Mayday! Mayday!

It was a big night indeed for Fartage’s Reform UK—for those who thought we’d moved on from Brexit, think again, that flame is being kept very much alive by this shower. Winning control of a few councils and two mayoralities the spotlight will now be on Reform’s abilities at actually governing, rather than stirring up resentments. Their successes elsewhere naturally took media attention away from the historic first elections for members of the newly created Scarborough Town Council. Reform won 11 of the 15 seats so will now be able to command the Town Clerk to do their bidding. Will they want to take control of public toilets? Or will they follow Fartage’s DOGE mentality and immediately sack the Town Clerk and abolish the council which as yet has no responsibilities? They could sell off the mayor’s chain for starters and distribute the proceeds to residents.

Labour’s national response to its drubbing at the hands of Reform was partially handled by the senior minister for media rounds, Pat McFadden—or more accurately a series of algorithms going by the collective name ‘Pat McFadden.’ Pat can’t put a foot wrong, his words are as carefully honed as toolmaker’s thread (if there is such a metaphor to be had). And his boss, the toolmaker’s son himself, ran to the stash of losing-side politicians’ clichés telling us that ‘he gets it.’ We don’t learn exactly what it is that he ‘gets’ not least since he also says that the government must stay true to its agenda which will, one day make everyone realise that hammering the poorest and most vulnerable in society will boost growth beyond our wildest dreams. Meanwhile, yet another Royal drama managed to dent the media coverage of Reform’s gains. For this we should be deeply grateful to Prince Harry.