Labour MPās flyers.
Filled me with hope.
I hope so much this govt. will do something about anti social behaviour.
It is an utter blight.
July 6, 2024
It is indeed a blight but I doubt things will improve. The Tories were useless and Labour will surely be too. The police will be too busy with hate crimes and pronouns. Still good news that the SNP were decimated.
July 6, 2024
Yes agreed.
Iām not incredibly optimistic but our new MP was, I believe, an army manā¦but maybe that doesnāt signify much nowadays?
Very good news re SNP!
July 6, 2024
‘Pied Piper Farage’ – Boris Johnson.
Ha, ha. Well said Johnson. Johnson seems to be the first Tory to properly take on Farage. And already gloves off.
July 6, 2024
Farage is right on net zero and Boris and/or his theatre studies wife totally wrong. This issue alone is so large that Farage amd Reform have to win.
July 6, 2024
Reform are right about a lot of things.
But do so from within The Conservative Party! (Not from without letting Labour in for from perhaps 5 to 10 years. And Labour is far more Net Zero than the Tories.
July 6, 2024
Agreed, unless the Conservatives choose a Net Zero sceptic as their next leader. Extremely unlikely, given the majority of Wets left in the parliamentary party.
July 6, 2024
You donāt think that Boris is being a tad pot and kettley?
Talk about a āpiperā leading folk a merry and ultimately fatal dance!
Heāll be mentioning Farage in connection with Birthday cake next!
Really!
July 6, 2024
‘You donāt think that Boris is being a tad pot and kettley?’ – thinking about it, you’re right!
But Pied Piper is still a great gag (if only Boris had just stayed at The Spectator / journalist).
July 6, 2024
Johnson got the top job and blew it! Not sure we want Farage at the top, but perhaps the best stirrer long overdue!
July 6, 2024
How is Boris going to take on Farage Ed? He seems to have tossed a coin to decide whether to back Brexit (or not) and I assume the deciding factor was which decision was in Mr Johnsons best interest. As Prime Minister he accelerated Net Zero policy and enabled huge legal migration. He can’t even really use the ‘Putin’ card against Farage given his own previous statements on the matter (although he seems happy to do so).
Both are charismatic characters (unlike Starmer) and I’m also sure neither are far from saints. But in terms of which of them is the real ‘Chancer’ – I think Farage has the better track record of having a stated set of beliefs and sticking with them. I don’t see Farage as our PM but I certainly don’t want Boris back either. I do think that Farage is the most influential UK politician we’ve seen this side of Thatcher – whether you love him or hate him.
July 6, 2024
In fairness, I think your assessment is better than mine here. Good analysis / comment.
July 6, 2024
Farage is the best choice merely for being a climate realist and indeed wanting a proper inquiry into the vast vaccine harms and excess deaths post the vaccines. On these two vital issue alone he is surely the one to go with.
So Labour have made another huge mistake in offering Sir Chris Whitty a senior government job. Should they not wait until any criminal inquiries into the licensing of the net harm Covid Vaccines especially for use in people who never needed them (certainly children, younger people and those who had already had covid) is concluded? Have these inquiries started yet? The scandal is surely about 100 times larger than the blood contamination one and surely far more clear cut too?
July 7, 2024
Sorry not Chris Whitty but Patrick Vallance!
July 6, 2024
@IanT +1
July 6, 2024
I think all bluster and no principles Boris couldn’t polish Farage’s shoes and would be all over the shop like a buffoon on any policy debate.
July 6, 2024
-1 Ed M
I think Borisās Pied Piper comment shows the contempt he has for the electorate. He thinks we need Nigel Farage to explain to us why we donāt like the Conservative Party.
July 6, 2024
+1
July 6, 2024
I understand why you would want to work with the government where you agree with their aims and methods. But what about issues where you fundamentally disagree? Surely that calls for opposition?
Reply I am not offering to work for the government. It is the job of the non Labour MPs to oppose. Parliamentary Opposition is crucial to the functioning of our democracy.
July 6, 2024
Reply : āParliamentary Opposition is crucial to the functioning of our democracy.ā
Agreed. But with Conservative, Labour, Lib Dem and Green MPs weāre not seen and neither will we see any opposition to the policies of mass immigration (legal and illegal), Net Zero and high wasteful spending as a justification for high taxation. Now that Labour are in power opposition from the Civil Service, the state broadcaster, academia, the Comcoms and the judiciary will also cease.
Fortunately Reform have 5 MPs who can provide some opposition, although the state broadcaster will do its best to ignore them and expect Ofcom to shut down GB News.
July 6, 2024
Indeed. Labour can largely do what they want and they and we want a d need growth.
So all we have to do is explain rather slowly to them just why almost all their policies are bonkers if they want growth. Net zero, HS2, more nationalisation, bigger government, VAT on school fees, abolition of non dom taxation, more employment red tape, more NHSā¦ relaxing planning doubtless mainly in nice Tory seats would help I suppose.
Alas explaing things to people suffering from the Net Zero or Socialist politics of envy religion is generally a waste of time.
Looking at the 121 Tory MPs remaining perhaps as many as 100 of them are essentially net zero socialist dope too.
July 6, 2024
David Starkey is good again Blair and Brown are behind Starmer. Lords reform and āthe evacuation of power from Parliamentā and thus ever further away from voters.
July 6, 2024
Well perhaps had certain senior Conservatives who sympathised with Reform’s ambitions actually joined and endorsed them, then they would have had more chance! To my mind 15% for a total start up party putting them in the centre field of 2 other parties who have been around for 100 years plus wasn’t bad. Give them a break!
Conservatives will now elect, or more likely impose, yet another wokish/minority type to follow on, thinking they’ll make Farage seem racist/far right, etc etc. Meanwhile he’ll put in his quality control system and be clean as a new broom…. so again it will backfire. We don’t need May/Cameron/Sunak types, and Johnson brand is just too degraded. So you might ask where do they turn?
July 6, 2024
Lee Anderson did very well leaving the sinking ship and joining Reform. He now has a guaranteed income for 5 years whilst those who got rid of him have got the sack.
July 6, 2024
He got my families vote.
July 6, 2024
Wellā¦will May actually want to work any more? I think she deserves a retirement.
The others will be swallowed up by editorship and finance-type jobs and school places already arranged in warmer ( now thereās funny!) climes* and editorships, banks, quangosā¦
You name itā¦for some it is always there no matter what.
*Youād think theyād be terrified of moving nearer the āboilingā.
July 6, 2024
Depending on who the Conservatives choose to lead them, may have a significant effect on the parliamentary party. If they go for a Woke-leaning candidate, one wedded to the UCHR, for example, I can see several big names defecting to Reform. Leading Wets are already trying to suggest that the membership is either excluded or sidelined in the choice of the next leader and we all know what that is likely to mean. At least Hunt should be ruled out with his wafer thin majority !
Suella Braveman and others could well decide that they have no future in a even more left of centre Conservative party, and they would be correct, so who could blame them for moving to Reform ? As a former minister she would get a big job and give the party more credibility. Others could easily follow, leaving a smaller Conservative party with a large proportion of Wets in a completely different place. Effectively it would be a social democratic rump, more like the German SPD than the CDU/CSU, where Scholz is nominally in power, but almost totally ineffective.
July 6, 2024
I watched a number of commentators yesterday saying the Conservatives mustn’t be dragged to the “Right” but instead return to the “Centre”. They simply don’t get it do they? Wanting sensible migration polices and a viable (e.g. affordable) energy strategy, combined with lower taxation, affordable housing and decent jobs are not intrinsically “Left” or “Right”. It’s what most people actually want and whilst they may have different ‘political’ views most have already figured out that extremly high migration, Net Zero and hugely inefficient public services are not going to help achive them. Farage’s talent is to simply articulate what many people are already thinking. The word his critics use is “Populist” – which always amuses me (because he is quite popular) I wonder why?
July 6, 2024
Interesting listening to Past MP Mr Elwood in his interview with the BBC this morning.
Much of what he said certainly made sense with regards to self examination, pause for thought, we need to re-set ourselves (our thinking) and policies so less infighting, but he kept on calling the Conservative party a centre right Party, which must not go to the far right for a solution, but they lost their core support because they lost that centre right standing, and went far too far to the left, but the Party and its present MP’s needs to understand that lesson or die because their past core voters/supporters did not turn out to vote for them because they were abandoned by the Party. Surely the size of the Reform vote should convince them of something. !
At the moment if you want traditional Conservative policies, Reform are the only Party offering that choice, no one else comes close.
July 6, 2024
It’s hardly surprising that Elwood lost his seat !
Good riddance.
July 6, 2024
Populist is used in a demeaning way. Ask yourself why do we select MPs? Is it not to do our bidding?
Of course CCHQ and other Party controllers think their policies are to be followed and ignore the electorate wishes as soon as the Election is over.
The right sounding words from Starmer, just like the previous PMs first rallying call, how soon will it all be abandoned?
July 6, 2024
@IanT – being ‘dragged to the right’ is the cop out name calling from those that dismiss common sense and logic. Primarily tax, spend and borrow Socialists Anything is possible if you can fund it, taxation is not funding that is the spiral of decline, earning, creating wealth is real progress – that is not the ‘right’ in the detrimental way the word is used.
July 6, 2024
Some of Regorms policies are good but the rest are actually dangerous. bridgeon had to leave Reform because he could not swallow the really dangerous policies.
July 6, 2024
Lynne,
I think Bridgen was in Reclaim not Reform.
July 6, 2024
You might be right. Nevertheless āfighting for PRā is a serious turnoff.
July 6, 2024
Such an easy mistake to make.
I was accused of lying for making exactly the same error on here! And that was before the two names were well know.
So glad I am not the only one getting muddled.
July 6, 2024
we’ve all been very muddled, most of us thought we elected Conservatives last time!
July 6, 2024
Reform did very well. They got more votes than the LibDims yet got less than a tenth of the seats. They got almost half the votes Labour got and got only one hundredth of the seats. You reckon the system is not bent?
July 6, 2024
Exactly Graham, if ever there was a case for pr, this is it. Itās an absolute disgrace that buffoon Davey has received all those seats on less votes than Nigel. Meanwhile Starmer has been given a stomping majority with just 34% of the vote and the majority of us who didnāt vote for him now have to sit and watch whilst the party of spite and envy destroy the country over the next five years. A democracy we certainly aināt.
July 6, 2024
Totally inadequate, FPTP serves only the biggest 2 Parties, with one of them all but destroyed does change beckon?
July 6, 2024
You prefer coalitions which agree the āprogrammeā after the election?
July 6, 2024
Don’t jump to conclusions, I merely repeat others on here pointing out is has been in the main 2 parties interest to stick with FPTP. A new system might be more sensible and support views of a wider span of the electorate. You must prefer a narrow dictatorship style of Government?
July 7, 2024
I don’t want the kind of government FPTP has given us over the last several parliaments. The coalition from 2010 was certainly better than the succeding ones and at least gave us an uplift in tax allowances which the Tories and now Labour are intent on destroying to take us back to higher taxes and more people in poverty. You really think that the parties keep their manifesto promises? Hilarious as usual.
July 6, 2024
Not bent.
You have to win the largest number in each constituency. Itās the same for all.
July 7, 2024
Then why do we get only one of two parties, with no chance for anything new? It’s a setup for Tories and Labour. When did it last bring us a change? They form coalistions when it suits as in 2010 and anomalies like this latest charade with Labour now able to pass any old thing it likes, with the lowest ever support, so your argument is flawed.
July 6, 2024
Your positioning yourself as a very knowledgeable independent commentator is probably the most useful contribution you could make to politics but I fear your immense skills will not be taken up by the media obsessed with politicians in the House.
I do hope you are elevated to the Lords where you can play a prominent role. Of all the potential new Peers, you are certainly one of the leading candidates. Should the Conservatives choose a new leader such as Robert Jenrick, you shoul get a shadow cabinet role.
July 6, 2024
The new government has an opportunity. They aren’t chained to defending previous bad performance.
Take Wes Streeting for example in health. He can be a new broom that sweeps clean and tackle the waste and inefficiency. If his predecessor had done that, she would have cast doubt over the Conservative government.
Will he be up to the job though?
July 6, 2024
Examining the election results in detail, the way forward is clearly signposted.
The Conservative party brand is tainted and will still be difficult to defend in 2029, however badly Labour fairs in office. More of the same will result in an even worse defeat next time.
A re-alignment on the right will be necessary to defeat Labour and, like it or not, that has to include Nigel Farage and Reform , who are only going to get stronger. Nigel may be a Marmite figure, but there is nobody in the Commons that will take the fight to Starmer as effectively as he. Starmer would be quaking in his boots at the thought of facing Nigel at PMQs every Wednesday. Nobody else would be so effective.
However only careful polling will tell if Nigel cwuld be accepted as a potential PM by the electorate. It might instead prove necessary to have a very strong Conservative to lead the combined forces of the Right into the next election.
But I believe that there is no chance of the Right regaining power without working or merging with Reform (and by that I really mean with Nigel).
July 6, 2024
You need to be able to pose questions, Farage can make very insulting 3 minute speeches. I have yet to hear a devastating question from him. Perhaps he will get good staff who can script them for him. All his previous staff found they could not work with him. Read Richard Norths piece for confirmation.
July 6, 2024
Lynne,
No point continually disparaging Farage, he will be the only one to ask pertinent questions in Westminister to pose to Starmer. Davey certainly will not. EU will not be mentioned by EU one nation type party either. Wake up.
July 6, 2024
Hope
Only if called by the speaker !
July 6, 2024
Well we will see if that is true. Farage is not a thinker. But if he copies ideas from this website so much the better. You need a very deep understanding of issues to pose a truly devastating question. One that canāt be dodged.
July 6, 2024
Lynn you made me chuckle —if only the majority of MPs had a deeper understanding of issues!
July 7, 2024
He is by far the best orator of his time. He doesn’t use printed speeches written by other people like the others all do. You just don’t like him and that distorts your views.
July 6, 2024
I appreciate that you have now stepped away from party politics Sir John and are aiming to be “a wise and experienced voice” hoping to influence economic policy to the betterment of the nation as a whole.
However this statement “I propose to welcome the new governmentās main aims on growth, law and order and helping people get on in the world.” does sound suspiciously like a member of the Establishment/Uni-Party acknowledging that the colour of the rosette in Government has changed but the aims, agenda and policies remain the same.
Good luck with your, presumably self-appointed, advisory role: but as we saw with Sunak/Hunt, you were talking to the hand. The Civil Service/Quangocracy which really rules this nation isn’t listening.
To borrow from Don McLean
“Now, I think I know what you tried to say to me
How you suffered for your sanity
How you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they’re not listening still
Perhaps they never will”
July 6, 2024
The problem with Labour is that they don’t know how to create growth, achieve law and order and get people to get on in the world and even if they knew it they wouldn’t like it and wouldn’t do it. They don’t understand that growing the state (which is their main technique of growth)soon only creates bigger problems. They don’t understand, still less accept, people have to make and keep profits if there is to be growth. They don’t understand, still less accept, that criminals such as burglars and benefit fraudsters need to be imprisoned for long periods if there is to be less crime.
One must ask that if Sunak and The One Nation M.P.s wouldn’t listen to us, what chance with Labour?
One may advise Labour but the only way anything along our lines may happen is that if either the right of the Conservatives or Farage/Reform or preferably an alliance of them gain power at the next election and are led by people strong enough to force it through despite the opposition of the civil service and the judiciary.
July 6, 2024
Exactly all their policies will backfire. More government, more red tape, more nationalisation, higher taxes, abolition or non dom, VAT on school fees, net zero, renewableā¦ all grade A disaster policies. The reverse of what is needed.
July 6, 2024
The success/threat of UKIP led to a Brexit referendum. Your (form of) Brexit led to a deeply disunited United Kingdom. Probably it led to shame, as brexit became the taboo word in the election campaigns. However, the deeply divided country is bound to last for a long time. It is difficult to bridge big gaps under a FPTP system. And the FPTP system is bound to last a long time. Reform UK and LibDem together are too small to bring about some form of proportional representation.
July 6, 2024
Thanks Peter. We still don’t want or need your views from……………………..Holland!! Stay local, mind your own business.
Brexit will take a long time to undo the damage caused by our membership of this undemocratic dictatorship.
July 6, 2024
Speak for yourself. I welcome the contribution of friends from Holland.
July 7, 2024
Friends? You were obviously not around at the time of debate BEFORE the EU vote!! Peter is an avid fan.
July 6, 2024
Personally, I don’t want PR Peter. Although FPTP often throws up some unfair results, it’s still the best of all the options available (rather like Democracy). I also think you misunderstand the British voter. I do have some understanding of how we are seen from abroad, having family in Canada. I regularly get sent articles published in the Canadian press – such the Globe & Mail. They are often simplistic and more than a little biased. It is very fashionable to knock the UK and present everything as being “broken”. We certainly have our problems but they need not be insurmoutable. We will have to wait and see what Starmer’s government will really bring but I do think that whatever their current (good?) intentions, the honeymoon period will be brief.
What FPTP gave us yesterday, it can just as quickly reverse at the next election. A deeper problem will be to remove the ingrained elite Left from our public services & judiciary. Andrew Neil writes about this in the Mail today and I’m afraid he is absolutely correct in his diagnosis. No voting system can cure that problem easily.
July 6, 2024
We donāt speak of Brexit because itās decided and done Pieter. The nation has not changed itās kind and only a tiny minority remain wedded to the globalist cause.
We NEVER want to change from FPTP because we want to be able to sack bad Governments. We had a referendum on this issue in 2011 and we backed FPTP by a supermajority of 67%.
You poor riven powerless people on the Continent should give Democracy a go at least once. See if you prefer sacking hopeless politicians and trashing the Party List.
I donāt expect you to understand the subtle but critical difference any more than I expect you to grasp the difference between Capitalism and Corporatism.
July 7, 2024
That referendum was a fix and you know it. We had the choice of the worst possible PR and it was rightly rejected. This suits you so you support the status quo however bad it is and has been proved so this time. This is not democracy – look it up if you don’t understand it.
Reply It was not a fix. Lib Demās wanted the vote and approved the AV system probably because it kept single member constituencies which are popular
July 6, 2024
Brexit has had very little effect on UK unity. The majority of people either didn’t care or just had a preference either way. There’s just a small element in the extremes who either love or hate the EU.
Of far greater threat to the unity of the UK is the incompatibility of Eastern and Western society. Just look at the treatment of Jess Phillips. Well done that woman for facing down the Islamists.
July 6, 2024
Sir John,
Well I hope the new administration will take note of your thoughts. My concern is that they are not open to reasoned arguments (in the same way that the last administration was not open to reasoned arguments).
July 6, 2024
Sir John,
I’ve always thought that your articles on this site have been independent in nature, albeit within the restraints being a Conservative member and mp.
I have noticed that you didn’t always agree with the views and opinions of the party’s leader in the past, especially around climate and monetary policy. Debate is healthy, even within a political party. It is important to be able to disagree without being disagreable.
Do you feel you’ll feel less tied now you’re not in the government?
Just out of interest, if you were say, in your thirties or forties and looking at a career in politics again, do you think you’d be joining today’s Conservative Party or would you be joining Reform?
Reply Yes I always strove to give independent advice but many naturally attributed to me the national Conservative position as well as I held office as a Conservative. I also always asked myself the question before I wrote and spoke, how does that affect people in Wokingham .
July 6, 2024
Sir John,
Exactly as I thought. For those that doubted, I always suggested they looked at your voting record and in particular, the number of times you abstained. I know we have discussed before, constituents or party first and you said the former and many of us knew that to be the case.
I would have been interested to see an answer to my second question because I am curious as to how you feel about the way the party has gone recently. I stopped funding and selling draw tickets soon after Mr Cameron took over. For a “Conservative” to say he was heir to Blair, in my opinion was crass. Go on Sir John, you can tell meš.
Reply I decided this time not to stand as a candidate for a variety of good reasons. I may write a bit more about that if people are interested. I wish now to be in the public debate about our economy and political future not speaking for a party.
July 6, 2024
@ Reply – please, it would be interesting to learn of your reasons for not standing again. Also, thoughts on how MPs can best be effective and whether being an MP today is something you would recommend would be welcome.
(I recall you mentioned some while ago that you had considered standing down from Parliament prior to Brexit on the grounds too much was decided elsewhere and too little by Parliament. The power of the executive, civil service and quangocracy as well as whatever else is meant by “the blob” seems not much affected by activity in parliament: some comment on that too if appropriate would be fascinating please.)
July 6, 2024
Yes please. I’m interested. Please wind down towards retirement. Like many before me it took a while to do other things than work!
July 6, 2024
If the new government pursues sensible policies, people will be generally happier.
Many voters regarded both Conservative and Labour as a bad choice, and didnāt know whom to vote for in order to assist their preferred outcome. So many of those chose not to vote for unknown risk.
Seats gained are a distorted interpretation of votes cast. In consequence, Labour have a dominant majority which even their entire opposition combined could not hold to account to stop from going wrong.
Parliament needs regulating. Five years untouchability is out of control.
July 6, 2024
Surely all this celebration of āsamenessā as trumpeted by some of our MPs as they welcome the newly electedā¦is precisely what we are all constantly warned against!
July 6, 2024
Technically we now have a Dictatorship supported by just one third of voters.
To give an unbiased view one should not be in any Political Party.
I assume Sir John you are still a member of the Conservative Party ?
Reform was not elected to government in the same way the Conservative Party was not elected to government. Perhaps if more REFORM candidates had appeared on GB News there would be more than four in Parliament š
Rees-Mogg should have stood for REFORM he may have been elected to Parliament again š
We will see if Labour implements conservative policies any better than the Conservative Party. No excuse for not having a majority. But perhaps they will perform in practice just as the Conservative Party performed with its big majority ?
July 6, 2024
Splitting hairs and a bit tongue in cheek as of this morning the turnout for the election was said to be just under 60%, so 34% of those that voted should read 26% of the electorate. On a similar basis Conservatives 14%, Reform 8%, LibDems 7%. ā Not a great endorsement for any of them.
The turnout in Holborn & St Pancras was just 54.6%, won with 18,884. Your PMās support
I am not a supporter of PR, its daft. So the figures are not to that end. I am a supporter of the electorate choosing their own candidates and then voting for the best person to represent them in a Parliament. If anything, I am against the Party system, especially how it has now evolved it is corrupting Democracy to suit themselves personally.
July 6, 2024
The illustration above was to highlight the poor, dire performance of our Politicos. Some would say the 40% who didnāt vote no longer have a right to complain, that is ego patting those people on their backs. In reality much of the Country has been disenfranchised, deserted, ignored they are no longer able to find a voice that could or would represent them in Parliament. The ‘none-of-the above’ voter
Democracy has moved away from Government by the People for the People, to rule by gang. – We need some purity back, we need democracy to put the electorate in charge. Probably impossible in this World, but that shouldn’t stop the aim
July 6, 2024
Elsewhere on analysing the result Labour managed just a 2% increase of support where as the Conservatives lost out getting on for minus 20 points on previous results. My conclusion – the Conservative Government disenfranchised their natural supporters, they turned their back on the Country. They pursued punitive Laws and taxes, that neither the electorate or our competitor nations have imposed. A one sided bet to cause destruction
Reform or even the LibDems did not pick up the difference. Sunak/Hunt lost it….
July 6, 2024
We have to have parties and a whip. Else we will have 640 āmanifestosā and never an act of Parliament passed.
July 6, 2024
@Lynn Atkinson – so an agent and disciple of a gang leader is preferred to someone that will represent you, the constituency you live in and the Country – the ones that pay and empower. Parties are not democracy, they fight democracy, they demand loyal clones, hence the reasoning behind the ‘whip’ to keep them from supporting those they would have once been said to represent, those they promised to represent if elected – a contradiction.
July 6, 2024
I donāt believe so. Before you join a party you need to find yourself in agreement with its core intellectual reasoning and aspirations.
Then you have to act as part of a powerful group to get your ideas accepted by the population, and then you have to work to make them work.
Nobody agrees on everything, but you will agree on most things. Look at this blog. Most of us are instinctive conservatives. Thatās why we are interested in what JR has to say, because he is an instinctive conservative.
You have to have people who agree with your attitude so you can get policies implemented. In Parliament itās one long round of canvassing, arguing and electioneering.
July 7, 2024
‘Ideas’ are not necessarily accepted by the people, they are imposed under law with the threat of prison or violence if you disagree. The stupid things that have been imposed recently show that, lockdowns, net zero etc. none of which the public ever voted for.
July 6, 2024
Most of the world does not agree with you on PR; so obviously you are right and the rest of the world is daft. The majority of people have active lives and visiting a polling station every now and then is as much active involvement in politics as they are prepared to give.
July 6, 2024
@forthurst – you didn’t read what I said.
July 7, 2024
It’s the reason for low turnouts, the feeling that ‘my vote has no value’ which is certainly true under FPTP in a great many constituencies, hence 34 percent support for unlimited power.
July 6, 2024
What can you tell the people about the recession that is starting in the USA and how will it affect the people in the UK also what changes do you think Labour will make to the UK constitution this time and will the House of Commons have any powers left after 5 years of Labour
July 6, 2024
Thatās not really true. Many people may well have wanted a Reform government but, because of our voting system, knew that their vote would be wasted.
Reform got more votes than the Lib Dems but only 5 seats. A lot of wasted votes there.
July 6, 2024
No vote is wasted. You can claim that they got a lot of votes because they did. If we had PR Reform would NEVER be the government. So all reform voters would be thwarted. So would every other colour voter.
July 6, 2024
You assume Reform will never grow! I hope to live long enough to see the old parties and government ‘Houses’ disintegrate. Democracy is a pretence for those who can hold their noses and swallow.
July 6, 2024
An enlightening contribution. Are you preparing for a period of Stockholme syndrome. Believe the rhetoric if that is your wish, I prefer cold hard reality.
Your comment about voting for Reform is politically and practically naive, if not a touch arrogant. My judgement is that Reform will grow over the next five years, remember the last Eu election we took part in and Brexit’s slaughter of all. You may have a personal apathy towards Nigel, but face it he can communicate more effectively than anyone in the current or last Parliament. Esssntially he tells it as it is, honestly, in a way that connects with people. You too can say it ,but lack the essential connection with the people. The radiologist who can spot the problem, but best leave it to the surgeon to operate.
Reply I have never expressed hostility to Mr Farage. Future support for Reform will depend on a) what they do and say to broaden their appeal b) what the Conservatives do and say to win back lost voters c) what the government does on migration, living standards and wokery.
July 6, 2024
You say the new Labour Government can do virtually what it likes given its large majority, which is absolutely true.
So one is forced to ask, why did the Conservatives not use their large majority to do as they pleased for the last 5 years, instead of just tinkering around the edges?
Answer, perhaps poor leadership, poor management, poor policies, and eventually self destruction from within ?
Yes fully aware Covid was a problem to which no one had a definitive answer.
July 6, 2024
I was just about to type the same question. If it is easy to get through anything you want to with a large majority then why all the problems?
July 7, 2024
I don’t see how would a non-high consequence respiratory ailment would have stopped Johnson’s government from repealing Blairite legislation. The HoC was stood down for a month or two in Spring 2020, but thereafter was in session, even if sometimes in hybrid fashion with remote voting. Sunak’s 20 months in office were not affected by ‘Covid’ restrictions. The Tories in power tinkered round the edges, Alan, because that’s all they were minded to do, in my view.
July 6, 2024
I for one wish John well as he seeks to carve out a new, apolitical role after leaving formal politics but I urge him to understand one simple fact and it is this. That this Labour government have one simple aim, it is to rework and replace the constitutional, cultural and demographic foundations of our nation, all other considerations are immaterial including this Socialist PM’s Trojan horse tosh about ‘economic growth’.
Please don’t afford Labour and any of its public statements any credibility or trust nor treat their pronouncements with respect or credibility. Today it is a party of genuine destructive intent and they will connive with the Blairs and the Browns to steer this nation onto the rocks
Unlike ‘us plebs’ John as a platform, we don’t. We simply ask that he uses that platform to expose the poison of Labour and in some cases the insincerity of those who control and govern the Tory party
Reply If you wish to change the national debate or influence direction you need to respond to the mood of the time. When a new government has just been elected and has goodwill from a substantial body of opinion it is not right to launch into a full attack on policies and views it might espouse but has promised not to. I and some others moved the net zero debate by setting out the self defeating policies proposed in its name, not by denial.
July 6, 2024
Fair do’s fella.
Good luck in your quest and be happy
July 6, 2024
Reform might done better if they had more time, dropping people into constituencies that people have never heard of before was a brave move without vetting them. Only the ones known to them on TV won a seat.
July 6, 2024
Except for Ben Habib who sadly didnāt win but would have made a great MP.
July 6, 2024
and LibDems targetted a small number of seats for all out attack, and it paid off handsomely. They could never have won a majority but are now a meaningful voice in the House.
July 6, 2024
It’s far too early to give an opinion about the potential performance of the labour party.The last labour government were the instigators of NHS ruination by flooding the market with the abroad staff, putting experienced staff out into a competitive business enviroment and allowing immigration to get out of hand, something the Tories couldn’t reverse .
Kier Starmer talks about training and employing our own staff.This makes sense.
I am a floating voter and go with the social changes ,but cannot forgive how the last 20-30 years have been managed by over competition.For me competition is improving the status quo, not bringing it down.
July 6, 2024
Consider the facts.
Labour gained 34% of the votes from a low turnout, barely more than they got in 2019. Ergo no great swing towards Labour by the electorate. From this relatively static position they gained 412 seats or 63%of the seats available.
How come, well a large number of Conservative voters, out of disgust with their performance in government, stayed at home. 24% of the electorate happily voted Conservative resulting in 121 seats or a 19% share of seats available. That 121 will fight like rats in a sack to decide who leads them and what sort of Conservatives they wish to be. The outcome is anyones guess.
14% of the electorate voted for the only recognisable Conservative party in the election who call themselves Reform resulting in a 1% share of Commons seats at 5 seats. Anyone bent on deriding this should be aware that they came second in 104 seats, 93 of which were won by Labour. Prepare to see them eat into those 93 seats via byelection over the next five years.
It looks to me that the wet, consocialist members of the Conservative electorate opted to vote Lib/Dem, their true home, resulting in 12% of the vote and 11% of the seats at 71 in the Commons.
So in our ultra skewd FLTP electoral system, a party with few if any boots on the ground, score a resounding 3rd place with the electorate. Any byelection candidate in any of those 104 seats in which Reform came second should beware the Nigel in the sun.
July 6, 2024
Agrocola
Indeed
One could argue that voting Conservative killed off any real opposition to Labour, as it hampered Reforms chances of success.
I do hate it when Politicians ask people to vote tactically to stop others, instead of simply voting for who you really want to win.
July 6, 2024
Conservatives need to bear in mind that Farageās appeal is limited. Reform didnāt get that many more votes than UKIP in 2015. Farage was saying he was going to get 5 or 6 million votes when in actual fact it was just over 4 million and this is probably the best they can hope for. While I like Farage and agree with most of what he says, I fear if the Conservatives embrace him and make him front and centre they will be consigned to the Opposition benches for at least 10 years.
July 6, 2024
When you were in Parliament you were one of, if not the only, conservative left in the Tory Party. We want a proper conservative party, but it is not the current Tory Party. I actually voted Heritage, hoping (vain hope) that he would not lose his deposit. I donāt see how the Tory Party can survive, being dragooned as it is by CCHQ. We voted for Brexit and were given BRINO, which nobody wanted or would have voted for. Given the choice between BRINO and remain, we would have chosen to remain, but XPMTM wouldnāt let us have Brexit and instead imposed Sabine Weyandās surrender document. XPMBJ said that he had an oven-ready deal, but it was a lie. You were the one who got it right, when you said in Parliament, the day after the Referendum, that we should leave immediately and negotiate from a position of strength.
We are where we are – but no Brexiteer wants to stay in the BRINO āconservativeā party. Thatās why lots voted Reform, imo, but I think it is time for honesty in the political parties and to regroup under Brexit/Remain lines. Maybe economic policy should come into it, socialism (dependence on the state) versus free enterprise – and again, the current Tory Party is all for dependence on the state, as we saw writ large during the plandemic with its iniquitous lockdowns, crashing the economy etc., and then blaming Liz Truss, of all people – and the all-powerful Putin – for the results of Sunakās economic policy, when a casual glance at Latin America, or even Zimbabwe, should have taught him that printing money with no colateral has unpleasant and inevitable consequences.
July 6, 2024
The electoral system, FPTP, is definitely undemocratic when it is used to decide who is the elected Government for the whole country. FPTP may suit local elections but, as with the National Referendum, we must include all those who gained the most votes across the country in the final results and Seat gains.
How can it be fair when Reform won over 4 Million votes and gained just 5 MPs when the LibDems won just 3.6 Million but were rewarded with 71 MPs? Furthermore, the Greens, with less than 2 Million votes, won 4 seats. Such a system has become too easy to manipulate IF you are “in” and local issues become an irrelevance to Government once they have settle in.
My new MP, a Lib Dem, has promised to do so much for our town once he is in the HoC. But LOL, what can he do when there are another 649 MPs wanting the same for their own constituencies, from this new government? And so the downward cycle of confidence loss of our politician will continue. And the new look HoC, with 75% socialists, will create a new winter of discontent, for sure.
July 6, 2024
However the Moslem Party standing as Independents in Birmingham ousted 1 Labour MP and re hit in the heels of many more. So if they can win from a standing start why can Reform or any other party?
Why do you want the system skewed so that nobody wins? Sounds WOKE to me!
July 6, 2024
POSTAL VOTING WAS MAJOR PLAYER IN A LABOUR VICTORY.
July 6, 2024
Some are saying that with the Limp Dumbs and the even-more-wet Conservatives as ‘Opposition’ the only serious dissent will come from the five Reform MPs. Nobody has considered the likely impact of the four ‘Gaza’ MPs.