[Tubby Isaacs]

"Palestine will be free from the river to the sea" is being shouted here. It's possible to interpret that as calling literally for the destruction of Israel, and maybe that's what some people mean by it. Then again, you could intepret Rule Britannia as a call for Britain to conquer everywhere with a coastline.

But can Mr Tice tell us what offence he thinks has been committed here? He's copied in the Police.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

See also Braverman's Boys chanting 'Fuck Allah". Not provocative in the least.

I know that some here think I'm a snowflake, but it seems we live in a world of snowflakes. Opposing sides do offensive chants. Get over it.

[Watchman]

And has Mr “Government in waiting” Tice given us his considered view on the current situation in the Middle East?

[Tubby Isaacs]

Ha ha ha ha.

Reform ran in 4 council by elections on Thursday. They came 3rd, 5th, and 4th (last). They couldn't win an egg and spoon race.

[davidjay]

I would still be very surprised if there isn't at least some unofficial pact between the two of them come election time.

[Watchman]

Selective seats

[Tubby Isaacs]

The combined vote shares suggest a pact wouldn't stop a landslide at the moment. And a merger would probably lose a bunch of voters anyway from each.

As a longer term strategy, Reform might as well actively split "the vote", and then tell the Tories they have to merge with them. The worse the Tory result the better from their point of view. They might as well fight as many seats as they can afford.

[mattomac]

Interesting piece before the by election of local elections in Tamworth, the Tory vote hardly rises in the last decade it’s just UKIP start taking from Labour, that has started to reverse and ultimately ended up in the by election win and good council elections in May.

Thanet is a similar example

[Youngian]

Marvellous bun fight. According to the Times 30p Leenoch was taped claiming that Reform is tapping up MPs offering £430,000 bung (odd number) to defect.

Honest Dick Tice is having none of it. Who’s telling the truth, who cares, what’s not to enjoy?

[Abernathy]

Tice is probably right, though but. This isn't the first time this story has surfaced, and I certainly wouldn't put it past 30p to make it up to blag himself the Tory vice-Chairman gig.

[satnav]

The Brexit Party was nothing but a money making scam offering members the chance to stand as candidates for the party in return for a large payment to the party, it looks like the Reform Party is run along the same lines. Would a party set up as a cash cow for Tice really splash out £430,000 to sign up the likes of Lee Anderson? I suppose the only logical explanation would be that the Reform Party would have slightly more credibility if it had a few MPs in the commons who could ask questions and raise the parties profile.

[Tubby Isaacs]

[davidjay]

The Brexit Party was nothing but a money making scam offering members the chance to stand as candidates for the party in return for a large payment to the party, it looks like the Reform Party is run along the same lines. Would a party set up as a cash cow for Tice really splash out £430,000 to sign up the likes of Lee Anderson? I suppose the only logical explanation would be that the Reform Party would have slightly more credibility if it had a few MPs in the commons who could ask questions and raise the parties profile.

Maybe it was a way to get them to stump up even more.

[Andy McDandy]

Given Reform are apparently all about overhauling the institutions of government and delivering power to the (right kind of) people, actually getting seats in parliament would be bad for them. They'd show themselves up as the idiots they are, and their presence on the gravy train would undermine their stated mission.

Then again, they know this, their supporters know this, it's all about getting their hands on the pie.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

I think Richard Tice is a cunt.

Bet that surprised you.

[Watchman]

Well I’m going Captain Renault on that one

[satnav]

Quite a few Reform supporters seem obsessed with getting Nigel Farage fully involved in running the party but I'm not convinced that he will give them quite the boost they think he will give them. Farage has always been an advocate of privatising the NHS a policy which will probably not play to well in red wall seats. Whilst the official Reform policy may well be pro-NHS any opponents will be able to dig up stuff that Farage has spouted in the past on air, in the papers and on social media.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Imagine being a party shit scared of this rubbish.

[satnav]

I wonder when they will start to list the 'daft EU regulations'.

[Tubby Isaacs]

"Sorry, Ms Postgraduate, you can't come here and pay £25k tuition fees, because not enough old people have retired to Benidorm."