There's no real lesson to be learned from the US mid-terms in the UK as it was about Trump's erratic behaviours and appearance of family and cronies corruption. None of that applies here.
By contrast on issues that were on the ballot about stopping trans in women's sports or the billionaires tax the conservative position won out.
It was partly policies, but also partly the distinctive Trumpian style of politics. There are figures in UK politics who ape that style. They shouldn't.
It is somewhat reassuring that - as the polling you quote suggests - the US electorate spotted the scale of self-enrichment by Trump and family. On the face of it Farage has a similar problem - though nothing like on this scale.
Not sure Farage has been personally enriching himself from donations to the Party and I am not aware he has a large business orientated family. In terms of undue outside influence, I think more focus should be given to the trade union movement. At one stage in Starmer's administration I understand that over 90% of government ministers (total 100+) belonged or had been members of a trade union. Link that with an election victory based on 20% the electorate and I worry about British democracy. A couple of billionaire doners to Reform don't appear to be in the same league of influence.
I think that is fair in relation to the Trump family and maybe that is what has upset people in the US - though its always hard to tell exactly what breaks through. And there we are looking at billions rather than millions in the UK But the narrative about Farage / crypto billionaires in the UK press feels more like that about Trump than that about Labour and unions
The narrative is, I would suggest, mostly assembled and promoted by the interests who are determined to stop a Farage / Reform government by any means.
In terms of Trump / MAGA analogy I worry about the protectionist tendencies of Reform, not corruption.
Nothing to do with Britain’s two patriotic parties. In ascending the White House , he lost all sense of who he was as a person before being elected , the Iran war added fuel to the fire.
Questions: overall is the US better off now than when he entered Office; would it have been better off under Kamala Harris; better off continuing the climate change lunacy; better off with a nuclear weaponised Iran?
Thank you for having me write for EA! I miss my IEA friends 🫶
I miss you on the podcast! You were a very good chair of the discussions.
There's no real lesson to be learned from the US mid-terms in the UK as it was about Trump's erratic behaviours and appearance of family and cronies corruption. None of that applies here.
By contrast on issues that were on the ballot about stopping trans in women's sports or the billionaires tax the conservative position won out.
Its not the policies that lost, its the people.
It was partly policies, but also partly the distinctive Trumpian style of politics. There are figures in UK politics who ape that style. They shouldn't.
His Eminence St Barry of Obama, walker on water, calmer of the rising seas, hero of the Left - lost control of both chambers in both terms… discuss.
Only one President since 1946 kept both chambers since 1946 - George Dubya Bush.
“Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.” H L Mencken.
It is somewhat reassuring that - as the polling you quote suggests - the US electorate spotted the scale of self-enrichment by Trump and family. On the face of it Farage has a similar problem - though nothing like on this scale.
Not sure Farage has been personally enriching himself from donations to the Party and I am not aware he has a large business orientated family. In terms of undue outside influence, I think more focus should be given to the trade union movement. At one stage in Starmer's administration I understand that over 90% of government ministers (total 100+) belonged or had been members of a trade union. Link that with an election victory based on 20% the electorate and I worry about British democracy. A couple of billionaire doners to Reform don't appear to be in the same league of influence.
I think that is fair in relation to the Trump family and maybe that is what has upset people in the US - though its always hard to tell exactly what breaks through. And there we are looking at billions rather than millions in the UK But the narrative about Farage / crypto billionaires in the UK press feels more like that about Trump than that about Labour and unions
The narrative is, I would suggest, mostly assembled and promoted by the interests who are determined to stop a Farage / Reform government by any means.
In terms of Trump / MAGA analogy I worry about the protectionist tendencies of Reform, not corruption.
There is proof of the self-enrichment, or just the accusation?
The electorate spotted… the electorate couldn’t spot its own arse - like here.
Nothing to do with Britain’s two patriotic parties. In ascending the White House , he lost all sense of who he was as a person before being elected , the Iran war added fuel to the fire.
Questions: overall is the US better off now than when he entered Office; would it have been better off under Kamala Harris; better off continuing the climate change lunacy; better off with a nuclear weaponised Iran?