James Clements

A hard working young man with plenty of common sense (I like to think!)
No Farmers, No Food

[James Clements @J_Clements_2001]

@CapelLofft Precisely. Finally some sensible analysis.
Reform need to keep a cool head and not lose their minds over this.
It's as simple as people wanting Starmer out by any means necessary.
Just sit back and watch Burnham fail as PM.

[James Clements @J_Clements_2001]

@faisalislam It's not an endorsement of Burnham per se, although I don't deny he does have some personal popularity as GM Mayor.
He was primarily elected as a vehicle to depose Starmer, which a vote for Reform would not have been able to achieve.

[James Clements @J_Clements_2001]

@TheMercianNews I think you're reading too much into this.
A win for Reform would have kept Starmer in place.
A win for Burnham gets rid of him.
We have a Labour government until 2029 regardless.
People wanted the biggest change on offer.
1 extra Reform MP with Starmer still PM = no difference.

[James Clements @J_Clements_2001]

@SirJBritain It's none of this. The area just voted 51% Reform last month.
Reality is we have a Labour government until 2029 regardless.
A win for Reform would have meant Starmer stayed until 2029.
A win for Burnham undeniably gets rid of Starmer.
People just voted to get Starmer out.

[James Clements @J_Clements_2001]

@LNallalingham I don't think Makerfield was winnable for Reform, regardless of any recent policy announcements or messaging.
People just wanted Starmer out and knew that voting Burnham was the best vehicle with which to achieve that.

[James Clements @J_Clements_2001]

@benonwine They voted Burnham to get rid of Starmer.
Voting Reform would have denied Burnham's return to parliament, thereby keeping Starmer in place until 2029.
We have a Labour government until 2029 regardless.

[James Clements @J_Clements_2001]

@stuartpowell Because the Greens are trending down.

[James Clements @J_Clements_2001]

@seledka_vodka Have to admit that was quite funny!

[James Clements @J_Clements_2001]

@EconomicgrowthE Exactly. Went there a few months ago and it's currently an awful place.
It's right next to a bus station and train station, and is at present mostly a surface level car park.
Has about 5 small trees max.
An ideal place to build homes, instead of concreting over the countryside.

[James Clements @J_Clements_2001]

@NeilDotObrien 14 years

[James Clements @J_Clements_2001]

@PaulEmbery @Jonathan_Hinder The only, and I mean only, good Labour MP in this Parliament.

[James Clements @J_Clements_2001]

@blaiklockBP Looking at the littered packs on the street, it's much higher than that.
I'd say 75% of packs I see on the ground are not UK Duty Paid.

[James Clements @J_Clements_2001]

@fordmarling @blaiklockBP In theory yes, but it needs to be combined with robust enforcement to end the black market.
I've never smoked, but even I know where I could buy "cheap" cigarettes.
Right now people are using even more harmful products AND the State isn't getting as much tax revenue.

[James Clements @J_Clements_2001]

@FarRightSkip It will be the Greens, with Reform UK in second place. Labour will come a distant third.
Just like Gorton and Denton.

[James Clements @J_Clements_2001]

@nebx500 @GBPolitcs This is because many wards have 2 or 3 councillors.
So, many people would have been able to cast 2 or 3 votes for Reform.

[James Clements @J_Clements_2001]

@Luis_Cook1 Unlike Kent and Essex, our roads are OK (relatively speaking), our bin collections are excellent, our council tax is lower than average, we're not in debt, and services like graffiti removal are great. There's much room for improvement, but Bromley is good compared to others.

[James Clements @J_Clements_2001]

@Luis_Cook1 In my case in Bromley (Petts Wood ward), we had 3 really strong local Conservative candidates, and Reform put up 3 rather eccentric people who weren't very visible.
As far as councils go, Bromley is quite well-run, so I think people thought "better the devil you know". 1/2

[James Clements @J_Clements_2001]

@Luis_Cook1 I think there were a lot of people whose heart is with Reform, but ultimately used their head and voted for the people who were clearly the better representatives for our particular ward (the Tories). Myself included.

[James Clements @J_Clements_2001]

@ReemAmirIbrahim AI, and further automation and efficiencies will avert any labour shortages.
A lower population will lead to less congestion, less pollution, more space for nature and a better quality of life.

[James Clements @J_Clements_2001]

@AaronBastani Look what happened to the Morrisons and Waitrose workers.
This is why people in retail don't take a stand.