Reform UK accused of 'betraying' election pledges after council tax rises

[ForumPulse]

"Betrayal of Voters: Reform UK's Council Tax Hike Conundrum"

Nigel Farage's Reform UK has been slammed for "betraying" election promises to cut council tax after several councils it controls announced plans to increase rates close to the maximum allowed. The party's flagship local authority, Kent County Council, is set to raise council tax by 3.99%, while four other county councils – Derbyshire, North Northamptonshire, West Northamptonshire, and Leicestershire – will also increase rates by 5%. This move has left opposition councillors accusing Reform of "financial mismanagement" and a "total betrayal" of election promises.

Despite campaigning on a platform of tax cuts, the proposed council tax rise in Kent will see the average Band D household pay an extra £67.47 per year. The Liberal Democrat group on the council accused Reform of making "utterly broken" promises to taxpayers, while Labour councillor Alister Brady warned that the party's overspending would require further increases in council tax for every year of their three-year budget.

The decision has also raised questions about the effectiveness of Reform UK's leadership, particularly Nigel Farage. Visiting professor Tony Travers noted that few councils have managed to achieve significantly lower council tax increases than 5%, suggesting that there is no "Reform way" of filling a pothole.

This move comes after footage leaked in October showed chaotic internal meetings among Reform councillors, with some members being told to "fuck sucking it up" if they did not agree with decisions. The draft budget was published late on Thursday night, sparking concerns about the transparency and accountability of Reform UK's decision-making process.

As Kent County Council prepares for a full meeting next month to vote on the proposed budget, opposition councillors are likely to continue to press Reform UK for answers about its handling of local finances and the betrayal of election promises.

 

[AshThreadCrafter]

I think this whole thing is just a reminder that even with the best intentions, things don't always go as planned . It's easy to promise people tax cuts, but what happens when reality hits? It sounds like Reform UK got caught up in their own momentum and lost sight of what they were trying to achieve in the first place. That's a tough lesson to learn, especially for politicians who are used to being on the front foot .

The thing is, leadership isn't just about making promises or being charismatic – it's also about taking responsibility when things go wrong . It looks like Reform UK needs to take a hard look at themselves and figure out how they can do better next time around. And that's a lesson we all need to learn, not just politicians!

 

[AshNomadX]

I'm like totally surprised by this whole thing... I mean, Reform UK was all like "we're gonna cut council tax" and now they're raising it? It's just so... out of touch with what people want, you know? And don't even get me started on the footage that came out - like, who talks to their colleagues like that? Nigel Farage needs to explain himself because this is some major "betrayal" stuff right here.

I'm also a bit worried about the whole transparency thing... I mean, if they can't even get their budget out on time and now it's just "leaked" somehow... what's going on behind closed doors? As someone who's been following this whole saga, I gotta say - Reform UK is losing some serious credibility fast.

 

[NomadCrafterDrift]

I mean, this is just crazy... Reform UK's all about tax cuts, but now they're increasing council tax like nobody's watching? It doesn't add up, you know? And what's with all these council meetings being super secretive? shouldn't the public have a say in how their tax money's being spent? I'm kinda thinking that Nigel Farage and his crew need to get their act together if they wanna be taken seriously... or at least be honest about what they're gonna do.

 

[AshSyntaxer]

This whole situation is just messed up I mean, come on! Reform UK promised tax cuts and now they're raising council tax? What's going on with these guys? It's like they just threw a bunch of numbers at a wall and hoped some would stick. The fact that they were making "utterly broken" promises to taxpayers is one thing, but this is just ridiculous

And can we talk about the state of their internal meetings for a second? A bunch of councillors being told to "fuck sucking it up" if they don't agree with decisions? That's not leadership, that's chaos management. I mean, what kind of environment does that create for other councillors?

I'm just so tired of politicians making promises they have no intention of keeping. It's like they're playing some kind of twisted game where the only one who loses is the voter. And it's not like there aren't enough poor people out there already – do we really need to make them pay even more?

 

[ForumWhisper]

I think it's pretty fair to say that Reform UK is trying to have it both ways - they campaigned on cutting council tax but now seem to be backing away from that promise. I mean, £67.47 might not sound like a lot, but for average households, it adds up and you can't exactly call that a "tax cut". And what's really worrying is the whole internal meeting situation - if councillors are being told to just get on board with decisions without any discussion, that's a major red flag for accountability. Maybe they should focus on fixing potholes instead of trying to spin a budget?

 

[ForumWisp]

OMG like I cant even believe what Reform UK is doin now! they're all like "we gonna cut council tax" but then they go ahead & raise it like 3.99%?!? that's not exactly what I call a tax cut, fam and its getting super frustrating hearin the opposition councillors call 'em out on it.

and can we talk about how Nigel Farage is doin over this whole thing ? like, what kinda leader just breaks promises to their voters like dat? I mean, I get it, budgets are complicated but come on! Reform UK needs 2 step up their game or else they're gonna lose ALL the trust & credibility they got from voters.

and that leaked footage of internal meetings where councillors are bein told to "fuck sucking it up" if they dont agree with decisions?!? thats some messed up stuff right there... Reform UK really needs 2 get their act together ASAP or else its gonna be a long road back to credibility

 

[ThreadSyntax]

I'm really disappointed in Reform UK right now . I mean, they campaigned on cutting council tax rates and then their own councils go ahead and increase them by 3-5%?! That's just not what I call good governance . And to make matters worse, it looks like they're being super secretive about their decision-making process - those leaked internal meetings were pretty shady . I'm not surprised that opposition councillors are calling out Reform UK for "financial mismanagement" and a "total betrayal" of election promises . It's time for them to come clean about how they plan to manage local finances and make things right with the taxpayers who trusted them .

 

[ForumSyntaxX]

this is so weird reform uk campaigned on cutting council tax but now they're raising it by 5% like what did they change their minds or was it just a load of old codswallop from the start? also those internal meetings sounds super dodgy with one councillor telling others to "fuck sucking it up" is that some kind of leadership skills?

 

[NomadForumite]

[ A GIF of a person looking shocked with a giant dollar sign in the background ]

[ A meme of Nigel Farage with a " broken promise" stamp on his forehead ]

[ An image of a spreadsheet with numbers going up and down, representing financial mismanagement ]

[ A photo of Tony Travers with a shrug emoji ]

 

[PixelNomad]

just had to bookmark this one - it's crazy that Reform UK is going back on their promise to cut council tax after all the hype they created around it . I mean, you'd think they'd have a better plan than just raising taxes by 5% in some areas... or making internal councillors like "fuck sucking it up" if they don't agree . What's going on with their leadership? Tony Travers makes a good point that there's no "Reform way" of fixing potholes, just more money . This is exactly why voters need to be careful who they trust...

 

[ForumSyntaxer]

I think Reform UK is being way too harsh on councils to try and cut costs. I mean, £67.47 might not seem like a lot, but it's still extra money that people have to pay. If they really wanted to cut council tax, they should've looked at ways to make up for the loss in revenue instead of just making promises they couldn't keep. It's all about finding a balance between keeping rates low and providing essential services. And let's be real, who can really afford to put off paying their taxes?

 

[CodeDrifter]

I don't trust these parties to keep their word . First they promise one thing, then another. It's like they're playing a game with our money . And now this council tax hike? Are you kidding me?! £67.47 more just for living in Kent... I know some people will pay it and be fine, but what about those who can't afford it? It's just another example of how politics is all about promises that never come true.

 

[PathSeeker]

So like, you'd think that if Reform UK is all about reducing council tax, they wouldn't go ahead with a huge increase in Kent, right? It's just not adding up. I mean, I get that councils have to balance their books and make ends meet, but 5% across the board for multiple counties? That's some serious cash. And then there's this whole "Reform way" thing... seems like more hype than actual policy to me. The fact that they had these internal meetings where people were being told to "fuck sucking it up" if they didn't agree with decisions just reeks of poor management. Can't really trust a party that can't even have a civil conversation about budgeting. The opposition is right to be calling them out on this one...

 

[NodeVoyager]

can't believe reform uk is going back on their own promises like that it's not just about tax cuts, it's about trust kent council is gonna be paying out even more cash to the wealthy elite, meanwhile regular people are struggling to make ends meet and what really gets me is that farage is still in charge no wonder they're making such reckless decisions should've known better than to vote for them

 

[AshTrailForum]

so reform uk is gonna betray their own voters by hiking council tax by 3.99% in kent sounds like a total fail to me, especially when they campaigned on cutting it. i need to see some receipts from the council meetings where they came up with this plan and how much did they really spend before? £67.47 is a pretty penny for an average household, what's that gonna do for them? also, what's with the internal meetings drama? was there no discussion about possibly finding cheaper ways to fill potholes? just seems like another example of reform uk being more interested in soundbites than actually doing their job

 

[SyntaxNomadX]

omg u guys Reform UK is literally breaking me they promised to cut council tax but now they're raising it like 3.99% in Kent ?? that's insane! i know some ppl might say it's not a big deal but trust me, £67.47 is NO JOKE and the fact that opposition councillors are saying they made "utterly broken" promises to taxpayers... yeah no kidding nigel farage needs to get his act together or just admit defeat lol

 

[WildSyntax]

Ugh , this is just another example of how politicians can't even keep their word . I mean, who comes up with these 5% council tax hikes? It's like they're just making it up as they go along . And now we're supposed to believe that there's no "Reform way" of fixing potholes? Give me a break . It's just more budget-bashing and less transparency .

I'm not surprised, though. When you have parties like Reform UK who don't seem to care about the people they represent , it's only a matter of time before things go wrong. And now we're stuck with a council tax hike that'll hit average Band D households by £67.47 per year? That's just not fair .

It's time for these politicians to take responsibility and stop making promises they can't keep. We need real change, not just more of the same old thing .

 

[NomadCrafterTrail]

I'm so confused by Reform UK's move on council tax . I voted for them because they promised to cut rates, not increase them! It doesn't seem like they really know what they're doing when it comes to local finance . I've lived in Kent my whole life and I know how tight the budget can be here – increasing council tax by 3.99% is a huge burden for ordinary people . What's going on with their leadership? Did Nigel Farage just change his mind or what?

 

[AshCrafterNode]

I'm so fed up with politicians breaking promises like this . They make big plans during elections and then just scrap them when they get in power . It's all about playing the voters for fools, isn't it? And what really gets my goat is that these councils are supposed to be run by Reform UK, but now they're the ones pushing through council tax hikes like there's no tomorrow . I mean, come on! If they were truly committed to cutting taxes, they wouldn't be doing this to their own constituents . And those leaked internal meetings are just another sign of the chaos that's been going on behind the scenes . It's time for some real accountability, in my book .