Memo to councillors: don’t normalise Reform UK
As we commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we face within Britain the very same forces that we defeated from outside in 1945. Reform UK are not, yet, a full-blown fascist party, but they are unmistakably from the same family: racist, nationalist, and above all authoritarian and anti-democratic.
You can see this in Nigel Farage’s arrogant dismissal of all initiatives to promote equality and inclusion in our society, and in his attempt to make Reform wipe out, with a stroke of the pen, all the efforts of councils to combat the climate emergency. You can see it, above all, in his slavish worship and aping of Donald Trump’s authoritarian and dictatorial regime.
Remember that Farage defended Trump’s attempted violent coup in 2020. If Reform UK were to come to power in 2029 – thanks to our corrupt first-past-the-post system which might give him victory with 30 per cent of the votes – he would resort to the the antidemocratic steps that Trump took to hang on to power.
So here is my message to our Liberal Democrat, Green and Independent councillors: don’t normalise Reform. Allow then to represent their constituents (if they do), give them their fair share of committee places, but don’t do deals with them, don’t let them run things, keep them well away from power. They need to be defeated as we defeated their forerunners in the 1940s.
Seaton VE Day *today*
9am: Raising of the VE Day Flag ceremony and delivery of the Proclaimation
10am – 3pm – a fascinating exhibition by Seaton Museum will take place in the United Reform Church Hall (Cross St, opposite the gardens) sharing lots of wonderful history, photos and stories of Seaton during Wartime. There will also be a model airplane display and refreshments courtesy of Seaton’s WI
1pm – still in the URC hall, the wonderful Shirley Austin will pay tribute with songs from WW2
2pm – pupils from Seaton Primary School will join Shirley in Windsor Gardens for a special rendition of a very well known song!
6.30pm – St Gregory’s Church will ring the church bells
9pm – Beacon lighting ceremony in Windsor Gardens and reading of the Tribute
Seaton and East Devon reject Reform
Paul Arnott comfortably won the Seaton & Colyton election with 2015 votes compared to 1308 for Reform, 881 for the Conservatives, 638 for John Heath (Independent) and 106 for Labour.
Lib Dems also won in Sidmouth and Honiton, ousting Tory leaders Stuart Hughes and Phil Twiss, while Paul Hayward and Jess Bailey, Independents, won in Axminster and Otter Valley respectively.
Results for Exmouth and Broadclyst, where Reform may do better, are still awaited.
Local far-right extremists were wartime target, Seaton talk hears
A fascinating talk held by the Axe Valley Heritage Association yesterday, which I popped into in between campaigning, heard WWII expert Andrew Chatterton describe the secret auxiliary forces set up in 1940 to attack German forces in the event of an invasion in Devon. Locally, a unit based in Branscombe was one of the most active, and its targets included prominent British Union of Fascists members Lucy and Rafe Cotton, who were expected to become collaborators.
A thought-provoking presentation at a time when would-be far-right dictators and their British fans are once again on the agenda.
It’s Lib Dems versus Reform in Seaton & Colyton – make sure you vote today
From talking to people at the polling station, it’s pretty clear that Reform surge has made them the main challengers in today’s election. Make sure you vote, and vote for Paul Arnott – we can’t afford to have Reform representing our area.
Seaton polling station mix-up turns voters away
Voters in Seaton are complaining that they are being directed to polling stations at the opposite end of town from where they live. People have been turning up at the wrong station and quite a few have said that they will not bother going on to the correct place. This is something that really needs to be addressed before the next election.
Tomorrow is polling day – make sure it’s Paul
I’ve spent the afternoon canvassing in Seaton and there is a definitely a Reform surge, as well as surprisingly resilient support for the Conservatives. If you don’t want either of these parties to win, please Vote for Paul Arnott, the Liberal Democrat candidate, the only candidate with a long track record of fighting for Seaton and Colyton.
Please don’t waste your vote on either the Labour or the Independent candidate, since neither has any chance of winning and you could help either Reform or the Tories sneak in.
VOTING IS FROM 7 a.m. TO 10 p.m.
The local threat from Trump UK
Leafleting in Seaton for Paul Arnott, a man makes a point of coming out of his house and handing the leaflet back to me. “We don’t want this rubbish’, he says. It’s happened a couple of times before – always a man, always on the wrong side of 50. These angry older men don’t care about local issues, only immigration, and the signs are they’re voting for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
Reform claims that ‘Britain is broken’, forgetting to mention that – in so far as this is true – it was Brexit, Farage‘s big project, that broke it. ‘Reform will fix it’, they say, while praising Donald Trump who is busy wrecking world trade. If Brexit and Trump are anything to go by, ‘Reform will f–k it up’, would be more accurate.
Next Thursday, make sure that the angry old men don’t get their way in Seaton & Colyton. Remember that in 2013, Farage’s first party, UKIP, came second here with over 1,300 votes.
We need to rally round Paul (right), a genuine local candidate with a strong track record. Don’t waste your vote on Labour, who like Reform and the Tories haven’t even got a local candidate. And don’t vote for John Heath, who although a good local councillor in Beer & Branscombe, can only take enough votes across the area to let Reform or the Tories sneak in.
Seaton & Colyton candidates announced
The candidates for the County Council election are now confirmed:
Paul Arnott (Lib Dem), the only candidate to publish where they live (in Colyton)
John Heath (Independent) who doesn’t say where he lives (but actually it’s in Beer)
Ben Ingham (Conservative) from Lympstone (Conservatives over there have obviously rejected as a candidate – why should we vote for him here?)
Paul Knott (Labour) from Exeter (they too couldn’t find anyone local to stand)
Jim Walsh (Reform UK), Donald Trump’s man, who also lives somewhere else in East Devon (but hasn’t said where).
So – only two local candidates. Paul Arnott has been active in local campaigns, against the Green Wedge and the closure of Seaton Hospital, for the last 15 years. Paul has the experience and reputation across the Seaton and Colyton area to defeat the Conservatives, who won last time. I’m proud to have seconded his nomination and urge everyone to vote for him on May 1st.
Seaton & Colyton MATTERS 