Tories outmaneuver Reform Northumberland now ruled by a Dic-Tattie?

 

In a land where street weeds as tall as children wave in the breeze in a similar fashion to  Attenborough's undersea pictures of seagrass and kelp forests, where seagull strewn empty Greggs bags and Mcdonalds waste pitched from dark windowed vehicles blow around forming carpets weeks after being dumped ending in areas where autumn leaves once congregated to die and rot is not the picture Northumberland tourism want to show but unfortunately all too common in ‘forgotten’ South East Northumberland now politically run by Reform UK Ltd.

Reform UK Ltd. who now hold the majority of seats across the South East of the County on Northumberland County Council where the majority of people live. Reform Councillors have failed their supporters by falling at  the first hurdle. 

Instead of turning out to represent their voters, they have made conscious decisions to sit on their phones and pads in the warmth of their living rooms pumping out anti Labour and Tory nonsense while Northumberland’s shrewd Conservatives ignore its new largest opposition party raining drastic change onto an unsuspecting public as Reform UK Ltd’s democratically elected membership lay back on their sofas in ignorant bliss.

The social media littering sewage they continually pump out includes the wish to hoist a Trumpian DOGE onto Northumberland County Council to try to back up their allegations of corruption at all levels whilst cutting off the Council’s workforce from their pensions and futures.

Their DOGE wishes have fallen at the first hurdle as to change the audit policy of the County Council they needed to change the Conservatives hardened in ‘Constitution of the Council’.

Dutifully, the Council held its meeting of the Constitution working group as it must do when new councils are formed. Reform UK Councillors who have three members of the panel being the largest opposition group didn’t bother to turn up to the meeting, we're led to believe they didn’t even submit a letter to offer constitutional changes to suit their case. Their ignorance allowed the Northumberland Conservative to push on with their wishes to step up the powers of their Council Leader, adopting a Leader with Cabinet model; effectively the Leader has totalitarian power over the Council and all decisions have to be cleared by him.

The him in our report is of course farming Councillor Glenn Sanderson whose first decision was to ensure his Cabinet felt weakened and must kowtow at his feet, ran out an article in the regional press naming his financial guru Councillor Nick Oliver as being responsible for the overspends in social services dragging down his image and killing off any ambition he may have had to topple his leader over the next four years.

Dictator, Despot or as we ask Dic-Tattie? 

Time will tell but with Reform UK already washed up onto a litter strewn beach and hiding behind the street weeds they need to manage as local councillors we believe this first hurdle fall will render them useless and they will stick to their sofas producing swill until 2029.

Notes:

https://northumberland.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s25740/Constitutional%20Review.pdf

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/northumberland-county-council-budgets-hit-31837269

Imperialist and Political Party Owner Nigel Farage view of benefit claimants?

 

Reform UKs Leadership group produced a manifesto in readiness for the 2024 General Election, it appears to back up his spoiled rich boy view of the world and his often reported desire to turn Britain back to the 1950s.

His party's policies within that document show how he will be much harder on benefit claimants and those who are unemployed than the modernisation scheme put forward by the Labour Government in office.

The manifesto lays out how he will force 2,000,000 into work, beginning with those who are unfortunate enough to find themselves out of work.

On unemployment his manifesto states : “All job seekers and those fit to work must find employment within 4 months or accept a job after 2 offers. Otherwise, benefits are withdrawn.”

By accepting this manifesto his party members show they have no plans to service areas of low growth and high unemployment leaving charities to pick up the pieces when work doesn’t pay when all available jobs are too far away to make them financially viable, causing families to fall into huge debt and put their homes at risk.

His special scheme for younger working age people is designed to stop young people dropping out of unemployment and onto health or welfare benefits as the manifesto states: “Reforms to benefit support and training will help people back into work. Particular focus on 16-34 year olds. Employment is critical to improving mental health. Tax relief for businesses that undertake apprenticeships.”

On Personal Independence Payments and the Work Capability Assessments, Reform says: 

“ they must be held Face to Face”, 

There will be No Remote Assessments for Benefits

“Personal Independence Payment and Work Capability Assessment should be face to face. We will require independent medical assessments to prove eligibility for payments”. 

This is a change back from PIP designed to speed up the assessment process back to a system similar to Disability Living Allowance where claimants had the massive stress of having to attend court if they wished to challenge a decision made regarding their illness or disability. The pressure on claimants was enormous.

The only respite for claimants in the Reform manifesto is: “Those registered with severe disabilities or serious long-term illnesses would be exempt from regular checks”.

People may wish to see their lives improve rapidly after 14 years of anti-working class Tory austerity and REFORM UK Ltd may be seen as a popular choice to bring that about but is it? As many areas who have chosen to follow REFORM UK Ltd at the local government elections residents will have the most to lose from adoption of these Imperialistic policies.

Reform’s spoilt rich boy designed anti-establishment appeal

 

 Quickly lost on Workers and Strivers?

Policies centred on making ‘Britain Dull Again’ is finding out that SKIVERS are those now supporting the lack of localism from the Ultra-right newbies.

With the pre-local election pile up of information from Reform candidates concentrating on racism, misogyny and change towards nationalistic boring colourlessness being overlooked as pubs and clubs filled with societies knowledgeable boozers partnering with all day keyboard warriors expecting Unitary and County Councils run by reform to bring forward policy which supports kitchen sink chaining, youth flogging, rubber boat sinking at sea and public hangings.

With this unlikely combination of skivers and common newspapers spinning populist fantasy combined with new legend hype influencing the popular debate the anti-establishment vote brought reform 10 Council’s to push forward with policy to destroy localism and make ‘Britain Dull Again’.

The weekly press have been first to notice the dark clouds of REFORM UK public school educated company directors led by Nigel Farage spoilt rich boy policies designed to kill off custom and practice enjoyed by local people since the first world war. 

Councils sitting under Reform’s dark wing can no longer fly their County flag on public buildings, nor the flags supporting local societies & local equality and diversity with all 10 collapsing departments dealing with any form of difference from Trade Unionism to Equal Rights. Those councils are also in the process of cutting off very vocal environmental groups, powerful women's groups such as the WI and Waspi along with any support Councils give the English Premier League due to its stance and support for ‘Show Racism the Red Card’. 

On the banning of local flags it appears County branches of the Hells Angels motorcycle clubs are showing their local flags as often as possible in an irreconcilable denial of Reforms view of anti-establishment dullness and continue to colour our local communities with their charitable events.

Whilst on the subject of dullness, it's a good job the skivers and daytime keyboard warriors don’t normally strive to afford a Premier League season ticket but many will be dragged into the daylight to enjoy events put on by their local communities that may be in danger of not being available to them from whenever the 10 form their first budgets.

With all 10 to be plagued with a Farage DOGE inspection it appears that the first DOGE in Kent has found that the County Council there supports many local functions with public cash! That cash of course is spent locally and not available to Reforms city backers to salt away among the untaxed billionaires HMRC looked after for 14 Tory years and Labour hasn’t been quick enough to see the light on taxing them a bit more to equalise society at a steadier pace.

So what will folk say to their Reform UK Ltd., Councillors? about how your Council Tax is spent when your village fete can’t go ahead, your local theatre closes, that art galleries can't afford to bring forward new talent and charities from village halls to community centres close their doors to youth clubs and scout groups with brownies and girl guides banished as they may talk up equality for women?

The public in the West Country have been the first to notice the dullness of REFORM UK as by-elections for local council seats are being hardened in by the LibDems with recent opinion polls showing Labour and the Tories moving up in popularity, REFORM UK are sitting in a very static position with their growth in Scotland shown to be failing if the Hamilton by-election won by Labour shows a turning point, as Labour policy is beginning to strengthen the economy and nail in local diversity, culture and equality among the sexes.

Glen Sanderson’s Tory data centre deal. Where's the energy plans to backup given permissions?

 

Concerns surrounding Northumberland Conservative’s deal to replace their lost ‘8000 jobs for Blyth’ car battery plant with the building of Europes largest data centre in the river Blyth estuary, has led Environmental groups demanding to see follow up plans to ensure the North-east isnt dogged by power cuts following completion of this project.

Worries that Reform UK’s recent growth in the river Blyth estuary area may continue for a prolonged period and their manifesto promises leaning directly towards bringing net zero schemes to a grinding halt has numerous environmental groups asking when issuing planning permission for a £10Bn series of energy hungry data units what advice were councillors who made these decision given. Also were the backup energy plans to alleviate future problems for local residents offered up to those decision makers at County Hall in Morpeth if not why not.

Energy use isn't the only problem environmental groups have commented on; This £10bn project in Northumberland is projected to emit as much carbon dioxide as Birmingham Airport, with emissions expected to reach 184,160 tonnes annually. Martha Dark from Foxglove stated: "It is difficult to see how the Government plans to reach its manifesto commitment of hitting net zero by 2050 when it is approving construction projects that add the impact of a major regional airport to our emissions." Despite concerns, Northumberland County Council approved the project, which will significantly increase the county's emissions.

Northumberland County Council’s leader Glen Sanderson has recently quoted his Council's need to recoup site preparation costs through the sale of this site complete with planning permission. 

Blyth residents need to ask if they wish to support this massive polluter on their doorsteps and wether the pollution increase will be offset by Labours net zero projects such as offshore wind which currently supports 700 jobs in the Town or if they will increasingly support reform uk and do as much damage to Blyth as was administered by Margaret Thatcher when she closed Bates pit, ironically sited directly opposite the new Data Centre site.

 

Farage’s War on Net Zero. Will he force charges on Council, Housing, Housing Associations and Aged Miners Cottages across Durham and Northumberland.

 It's been out on closely linked social media sites to the Tories for a number of months that Northumberland Conservatives had to cajole its elderly members to ensure they could form a slate for the local government elections.

Many of those Conservatives elected on May 1st  have had very poor attendance records over the last four years,  with the Conservative council having to reduce the number of full meetings by 50% and hold very few Committee meetings during harvest and lambing time due to the Council having a number of farmers within their ranks. That was to ensure any attendance from the majority of their members at all with age and occupation driving their local agenda’s. 

Any slip up over the next four years may allow REFORM UK, who are breathing down their necks, to force one of their parties' prime local government policies out onto both Counties unsuspecting public, that of taxing solar power on people's homes.

Northumberland’s residents may have to watch what happens in County Durham as an indicator as Mr Farage wants his new local government power to be used to show the public what he can do to wreck Labour’s Great British Energy policy and its support for modern car manufacture and large data centre’s right in the teeth. Local Solar Power Tax will prove his point.

Over many years the Labour Party across both Council areas aided residents of their Council housing stock to be able to cheapen their living costs through the installation of solar banks on their house roofs. Both council’s also helped their Aged Miners Homes Associations access funding to be able to deliver similar improvements for their tenants, with Housing Associations benefitting from the Council’s draw down of Government grants for social housing to follow suit.

His disparate mix of members in Northumberland and the personal agendas of some may not be able to deliver his wishes but by forcing in a REFORM UK manifesto policy in Durham through their new hold on the Council which affects ordinary people will certainly run out the fear element enough to show the public nationally that they can be expected to deliver on their manifesto promises, which in the main, help city investors more than ordinary folk.

Town being ‘reborn’ as the Capital of NET ZERO votes against its future?

Blyth in Northumberland has voted against Conservatives and Labour who were steering it towards an industrial rebirth, business confidence sagging immediately.

Reform UK has gelled with the population of Blyth, Northumberland’s largest and poorest Town which has experienced a long slog to find its feet over the last three decades.

The rebirth began under the Labour led County and District Council with the announcement of the Caterpillar project which eventually opened the then largest wind power blade testing centre in 2012.

Under the 14 years of Conservative Government the wind testing facility was joined by a fleet of companies waiting to start, all steering the Town and its surrounds centred along the River Blyth towards the massive growth in NET ZERO, including the import of surplus hydro power from Norway to boost the local grid and propel the whole surrounding area towards a future away from ‘Old King Coal’ and into a well paid manufacturing culture based on clean and green.

Driving towards the town from any direction the latest giant development from JDR cables to produce subsea cables is nearing completion, creating 170 well paid long term jobs producing the material required to bring offshore power into the Blyth estuary and onto the national grid. This is growth and jobs the Town and surrounding areas  badly needs to balance the new economy drive and kickstart the NET ZERO market place the current Labour Government has been hoping for when promising an £86m investment in a larger wind blade testing facility being developed a stone's throw from Blyth’s Town Centre.

The Town and surrounding area welding their future to a party, Reform UK, that is determined to hammer back all net zero expenditure including an in development NET ZERO Learning Centre in the Town then close down all of the infrastructure and new industry driven by the Labour Government's achievable aspiration.

Why you may ask?

It's down to their Leader Nigel Farage who is a city investor and has chosen to sacrifice Towns like Blyth and drive its population’s needs back 30 years to Mr Farage's beloved Thatcher era if not further back to the 1930’s in order that investors like him can benefit from the profits easily gained from the continued used of Oil and Fossil Fuels. Which in the short term thinking of his wallet is far easier to get returns from than the long term investments in wind, tidal and solar power both onshore and offshore that NET ZERO requires.

Its a pity that his new voters didn’t look into his box never mind outside it before putting the cross in the square to strangle the life out of their Town allowing them to watch tumbleweed blow through their streets for possibly another three decades as business confidence wanes that not only Blyth but the nation is being stripped from the UK via the Reform UK Local Government’s agenda.

REFORM UK Committed to setting up a ‘DOGE’ in Northumberland to hack back the workforce.

 

It’s the precursor to privatisation of Council Service

Reform Uk Leader Nigel Farage has expressed his unrequited admiration for Margaret Thatcher on many occasions and as people know right across Northumberland she was the ‘queen’ of privatisation and offshoring

Northumberland’s older generation will remember it well and thousands of its younger families are still suffering through the outcomes particularly from offshoring manufacturing jobs abroad.

Farage visited Morpeth in Northumberland this week and spoke about the need to set up a DOGE in the County reminiscent of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency as they like Thatcher thought every penny spent on the public sector is a penny too much.

Through his US DOGE, Elon Musk has severed thousands from its public services workforce and we expect if they get a chance Reform UK will copy that trend across Northumberland where decently paid secure jobs are in relatively short supply.

Private companies working in the public sector are well known for driving the sectors wages down in order to keep profit margins for their shareholders up as high as they can get and it's a pity that the euphoria surrounding an organisation that's hell bent on dragging families back into almost slave conditions through Reforms wish to con people into removing the the UK from the protection of the ECHR and the improving workers conditions being brought in by Labour is driven by the slow rate in which change can be managed by Government following 14 years of damage to the Local government and public services industries by the Tories.

Reform is run by Merchant Bankers and it's difficult for the private sector to get a hold of a talented workforce which can compete for public sector work. Reforms DOGE plans would ‘gift’ private companies access to talented and skilled workforces housed in the huge local authorities like Northumberland County Council. That access would severely threaten the economic stability of the County  as it would create no new jobs, simply jobs on lower wages.

NOTES

https://www.thepoke.com/2025/04/14/nigel-farage-wants-doge-style-body-for-every-council/

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1356494405789645

https://apnews.com/article/doge-firings-layoffs-federal-government-workers-musk-d33cdd7872d64d2bdd8fe70c28652654

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_ZdjNe7xzM