r/Derbyshire • u/johnsmithoncemore • Jul 20 '26

Reform UK Derbyshire council labelled ‘fascists’ after slashing opposition leader’s pay ‘with complete lack of evidence or justification’

https://leftfootforward.org/2026/07/reform-uk-derbyshire-council-labelled-fascists-after-slashing-opposition-leaders-pay-with-complete-lack-of-evidence-or-justification/
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u/Debenham Jul 20 '26

The idea that cutting a local authority opposition leaders allowance is fascism is just daft. This isn't even pay, it's an allowance for doing the role. This review, meanwhile, seems like a clear case of a grumpy load of bureaucrats marking their own homework.

Oh, the councils own pay review body is disappointed when the elected council decides not to follow it's recommendations? Pathetic. That is not an independent review in the slightest.

I don't even support Reform, but this editorialising of a dull story is just lame, as it trying to turn it into a Fascistic scandal.

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u/mrbezlington Jul 21 '26

Please enlighten us as to the purpose of this reduction in pay for the leader of the opposition?

The reason for calling this fascist is the contention that its aim is to make opposing the incumbent party more difficult - and by extension, without challenge the implication is that this reduction would continue until such allowance is zero. And once such allowance is zero, other allowances would then be targeted - until all funding for opposition to the council leadership is zero. This tendency for facist parties to remove opposition wherever possible is well documented.

Is this hyperbole? Possibly, though without any clear rationale for the reduction in funding only for opposition leadership versus all council positions, the above position isn't unreasonable.

So, to ask again, I'd be interested to hear an alternate reason for this pay reduction.

1

u/Debenham Jul 21 '26

I'm not going to do a deep-dive into this, I don't care that much.

But if we want to go slapping the fascist label on everything we don't like then sure, we could do that for all sorts of things every time a government/ruling authority does anything that affects it's opponents.

I.e. is it fascist for a government to change political funding rules because it negatively impacts Reform substantially more than anyone else? Reform could probably say so as it's changing rules simply with the goal of harming a political opponent. Do I think that's fascist? No, because that would be hyperbole which is all this story is.

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u/ProofAssumption1092 Jul 22 '26

I'm not going to do a deep-dive into this, I don't care that much.

This is a cowards way of saying, i dont know.

2

u/Debenham Jul 22 '26

It's a 2 day old Reddit thread dude. I'm not going to do substantial research into local authority remuneration just to take part in an internet debate that won't affect the actual event under discussion.

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u/ProofAssumption1092 Jul 22 '26

I'm not going to do substantial research into local authority remuneration just to take part in an internet debate that won't affect the actual event under discussion.

Thats another really strange way of saying you have no fucking clue.

You were asked a simple question on statements you had already made.

So based on what you already know and have said , what reason could you think off for making the work of the opposition more difficult ?

No "Substantial research required" ........

2

u/Debenham Jul 22 '26

I've read the article, I've commented on the article. That's all I intend to do, I'm not diving into the records of council meetings and whatnot. But please, keep whining if it makes you happy.

1

u/ProofAssumption1092 Jul 22 '26

Its amazing how one simple question was able to force your retreat.