Disappointment
in Dartford –
Triumph for Reform

All three seats representing the town on Kent County Council turned light blue in England’s recent local elections. Sean Byrne-Roberts and Matt Gallagher met some of its residents to find out why

The common term is politicians. Red, blue, green, that light blue they’ve suddenly come up with – none of them are going to do anything. Reform’s win did surprise me a bit. Farage is, to use a common saying, all mouth and no trousers. I don’t believe him, or anyone else, will do anything. Once they’re in power, they get paid, that’s it. Nigel Farage was an MEP – he took all the money and hardly ever went there. Since he’s been a Member of Parliament, you hardly see him in Parliament. The biggest mistake the Conservatives made was electing Liz Truss to be the leader. She absolutely dive-bombed the place.

Honestly, everybody promises you things and it just doesn’t seem to work out. I was quite surprised at Reform’s win. Really, people just want to try something different now. The winter fuel payments cut was wrong. People fought in the war and they’re sitting at home and can’t heat the place. They have to make a choice between food or heating. Hopefully Reform will do something for us. Not just for me, or for the pensioners, but for everybody.

‘I was quite surprised at Reform’s win. Really, people just want to try
something different now’

There’s not much for us in the town centre. It seems to be more and more as if we’re in a different country. I don’t look at politics no more. Most of the things they say they’re going to do don’t happen. I look at them in Parliament and just laugh. It looks like one of those shows to me, like a comedy. It’s too old, too dated. Have less people in Parliament, pay them less, and solve things.