Former Conservative Sir Jake Berry & David Jones MP have Joined Reform UK

[arista]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/jul/09/former-conservative-party-chair-jake-berry-defects-to-reform-uk


[The former Conservative party chair
Sir Jake Berry has joined Reform UK
in the most high-profile defection so
far to Nigel Farage’s party from the Tories.

In a fresh blow to Kemi Badenoch,
the former cabinet minister
said his former party had
“abandoned the British people” and said he
wanted to see Reform UK form
the next government.

Berry, a close ally of Liz Truss and Boris Johnson,
led the “northern powerhouse”
group of MPs but lost his seat at
the 2024 election.
He said the Conservatives and Labour
had “wrecked” the country over
the past 20 years.]

[Mystic Mock]

Isn't Reform just going to develop the same problems that the Tories currently have?

After all these people were apart of that party that ran this country to the ground.

[arista]

Isn't Reform just going to develop the same problems that the Tories currently have?

After all these people were apart of that party that ran this country to the ground.


The way they are going
they could replace the Conservatives.


Their Leader, Kemi, is the problem

[arista]

Another Conservative has joined Reform UK
David Jones in Wales


[Former Conservative cabinet minister
and MP David Jones has joined Reform UK.
Jones, who stepped down as a
Conservative MP ahead
of last year's election,
said he had become "disillusioned" by his old
party and that only Reform was "demonstrating
the determination needed to tackle
the country's many problems".

The former Welsh Secretary added
that he would not seek elected office for
Reform but would
"give the party my full support
in the elections ahead".

He becomes the third former Tory MP
to join Nigel Farage's party in
the last two weeks, following Ross Thomson
and Anne Marie Morris.]


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c93kwk00gkgo

[Liam-]

The party that’s apparently going to ‘save’ the country, filling up with the very people who helped bring it to its knees, you’ve got to laugh

[Mystic Mock]

The way they are going
they could replace the Conservatives.


Their Leader, Kemi, is the problem

Kemi weren't the problem when David Cameron was the leader.

And they were still an abomination back then.

[Mystic Mock]

The party that’s apparently going to ‘save’ the country, filling up with the very people who helped bring it to its knees, you’ve got to laugh

Exactly! More people need to look at the direction Reform is going in, it isn't the "progress" that these people were originally hoping for.

[bots]

Boris got rid of everyone in the traditional conservative party in 2019. At that election, it was basically ukip people that were elected mp's, so the tory party became ukip. Now we have people that lost their seats under the "ukip" intake going to reform. That's a big surprise isnt it

[Livia]

Exactly! More people need to look at the direction Reform is going in, it isn't the "progress" that these people were originally hoping for.

Had Sunak and Starmer had the best interests of the British people at heart there would be no need for Reform. Still the boats come, still the illegals come in ever increasing numbers and still we're spending billions on them. It cannot go on. People see that but no one else is addressing people's concerns and this is why Reform will win the next general election.

[Glenn.]

How exactly are Reform going to stop the boats? Anyone know?

[Livia]

How exactly are Reform going to stop the boats? Anyone know?

They'll make coming to the UK unattractive, unless you're a genuine refugee or you have some skills to offer.

[Glenn.]

How?

[Glenn.]

I asked how exactly. What policies so they have?

[Livia]

How?

Not sure... But I suspect the hotels, pocket money, phones, free days out, driving lessons etc will stop and we'll go back to refugee holding centres near airports.

[Glenn.]

Oh so you don’t know then. Seems a little vague no? I couldn’t imagine voting a government in on terms like that.

[Livia]

Oh so you don’t know then. Seems a little vague no? I couldn’t imagine voting a government in on terms like that.

It's a bit much you expect me to have all the answers to hand. France don't treat these people like we do, why aren't you more upset about that? They leave them in their tent cities to fend for themselves.

[Glenn.]

It's a bit much you expect me to have all the answers to hand. France don't treat these people like we do, why aren't you more upset about that? They leave them in their tent cities to fend for themselves.

We’re not France. So why are you using their failures to excuse our lack of decency?

You cant name a single Reform policy on stopping the boats, but you’re happy to vote them in and hope for the best—then when questioned, you point at a different country like that somehow justifies it.

We should be holding ourselves to a higher standard, not saying, “Well, they’re worse!” That’s not policy. That’s playground politics.

If Reform’s pitch is “we’re slightly less heartless than France,” it’s no wonder you’ve got nothing solid to back them up with.

[Livia]

We’re not France. So why are you using their failures to excuse our lack of decency?

You cant name a single Reform policy on stopping the boats, but you’re happy to vote them in and hope for the best—then when questioned, you point at a different country like that somehow justifies it.

We should be holding ourselves to a higher standard, not saying, “Well, they’re worse!” That’s not policy. That’s playground politics.

If Reform’s pitch is “we’re slightly less heartless than France,” it’s no wonder you’ve got nothing solid to back them up with.

I believe Reform will introduce more stringent rules on immigration and not the mass, uncontrolled importation of young fighting age men we're importing right now. We'd be more like Australia, who seem to have got it right, putting their own citizens ahead of foreigners and only accepting people who can offer some kind of skill. Australia takes refugees, of course, but we already take three times the refugees that Australia take on our already overcrowded little island. Not sure why we're wrong but Australia is right.

[Glenn.]

I believe Reform will introduce more stringent rules on immigration and not the mass, uncontrolled importation of young fighting age men we're importing right now. We'd be more like Australia, who seem to have got it right, putting their own citizens ahead of foreigners and only accepting people who can offer some kind of skill. Australia takes refugees, of course, but we already take three times the refugees that Australia take on our already overcrowded little island. Not sure why we're wrong but Australia is right.

Ah yes, the flood of young fighting-age men, because god forbid refugees aren’t toddlers or pensioners. Funny how you trust Reform to “fix” immigration when they haven’t even told you how. Just vibes and slogans.

[Livia]

Ah yes, the flood of young fighting-age men, because god forbid refugees aren’t toddlers or pensioners. Funny how you trust Reform to “fix” immigration when they haven’t even told you how. Just vibes and slogans.

The illegals are mostly fighting age young men, do you disagree with the evidence of your own eyes? It's years till the next election, sorry I can't give you chapter and verse of the inner workings of Reform right now but you must admit it's a big ask to expect all the answers from me, on here.

The legal refugees we take are mostly families. I have no problem with that, we must all take our fair share, although, like I said, Australia takes a lot less than we do despite having so much more room... But you know that. Japan, for instance, takes none at all... Perhaps you should start a campaign against their immigration laws.

[Glenn.]

The illegals are mostly fighting age young men, do you disagree with the evidence of your own eyes? It's years till the next election, sorry I can't give you chapter and verse of the inner workings of Reform right now but you must admit it's a big ask to expect all the answers from me, on here.

The legal refugees we take are mostly families. I have no problem with that, we must all take our fair share, although, like I said, Australia takes a lot less than we do despite having so much more room... But you know that. Japan, for instance, takes none at all... Perhaps you should start a campaign against their immigration laws.

Australia’s immigration policy might work for Australia, vast country, lower population density, totally different geography and legal system, but it’s not some perfect, exportable model. Their offshore detention system has been condemned globally for human rights abuses. People have literally died in those camps. But sure, let’s pretend it’s a utopia because it makes for a good Reform soundbite.

Japan has a plunging birth rate, an ageing population, and a work culture that burns people out by 40, so I’m not exactly rushing to hold them up as a moral blueprint either. Unless you’re also in favour of that level of national stagnation?

The UK’s asylum system isn’t failing because we’re too kind. It’s failing because we’ve let decade after decade of hostile policy, mismanagement, and soundbite politics gut it from the inside. We’ve let people with no interest in fairness, humanity, or functionality turn refugees into political footballs, and now we’re shocked it’s broken?

So no, I won’t be starting a campaign against Japan. I’ll stick to trying to hold my own country to a higher standard than “well, someone else is worse.” That’s called accountability. You might want to give it a go sometime.

[Livia]

Australia’s immigration policy might work for Australia, vast country, lower population density, totally different geography and legal system, but it’s not some perfect, exportable model. Their offshore detention system has been condemned globally for human rights abuses. People have literally died in those camps. But sure, let’s pretend it’s a utopia because it makes for a good Reform soundbite.

Japan has a plunging birth rate, an ageing population, and a work culture that burns people out by 40, so I’m not exactly rushing to hold them up as a moral blueprint either. Unless you’re also in favour of that level of national stagnation?

The UK’s asylum system isn’t failing because we’re too kind. It’s failing because we’ve let decade after decade of hostile policy, mismanagement, and soundbite politics gut it from the inside. We’ve let people with no interest in fairness, humanity, or functionality turn refugees into political footballs, and now we’re shocked it’s broken?

So no, I won’t be starting a campaign against Japan. I’ll stick to trying to hold my own country to a higher standard than “well, someone else is worse.” That’s called accountability. You might want to give it a go sometime.

Still you only have a blinkered problem with this country and want us to take thousands and thousands of undocumented young men every year who arrive illegally. You say we have no humanity while we treat illegals to a life they could never expect anywhere else while our own people struggle, while our own people suffer homelessness and poverty. If they come through legal routes, the UN, the Red Cross, not many have a problem with that... But you want us to continue to care for every migrant who arrive on a rubber boat. It is unsustainable and meanwhile those Brits who can afford to go are leaving.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Australia’s immigration policy might work for Australia, vast country, lower population density, totally different geography and legal system, but it’s not some perfect, exportable model. Their offshore detention system has been condemned globally for human rights abuses. People have literally died in those camps.

Who has - "Human Rights Watch"

HRW lists the left-of-center Ford Foundation as a partner and has received
major funding from prominent left-of-center foundations, including the Open
Society Foundations, the MacArthur Foundation, and the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation.


:rolleyes:

[Glenn.]

Who has - "Human Rights Watch"

HRW lists the left-of-center Ford Foundation as a partner and has received
major funding from prominent left-of-center foundations, including the Open
Society Foundations, the MacArthur Foundation, and the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation.


:rolleyes:

Human Rights Watch investigates war crimes, torture, political repression, and state violence across the globe — left, right, authoritarian, democratic, doesn’t matter. If you’re more bothered about who funds the watchdog than what they’re exposing, maybe you’re the problem.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Human Rights Watch investigates war crimes, torture, political repression, and state violence across the globe — left, right, authoritarian, democratic, doesn’t matter. If you’re more bothered about who funds the watchdog than what they’re exposing, maybe you’re the problem.

Like most, my problem is agenda-driven NGO's

[Beso]

Oh so you don’t know then. Seems a little vague no? I couldn’t imagine voting a government in on terms like that.

Did you vote in Labour's false promises last time?

[Mystic Mock]

Had Sunak and Starmer had the best interests of the British people at heart there would be no need for Reform. Still the boats come, still the illegals come in ever increasing numbers and still we're spending billions on them. It cannot go on. People see that but no one else is addressing people's concerns and this is why Reform will win the next general election.

I get what you're saying Livia.

But Reform filling up with the very people that have caused a lot of the issues in this country isn't going to fix anything.

[Livia]

I get what you're saying Livia.

But Reform filling up with the very people that have caused a lot of the issues in this country isn't going to fix anything.

You're imagining all Tories are the same. Some of them have watched their party eat itself from the inside, lying, doing things that were not for the benefit of the British people.They were loyal to the party while they were all but destroyed at the polls. I like to think those people have woken up to the fact that if someone doesn't start listening to the people and addressing their concerns about illegal migrants there will be civil war in this country.

[Mystic Mock]

You're imagining all Tories are the same. Some of them have watched their party eat itself from the inside, lying, doing things that were not for the benefit of the British people.They were loyal to the party while they were all but destroyed at the polls. I like to think those people have woken up to the fact that if someone doesn't start listening to the people and addressing their concerns about illegal migrants there will be civil war in this country.

I personally wouldn't take many current Tory members into my party if I were thinking about it from Reform's perspective.

They're a young party, and they should view the 15 years of Tory leadership as highly dangerous to their own reputation by putting any of them in their own party.

After all this is still the same people that were in charge of this country not so long ago, it would be different if it were years down the line.

[Livia]

I personally wouldn't take many current Tory members into my party if I were thinking about it from Reform's perspective.

They're a young party, and they should view the 15 years of Tory leadership as highly dangerous to their own reputation by putting any of them in their own party.

After all this is still the same people that were in charge of this country not so long ago, it would be different if it were years down the line.

I worked for the Tories for years. I know they're not all the same but you want to damn them all as unsuitable? Reform policies are what Tory policies should be and those defecting are experienced politicians, I wouldn't damn them for previously being a Tory anymore than I'd ban a Labour politician who defected.

[Liam-]

I personally wouldn't take many current Tory members into my party if I were thinking about it from Reform's perspective.

They're a young party, and they should view the 15 years of Tory leadership as highly dangerous to their own reputation by putting any of them in their own party.

After all this is still the same people that were in charge of this country not so long ago, it would be different if it were years down the line.

They’re not a new party though, it’s just the brexit party with a new name, with the same conman leader

[Livia]

They’re not a new party though, it’s just the brexit party with a new name, with the same conman leader

That's more popular with the Great British Public than Labour and the Tories rolled together.