When a government is as unpopular as this one, and adrift looking for ways back, good opposition can influence or force changes.
People on this website are ever ready to criticise all political parties and leaders, and most agree the government is failing. Fewer are willing to get behind constructive opposition and campaign for solutions. You may feel better for letting off steam about most MPs, but they are the ones you helped elect with plenty of choice available. If you dislike all the choices you need to stand yourself or back new people who can transform existing parties or create new ones.If too many do that it gets more difficult to get a government that you like, as it splinters the vote for causes you believe in.
We are closest today to changes in the government approach and policy to three things. They may give ground on extreme net zero policies now the damage they are doing to jobs and big industries is becoming more obvious and now the Unions are opposed to their approach. There is already talk of relaxing the ban on new oil and gas drilling.
They may need to propose tougher measures to look as if they are getting some control of our borders. The new Home Secretary claims to be tougher but so far has not announced the policies to justify the words. Reform will continue to headline the issue. The Conservative have tabled draft legislation and set out an administrative scheme which would control the borders.
They need a new approach to tax and spending. They will find this the most difficult to change as the Labour party is by instinct a high tax party. Many members and Ministers want to tax the rich more, with schemes that tax the better off too much. They think making the rich poorer by making them pay more is a good thing in its own right. They like levelling down as well as levelling up.They forget the huge revenue and talent loss experienced by the 1974-9 government when it tried taxing the rich more
We need good campaigns to highlight obvious waste and bad management, from Bank of England losses to HS 2 runaway costs, from a surge of people qualifying for benefits with no need to look for work to the big productivity loss in public services.
October 6, 2025
I always try to bear in mind three things;
1. MPs are (supposed to be) our representatives so should get our support when representing our interests.
2. This is your blog .. your rules.
3. All comments readlly start with a silent “in my opionion” so need cited facts to actually be factual.
There is no doubt oppositions can influence stated policy – if that opposition has enough weight to sway those in power to change tack. Conservatives and Labour have only hardened their stated policy in immigration because public sentiment is much clearer with the lens of the Reform party. A vote on Brexit was forced, but the underlying policies didn’t really change.
Stated policy is not actual policy or action – Brexit, immigration (“stop the gangs”), no tax rises .. and all the rest.
I was involved in Brexit canvassing and do take part in local initiatives. When employed by a multinational I fought successfully to keep product development in this country and not be outsourced.
But the political policy, Brexit, I tried to support was betrayed and all I have seen as a citizen, employee and small business operator from government and the establishment is rarely positive and mostly obfuscation, costly regulatory entanglements and betrayal.
The established parties appear to think simply stating policy gets the job done and people only matter as a single vote in the ballot box. I suggest a rude awakening is coming as I for one, and suspect many, are simply fed up with the current system and want the stables thouroughly cleaned out and replaced.
Reply There is so far no evidence of a decisive change of management in Reform controlled Councils despite promises of major reductions in spending. This blog is a resource for all parties trying to help MPs, Councillors, Ministers see ways to get more Brexit wins, control spending, cut taxes and control our borders.
October 6, 2025
Sir John, you may be correct that Reform UK have not cut local council spending (although they claimed £100m of savings in 100 days). Many will say so what? Labour and Conservatives failed to deliver their promises too.
Reform UK have made clear policy statements on several areas, for example: lower immigration, reversing net zero strategy, delivering a stronger Brexit and a smaller State. Based on opinion polls a large percentage of the population is willing to give them a try in national government based on these intentions. If they fail to deliver the will face the consequences at the next election.
Reply I am aware of that.People here still do not see I am not running an election site for any party It is highly likely Labour will be in government for at least three years with or without a change of PM.This site is here to analyse and criticise national and local government, to change attitudes and help campaigns for policy change and reform of government. Both Conservatives and Reform can try to put their wish to control waste and excess in public spending into effect in the Councils they control. I wish them success. If they show they can run model Councils they strengthen their case to win a national election. In the 1979s and 80 s the Conservatives had two successful flagship Councils, Westminster and Wandsworth, who provided better quality core services at much lower cost, with resulting low local tax. Lets have some of that from Councils today.
October 6, 2025
Agreed Sir John. In the words of Henry Thoreau “Government is best which governs least”.
October 6, 2025
I suspect that Reform find their council spending cuts are constrained by legal obligations imposed by central government. They should be noting which obligations they would remove, and include them in their manifestos. They also need to demonstrate managerial competence in much the same way as some Residents Associations have done in the face of feckless local political failures.
October 7, 2025
Sir John, I heartily support the aims of your Diary as you state them. KBO.
October 6, 2025
Reform-run councils are making changes, but these take time. Remember, they have only been in charge for a few months. My council has scrapped DEI roles and stopped net-zero initiatives. One councillor is a forensic accountant who is going through all the council contracts. They have uncovered a government bond-buying scheme using our council tax money, whereby the bonds don’t mature for 99 years and have lost 50% of their value; who could ever have sanctioned that deal? There is an ongoing prosecution of the previous council leader for fraud. They hold a monthly meeting open to the public, where they report progress and answer questions. I am well pleased with the changes so far.
Reply Good, we need them to spend more wisely. From what you say they have not actually cut overall spending nor slimmed the workforce which is the main cost. We need to expect much more from Reform and Conservative led Councils.
October 6, 2025
@Reply – by the same token there is no evidence of any conservative management in those that call themselves conservative. To get Brexit wins we first must have Brexit, the Uniparty in all its factions is still fighting to ensure that wont happen
October 6, 2025
+1 Sunak’s Windsor Accord was appalling but rather few voted against it.
October 6, 2025
@reply I am not surprised if it is taking time to introduce changes but I have no knowledge fo what is happening in Kent. I am not looking for perfection but a change in attitude that seeks to recognise the people they are responsible to and deliver positive outcomes for them. This seems alien to the establishment who appear to work their hardest for the benefit of foreign governments and minorities.
October 6, 2025
Obvious waste and bad management is everywhere in the UK:-
Net Zero, the climate change act, the £400 billion spent on Covid lockdowns and Covid “vaccines” that clearly did vast net harms, the massive levels of red tape that makes doing almost everything in the UK so difficult, the OTT planning restrictions, OTT employment laws, the rigging of the healthcare, education, energy, housing, cars, vans, heating systems, the banking markets to kill fair competition, huge levels of vested interests or blatant corruption too.
The red tape kills the efficiency of the state sector and the private sector and gives us more and more unproductive & essentially parasitic jobs in law, tax planning, accounting, bat and newt surveying, net zero, HR, sustainability and planning “experts”…
October 6, 2025
Also OTT health and safety of course.
So Boris Johnson has admitted he went “far too fast” on net zero when he was prime minister, in his most outspoken comments against the policy he championed.
Mr Johnson said he got “carried away” by the idea that renewable energy sources could replace fossil fuels and, as a result, electricity is “too expensive for ordinary people”. He warned against “junking net zero altogether” but said Labour’s target of making the UK carbon neutral by 2050 should be pushed back.
No Boris it should be ditched fully because it is a blatant con trick and vastly damaging for the economy, jobs, defence, living standard and our health. You also got it wrong on your and Sunak’s million+ PA legal and illegal immigration levels and in borrowing £400 billion to waste on the vast net harms of the Covid Vaccines and the Lockdowns. £400 billion spend to do circa 10 times that sum in net harm to people’s health and to the economy.
October 6, 2025
Last week, Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, finally announced plans to scrap the Climate Change Act if she becomes prime minister – an announcement described as a “catastrophic mistake” by the dire Baroness May.
Kemi should also scrap Theresa May’s Net Zero lunacy, the ECHR (she has finally been dragged into promising this) May’s modern slavery act and her membership of the Tory Party. Etc ed
Reply Glad you have caught up with big changes in Conservative policy on immigration and net zero. Reform need to study the detail of these, as it has been good on headlines but not on implementation.
October 6, 2025
Sir John – are you having a laugh here? Didn’t the Conservatives have a manifesto policy on controlling immigration and deliver the opposite? Words are words. We want policies delivered, not lies. I would never trust a conservative government again. It’s one thing for Kemi to state policy; it is another to get the majority of wet left-wing MPs to deliver on it. Look how they opposed Brexit and watered it down. I will continue to put my trust in Nigel to do as he says.
Reply I want better local and national government and offer my advice free to all on this site. Of course Conservatives need to deliver on key topics like immigration and let us down. Reform has made bold promises about cutting waste and excess in local government. No big wins in first year as all their Councils continue to spend more than pre their election.
October 6, 2025
@Lifelogic, @Reply . Kemi as a member of the cabinet was in the position of collective responsibility of Cabinet, the same team that enhanced May’s traitorous action, Brexit and NetZero they had the opportunity to change and cancel (or personally walk). Kemi also decided it was to hard work for the UK’s Legislators to create UK Laws, so we would have EU ones instead – so like must people reflecting on most of the current crop of politicians they will say what the feel the need to get elected, then do the opposite.
Getting behind those now calling themselves conservatives is difficult they all have form and actually own today’s situations. Labour has only got to where it is today because what some call the opposition had opened the door.
Reply Lee Anderson and Danny Kruger were also Conservative MPs in the last Parliament. People learn from mistakes
October 6, 2025
Some do; others don’t. There are plenty in the Not-a-Conservative-Party … particularly the Party Grandees in the House of Lords … who haven’t. As May has just demonstrated.
October 6, 2025
@ Dona indeed some do many do not. Politics is an area where being consistently wrong is rewards – Heath, Healey, Major, Cameron, Starmer, Miliband, May, Bliar, Brown, Sunak, Boris, Starmer, Hammond, Osborne… but consistenty right often is not sufficiently rewarded JR for example.
October 6, 2025
Not that big, rather slow and rather grudging but better than nothing. I quite like Kemi but the poor lass has an impossible job. Cameron, May, Boris and Sunak destroyed all trust in the Party over 14 years this on immigration, on the economy, on tax levels, on energy on the total and appalling mishandling of Covid (Vaccines and Lockdowns), on borrowings, on currency debasing, the absurdity of Net Zero & HS2, on the Afghanistan immigration and cover up…
She is now a left of centre caught in middle party a virtually impossible position especially with almost zero trust the party would deliver even if it were elected with a big majority which look very unlikely indeed.
Kemi’s claim that Labour and Reform are two sides of the same coin is absurd – not on tax levels, benefit levels, immigration levels, indefinite leave to stay, HS2, fracking, net zero, energy, vat on school fees, Chagos…
Labour and the Tories are far closer in policy terms (especially if you judge on their 14 years record rather than their hot air). This as both want net zero and did used to want ECHR & vast low skilled immigration levels – although both are being pulled to follow Reform a little in their words at least.
Kemi also says the Tories made “mistakes” but these were not “mistakes” Kemi! For over 14 years they promised things and deliberately delivered the complete reverse. They made not even an attempt to deliver as promised! Even now Kemi the “engineer” still supports Net Zero and let Net Zero May become a Baroness!
No decent, competent and honest engineer or physicist I know genuinely supports Net Zero!
The genuine “mistakes” they made were on net zero on Covid (“vaccines” and lockdowns) and on thinking they could trash their promises to the electorate on immigration, taxes, red tape, the 1M IHT promise…without consequences for the Party.
October 6, 2025
I am sure Reform will indeed study the Tories positions on immigration, the ECHR and their still pro Net Zero lunacy with just a touch on the brakes position. Hopefully Trump will get a red team in the Prof. William Happer mode to explain scientific reality to the religious zealots (not that people like Ed Miliband will listen).
October 6, 2025
LL, B Johnson and renewables reminds me of a WW2-type film – it may have been Churchill who uttered the words when he was trying to persuade an individual to undertake his (Churchill’s) wishes rather than the wishes of a woman with opposing views “well she has something to offer him that I cannot possibly match”.
October 6, 2025
Indeed a science and energy policy thus decided on by a Theatre Studies lass, a bumbling Classicist and perhaps his Zealot father (English) too had an input! Now our energy policy is decided by a Classicist at the climate change committee, Two Tier Kier, lawyers, judges and Zealot Ed (PPE) and Chris Stark (sort of a law degree I think)!
What could possibly go wrong?
October 6, 2025
Our energy policy is decided by Parliament!
October 6, 2025
You’re right.
But it all starts with education. Sooo much education at school and university waste of time.
We should be focusing all our educational resources on making sure our kids as good as poss at Maths and English (comprehension, how to write, creative) and trim down the rest. Also, every child should be given a short course at school on how to think logically. And more opportunities to learn how to code. And most (perhaps up to 60% to 75%) of university degrees complete waste of time and money – and distracting about how to think in a business / entrepneerual-like way. Which is why we need National Service and kids encouraged to do more apprenticeships / get into work earlier etc (even taking a gap year and working and travelling abroad and learning a language and having an adventure and reading quality books during that time, is better than one year doing a wasted degree)
October 6, 2025
‘and trim down the rest’ – except sciences. But only kids good enough to go to a good university should be doing sciences anyway. Kids who should be leaving school at 16, should just be studying Maths, English and one general subject that covers essentials of history, geography, science etc).
October 6, 2025
Education does not make people brighter just given them more knowledge and some tools perhaps. But also there are many different types of inteligence some are good at so me and bad at others at others.
Linguistic, Logical-Mathematical, Visual-Spatial, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Musical, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, and Naturalist intelligence, Existential intelligence, raw memory, quick recall…
You would not be anygood at football without an excellent brain for coordinating eyesight, ears, muscles, movement, balance, breathing, running, jumping, timing…
October 6, 2025
Why would we teach children to code? That’s what computers do for themselves now.
Perhaps we should teach our children the 5 ‘Rs’? (reading, ‘riting, ‘rithmetic, right and wrong)
October 6, 2025
Seeing Badenough speaking yesterday it was obvious no one was interested. The hall was practically empty. There appears to be an atmosphere of doom around the conference. Making ridiculous proposals to depott thousands annually scrapping net zero etc is seen as a desperate ploy to outdo Reform.
People don’t believe a word because for 14 years they promised a reduction in immigration and actually increased it.
Treacherous May put net stupid policies into law and still yesterday said they were necessary.
Yes we helped to put these politicians into power albeit on a tissue of lies in their manifestos
Never again will the public be duped by the uniparty because like him or loathe him, Farage talks to the people and is a real patriot
This can’t be said about 90% of those in Westminster.
We don’t want tinkering around the edges we want wholesale removal of damaging immoral policies being followed by this clown show
Reply Reform have to show they know how to implement headline aims. Why did Kent County Council all this year implement the inherited budget when they said they would make big cuts? Why are they now talking of putting up Council tax next year instead of reducing spending? It is quite possible to cut a Council’s spending. You need to start that on Day 1 when you take over.
October 6, 2025
Reply to Reply, Thank you, please keep a close eye where you can and report on Reform promises being kept, or not. Is Kent a good example, I don’t know but there are big promises to be kept.
The Conservative Party brand, as you know, is too badly damaged to regain the conservative voter, Reform will be given the chance to perform.
There is no hope for a Labour in thrall to core socialist policies. Starmer and his inner circle are doing their best to destroy the economy so that they can say ‘look, private enterprise is a failure so we must follow a new, socialist idea’. The problem with that is that voters don’t re-elect failure, as the unions have finally worked out. The socialist idea is therefore incompatible with democracy. Starmer will cling on, and if he remains in office, try to remove or curtail universal suffrage.
Reply I watch Kent as it is their largest Council with a budget over £1bn. They are struggling to find meaningful savings and are now saying their big spending area of social services needs more cash.Expect a tax rise like other Councils next year. They just accepted the outgoing Councillors budget for the current year which they should have challenged and cut.
October 6, 2025
John people are willing Reform to make a hash of running councils. The point is so much mandated spending is foisted on them and this government is prioritising red wall areas. Here where I live they are doing a good job despite the council staff trying to impede their every move.
When they get into government the first job is to neutralise the blob with P45s as necessary.
Reply Of course they are being thwarted. That is my point. We need big reform with Councillors and Ministers asserting the public will over the sloppy but tenacious system. Conservative Home Secretaries did not want illegal migrants but the lawyers, charities, officials upended many of their initiatives to stop them. Reform need to get wiser over how to control public sector budgets. If you cannot control a Council budget you will not control a Whitehall budget.I have done both as a Councillor and Minister and set out here how to do it.
October 6, 2025
@Reply – Reform(and I am not a fan I am a ‘real’ conservative) don’t have to prove or do anything they have a massive advantage they are not ‘the others’. The others as I am calling them, the Unparty(all factions) all have form saying what they think we need to hear to get elected then doing the opposite – they have all proved it.
October 6, 2025
Then they will fail.
That leads to the problem of Britain failing, which is an issue that should concern us all.
This is not a game.
October 7, 2025
@Lynn Atkinson – and Britain is ‘not’ failing?
October 6, 2025
reply to reply….yes it might be possible to cut council spending from day 1 as you put it BUT Colucils have increased staff -would you immediately sack some and pay the termination costs? Councils long ago reduced staff but signed up for services contracts – how do you make cuts? Until those service contracts come up for renewal what can be done? The massive spend on residents benefits and immigrants housing and other costs, so announce significant cuts and stand by for the shouting horror of opposition – good luck with re-election.
Reply Please read my blog!You impose a recruitment freeze on Day 1 and freeze on all new contracts or extensions of external contracts, subject to a Councillor review of the need. You review all external contracts to see if they have key clauses re quality and price, and these are being enforced.Etc as in previous blogs
October 6, 2025
In one of my past lives I was an External IT Contracts Manager and had a specific duty to set up an initial Interest in Bidding document (EU requirement) and a very detailed Specification of Requirement all interested had to respond to in a given timeframe. Key users would mark responses to aim to whittle down a few manageable bids to thorough examination and interviews. Allowing termination of ( possible under extreme failed service)and no service contracted to take over after end date would have thrust thousands into serious service delivery issues and major repercussions. Naturally KPI were provided, reported on and any failings to be addressed.
You made it sound so simple.
October 6, 2025
Exceptional individual back benchers can make a difference. I think Rupert Lowe has helped shift the Overton window on immigration in Westminster and beyond, nudging Reform and the Tories in the right direction.
In other cases though, the weight of establishment opposition and opprobrium is too much, and the gulf between the mainstream and the enlightened opinion is too great. Andrew Bridgen put up a brave fight on Covid and other issues but has (for the moment) been crushed by the machine.
October 6, 2025
Wanderer, I’d look at it slightly differently. Sir John is correct in noting opposition policies can influence the directions of Government. What we have now is the very strange situation of Reform UK, a party of 5 MPs, changing a number of the policies of both Government and the official opposition.
I bet the SNP and Lib Dems would love to be as influential.
October 6, 2025
The above pair have proven the dreamland they seem to live in, Reform have yet to be given real power to carry out what has been suggested.
October 6, 2025
‘ When a government is as unpopular as this one, and adrift looking for ways back, good opposition can influence or force changes.’
In theory – yes. That does not seem to be the case with this lot. They seem to ignore opposition and carry on regardless. Starmer thought patriotism was an emerging theme. He did not change policy. He simply decided to redefine it and claim it was something only Labour offered. Opposition and peaceful protest were dismissed with the usual remarks.
Miliband never has to justify or explain Net Zero in the media. It is still treated as a given way to proceed.
Starmer also has to worry about opposition within his own party just as much as any opposition. This includes some very stupid people.
It will take more than talking to shift Labour policy. The poll tax riot, Brixton or Tottenham riots are the sort of events that might work. The very effective IRA bombing campaign was another – particularly the major bombs in the City. There are no signs of such things happening at the moment. Large protests where hundreds of old people are arrested are also ineffective. Blair ignored huge protests over Middle East wars. So Labour will continue along those lines.
October 6, 2025
@Peter – this crowd are ideologues with personal ego at stake, they see all objectors as their personal banner that they are heading in the right direction
October 6, 2025
Influence? I had an email about the petition we recently signed along with over 2 million others. They in effect are taking no notice and are sticking 2 fingers up to the people. Sometimes I think Sir John lives in a world of his own. We do not het a large choice of MP’s just one each that the parties put up without us ever knowing why. We cannot put ourselves up as MP’s as most are too busy earning a living and being ripped of by government to have the money or the time. You can’t even get on our local council unless you join the Tory party. Influence – pah!
Reply Lets see what happens yo digi ID. They have already backed down from the idea it will be used to detect illegals as they have said we will not have to carry it around and be asked to show it. It is now a check or access requirement to various public services which would all need expensive computer re programming and would have ro decide what to do about people without digi ID, with broken phones or inability to handle the tech needing an NHS appointment. Best of luck with that Sounds like billions of pounds and plenty of delays.
October 6, 2025
Sir John,
Sadly, it is not just Labour who are wedded to high tax and spend, or high tax and waste as LL would say.
PMQs for years was basically, we’ve thrown X number of pounds at something and certainly more than your lot did. For far too long, politicians have equated amount spent as good rather than, how it’s been spent. How many times have we heard Labour Chancellors say we’ve doubled or treble the amount we throw at this group or that group?
Any new government will come up against the Good Dog Club. The cosy media, the single issue groups, the civil serpents etc. The BBC will go into overdrive to discredit any new, non uni party government.
The new government will need to fuel growth in the economy and many people will suffer but, in time, things will improve but, it will be heavy going.
I wonder if that new Trump Derangement Syndrome which has spread rapidly will have a new varient in the UK, namely Farage Derangement Syndrome, there are some symptoms starting to appear.
Have a good conference Sir John.
October 6, 2025
THE BBC the climate alarmist and Covid Vaccine propagandist organisation is now banning its stars from using terms of endearment such as mate, sweetheart and silver fox in an apparent crackdown on free speech.
Household names must fill in “passports” which warn against microaggressions — such as comments on people’s accents or remarking on curly hair.
People were always remarking on my Mark Bolan style natural curly hair as a teenager (often asking who had permed it) and indeed my Northern accent at Cambridge and when I later moved to London. Never bothered me. I often comment on people’s northern or other accents as I am interested to know where they grew up. What is wrong with BBC employees have they nothing better to do. How do they expect people to have fluid and interesting conversations if they are constantly thinking they cannot say this or that?
Even a reform candidate worried about saying “I was born and bred here”!
October 6, 2025
LL,
‘People were always remarking on my Mark Bolan style natural curly hair as a teenager (often asking who had permed it) and indeed my Northern accent at Cambridge and when I later moved to London. Never bothered me.‘
Very interesting. I will now think of you as a ‘20th century boy’ or perhaps a ‘Mental Guru’.
October 6, 2025
Still got my full head of curly hair, but it has been kept shortish since about age 18! But thanks to Bolan I do not let my girlfriend, now wive, drive me (unless I am too drunk that is)!
October 6, 2025
I always thought the ‘born n’ bred’ phrase was an analogy to the farming community, proud of a thoroughbred horse or bull; in other-words something to celebrate. It’s our heritage.
October 6, 2025
When the system in place that constrains elected government from enacting policies the public want and demand is so powerful that ministers are unable to instruct civil servants. Then we all realise the balance between permanent staff authority needed to keep things going and visionary thinking needed to move common practices forward is unbalanced.
Everyone knows endless unwanted arrivals of new residents is unacceptable and unsustainable yet on it goes/ Why?
Because the permanent staff in the civil service have rules they apply that are uninfluenced by public need even when the need is valid and urgent. The only option left to ministers is to declare a national emergency which provides them with the unfettered power to bypass standing orders in the civil service and to instruct actions that are needed, usually for national security.
We are coming close to that point in the migrant crisis. It should not need to come to that ultimate power of government but institutional resistance built into our system of government leaves the government with little choice. The only thing missing is the desire of government to deal with the problem. For that to happen we will have to change government.
October 6, 2025
“they are the ones you helped elect with plenty of choice available”. Thanks to the iniquitous first past the post system the realistic choice is, at most, three. None of whom represent the views of millions of us who either cast our vote for the least-bad, or don’t vote at all. Only when the voting system is reformed on (e.g.) Dutch lines can you justifiably blame the electorate for the outcome.
Reply If millions disagree with traditional parties they can vote for a new party like Advance or the Your party
October 6, 2025
Or Reform?
October 6, 2025
Sir John
First you have to have an opposition. Then you need people other than those that opened the door to the highest taxes and borrowing in 70 year. Other than those that sort to cripple the UK with NetZero Zealotry. Other than those that sort to deindustrialise the Nation so that it couldn’t create the wealth to respond in a changing World.
So where are these people that can be an opposition, the real Conservatives.
One thing about our Parliamentary System, is it chooses its Leader a PM, that then chooses a Cabinet. A Cabinet of Individuals that sign up to the Collective Responsibility of being in cabinet/government or resign. 18 months down the line a group having chosen the route of Continuity and Continuation of the crowd that got us into this mess and those that own it, the one that lost one of the largest majorities by disenfranchising the main steam of the UK, surely that’s not the opposition you can be talking about?
Even the so-called leader at the time of that crippling cabinet is now hitting the media, instead of keeping quite. suggesting all the while along with his team he lied to us all.
Reply You have to work with people who were wrong but learn from their or their party’s mistakes. Not enough were right about net zero and mass migration amongst the MPs. Reform agrees with this, having Lee Anderson, Danny Kruger and Andrea Jenkyns as MPs and Mayor despite being part of the unsuccessful Conservative government 2019-24
October 6, 2025
You may feel better for letting off steam about most MPs, but they are the ones you helped elect with plenty of choice available.
This is an important point, most people do not have £5,000 or the campaigning infrastructure and most importantly time to pursue their own candidacy, but we can all vote single issue party or spoil the paper if the candidates available or their parties are not to our tastes.
Too many voters vote against something rather than for something which allows the current detritus to continue. Spoil the paper, if enough voters do it then those who win lose legitimacy. Vote for single issue candidates and elevate that issue in the public consciousness (local service closure, leaving the EU are successful examples in the past).
We have a vote, we should use it (or spoil it), not abstain or vote legacy party. If those who abandoned the Conservatives last time round and did not vote had instead spoiled their papers, then Sir Two Tier’s mandate would be even more thin.
Reply You get the deposit back if you are popular
October 6, 2025
To become popular you need the time and infrastructure to campaign.
I’d like to be a Formula 1 driver too but don’t have access to the required sponsorship. Some things are just out of reach to Mr (slightly above) Average.
October 6, 2025
No you just need popular policies.
When my husband, a well known Conservative, stood for the Referendum Party in the solid red North East, he is he saved his deposit.
October 7, 2025
“A well known Conservative”
October 6, 2025
The Conservatives are no longer trusted and so their influence is limited. That lack of trust could ruin the party. I think a similar thing could happen to Labour.
Perhaps we may see 2 parties fight out the next general election: Liberals v Reform
October 6, 2025
I would like to offer the government constructive advice about how they can improve GDP growth. They claim ‘immigration is good for growth’. This is a facile claim and it is often not true. This will now be proven below:
There are different formulae to measure GDP growth but looking at it through the lens of changes to the labour force the formula to use is the ‘labour productivity growth accounting equation’. That formula is:
growth rate in potential GDP = long-term growth rate of labour force + long-term growth rate in labour productivity.
The political left only focus on the first factor (long-term growth rate of labour force, ie increasing the population with immigration) but they never mention the second factor (long-term growth rate in labour productivity).
So, increasing the population does indeed increase GDP growth but the overall outcome depends on the second factor too. If the second factor diminishes (which has happened) then you have diminished GDP growth rates (which has happened).
The UK economy grew at about 3% in the 1990s yet it grows at about 1% today. That cannot be attributed to the first factor given the unprecedented immigration we have had since the 1990s so it must be attributed to the second factor (labour productivity, ie output per worker).
It should be noted that this second factor is not just the workers’ effort but is is also a function of capital deepening (ie increasing capital per worker) and technological advances as both improve output per worker too.
If we cannot afford capital deepening and increases in technological investment to keep up with the ever-increasing size of the labour force then there necessarily is a drag on labour productivity and thus GDP growth.
To be concise, labour productivity has diminished because we have an excess labour force (too many people to be employed efficiently).
Indeed please see below how UK labour productivity has almost stagnated since 2008 (page 9 of the below link):
https://www.niesr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Productivity-in-the-UK-Evidence-Review.pdf
My conclusion is if we want to improve the UK’s labour productivity we need to remove the excess labour force. Maybe transfer them to where they can be employed efficiently or they need to be made redundant. No-one likes the second outcome but we cannot have diminished GDP growth any longer either.
I believe the ‘labour productivity growth accounting equation’ should be presented to the left whenever they falsely claim ‘immigration is good for growth’. Whenever they mention it opposition MPs and the media have a duty to be challenging them on the second factor too – its effect on labour productivity.
Reply I have been continuously challenging Treasury orthodoxy that growth in population gives you growth. This argument is now becoming more widely adopted with both Conservatives and Reform agreeing.
October 6, 2025
There is no doubt about that John. I was referring to the people who are damaging the country
October 6, 2025
I didn’t vote for this current Government or my current MP Sir John. I did vote for the previous Government but they didn’t do what I wanted them to do or what they had promised to do.
I’m not keen on many of my local Councils policies and have responded to umpteen surveys saying so. However, I get the very real impression that what I think doesn’t make a damn bit of difference to them. We still get dangerous “roundabouts” that cost £5M and £640k ‘plans’ for roads with cycleways and 20mph speed limits on them. All this while my rates go through the roof!
So I’m not suprised people don’t trust the political classes or believe things will change. I’ve felt like that for some time. What should I do? I am getting very pee’d off, like many others I am sure. I pay my taxes, obey the law and have worked all my life. I want to live in an orderly and well run country and be allowed to live my remaining life without worry or interference.. Is that too much to ask for or to expect?
October 6, 2025
Or in other words
“willing to get behind constructive opposition and campaign for solutions” behind those that own to-days situation, created today’s mess, disenfranchised a Nation, that is not a constructive opposition, so surely that is not what is required.
We, I say we but I cant speak for the rest of the contributors, were let down in a massive way by the last administration. Then the Parliamentary Group, is it One Nationalist (Socialists), the WETs(Socialists) stole a great party from its supporters, didn’t refresh but sort more of the same – That’s why they are referred to as part of the Uniparty.
Suggesting they will do things that they had the option to do the last time we believed them has a big credibility gap.
It is not us not supporting them they have as being part of the team that miss-led us means they cant support us
October 6, 2025
The opposition can only influence policy if that opposition is a credible threat to the governing parties vote. So, Nigel Farage and UKIP was able to influence Cameron’s Brexit policy and his Reform party are able to influence Starmer’s immigration policy. The Conservative party today however can’t influence anything at all because they don’t threaten to take votes away from any other party (quite the reverse) and no-one believes they would actually implement any of the policies they are proposing (leaving ECHR for example). They are as impotent as the LibDems are currently, even the Greens and Corbyn’s new party will have more influence over Labour policy.
October 6, 2025
The Greens have revealed themselves as overt supporters of asylum seekers, the more the better. I think they have cooked their goose,
Similarly Red Nose Day, run by Fraud/Curtis have been revealed as overt supporters of asylum seekers, will be interesting to see whether their donations hold up.
October 6, 2025
In the round all your suggestion imply we need a Conservative Party. We have a Uniparty made up of Labour, WETs, One nationists, liberal Democrats that make up the majority in Parliament. Conservatives? where are they?
‘Reform’ sort of in a grey area or two suggest they might fit that bill and have the advantage that they are ‘not the others’
Never forget the likes of those that control what was a Tory/Conservative grouping, forced the Conservative to leave at the last election, retire, disperse and ensured that conservative couldn’t be selected in the future
October 6, 2025
Nearly 3 million people have signed a Parliamentary petition to oppose Digital ID in the UK.
On 2 October, The Starmer Government said it will go ahead with Digital ID regardless:
“We will introduce a digital ID within this Parliament to help tackle illegal migration, make accessing government services easier, and enable wider efficiencies. We will consult on details soon”
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/730194
Starmer seems to be set in his ways and is not influenced by other opinions whatever the future risks to Labour at the ballot box. Maybe, he has an election plan ?
I have to assume that the majority of Labour MPs are happy with the direction of travel of their Government.
October 6, 2025
I’m not convinced that our current Opposition can influence policy. Firstly because it cannot act with one voice with so many who could easily move across to the government benches, secondly because it is no longer trusted and thirdly because it is no longer Parliament who make policy but the unelected Civil Service, quangos, regulators, the “ofs” and finally the judiciary. Net Zero policy, since net zero by 2050 has been set into law by Theresa May (without a proper debate, without a costing and without a vote), is now ultimately decided by the CCC, DESNZ, tax-payer funded activists and judges. Despite years of opposition from the public for mass legal and illegal migration it was ramped up by the last administration and continues today for there is no wish for the Nomenklatura to reverse their policy. It was Gus O’Donnell who, when Cabinet Secretary, said in 2011: “When I was at the Treasury I argued for the most open door possible to immigration … I think it’s my job to maximise global welfare not national welfare”. Finally the Nomenklatura are not going to act as turkeys voting for Christmas by cutting tax and spending. Opposition can only come when the voters start to vote in large numbers for non Uniparty candidates.
October 6, 2025
Rupert Lowe is doing it single handedly – well, with the massive support of the British people.
October 6, 2025
‘the ones you helped elect with plenty of choice available’
We helped elect because the voters saw little to choose between the hopeless history of parties, and the policy silence from Starmer. You yourself left it late to step away from Wokingham, and a hurried unknown non-resident put up. Result – a bitter campaign from LibDems was believed sufficiently to grab the seat.
First past the post indeed. If that was plenty of choice why would I bother in future.
Reply I did not leave it late. I stood down as I was angry about an unexpected early election which meant failure to see through Rwanda to stop the boats and to see the improvement from big changes made to limit legal migration early in 2024, and failure to have a tax cutting autumn budget which I was urging on them with suitable spending cuts.
October 6, 2025
reply to reply…..as far as Wokingham electors were concerned – when was your stepping down made public? 24th May – with election day being 4th July? If only 6 weeks notice after so many years of great representation I really don’t know what is!
October 6, 2025
” I stood down as I was angry about an unexpected early election which meant failure to see through Rwanda to stop the boats and to see the improvement from big changes made to limit legal migration early in 2024, and failure to have a tax cutting autumn budget which I was urging on them with suitable spending cuts.”
That is interesting context – I have not heard that before so thank you. I had assumed you retried.
October 6, 2025
Government is talking about speeding up house purchases by getting the seller to do searches and property report etc. The Opposition can influence the government with two words – Caveat Emptor.
October 6, 2025
A simple way to speed house purchases would be to cut stamp duty which is grit in the system creating a gap between value for sellers and buyers. It discourages purchases. Further help would come from a lowered budget deficit which would allow interest rates to fall. For new homes we need to abandon the high cost undesirable net zero compliant designs. They failed when Huhne tried to introduce them over a decade ago.
October 6, 2025
only vested interests have say on policy and nobody on this site is a vested interest so you have no say.
October 6, 2025
Italy has restored the feast day of St Francis of Assisi, patron saint of Italy, as a national holiday.
We in England celebrated St George’s day as a national holiday from the 15th to 18th centuries.
The intercession of the saints is powerful. They can help fix so many of our national problems big time (for they now have an intelligence and power to an extraordinary degree). And feast day isn’t about going to church, but also about eating and drinking and having a merry old time with one’s fellow citizens.
Even if you’re an atheist, dedicating a day for patriotism is important.
(And the real problems in the West today are cultural not political. If our forefathers who fought in WW2 looked forward to how we are now they would think we’re a bunch of heathens / pagans and wouldn’t be surprised that things are falling apart all over the place in the Western World. Politicians trying to fix it is trying to proper up a falling building with straw. And those who turn to authoritarianism just end up corrupt / self-serving (the history books are filled with such people).
October 6, 2025
Isn’t just about going to church I meant.
And our WW2 forefathers would definitely agree too that we need to reintroduce National Service to, principally, man-up our young men.
October 6, 2025
Sad then that it was Franciscan monks who ran the Jasenovac extermination camp during the war.
Not everyone who reveres the Saints is sound. Though of course every Briton should visit the Market Place in Alnwick where George slayed the Dragon.
Instead let’s run the Derby on the first Wednesday in June as we did for 250 years, restore that Bank Holiday, Derby Day, and revitalise the racing industry. It employs thousands and gives joy to millions.
October 7, 2025
‘Sad then that it was Franciscan monks who ran the Jasenovac extermination camp during the war’ – there have been some horrible Franciscans. And ‘Christians.’ And Catholics. Agreed——-and also many great Franciscans – such as St Francis of Assisi (Mrs Thatcher referenced him in her first major political address)!
‘Not everyone who reveres the Saints is sound’ – agreed (but many are!).
‘Though of course every Briton should visit the Market Place in Alnwick where George slayed the Dragon’ – I think this is myth. St George’s real slaying was in spiritual warfare (which also profoundly impacts the material world). But I agree we should pay a visit for what it symbolises.
‘Instead let’s run the Derby on the first Wednesday in June as we did for 250 years, restore that Bank Holiday, Derby Day, and revitalise the racing industry. It employs thousands and gives joy to millions’ – I’m a huge fan of horse-racing (and point-to-points on which horse-racing greatly depends and fox hunting which provides horses for point-to-points). Let’s have a special horse-racing festival to celebrate St George’s day all in one.
Again, I want St George’s day as much for atheists / agnostics as for Protestants and Catholics (not forgetting Feast Day isn’t just about religious service but also drink, eat and make merry).
A merry day to you, madam.
October 8, 2025
‘Mrs Thatcher referenced him [St Francis of Assisi] in her first major political address’
Lastly, Mrs Thatcher (RIP) wouldn’t mind me saying that she was FIRST a Christian and SECOND a Conservative. Her Conservatism flowed from her Christianity (Methodism / C of E). Not saying Mrs Thatcher was a saint but she wouldn’t have been very happy if anyone doubted her Christian faith and the importance of it in her politics (and of the importance of religion in the life of the country overall).
October 8, 2025
‘Not saying Mrs Thatcher was a saint’ – Not for me to judge one way or the other
October 7, 2025
Also, if people followed the advice of saints such as St Teresa of Avila, tax would be way lower and the economy much stronger. When she said, ‘There is a time for fasting and a time for eating partridge.’
This was both spiritual and human in meaning. So the human bit apples to atheists as much as theists. Fasting in human sense means things like: 1. Don’t spend money you don’t have (including politicians) 2. Eat healthy food. 3. Take lots of exercise. Already there millions of people would be healthier (including mental health) – greatly reducing NHS bills and greatly improving productivity. And ‘eating partridge’ in human sense, means there is a time for drink and food and making merry / feasting / humour / the arts / leisure – including making money to pay for everything including our culture and civilisation. And we need all this in a healthy economy.
The friars and monks and nuns and priests have a special vocation which is NOT focused on s-x, money or power. Not that these are evil but that these people are called to a different calling (which also brings them great blessings). Everyone else – or most other people – are called to live in the world of s-x, money and power (like Joseph of Egypt, like the husband and wife in the Song of Songs and so on). Where these things can be really blessed, bringing great happiness. Or a curse if approached the wrong way. Western culture and civilisation is indebted to Christianity. As well as the. monks and nuns etc who prayed for all the people in it and the culture and civilisation to be healthy and strong.
Lastly, regarding Franciscans and culture, Greyfriars in Oxford University was founded in 1224. The first Chancellor of Oxford University was a Franciscan friar. And the friars, monks and Church in general has played a huge role in Oxford (and Cambridge) overall over the centuries.
October 6, 2025
Sir John with all due respect many people are now appalled by the governments inability to do the basics of protecting the country and demonstrating ourselves as a credible independent country globally,especially since 2016 Brexit.
We have a weak confused govt mired in the spin from years before and now reaping the seeds they sowed e.g
Mandelson “Its OK to be filthy rich” but billionaires have fled. Tax the rich.
” Let’s rub their noses in it” (DEI and immigration etc). Now it’s smash the gangs, whatever that means. Multiculturalism versus being British?
Now going after post war pensioners who have strived hard to save and eventually pay off lifetime crippling mortgages with up to 15% interest with no dole safety nets compared with today’s cushy spongers, spinners and illegals (paid for by taxpayers if you please).
This is the view of many given the actual Labour government track record of sheer cheek and proven incompetence now and previously with New Labour.
In fact no one knows what Labour stand for today inside of outside of their party other than their paymasters mainly the unions and being soft on China is extremely concerning.
Folk are deeply sceptical of offering anything constructive to these untrustworthy chameleons posing as honourable representatives of what they voted for sadly as they don’t deserve saving at all, in the best interests of Britain.
Reply Yes I know a lot are appalled. I am suggesting what we do about it given the likelihood the government stays in office for more than 3 years from today
October 6, 2025
Reply to reply
Given that Britain has caring and tolerant people but have been taken as fools for so long the answer to the question could be insurrection, or unprintable, which is why folk are frustrated by 30 years of being politically correct, unable to have a voice without being smeared as bigots (Gordon Brown on Mrs Duffy), racialist, trans deniers etc.
By contrast, traitors are not held to account.
Interesting Human rights Law is finally being seriously challenged as ridiculously interpreted and hopefully deny the army of lefty Lawyers the gravy train and route to high office.
Lawyers have proved to be incapable of running the country.
Turkeys in this govt will not vote for Christmas. So mission impossible for 3 more years.
October 6, 2025
Every plan that Labour comes up with seems to be for 10 years so if the Opposition comes up with any “sensible” suggestions the government will simply say that they haven’t given it enough time to work.
October 6, 2025
“When a government is as unpopular as this one, and adrift looking for ways back, good opposition can influence or force changes.”
Under what circumstances or after what sort of event would the King decide that dissolving Parliament and calling for a General Election would be in his country’s best and necessary interest?
Reply Only if a majority of MPs wanted a dissolution
October 7, 2025
I believe Sir John’s reply is incorrect. The Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 states:
“2. Revival of prerogative powers to dissolve Parliament and to call a new Parliament
(1)The powers relating to the dissolution of Parliament and the calling of a new Parliament that were exercisable by virtue of Her Majesty’s prerogative immediately before the commencement of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 are exercisable again, as if the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 had never been enacted.”
This means the sovereign can dissolve Parliament on the advice of the PM at any time.
Reply My advice is good. Yes the PM can seek a dissolution any time but only if he commands a majority of the House. Sunak pre empted this by going to the King suddenly before any Parly process could be initiated.Anyway all the Opposition MPs wanted a dissolution and Sunak probably commanded enough Conservatives to make a majority. I and my friends looked at options but saw we could not reliably and in a timely way demonstrate the PM did not command the House on this bad decision. If the Monarch has any doubt about a majority wanting a dissolution or sees a rival leader of a majority party claiming he can govern the Monarch may well delay a dissolution to allow Parliamentary votes to test what is wanted.
October 7, 2025
I believe Sir John’s reply is incorrect. The Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 states:
“2. Revival of prerogative powers to dissolve Parliament and to call a new Parliament
(1)The powers relating to the dissolution of Parliament and the calling of a new Parliament that were exercisable by virtue of Her Majesty’s prerogative immediately before the commencement of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 are exercisable again, as if the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 had never been enacted.”
This means the sovereign can dissolve Parliament on the advice of the PM at any time.
Sir John’s reply appears to be based on the now repealed Fixed Term Parliament Act 2011.
October 7, 2025
well H1b visas, and the Indian outsourcing movement, are big topics of political debate in the USA, while similar visas here, eg intra company transfer visas, are hardly discussed at all in the main stream media or politics, despite countless voters who have seen the problems up close protesting to politicians and the press. there are lots of examples like this where even the reform party seems to be heavily influenced by the Indian lobby, and where the Conservatives could easily make hay with the mess the current government is creating. but the knowledge, insight, and thought leadership is not there. policies which may have sounded good in the early 2000’s are clearly too late. there is no joined up vision, and no plan to take on the senior layers of the public sector.
October 7, 2025
“You may feel better for letting off steam about most MPs, but they are the ones you helped elect with plenty of choice available.”
Er, no. I did not vote for any of the current MPs. The candidate I voted for did not get in. But I am a supporter of reform. So you could reasonably say I helped get five out of 650 MPs elected but I most certainly did not help any of the rremaining 645 get elected.