Reform have had a remarkable victory winning 532 seats whilst Cons lost 494 and Labour 144. in some ways I am glad – if it had to happen it is good that Reform will have to manage councils for 3 years before the next GE. As we know, Councils are facing a difficult time due to restraints on finance that have caused many to pare to the bone already. There will be talk, and talk. But walking the walk is going to be much more difficult. A war on woke may sound easy but are there really many examples over the top woeness? War on Net Zero would be interesting – what are they going to do? Rip off solar panels, dig for fossil fuels under county hall? War on immigration will be fascinating if it avoids violence and bloodshed. Councils have few powers over immigration if any. Could they introduce a whites only policy for jobs? With over 10% of the population being non-white a return to the sixties is not viable.
Reform have made promises and like Labour may find it hard to deliver? We should also not ignore the fact that the LibDems won more seats than Labour or Conservatives. And the greens moved above Labour in many areas.
Analysis of the results reveal a move from Tory to reform – which also reveals what we always knew – Tories are closet racists. A quick look and it appears that most councils that changed hands had been Conservative and moved to Reform. basically the tories appear fucked! And the councils up for grabs were generally midlands and north.
I will make an unscietific generalisation here (at least I am honest unlike the Media), was it small town prejudice and poverty that encourages people to vote for a party that always blames others. I have not seen a demographic breakdown of the results yet. There has also been no discussion about turnout.
So not all gloom, in fact a positive – could labour be forced to bring in PR? If they had to look to the LibDems and Greens to govern they might? It was good that the South-west held out aginst racism and fascism. The Mayorality election was a close call!