Listening to the new Labour MP for Hamilton you could be forgiven for thinking Labour had suddenly become popular. There was no understanding of why more than two thirds voting did not vote Labour. There was no curiosity about why 56% of voters did not vote at all. Labour’s vote fell 30%, to stand at 14% of the electorate.
People are fed up with nasty snarling from Labour and SNP about those who dare to vote some other way. They should be seeking to understand why they are so unpopular . They need to wrestle with the failings of the Labour government in the UK and the SNP government in Scotland.
Why with all that extra government in Scotland is Scottish growth still less than England’s? Why with all that extra public spending does the Scottish NHS still have long waiting lists? Devolved government has not brought greater prosperity or better services to Scotland.More politicians and bureaucrats do not normally energise an economy.
June 7, 2025
It was a very close fought contest with Reform getting 26% of the vote from a standing start. The tories were quite rightly irrelevant on 6%.
Scottish politics are nasty which was encouraged by wee krankie, still no evidence where the money went.
I think it would be good for the Scottish people to be given independence except for the fact they’d become a hostile state on our borders. At least they wouldn’t be able to blame the English for all their woes.
Reply We rightly gave Scotland the choice to leave but they decided to stay.Scotland is an important part of the UK with defence installations and a major contributor to our energy supply.
June 7, 2025
It may be an important supplier of expensive wind powered generation, when the wind is blowing. It is no longer a major supplier of oil and gas because the scam religion of climate change has put paid to that. No john I can’t see any redeeming features of having to subsidise Scotland and letting them build all our warships.
We could relocate the industries back to England and save a fortune in subsidies.
June 7, 2025
Politics now appears to be a part time job for charlatans and entertainers, not serious people. Look at PMQ’s, look at the interviews on MSM where the individual simply spouts the party line regardless of how ridiculous it is. Honesty and integrity count for nought. Criminal and indecent behaviour is commonplace. Excess personal travel expense on the public purse. It’s easy to go on.
Was it always so or have we no reached the end of the usefulness of democracy?
June 7, 2025
@PW +1. I was going to make a similar point. Politics attracts many horrible people. Some just revel in power, others are ideologues who want to force their creed on everyone (to make the world better/perfect), others see a gravy train. Humility doesn’t come into it. Hating and despising their opponents does (political opponents and those who don’t vote for them). FPP allows them to revel in victory.
Many of these types end up in the higher parts of the bureaucracy and NGOcracy, as there is a revolving door between the sectors.
Oh for an uncorrupt politician that just wants to interfere less in people’s lives!
June 8, 2025
Cyrus the Great
June 7, 2025
Indeed compair the dire Two Tier Kier, Lammy, Miliband, Bridget Phillipson, Cooper Balls not only useless but mad and deluded… with Thatcher, Tebbit, Lawson, Parkinson, JR, Kieth Joseph and ministeres of the past. Not that they were perfect some made many errors on Europe and the ERM fiasco.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ministers_under_Margaret_Thatcher
June 7, 2025
Current ministers are nearly all scientifically illiterate, race baiters, inummerate, chip on the shoulder, the bitter politics of envy lefties with degrees in Law, PPE, Languages or nothing. Few have every had a non state sector real job! The main qualification seem to be an ability to serially lie with a straight face!
June 7, 2025
That and have about 50 ways of avoiding answering any questions after so called “media training” which seems designed to shop people up as evasive idiots and liars when being in questioned.
June 8, 2025
Heseltine best politician UK ever had (with proper business / entrepreneurial experince and leadership). Problem is he was too pro Europe. His achilles heal..
Reply heel?
June 7, 2025
We need to SELECT our own candidates!
June 7, 2025
But then we wouldn’t have hundreds of ‘yes men and women’ trouping about the corridors of power!
June 7, 2025
True, modern day socialism in the UK is nasty and vengeful. They pursue class warefare where social class is a dying concept. There is today the dependent society and those who strive to better themselves. In waging war on the latter, those in real need are poorly treated while those who work and provide for themselves are penalised. Success is evidence of guilt. Wherever socialism governs failure follows as night does day. Witness Birmingham, London, Wales, Scotland, and now they are intent on destroying England. Socialism is self destruction, a movement against enterprise, the antithisis of human instinct and therefore doomed to failure. Problem is that conservatism as practised has been little better, hence the rise of Reform.
June 7, 2025
Even worse the arrogance is fuelled by ignorance. It is shared to a greater or lesser degree by all the long established parties. They have now been rumbled by voters which is why Reform is doing so well against them.
June 7, 2025
It’s the same answer to all your questions: subsidies paid to them by the English taxpayer whom they don’t care about; against whom they have a grudge, or whom they believe owes them reparations.
End the Barnet formula, substitute user pays.
June 7, 2025
Quite right. Then create an English parliament. Something Sir JR once championed.
June 7, 2025
Please no. We have local government and central government. That is plenty. We’ve rid ourselves of the European Parliament and we don’t want another useless and expensive talking shop.
June 7, 2025
But your O/K with Scotland, Wales and N.Ireland having their own parliament. Just the English who are forbidden!
June 7, 2025
So break up the U.K. brilliant, that means we lose our 800 year old constitution too.
Who needs enemies?
June 7, 2025
They are in plain sight!
June 7, 2025
Most of the relevant ‘constitutional’ texts, specially related to the four states of the UK only came after the 1689 Bill of Rights in the Treaty and Act of Union, 1706, 1707, the 1800 Act of Union 1800 with Ireland, and the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1922.
The 1215 Magna Carta was only an agreement between the King and the Barons to set up a Parliament and had very little effect on the everyday life of the commoners.
But maybe you put yourself among the Barons.
Reply What nonsense. Magna Carta, Legislation to join Wales to England, Statute in Restraint of Appeals for end of Catholicism as state religion, Long Parliament changes, 1660 Settlement legislation etc
June 7, 2025
We lost our constitution in 1998 when Blair created devolution for everyone except England !
June 7, 2025
Farage suggested scrapping the Barnet formula and giving the Scottish parliament full tax-raising powers instead. As expected this provoked outrage from the lefties. It would certainly boost house prices on the English side of the border, and they might think again about closing down North Sea oil and gas extraction.
June 7, 2025
Full tax raising powers means they are independent. We have taken their decision for them.
June 7, 2025
A key attribute of all politicians. Delusion. Deluded about their own competence, deluded about what they can/will achieve. Deluded about what voters think, deluded that any criticism is ‘political’ rather than based in fact.
Add, as they climb the greasy pole, acolytes/civil servants kissing their backsides, zero criticism and you get that delusion takes them well above their ability.
June 7, 2025
Far too much ‘confidence trick’ aka con-men amongst politicians exists. Relying on seeming believable, they are skilled enough to possibly pass lie-detector tests! The assertive impression meant to convey truth, when mostly it is guesswork and actual subterfuge.
June 7, 2025
Add to that quite a bit of corruption and bowing to pressure groups for vested interest groups who want a conspiracy against tax payers or the public. Force them to buy different “green” air fuels, heat pumps, EV vehicles, OTT safely equipment, HIP packs, EPC certificates, tenancy deposit schemes. legal air and hotels for migrants…
June 7, 2025
There are several takeaways from the Hamilton byelection. Firstly, Labour won and the electors rejected the SNP. Despite all the hype and support from the right-wing press, the Reform limited company came third; the Conservatives came a distant fourth.
Reform had to deal with yet another chaotic high-profile resignation – this time their Chairman, Zia Yusuf. No wonder the Hamilton electors rejected them. Zia Yusuf’s resignation was because he no longer believed that the messianic Farage could ever be the prime minister of this country. Apparently, hundreds of wealthy prospective donors agreed – and refused to part with their cash
Today we read that many of the recently elected Reform councillors have failed to attend a single council meeting. Dozens of them. This has resulted in meetings being cancelled and councils are running around like headless chickens, waiting for important decisions. What a shambles
June 7, 2025
SG. Reform did extremely well on 26% and it’s the tories that split the vote. They should have list their deposit.
As for the councils there is a concerted effort by council staff to had mouth the new Reform councillors, here where I live they have already rooted out some major corruption and had officials deliberately trying to mislead them. Don’t be fooled by whistle-blower articles in the MSM which are leaked with axes to grind.
June 7, 2025
Nobody did well. It was a race of losers.
June 8, 2025
Not quite, Reform were most certainly winners. If you don’t agree you are being obtuse.
June 7, 2025
Reform is organised as a company limited by guarantee. So is the Green party but we haven’t heard anything from you over the past few years moaning about that – why not ? I suppose it’s OK to organise like that if you’re net zero zealot ?
June 7, 2025
What I take away from the result is that less than half the electorate bothered to vote. I’m not surprised. Why should anyone get out of their seat to vote for some bod to go to a useless talking shop?
June 7, 2025
The ‘talking shop’ is not useless, just the talkers.
June 7, 2025
Zia Yusuf has had an epiphany….2 days and the hero returns.
June 7, 2025
SG:
Reform will continue their upward rise, even in Scotland, and will not be unduly affected by high profile resignations such as those of Lowe and Yusuf. This is because their voters are voting for their policies on immigration and Net Zero and not for peronalities. Since the public sector has been taken over by the Far Left Reform councillors can expect to face stiff opposition from council officers.
June 8, 2025
@Original Richard
Of all the ignorant and stupid comments you have posted here, this one takes the biscuit. Reform is now the party of far left socialist economics. At the last election the nation returned 605 MP’s who support net zero. Out of a total of 650. Keep taking the medication
June 8, 2025
SG :
So you believe the right wing press are now supporting a party with far left socialist economics? I will agree with you that there are 605 MPs who support Net Zero which is why all these PPE, classics, law, geography, ancient and modern languages and history graduates need replacing for as Jonathan Swift said “It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into.”
June 7, 2025
The problem is that they have had politicians who have concentrated on getting free of England for too many years and nothing else has been achieved. Hence a once good schooling system has been neglected, they are the worst drug country and, therefore, have NHS which is not fit for purpose. I was interested to watch this new MP give no answers to an interviewer on the winter fuel payments. If he cannot give a straight answer to a current topic of interest what good will he be. I cannot understand why SNP and Labour are still popular there but I don’t live there so do not understand the mentality of the people who do.
June 7, 2025
Listening to the new Labour MP for Hamilton in a interview after winning the seat the Labour guy came across as thick as mince , if this is the quality of people the Labour Party are picking to stand as a MP then god help us says a lot about the electorate that also vote for these people
June 7, 2025
Yes. That’s why they refused to put him forward for the candidate’s debate, I believe only SNP and Reform turned up.
June 7, 2025
No party has any right to ‘pick candidates’. The PEOPLE MUST pick their own candidates as they always did.
June 7, 2025
From the Telegraph today:- “Concern about mass migration is a “terrorist ideology” that requires intervention by the Government’s anti-radicalisation Prevent programme, according to official documents.
An online training course hosted on the Government’s website for Prevent lists “cultural nationalism” as a belief that could lead to an individual being referred to the deradicalisation scheme”
Is it any wonder Prevent has failed so completely? Always easier to tackle the law abiding rather than the real terrorist risks or real criminals, Same on the trains ignore ticked evaders and fine people who make a genuine mistakes, mug motorists doing 23mph
Now two tier Kier (now Strangers Enoch Kier) has I assume now been referred to prevent?
June 7, 2025
Ll
Yes I read that article and was astounded by the stupidity of these people. One can only assume Prevent is staffed by the chosen few as is the Foreign Office and Border Control.
June 7, 2025
+1 LL. I saw mention of the piece. I hope it’s just clickbait. Too horrible to imagine, if there’s substance in it.
I remember working in a factory here in the 2000s amongst many fairly newly-arrived Poles. They were horrified that the then government had allowed Romanians free entry. And quite rightly. The foreman stood up on a machine one day when the Poles downed tools and demanded a pay rise. He shouted to all of us “There’s 10 f****** Romanans waiting outside for each of your f****** jobs, so get back to [expletive] work!”. We capitulated.
Those Poles, and the rest of us, would nowadays be said to have a “terrorist ideology”.
June 7, 2025
Very good comments. I agree!
June 7, 2025
We still have what some of is call the Uniparty dominating Parliament all indoctrinated with a similar left leaning WEF Socialism. The root of which is World Government by bureaucrats, whose only policy is to fight the people, the minions. Out of the 650 MP’s it would not be wrong to suggest 600 of them are of the same political persuasion. The same 600 want to fight and not work with those that elected them – we used to call it ‘serving’
When we talk of reform, it is not the party with that name we mean, although they do gain by seemingly not being the others, when we talk of reform in parliament it mean we need our democracy back. Personally it has now got that bad I would now want to see the religion of the Political Party banned from standing in elections. MP’s bowing down to their religious leader, gang leader is obscene – it should be serving the electorate by working with them, then the country the rest of it is just ego and misplaced self esteem.
June 7, 2025
Politicians should be like Cyrus the Great.
Cyrus was a great leader in terms of war, politics and culture – whilst also being humble at the same time.
Humility is a super power (not weakness or being a wimp or pushover – humility is about focusing on the needs of the other / shining a light on the other instead of on oneself.
Icarus was the opposite of Cyrus. Icarus was full of ambition but lacked the talent to back it ip and he was arrogant – wanting everyone to look at him and say what a great chap he was.
I wish UK Parliament had a big statue of Cyrus and another of Icarus crashing his wings into the sea to remind politicians (and all of us, including myself) of the need for humility!
(Moses was described as most humble man on earth – but even he was flawed and the Jews paid a big price for that – and Moses’ humility was the main reason he was selected to lead the Jewish people in the first place).
June 7, 2025
The electorate keep the politician humble.
June 7, 2025
Probably only 5% of people have heard of Cyrus the Great. And only about 10% of politicians. Why? When our heads are crammed with the horror of Hitler and Stalin and so on (and the political philosophy of Machiavelli).
Cyrus the Great was a great and humble leader. We need to focus more on leaders like him (that you don’t have to be a so-and-so to do well politics or in life in general).
June 7, 2025
The following all saw Cyrus as a HERO (and / or a holy man): Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Napoleon, Thomas Jefferson, Jews, Christians, Persians and others. A hero who also embodied all the qualities of a truly masculine man (1. Leadership 2. Warrior 3. Lover of Life 4. Wise Man 5. Man of Benignity, Culture, Family, Patriotism, and Faith)
I hope to visit his tomb one day in Iran.
Good old Cyrus
June 7, 2025
That should be ‘never’, there is noting normal about a host of hot aired politicians and myriads of bureaucrats dragging a country down.
Devolution was never designed to make anything better, as mentioned, it was another way to increase the number of under-performing and expensive ‘non-producers’.
Labour have nothing to be arrogant about! I can’t name one positive aspect of their reign so far, but I can think of plenty of negatives. It’s only hot air and arrogance from MPs and PM alike that keep the markets afloat, because all of their deals so far have been bad for the UK, just like their debt control and the punishing effects of taxation on those that don’t have a lot anyway.
The media refuse to give HMG a bad report, so most of us go to bed thinking, possibly, that labour are not so bad, while the rest of us awake at 3am, worrying, dreading the next announcement from this wretched administration.
Arrogance may have it’s place in beer halls and in the Commons where socialists rule, but by now we should be able to see through that bluster when their false-hearted words are shattered against the light of the new day.
June 7, 2025
Arrogance may also have its place when the country is at war. In those circumstances you want your leader to be arrogant and intimidating towards the enemy.
Sanctimony on the other hand is never a good look, but do I myself become sanctimonious when I accuse others of it?
June 7, 2025
We are not at war though, but that’s not because Starmer hasn’t been trying!
June 7, 2025
What do labour have to be arrogant about one wonders?
That should be ‘never’, there is noting normal about a host of hot aired politicians and myriads of bureaucrats dragging a country down.
Devolution was never designed to make anything better, as mentioned, it was another way to increase the number of under-performing and expensive ‘non-producers’.
Labour have nothing to be arrogant about! I can’t name one positive aspect of their reign so far, but I can think of plenty of negatives. It’s only hot air and arrogance from MPs and PM alike that keep the markets afloat, because all of their deals so far have been bad for the UK, just like their debt control and the punishing effects of taxation on those that don’t have a lot anyway.
The media refuse to give HMG a bad report, so most of us go to bed thinking, possibly, that labour are not so bad, while the rest of us awake at 3am, worrying, dreading the next announcement from this wretched administration.
Arrogance may have it’s place in beer halls and in the Commons where socialists rule, but by now we should be able to see through that bluster when their false-hearted words are shattered against the light of the new day.
June 7, 2025
Labour is not the party of most people.
It is a student protest group with kiddie policies to match.
People want normal people running the country, with normal, sensible policies and NOT these cranks.
June 7, 2025
Scotland is a very talented nation and it has produced a disproportionate number of Britain’s best inventors, engineers, economists, academics and discoverers but most of it is pre-WW2. Indeed the last time it was majority Conservative was in 1955. I believe there are two main reasons for this.
I think Socialism gained traction when Britain de-industrialised post-WW2 and it’s spiritless, hopeless brainwashing became entrenched.
I also think it’s because Conservatives have not ‘convincingly explained’ in Scotland why their policies are the best and the only sustainable way to achieve prosperity and optimism (eg low taxes, efficient public services, educational excellence, law and order, sovereignty etc).
I don’t believe Scots are voting Labour because they think Socialism is great nor SNP because they want Scotland to divorce from the rest of the UK. It’s because it has become cultural to vote for either of those parties in Scotland. A dynamic and regular campaign explaining and evidencing Conservatism could change that outcome.
June 7, 2025
Where I live, we had a LibDem council, but a Conservative MP. After the last election, the LibDems got an MP.
Looking at the vote, the LibDems got no more votes than in the previous election, but a lot of people didn’t vote. So put back those voters who previously voted conservative – and there’s no way the LibDems would have won!
However, soon after election, we had a leaflet through the door thanking every one for voting LibDem and for the ‘landslide’ vote for them! I know this isn’t Labour, but they are no different in exaggerating and effectively lying! They are NOT popular!
June 7, 2025
Where is John Curtice when you need him, eh?
June 7, 2025
We are seeing a rise in sectarian politics. This situation is only going to get worse with the importation of migrants to this country, whose allegiance will always be to a foreign state and culture. The British people have been sold out, over the last few decades, by a breed of politician who cares nothing for the future of our race and culture. Reform was right to call out to the Scottish people the speech made by the Labour leader, who put his demographic ahead of the majority. Why Scottish people voted for such a racist party is an anathema to me.
June 7, 2025
As the saying goes…….. “There’s none so blind as those who WILL NOT SEE”!
June 7, 2025
So the government would rather spend approximately £2.2bn in a year from the foreign aid budget on asylum hotels for illegal immigrants in preference to assisting the desperately poor and needy, mostly in Africa.
June 7, 2025
There are desperately poor and needy in the UK too!
June 7, 2025
14% and they won!
The British electorate are refusing to entrust their sovereignty to any entity.
Who can blame them?
The Government has no mandate – fewer than 50% acknowledged Westminsters right to Govern AT ALL.
June 7, 2025
I agree that politicians should avoid arrogance, but sadly, it seems to affect a majority of them. What I dislike about Labour is how sour they all seem. They seem to hate normal people who want to work hard and provide a better life for their children. They look down instead of up. They have closed minds and can’t change them, even when what they are doing is wrong and harmful. Reeves’ budget is an example.
However, it affects both sides. I met David Cameron when he was Prime Minister, and the arrogance just seemed to pour off him. I have not yet met Keir Starmer, but I suspect he would also radiate arrogance. The question is, can the UK survive another four years of Labour incompetence? What will Starmer give away next to damage the UK, both now and in the future!
June 7, 2025
I don’t think the politicians are in control, certainly not when it comes to energy. I would rather see the CEOs of the CCC, Ofgem, NESO, GB Energy and the Permanent Secretary of DESNZ interviewed rather than any ministers.
June 7, 2025
I’d welcome the opportunity to question Ed Miliband and my first would be his precise definition of energy. This must surely include the petrol for my car and gas for my home heating and as a consequence how does he justify the S in his title. The department should be re-named DENZ as he never talks about security of supplies of gas and oil. If you want an example of an arrogant politician he is in pole position.
June 7, 2025
A reason for government failure in Scotland is that the SNP enjoyed success in running a one party state, with most if not all the wretched consequences of that. Recall also the attacks upon Alex Salmond that originated in Scotland. In that light, some arrogance by those candidates who defeat SNP rivals is justified perhaps.
June 7, 2025
By-elections never have large turnouts but quite often result in a protest victory. That the Conservatives and Reform couldn’t overturn two despised parties in power is a concern.
The right of centre, even if had an electoral pact wouldn’t have won (not all the 6% of Conservatives would have broken for Reform).
Reform need to make a success of these councils otherwise Labour will get in again in four years’ time as the default candidates
June 7, 2025
It seems senseless to say politicians should avoid arrogance when most people are arrogant (maybe even including myself) about their beliefs and their supposed knowledge.
Furthermore in electoral politics momentum is very important (as the rise of Reform is showing) and to achieve momentum it is very important for political parties to talk up rather than downplay or even contextualise their ability to get votes.
June 7, 2025
Electioneering is the smallest part of the process. The test is governing. Politicians are failing. They have no cause to be even content much less arrogant.
Any narcissist is a specialist at gauging what you want them to be, and then being it. So you should expect narcissists to excel at electioneering. Examples are Johnson-the-Destroyer and Farage.
Real politicians are so absorbed in deciding what they want to do, why and how that they tend to view electioneering as a necessary evil.
Enoch Powell did not bother to electioneer at all, even when he stood against Heath for Leadership of the Party. He thought that we, the electorate were sophisticated enough to judge him on his programme and would compare programmes and vote accordingly.
Britain ain’t what she used to be.
June 8, 2025
Governing if you get to govern is very important but if you just think of electioneering as a ‘necessary evil’ you will get a poor result (Enoch Powell – 15 votes, 5%) and should not be the political Leader.
Although it is not enough (it also requires natural talent) electioneering like governing requires understanding and thinking carefully about it. The best at electioneering therefore tend also to be the best at governing. Boris Johnson was the best Conservative at electioneering who was also the best Conservative Prime Minister since at least Margaret Thatcher. Tony Blair was the best Labour Party Leader at electioneering and was also the least bad Labour Prime Minister.
June 7, 2025
Devolution has only ever, and will only ever, be used to undermine, and break-up, GB! The Regional Nationalists won’t stop!
If Conservatives do not repeal it, People will know they are not serious about governing this country as a whole, they are not really Unionists, but accept that the UK should be broken-up with the aim of re-entering the EU! Not just allowing it to happen, but promoting it!
The only real answer will be for the Conservative Party to accept, and promote, British Nationalism, with a country wide Industrial Strategy, supporting fundamental industry’s, and more generally, promoting an Enterprise cultures, especially within the Regions! Including key strategic control of National Campion’s (51% Golden shares), like British Steel, cheap Energy/Food strategy’s, an Open and re-distributive Banking System!
The basis for an Independent, and Free, Country, not just for those that own Assets; offering ownership (Savings – Homes, Deposits,…) to everyone!
The Service Sector, alone, is not enough, no matter what the Libertarian’s say! We cannot relay on the Asset owning classes! They are too narrow minded and selfish to consider everyone else! Growths needs to be open to everyone, not just house/asset prices!
We need Cultural Change, and that involves changes in Thinking!
You decide! Will you, and your Party, get back into Power, until it does? I think Not!
June 7, 2025
Nobody should be arrogant.I meet arrogance regularly ,but what amazes me are the people who appreciate and emulate these types emotionally Kow Towing to them.Please NB : – big mouthed know alls are not at all important.
June 7, 2025
For arrogance you cannot beat all those politicians, ministers, quango CEOs and Civil Servants who despite having degrees in PPE, classics, law, geography, ancient and modern languages and history never-the-less believe they know all about energy, both the physics and the engineering. Then there are a very few who do know what they are doing. They are evil.
June 10, 2025
Sir John, I don’t think the new MSP for Hamilton is being deliberately arrogant. The man is just clearly unable to understand voting statistics (r indeed much else) and believes what Labour’s spin doctors produce – a percentage based on those who vote, not on the percentage of the electorate. And they are genuinely uninterested in voter apathy; they just vaguely view it as something that helps them win.
I believe self-induced innumeracy should be punished with poverty, but as we see, it is rewarded with high office instead.