Farage NEW PM

[Mike T]

I do remember their reputation for rust. However, in 1985, or so, I bought a Fiat Uno from a lovely Irish couple who lived in Swanage, Dorset, with some 15,000 on the clock. In a bid to reverse their reputation, Fiat embalmed all of their cars in waxoil - quite a pleasant smell. That little Fiat went on to accumulate just under 200,000 miles before I gave it away, gratis, to a friend, and it lived on for a good few years afterwards. This was despite having an in-line 'tin' device, (the name of which I forget) in the fuel line when they phased out leaded fuel. The 'tin' increased the octane level. At the time, I heard about this device at a VW Beetle owners club meeting and the designer had used them during WW2, on the GB spitfires, sent to the USSR, as the Russian fuel had poor octane levels. You see, Russia again!!

My driving career does not involve that many cars, but the one that was most fun to drive by far was a Fiat Brava - it was a hire car for 2 weeks - we were staying near Naples - it handled the bends beautifully. I would never buy one though - even though it was new it developed problems during that 2 weeks: a window became unreliable, and there was an odd noise in one of the forward gears.

[Llani Boy]

My only experience of Fiat is being chauffeured about in a girlfriends X1/9. She wouldn't let me drive it but the way she threw it around corners it certainly stuck like glue. In addition to the usual boyfriend duties my two jobs were to take the roof off and stash it under the bonnet and try and get the lights to pop up when they refused to do so.

A fantastic car and an even more fantastic girlfriend

[Witton Park]

My only experience of a Fiat was a 500 hire car in the Algarve a few years ago when they were becoming popular again in certain circles.
The boot was just about big enough for my laptop case.

[Llani Boy]

Oh no, I've just reminded myself that I also had a girlfriend who drove a Renault Fuego GTX.

I don't want to talk about either!

[Witton Park]

Back on Farage, there's been some polling out. It doesn't just ask who you intend to vote for, it asks other questions such as how strongly you are likely to stick to that choice.

Those polling for Tories are only 47% likely to hold to that.

Those polling for Labour a higher 67%.

However that is remarkably low by historical levels.

In addition when asked about leadership, Sunak was 25% and Starmer 33% with none of the above/don't know at 50%.

The polling analaysed was done by Lord Ashcrofts setup and analysis by Derrick Berthelsen, who is a lesser known political analyst who's starting to get the odd appearance on TV and radio.

I saw that yesterday.

Then overnight Sunak's advisor has resigned with the end of his statement quite notable.

"if Farage comes back, the Conservative Party essentially won’t exist by Christmas"

I had a natter with a partner of a recently ex Labour MP about 2 weeks ago.

I suggested that a Farage comeback might take 10% off the Tories current polling and 5% off Labour giving us something like Labour 40%, Reform 30%, Tories 15%.
He agreed with the Tory element, but not with the Labour one. He didn't think Labour would lose votes to Farage - I disagree and this Ashcroft polling would back that up.

Interestingly though, he did think that the Greens might eat in to Labour a little as some of the Corbynites could jump ship - some have already - and they intend to field more candidates at the GE.

It's going to be an interesting year in politics.

[noel]

Indeed.

Although I don't vote conservative, I'm worried by what might replace them.

Having said that, I used to work with a local Conservative party activist during the Blair years. It looked like they'd never come back then, but then we've had 13 years of Conservative rule. These things are cyclical.

[Graham Breeze]

[QUOTE=noel;686836]Indeed.

Although I don't vote conservative, I'm worried by what might replace them.

/QUOTE]

Oh don't worry. In power Starmer is even less likely to take any decisions when it actually matters what he thinks (if he does think) so in a few years the Conservatives can take up where they left off.

[Witton Park]

Looking back that wasn't a bad forecast.

Farage as PM is perhaps closer now than ever.

After today's waste of an Autumn Statement I have a number of Labour friends who say they can't vote for them and same for the Tories.

Reform now hitting double figures in the polls.
Farage in the jungle - maybe lining up a political comeback which could see Reform closing on the Tories at around 20% and I can see a few Tory MP wobbling and jumping ship.

Now I can't see a Reform Party gaining power, but possibly a few seats and the Tories dropping below 100 - they could be wiped out.

But in 2025 I can see a reverse takeover of the Tory Party by Reform, opening the way to a 2029 GE with a Farage led Tories.

First Tory MP wobbled and jumped ship.

[Fellbeast]

Haha this is the fruit loop right wing (which now includes the Conservative Party lock, stock and biscuit barrel) just re-arranging the deck chairs on the titanic

On any poll you care to mention a solid two thirds of the electorate do not support the conservatives and reform combined and the biggest irony of all is that the conservatives are putting all their efforts in going further to the right (if that is even possible) to try and win back voters that they’re losing to reform

Farage is a racist bigot, as is Lee Anderson, and, by the looks of things today, so is the biggest donor to the Conservative Party

[Llani Boy]

If Nigel Farage and Lee Anderson are racist bigots for raising issues that many people are concerned about, then I'm afraid, I must be labeled a racist bigot too.