Reform UK - A symptom of all that is wrong?

Reform UK - A symptom of all that is wrong?

Author
Discussion

AmyRichardson

1,151 posts

44 months

Wednesday 15th May
quotequote all
Oilchange said:
Curiously, if the majority in the UK are centrist, what does it make them?
nuts
Centrist.

The centre isn't fixed to a time and place; the preferences of the electorate, shaped by the behaviour of the parties (who, especially as incumbents can seek to preference-shape the centre towards their preferences) and wider events, serve to define it. How able a party is to divine the centre is quite another story!

The concept, as classically defined by Anthony Downs in "An Economic Theory of Democracy", is one of the 101s of how a 2-party system works.

ntiz

2,357 posts

138 months

Wednesday 15th May
quotequote all
If anyone wants a laugh go check out the comments of the reform instagram page.

Lovely comments like this:



Unfortunately I didn’t screen shot it but my favourite was a women absolutely adamant that she wouldn’t be forced to wear hijab by Khans Islamic government…………….. just wow.

S600BSB

5,113 posts

108 months

Wednesday 15th May
quotequote all
ntiz said:
If anyone wants a laugh go check out the comments of the reform instagram page.

Lovely comments like this:



Unfortunately I didn’t screen shot it but my favourite was a women absolutely adamant that she wouldn’t be forced to wear hijab by Khans Islamic government…………….. just wow.
Not really surprised - their supporters are loons.

skwdenyer

16,699 posts

242 months

Wednesday 15th May
quotequote all
AmyRichardson said:
Oilchange said:
Curiously, if the majority in the UK are centrist, what does it make them?
nuts
Centrist.

The centre isn't fixed to a time and place; the preferences of the electorate, shaped by the behaviour of the parties (who, especially as incumbents can seek to preference-shape the centre towards their preferences) and wider events, serve to define it. How able a party is to divine the centre is quite another story!

The concept, as classically defined by Anthony Downs in "An Economic Theory of Democracy", is one of the 101s of how a 2-party system works.
Electoral results suggest the UK is always centre-left.

Yertis

18,112 posts

268 months

Wednesday 15th May
quotequote all
skwdenyer said:
Electoral results suggest the UK is always centre-left.
When is "always"? Always since when?

Oilchange

8,524 posts

262 months

Wednesday 15th May
quotequote all
AmyRichardson said:
Oilchange said:
Curiously, if the majority in the UK are centrist, what does it make them?
nuts
Centrist.

The centre isn't fixed to a time and place; the preferences of the electorate, shaped by the behaviour of the parties (who, especially as incumbents can seek to preference-shape the centre towards their preferences) and wider events, serve to define it. How able a party is to divine the centre is quite another story!

The concept, as classically defined by Anthony Downs in "An Economic Theory of Democracy", is one of the 101s of how a 2-party system works.
You obviously did the read the post above mine and put two and two together hehe

tangerine_sedge

4,853 posts

220 months

Wednesday 15th May
quotequote all
ntiz said:
If anyone wants a laugh go check out the comments of the reform instagram page.

Lovely comments like this:



Unfortunately I didn’t screen shot it but my favourite was a women absolutely adamant that she wouldn’t be forced to wear hijab by Khans Islamic government…………….. just wow.
The problem is that these people get all their information from poor quality online sources (i.e. pushed opinion) and don't actually visit places like KAAAAAHHHNNNS London. Their social media pushes a particular type of misinformation and they stupidly believe it as truthful.


President Merkin

3,344 posts

21 months

Wednesday 15th May
quotequote all
...Whilst living in retirement in Suffolk. Funny old game.

skwdenyer

16,699 posts

242 months

Wednesday 15th May
quotequote all
Yertis said:
skwdenyer said:
Electoral results suggest the UK is always centre-left.
When is "always"? Always since when?
The last time the majority of votes were *not* cast for left or centre-left parties at a general election was 1959.

That counts as “always” for most people living now.

TTwiggy

11,558 posts

206 months

Wednesday 15th May
quotequote all
tangerine_sedge said:
KAAAAAHHHNNNS
I'm still waiting for him to start the Eugenics Wars.

AmyRichardson

1,151 posts

44 months

Wednesday 15th May
quotequote all
Yertis said:
When is "always"? Always since when?
It's based on the supposition that certain parties necessarily represent certain things. In recent decades this has meant seeing the right as "tories, unionists and right fringe nuts" and making the left everything else (including, say, lumping the LD and Nat vote wholesale into "the left" - which a significant minority are not.)

Whenever I've looked into this in the past (because it's a durable trope) it appears the answer is "very close."

skwdenyer

16,699 posts

242 months

Thursday 16th May
quotequote all
AmyRichardson said:
Yertis said:
When is "always"? Always since when?
It's based on the supposition that certain parties necessarily represent certain things. In recent decades this has meant seeing the right as "tories, unionists and right fringe nuts" and making the left everything else (including, say, lumping the LD and Nat vote wholesale into "the left" - which a significant minority are not.)

Whenever I've looked into this in the past (because it's a durable trope) it appears the answer is "very close."
Since 1959, Lab + LD (Lib, SDP) + SNP has been > 50%. No need to include the fringier parties IIRC. Obviously there’s more nuanced work that can be done.

skwdenyer

16,699 posts

242 months

Thursday 16th May
quotequote all
AmyRichardson said:
Yertis said:
When is "always"? Always since when?
It's based on the supposition that certain parties necessarily represent certain things. In recent decades this has meant seeing the right as "tories, unionists and right fringe nuts" and making the left everything else (including, say, lumping the LD and Nat vote wholesale into "the left" - which a significant minority are not.)

Whenever I've looked into this in the past (because it's a durable trope) it appears the answer is "very close."
Since 1959, Lab + LD (Lib, SDP) + SNP has been > 50%. No need to include the fringier parties IIRC. Obviously there’s more nuanced work that can be done.

Dagnir

2,026 posts

165 months

Thursday 16th May
quotequote all
ntiz said:
If anyone wants a laugh go check out the comments of the reform instagram page.

Lovely comments like this:



Unfortunately I didn’t screen shot it but my favourite was a women absolutely adamant that she wouldn’t be forced to wear hijab by Khans Islamic government…………….. just wow.
I was with them up until "far".

S600BSB

5,113 posts

108 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
Where is Crank - this is Reform’s big moment.

LimmerickLad

1,076 posts

17 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
I wonder if Farage will declare he's standing now?

S600BSB

5,113 posts

108 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
LimmerickLad said:
I wonder if Farage will declare he's standing now?
Really hope he does.

don'tbesilly

13,951 posts

165 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
LimmerickLad said:
I wonder if Farage will declare he's standing now?
You may well find out tomorrow:



bitchstewie

51,939 posts

212 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
Is 8th time lucky a thing? hehe

LimmerickLad

1,076 posts

17 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
don'tbesilly said:
LimmerickLad said:
I wonder if Farage will declare he's standing now?
You may well find out tomorrow:


I hope he does if only to see some PHers heads explode.