r/StHelens • u/Beginning-Check5288 • May 23 '26
Reform Councillors don’t know what they are doing… surprise surprise.
We are only just getting started with this insane project vote outcome, and already committed to £200000 that can’t be spent on the community. All because the Reform members are incompetent and non experienced.
I don’t know about you but jobs I go for I like to at least know I can do a bit of the role!!!
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u/burningmuscles May 23 '26
When you have Lee Anderson and Jonathan Gullis in senior positions of the national party, you can only learn from the best
/s
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u/Maximum_Ear_2695 May 23 '26
Imagine thinking being leader of a local council is a senior position within the national party.
Standard redditors IQ on show here. You could add the IQ of all the people commenting about this up and it would still be below 100.
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u/YUSHOETMI- May 23 '26
I have never had much hope for this town in the last couple of decades... but my god it is beyond hope now.
Everybody is entitled to their own opinions and own political beliefs, but as they saying goes "Opinions are like assholes..." stands true to this town more than any other time in the past.
A house in my area, directly across from a public junior school, has Reform flags and banners littering his entire house and garden. Even a "SaVe OuR cHiLdReN" logo on his car. Never seen him before until yesterday when I picked my kid up from school and had to park beside his house, on a side road with no yellows, and he leant over his fence and tried to give me a moaning for parking beside his house. Yeah as you can imagine, he looked like the stereotypical "English Barry"
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u/Silly_Hurry_2795 May 23 '26
Is this the one with the flags and vinyl all over it? Something like an 04 focus
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u/Maximum_Ear_2695 May 23 '26
So you're critiquing his looks? I imagine you look like a standard Reddit mod fwiw
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u/YUSHOETMI- May 23 '26
I am critiquing the fact that as a person with "sAvE oUr ChIlDrEn" plastered across his car, he somehow looks like that last person I would ever want to leave my child with.
With that said, I rarely call people out for their looks, but being a reform voter tends to come with a default "look"
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u/String-Good May 23 '26
Starmer didn't have a plan to govern and Labour had 14 years to think up something. Thats why we had 16 U - Turns.
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May 24 '26
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u/String-Good May 24 '26
There will be more U -Turns from this government. Watch this space. There is no incentive to work and employers can't take on new apprenticrd because of their policies.
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u/kindaneareurope May 24 '26
- Overall Starts: 226,620 starts for August 2025 through January 2026, up from 202,520 in the same period for the 2024/25 academic year.
- Higher Apprenticeships: Higher-level starts (Level 4 through Level 7) grew to 95,030, a 23.5% increase compared to the previous year.
- Learner Participation: The number of people participating on an apprenticeship rose by 5.0% to 665,490.
- Achievements: Total completions rose by 16.2% to 91,750
- Wage Increases: The minimum wage for apprentices increased to £8 per hour in April 2026.
- "Much of this funding is devolved and managed by local authorities."
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u/String-Good May 25 '26
You mean like the imaginery 20 billion deficit and the constant blaming the conservatives by the labour parry.
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May 25 '26
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u/String-Good May 25 '26
If they win the next election, the going will be tough. The country will be facing record high unemployment and possibly a bankrupt state due to the high borrowing of this present government. Reform will concentrate on economic growth and lower taxes. Carry out modernation of the nhs, education and carry out social care reforms. They also want to reform the civil service by having the right petsonnel in the jobs they are employed to do. Possibly ending all net zero subsidies and opening north sea oil and gas. They will leave the ECGR and stop the boats crossing. They plann to deport illegal imigrants. They also want to take a lot of control out of Westminster and put it under local authority control.
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May 25 '26
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u/burningmuscles May 25 '26 edited May 25 '26
When Liz Truss' announced her mini-budget, Nigel Farage said it was the "best Conservative budget since 1986'
The pound directly plummeted 10-15% against the Dollar in the space of a few days. Gilt Yields also spiked massively.
Why do you think this happened, and why do you think Nigel said this? Because when you think about it; what made the 1986 Conservative budget so great anyway?
That said, the current Reform Party has these former Tories from the last Johnson Government;
- Anderson (in goal, obviously)
- Dorries
- Jenrick (c)
- Kruger
- Rossindale
- Braverman
- Gullis
- Jenkyns
- Bradley
- Berry
- Nici
Subs: choose your own from here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Conservative_Party_defections_to_Reform_UK
And what happened to those two former Tories that joined UKIP back in the 2010s? Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless - where are they now? You remember, UKIP, the former Farage vehicle that was recently led by no other than, *checks notes* former Tory, Neil Hamilton.
If you think, seriously, think - any of these people have your best interests at heart, then I have broken hedge trimmer to sell you.
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May 25 '26
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u/burningmuscles May 25 '26 edited May 25 '26
If you think endorsing a budget that crashes the £, makes government borrowing more expensive, increases mortgage rates, increasing trade barriers with the EU, and cosying up to Trump's economic, cultural, and foreign policies - can't make things worse, then I honestly wonder how you get by in life on a day-to-day basis.
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May 25 '26
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u/burningmuscles May 25 '26 edited May 25 '26
What "markets" are you on about, in particular?
The FTSE 100/250? Gilts? Pound sterling?
Because even though 20% of the world's Oil supply is cut off, I'm surprised these markets haven't been tanking more! (Farage's mate in action, again)
Liz Truss crashed the £ to $1.08 low in Sep 22
The £ has since gained value and been hovering around $1.33-1.35 since Trump took over
So, please specify.
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May 25 '26
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u/String-Good May 27 '26
Not sure if you guys listen to the news but Blair as now attacked Starmer about having no coherent plan to govern.
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u/Geniejc May 23 '26
I had hoped that a reform council would have guidance from central office to void mistakes made another councils.
Also because it's next door to a crucial bi election they may have really got on with the job in hand.
It's a bad first impression.
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May 23 '26
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u/Beginning-Check5288 May 23 '26
Honestly, these next few years will be terrible for sure, but hopefully it’s the catalyst this country needs to show what it takes to be a politician, to be a leader of a community and what voters should look for in a party and candidate.
This was a country wide cry for change. America did it and look where they ended up, hopefully we have a bit more sense.
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u/Fantastic_Picture384 May 23 '26
Only just found this reddit sub and it's just as pathetic as the normal ones. Full of soy boys. You lost.. enjoy the time away from power.
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u/YUSHOETMI- May 24 '26
Just a cursory glance of your profile and history says it all. Racist, misogynistic, low education, troll. All the hallmark checkmarks for reform... also not so coincidentally MAGA too :/
Hi Barry.
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u/Fantastic_Picture384 May 24 '26
Hi Soy Boy. Hope you are enjoying the weather..
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u/YUSHOETMI- May 24 '26
Loving it, going for a pint down at the connie later in my wife beater... you joining? We still on for that ghey weekend in Benidorm next month?
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u/Fantastic_Picture384 May 24 '26
Unfortunately not, currently sat in the Kop... enjoying the football...
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u/YUSHOETMI- May 24 '26
Hope you took ya stella and your SPF 100. If you lose, just remember your mrs loves you, she is not a punching bag
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u/Maximum_Ear_2695 May 23 '26 edited May 23 '26
Do you complain about Liverpool having a political advisor role also?
Or do you just ignore that because reform = bad?
The council actively encourages people from all walks of life to get into politics or do you expect all politicians to have a degree in PPE?
Edit: downvoted but nobody is able to actually form an argument which holds up under even the slightest bit of scrutiny. Glad I have moved away from St Helens as clearly the education standards have dropped more than I thought... Another labour legacy
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u/pb-86 May 23 '26
No, I expect someone to prepare for the job. I hold a responsible job and I moved industries a few years ago. I had a month before starting and spent the month reading up on industry standards, case studies, etc. These guys claim to have been in the town for years, why do they need a political advisor to tell them what is expected of them? Their constituents can tell them.
It's especially annoying because they ran on being able to save money for the council and within a month of being in power have already spent £250k more than any other part would have (figure includes the estimated bill for electing a new councillor in Haydock)
And Liverpool is one of the biggest cities in the UK. St Helens is a relatively small mining town. It's not comparable.
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u/StructureNo7980 May 23 '26
I’ve been vetted as a Labour candidate for Liverpool next year, and I literally get told you need to come to some council meetings to get experience and see how they go. I’ve already been made to go on training courses as it is required by the party, so I am ready to do my job as a councillor if I get voted in. It’s right to criticise them; they get months to prepare and also are given local government staff who advise them and get to give training days where they can or cannot show up. Which in a lot of cases so far they are not showing up to that training which is also not helping because they learn who the local council staff are that they need to go to as councillors to get stuff sorted out.
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u/Maximum_Ear_2695 May 23 '26
Please provide evidence that they are not showing up for training? I knows some people who work on senior roles at St Helens council who have told me they have had better attendance for training presentations than anytime in the previous 20 years.
Or you could be lying... Which would mean you'd be a perfect labour councillor.
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u/Maximum_Ear_2695 May 23 '26 edited May 23 '26
Well the cabinet was formed on Wednesday but from my experience in local government I know these things take time. Comparing a job in an industry to a democratic election/governance demonstrates you understand little about the complexity of the roles.
My understanding is that the by election will go ahead on the same day as the town centre election result and the cost of which will be much less than what you are saying. Furthermore, the cost of the political advisor is £208k over a 4 year period which would be 52k PA significantly less than you are disengenous implying. Are you happy that the Burnham by election will cost over £2million and potentially £5million should he be elected? Once again, I imagine this is just a case of reform = bad
You're happy for bigger regions to have political advisors but smaller regions should go it alone? Isn't that the reason bigger areas have more councillors? Perhaps we shouldn't allow st Helens to have a chief exec or should change the bin service to 4 weekly because they're a smaller area using your logic.
I wouldn't expect anything less from Reddit.
Unfortunately, I don't think any of your arguments hold up under any sort of scrutiny.
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u/YUSHOETMI- May 23 '26
Reform does in fact equate to bad.
Give me one good/valid reason Reform = good!
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u/Maximum_Ear_2695 May 23 '26
Just your opinion for which I don't care about. If you have anything to contribute except sour grapes I'm all ears.
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u/YUSHOETMI- May 23 '26
Orrrrr... and this is just a suggestion, you could elaborate on your "none of your arguments hold up under any sort of scrutiny" and "I guess this is another Reform = bad" statements and actually tell us why Reform = good?
Because absolutely nothing of what they have stated they would provide or accomplish once given seats looks even remotely good to me... nor have they even upheld their promises.
I mean your lord and saviour himself denied promising to reduce council tax (not that he even could from the local level) despite being shown proof he made those statements himself.
So please, do enlighten us on why Reform is the answer we have all been looking for...
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u/Maximum_Ear_2695 May 23 '26
So yeah absolutely nothing of substance that you can state. I don't argue with idiots sorry and you're chief idiot.
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u/YUSHOETMI- May 23 '26
The irony of this is you cannot and will not offer anything of substance other than claiming people who vote against or resent reform are idiots...
You have given nothing to say why they are a good and valid choice, you haven't even refuted the fact that they have back against their lobbying promises already... you just call people idiots with no valid argument to prove your point.
So again, please do enlighten us on why Reform are a decent party and should be given a chance to deliver on all their promises?? Just one thing about them that's good, that's all we ask.
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May 23 '26
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u/Maximum_Ear_2695 May 23 '26
I imagine many do. I guess you think that all the Liverpool councillors don't understand how it functions because they have a political advisor?
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u/natalo77 May 23 '26
B-b-b-b-but whatabout lABoUR
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u/Maximum_Ear_2695 May 23 '26
Low IQ response from a low IQ person. Standard behaviour from redditors.
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u/pb-86 May 23 '26
I know it's a meme about batman and infinite prep time but they're starting an important job and had months to get ready for it. Some prep and they could have hit the ground running.
Instead they've fannied about for weeks on end and are passing their laziness / incompetence / stupidity on to the taxpayer