Mathematically challenged

Labour won the Hamilton by-election to the Holyrood parliament (the devolved Scottish assembly) with a majority of 602 votes over the incumbent SNP (Scottish Nationalist Party). Reform UK came in third place. Richard Tice, multi-millionaire backer of the insurgent right wing populist party, called the result "truly remarkable"

“We were within 750 votes of winning that by-election, and just a few hundred votes of beating the SNP, so it’s an incredible result.”

In fact, the Reform UK candidate was 869 votes behind the SNP and 1,471 votes behind Labour 🙃 But as we all know, arithmetic is woke and elitist so should be disregarded. If this "truly remarkable" result is reproduced throughout the UK, everyone will be happy . . the fruitcakes can celebrate their successes and the rest of us can get on with the serious busuness of government 😊

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Lugwho · 61-69, M

I'm a bit disappointed they got that many. I've lived in Scotland for 11 years and thought Reform were a non starter here.

SunshineGirl · 36-40, F

@Lugwho By-elections are when people experiment with novelty candidates safe in the knowledge that they won't be given too much room to f**k up. Given the poor polling of Labour and SNP recently, I think it was a pretty positive result.

Lugwho · 61-69, M

@SunshineGirl That's true. I can sort of understand the protest vote for Reform, but I do worry about how far it will go. I think they do have genuine support now, even if their supporters are not really sure what they stand for.

SunshineGirl · 36-40, F

@Lugwho I worry deeply too. But there may be four years until the next general election, and unless they show some discipline or genuine achievement from the power they have in English local government (unlikely on the current showing), I think we may already have hit peak Farage.

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Northerner · 70-79, M

@SunshineGirl i think you will find all Parties are in disarray, non more so than this rotten Labour regime we have to put up with.

SunshineGirl · 36-40, F

@Northerner What do you find rotten about the Labour government?

Northerner · 70-79, M

@SunshineGirl they are traitors to the people of the UK.

SunshineGirl · 36-40, F

@Northerner First Westminster government for 14 years to attempt to govern with the consent of nations other than England.