Well what can we say, seems Reform didn’t do too badly last night did they. We’re not understating it cos we’re cantankerous and bitter, no sir, not at all. Oh alright, we’re pissed off, happy? They came, they shouted a bit louder than the rest of them, promised the earth and to fix the immigration problem that they can’t possibly do with County Council seats, and got a bunch of people they plucked off the street elected and took control of Staffordshire County Council. If you need any more evidence of just how the population who swing vote are off their collective rocker then you’ve got it. They fell for it hook line and sinker because they always do without fail. One thing they ironically don’t like is being made fools of, and they gave Labour a thumping here unlike any they’ve seen before. Something they appeared to quite rightly expect, especially when our MP and government has been working so hard to shaft them, and their inability to do anything in Tamworth without the party say so has shafted Tamworth.
Instead of learning from that previous mistake and realising that the two party system (again sorry Lib Dems but, come on, you’re just shite) has been a two party system for a long time for good reason (namely that the Tory party is the political equivalent of Madonna and their different warring factions each get a turn every general election), our great British public have decided to put their trust in Farage and a bunch of clueless chancers who have never held political office or had much to do with politics in general in charge of our County Council. The civil service are going to eat you alive you poor things, and we the people are going to be left with an officer led Council incapable of grasping anything or getting anything accomplished in the 2 years it has left before it implodes thanks to Labour devolution. This isn’t the time for training wheels on a political administration but alas the wise collective have decided we needed ‘change’ from the last change they decided was best for us.
Don’t they look happy, don’t they look… Completely unprepared for what faces them and their ilk across the country?
Councillor Richard Kingstone is although having lost in his bid to become an Independent Councillor (despite having successfully managing to gaslight over a thousand people to vote for him) happy for local Reform leader Ian Cooper who Kingstone describes as a ‘Nice Guy’ is even happier that his mission (between him and the dirty steenking troll) to rid Tamworth of Tories, particularly Councillor Robert Pritchard was a success. This was of course his primary aim and winning would have been both a financial and ego boon for him. It’s incredibly sad that after giving up 20 years of his life, and genuinely making a difference some of his colleagues just had to try and destroy him for, that Pritchard is no longer a Councillor in Tamworth. All we can say is good luck getting Ian Cooper to perform at the same level and do a fat lot for you. Let the shit show commence.
We are taking bets on Kingstone deciding to join Reform in order to further his own political career. Although he made much in his election video of not having a political ‘master’, which for Labour, they do, the Tories can essentially be autonomous, Kingstone has form for using political parties as a springboard to achieve his aim of ego boosting popularity and some extra cash in his pocket. We really wouldn’t be surprised to see Kingstone become Reforms first Councillor on Tamworth Borough Council with some half assed justification to do so. Think of the attention he will get then! Irresistible to a man like him. If he doesn’t do it then we will pretend it was down to us exposing his plan, that kind of bullshit works for his troll friend so why can’t we do it? He has done the ground work cosying up to Cooper to keep his options open. Kingstone has also reverted to business as usual with his Facebook group anyway realising he doesn’t need to worry that many of them will ever find out what he’s really like. He could insult every single one of them and they would still dwell in his virtual backside and ask for more.
Our Mailbag has been very busy as you’d expect today, with people discussing the election results. Let’s be honest, the reform impact wasn’t a surprise, the extent of it probably was though. Even we thought the Tories would win at least two County wards when we were asked for a prediction. We were surprised, but ask ourselves whether we should have been. After all, the Tories haven’t provided a united and coherent front under the weak leadership of Badenoch, and managed to stretch the security budget for former prime ministers rather more than expected. And Labour, well, yeah… Of course voters should know a parties real track record before voting, but that’s not how it works and it never will, that’s asking too much of the low digit percentage of people who do bother. This time the majority have taken their thumbs out of their arse, and used it to vote our way into uncharted territory. When it was said Reform would be the next Government we did scoff, but it more than likely will happen now unless the clown show combusts spectacularly before then, their rush to get candidates in place meant compromises they will continue to regret no doubt. Some gossip we did get from the count and had sent in, was that good old Farage is not likely going to be their leader by then. Which is a quandary for him as he’s running out of party names. Sniff of a win and those reform members are already looking to metaphorically do a Julius on their leader.
If Borough Council elections go ahead next year then we can expect an influx of Reform replacing four Tory Councillors, Labour of course not having a hope. There’s likely going to be a bunch of self preserving Tory MPs and Councillors jumping headlong into Reforms open arms to ensure they are established ready to take seats by both the district, shadow Unitary and General elections. The Tory Party after 5 or 10 years of a Reform government and possibly a few more leadership changes, might just have got themselves together for a fightback. They say things change quickly in politics, but the prospect of the lunatics running the asylum for that long is somewhat daunting. We might actually end up with the wrong kind of immigration problem soon.
What’s the only shining light we can see from all this? Well at least the god awful Sarah Edwards MP political career will be over, and we won’t have to put up with her any longer in Tamworth. We’ve still got to see through this appalling Labour Government who will be left with their finale of dangling your tax money and a huge increase in the national debt to try and bribe you to vote for them (they are literally currently amassing their war chest in readiness at the expense of pensioners and businesses). It’s possible it might work, because of swing voters gullibility, but sometimes even they aren’t that stupid.
So that’s all we’ve got to say on the County elections for now dear reader. Do keep on sending your musings to the Mailbag, if you’re new here then make sure you check out our other stories, although categories are only currently available on our full desktop webpage, you can search for things. Also, if you’re a Tory Councillor or a Tory who didn’t get elected in this last election, we’ve got our eyes on two people we’d like to ask to join our team and we will be approaching you (yes how exciting, but we’ve done it before) to see if you’re up for it.
