Open Britain Reading

08/09/2026

Only a fool would waste their vote to elect a Reform councillor👇🤦🏻

“A former councillor who lost his seat after failing to turn up to a single council meeting for six months will stand in the by-election he triggered.
John Allen was elected to represent Ashington's Hirst ward on Northumberland County Council in May 2025.
Allen, who was a member of Reform UK at the time, was expelled from the party later that year following allegations he made online comments saying he wanted to shoot the then prime minister Keir Starmer.
He lost the seat on 20 August after failing to attend any council meetings or sub-committees since February 18.”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgwdell598o

Meet former Councillor John Allen who got kicked out by Reform and then lost his seat for failing to attend any meetings.

That caused a by-election which he has decided to stand in....

They really are a waste of space!

Link to full story on BBC News in comments

08/09/2026

And another one’s gone…👇🤦🏻

Graham Harrison, leader of Reform UK-led Hartlepool Borough Council, is quitting the top job after less than four months in charge.

Harrison took over just two weeks after Reform swept all 12 available seats in May. Now he says “a change in my personal circumstances” means he’s “no longer able to commit the time required to fulfil the duties of leader.”

His own words: “The role is, in effect, a full-time commitment and I do not believe it would be right to continue if I cannot give it the time and attention it deserves.”

When he took the job, his top priority was “financial stability” for the town and a promise to be “open and honest” with residents. Four months later, a replacement has to be found at an extraordinary council meeting on September 15.

Elected in May. Leader by June. Gone by September.
More top planning by Reform..

Reform are not your friends.

08/09/2026

Most people won’t start calling it fascism until it’s too late…👇😠

Two RNLI volunteers were pictured in Portsmouth this weekend while responding during the Patriot Platform protest. The far right responded by identifying them and branding them “traitors”.

One of those spreading their names is Ryan Ferguson, a neo-Nazi who was jailed for racially abusing a Black footballer and later arrested under the Terrorism Act for promoting the banned neo-Nazi group National Action.

This is what the far right’s “peaceful” activism looks like.

07/09/2026

Hear, hear!👇👏

07/09/2026

A Labour North West spokesperson said: "We're delighted to welcome Nigel Swales to the Labour Party. This first defection from Reform to Labour speaks volumes and we expect there will be many more - people who have seen Reform up close are discovering that behind the slogans there simply isn't a serious plan for governing or improving people's lives."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yl669n8qmo

Meet Cllr Nigel Swales from Skelmersdale East in Lancashire, the first to defect from to Labour as apparently Reform "doesn't have a serious plan" - which is something which doesn't actually surprise us!

Link to full story on BBC News in comments

07/09/2026

Seems sensible…👇 🇪🇺🇬🇧

“The authors argue that the role Britain has traditionally assigned itself, acting as a transatlantic bridge, no longer serves the purpose it was designed for.”

They state: “The transatlantic defence industrial base has begun to split, with Washington reprioritising resources towards hemispheric defence and countering China while the European Union deploys instruments such as the €150 billion SAFE facility in pursuit of strategic autonomy, and that those European mechanisms increasingly mandate the exclusion of third countries. Britain, sitting outside the European Union while maintaining deep security ties with Washington, is described as squeezed between two diverging defence giants and facing what the authors call a dangerous Hobson’s choice in capability standardisation.”

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/report-urges-britain-to-offer-eu-nuclear-protection/

🚨 NEW: Britain should consider formally extending its nuclear deterrent to European allies through a new “Deterrence Union” with the EU, according to a new report.

The proposal would deepen UK-EU defence cooperation as European governments confront growing concerns over their future security arrangements.

07/09/2026

👇🤦🏻

07/09/2026

The debate is live from 6pm tonight. You can watch on parliamentlive.tv👇

"Legislate crimes motivated by misogyny are hate crimes, fund support & training"

The petition, which received more than 114,000 signatures, states: "The Government should amend the Sentencing Act 2020 to record crimes motivated by misogyny as hate crimes and introduce tougher laws for online abuse, and fund the training of police and prosecutors, and support for survivors in education."
In its response to the petition, provided on 11 March 2026, the Government said: "The Government has tabled an amendment at Lords Report Stage of the Crime and Policing Bill to extend the aggravated offences in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998."

On Monday 7 September, MPs will debate a petition relating to crimes motivated by misogyny and hate crime law.

07/09/2026

Easy to see why we need more prison cells…👇😠