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Row as deputy council leader compares Reform UK with Nazis

By Mark Mansfield
Jane Gebbie, deputy leader of Bridgend County Borough Council

Martin Shipton

A council’s deputy leader is unrepentant after comparing Reform UK’s description of itself as a “People’s Army” with Nazi terminology used in the 1930s and during World War Two.

When Jane Gebbie, the deputy leader of Bridgend County Borough Council, came home late from a meeting, she was incensed to find a Reform leaflet had been delivered inviting her to: “Join The People’s Army Today!”

She immediately annotated the leaflet, writing: “Right wing rhetoric. Divisive politics. Misinformation.

“Hitler had a People’s Army AKA The Wehrmacht / Volkssturm / Sturmabteilung". Hope we remind people of the damage they did.”

Cllr Gebbie then posted her comments on social media, where they were met with howls of outrage from Reform politicians and their supporters.

Bridgend Reform councillor Owain Clatworthy posted a message on his Facebook page that said: “It’s been brought to my attention that the Labour deputy leader of Bridgend County Borough Council Cllr Jane Gebbie has compared Reform UK and its supporters to Nazi organisations.

“Let me be absolutely clear. Political disagreement is healthy. It is part of democracy. But comparing your own residents to the Wehrmacht and the SA crosses a line.

“Thousands of people across Bridgend voted for Reform UK at the last general election and many did so again in Pyle, Kenfig Hill and Cefn Cribwr when they elected me as Bridgend’s first Reform county councillor.

“These are ordinary hard working people who want change. They are parents, workers, carers and pensioners and veterans. They are people who deserve respect, not reckless accusations pulled out of the darkest chapters of history.

“When you hold public office, your job is to bring communities together, not tear them apart with outrageous labels. Calling your own residents ‘’like Nazis’ is not just wrong. It is irresponsible. And it shows exactly why so many people are turning away from Labour in the first place.

“I will always stand up for the people I represent. Whether they voted for me or not, they deserve leadership that treats them with dignity. We can debate passionately without demonising each other.

“That is the standard I am holding myself to, and it is the standard Bridgend should expect from everyone in public office.”

Formal complaint

Cllr Clatworthy said later that he would be making a formal complaint about Cllr Gebbie’s comments to both the council and the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.

Cllr Gebbie told Nation.Cymru: “I am a worker and a trade unionist, and have worked all my adult life in local government and the health service. I know about history and I know the force that words can have.

“I was born in Singapore, was an air force child and have lived in Germany. I am not naive.

“We saw the way Reform conducted itself during the recent Caerphilly by-election. Their disgraceful campaign showed them stirring up racial division and hatred in a peaceful community, just like the Nazis in the 1930s in Germany.

“People should also take note of the recent revelations from people who went to school with Nigel Farage. The Guardian found 20 ex-pupils who spoke about his racism and his support for Hitler.

“People who can’t see the parallels need to read up about how the Nazis came to power and what they did when they gained it.

“Reform is not run in a democratic way but is a personality cult built around one man. It’s not even a normal political party, but a limited company run in an authoritarian way.

“I’m making no apology for what I’ve said, and I’ve been pleased and surprised by the cross-party messages of support from Conservatives and members of Plaid Cymru.”

A Jewish fellow pupil at Farage's school in London told this week how the teenage Farage persistently told him that "Hitler was right" and taunted him about the murder of Jews in gas chambers.

Farage has denied saying anything that was intended to be personally hurtful.

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90 comments

Amir

Good, principled lady, not willing to back down to hate filled gas bags whose leader agrees that what happened to the Jews in Germany was the right thing. "Peter Ettedgui, now an award-winning director and producer, told the paper: “He would sidle up to me and growl: ‘Hitler was right,’ or ‘Gas them,’ sometimes adding a long hiss to simulate the sound of the gas showers.”" Copied from the Independent. Why has garage not condemned such hateful conduct and language?

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Jeff

He has not apologised. He knows what hate he is sowing. The extermination camps didn't happen overnight, there was a path that was taken. Nige is on that path. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/nov/28/nigel-farage-antisemitism-allegations-us-maga

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Steve Thomas

Dont often agree with anyone in Labour, but shes dead on here. We need to rid Cymru anx Britain of these fascists. Hate filled bigots everyons of them

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Jeff

Not wrong though. Clatworthy doesn't see the parallels then he needs to read a few history books. Hows reforms black shirts for £350 going, does Clatworthy understand the connotation's? Does he need a pointer?

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Huw

She’s right, it needs to be e said, Trump in the US and Farage in the UK as well as others World wide

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Llyn

Perhaps if the far-right, Reform UK don't want to be compared with the Nazis perhaps their leader Farage should not have campaigned in Germany for the Hitler apologists AFD and in Austria for the Freedom Pty set up by former member of the Waffen SS.

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Mab Meirion

Come on Rev, spill the beans...

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Fanny Hill

Reform is a right wing party which has risen to prominence by demonising immigrants and asylum seekers as one of the causes of the UK’s ills. When the tables are turned they really can’t hack it. Cllr Clatworthy needs to take a long hard look at what he’s trying to defend here. His Reform party are continually prattling on about free speech but when it comes down to criticism or opinions about Reform they go Woke, just like Llyr Powell did in Caerfili. On a brighter note, Operation Lower the Flag is going well in Carmarthenshire.Looking less like Nuremberg every day.

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Mab Meirion

Have the Rothemere Family given up on politics... Or are we in line for Nigel and 4th Reich...?

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Chris Hale

Unfortunately the Daily Mail are now owners of the Telegraph. Given the Murdoch ownership of the Sun and Sky, and the extremist right on GB news, the agenda is being set by Faragist sympathisers. This is why we are fortunate in Wales to have Nation Cymru, who are prepared to ask the awkward questions and hold our politicians to account. Good to see a Labour politician prepared to speak out.

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Amir

Well said.

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Mab Meirion

Sorry man, it was a joke, how long have you been on nation....

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Adrian

Ah, so we’ve moved on to ‘extremist right’ now. You lot really ought to keep some powder dry, or you’re going to struggle for adjectives should you ever encounter any actual far right people, or real Nazis.

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In reply to Adrian

Jeff

Seen this? Bye bye women's rights in the UK. https://bylinetimes.com/2025/11/24/nigel-farages-project-2029-the-pro-trump-lobbyist-pushing-his-agenda-into-the-uk/

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In reply to Adrian

Derek

Was Kevin Hollinrake wrong? Even the Cons are saying it. About time you thought about the side of history you're backing.

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Amir

Um, did you read my comment regarding your party leader's past comments? He needs to act like a leader, take ownership of his comments , apologise, condemn his past language and resign.

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Richard Lice

Soon we will see groups of Reformites ,the people's army parading around in their newly acquired black shirts, Signed by his nibs Chanting all migrants out

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Mab Meirion

steady on old boy...

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Richard Lice

Well just imagine the branch meetings .A sea of black shirts calling for an end to the Nation of Sanctuary " Black looks by the branch chair if not appearing not wearing one

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In reply to Richard Lice

Mab Meirion

Everybody is wearing black shirts, I think it is this year's colour, but it is hardly surprising. Now Peaky has the flat cap so that's out. Jack will sell you a pair of boots, but lets not go there...these are not Nazis, they are too fat and lazy for a start...

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In reply to Mab Meirion

Richard Lice

Everybody ? Not with Reform UK emblazoned and a little badge just to add a little political context The black shirt has been one of the most recognizable political uniforms i associated with fascism. Its going to be the first thought which runs thru peoples minds when they see a group of them chanting Migrants out The smell has followed Farage thru his career Just ask Alan Sked the founder of UKIP

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Richard Jenkins

Isn’t it very simple? Pointing out that something that looks like a duck, walks like a duck , quacks like a duck is more than likely a F****** Duck!!

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FrankC

I'm sure we all wish we could reach the same toxic levels of ignorance, arrogance and bigotry you relentlessly post here.

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Adrian

I can help anyone who’s truly willing to learn!

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Dai Ponty

During my young life i was an N C O instructor in the Army people like you we would say YOU CANNOT EDUCATE PORK and you really fall into that Category

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Y Cymro

Seeing Reform UK have a history of attracting those with far-right ideology, bearing in mind its cult leader Nigel Farage has been accused by fellow pupils and teachers of being a fascist and having racially abused black, Asian and Jewish students whilst at Dulwich collage in the 1970s & 1980s. If the cap fits. Wear it!

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Mab Meirion

Is Farage a vindictive man like Twmp I wonder...

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Fanny Hill

YES HE F*****G IS!!!!!

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Mab Meirion

Heard of the SPG, a sherpa van full of violent racist coppers, they used to drive around London all night beating up black guys. That was the Seventies...they call them something else these days...

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Dai Ponty

So you are one of these FAR RIGHT NUT JOBS to think my father went ashore on the first Normandy Landings to eradicate Europe of Fascists and here they are again

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Adrian

There goes that room-temperature IQ again.

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Dai Ponty

Adrian a fascist and you are on about an I Q YOU BOY HAVE THE IQ OF DAFFY DUCK AND BRAINS OF DONALD DUCK

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Amir

And yet you are unable to answer a question. What does that make you?

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Amir

Um, have you read my comments above? Garage should act like a leader, accept his past, apologise, condemn those despicable comments and then resign.

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Richard Lice

What is the collective noun for a group of Reform supporters ? An Oswald ?

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Mab Meirion

No, absolutely not, HMS Oswald, a submarine, lies off Sicily, a war grave, also my best mate in primary school was an Oswald...him dead a long time...

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Fanny Hill

It’s on the tip of my tongue.

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Jeff

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/28/project-2025-heritage-foundation-hack

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Richard Lice

Call it what you will Meanwhile from Farage's school teacher Claire Deakin ,teacher at Dulwich College , in 1981, wrote a letter to the headmaster expressing concerns about the young Nigel Farage's "publicly professed racist & neo-fascist views". urged him not to appoint Farage as a prefect due to these reported views & behaviours. Post Clearasil days for Farage UKIP Founder Alan Sked In 1997 said "Farage wanted ex-National Front candidates to run and I said, 'I'm not sure about that,' and he said, 'There's no need to worry about the n*****vote. The n**-n**s will never vote for us.'"

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Amir

It started with the esteemed leader of the Deform party agreeing with the the Nazi. He is the hater. We are just asking why he hasn't apologised.

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Jeff

Did you see the mob trying to burn a hotel with people in it? farage helped stoke that hate.

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Mike T

I think the rapes and sexual assaults may also have played a role. Rhiannon Whyte etc.

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Adrian

Yet this lot claim to be the 'be kind' brigade: ironic isn't it?

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Mike T

Correct. Silly teenage student stuff that belittles what life was like for Jews, political opponents etc in 1930s Germany.

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Fi yn unig

Look up Ernst Röhm, Sturmabteilung (storm troop, assault detachment, Brownshirts), enforcing the will of the Nazi party by intimidatory violence. Referred to as the ‘peoples’ militia’, it was a paramilitary wing of the Nazis. Farij did refer to his ‘members’ (supporters) at conference as the ‘peoples’ army’ and beyond that, he has now buckled under scrutiny and admitted racially abusing pupils at his college by saying ‘not in a hurtful way’. Gotcha! The councillor is spot on and even if she, I or anyone else is barking up the wrong tree here, Farij has the hanging stink of a perception problem around him which will never go away.

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Jeff

What happened to him in the end? Oh yeah....

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Fi yn unig

Yes indeed. A fine example of how hate will eat itself. Assemble enough hate heads in one ‘room’ and they will turn in on each other. So be it, despite it being a distressing spectacle to be forced to view, as long as the rest of us can watch on unthreatened from afar, all well and good. If we can’t, then, as Spaceboy said, it’s ‘fight back or die’.

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David Richards

As the famous saying.goes "if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck".....increasing numbers of people can see what Reform are - lets just say Councillor Gebbie isnt far wrong in what she says.

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Jeff

Top tip. If you don't want to be associated with nazi's, don't do nazi stuff. Really is that simple.

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Adrian

....and if you don't want to be associated with communism, don't do communist stuff eh? Remember communism has killed way more people than than fascism.

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Amir

Um, who is a communist in any UK government?

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In reply to Amir

Adrian

Kier Starmer for a start. Militant Tendency, The Haldane Society, the Communist Party of Great Britain, The Trotskyist Socialist Alternatives, Michel Pablo, Leonardo Posso...you clearly have some reading to do.

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In reply to Adrian

Amir

My question specifically asked "in government ". And, no, Sir Keir is not a community. I have no idea what planet you currently reside on, but we are from planet Earth.

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In reply to Amir

Mike T

The Greens have distinct echoes.

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In reply to Mike T

Amir

Are the Greens in government or opposition?

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Jeff

Not denying what reform is then.

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Mike T

Correct.

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Amir

So sending them to Australia again?

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Amir

Did you read my comment above? Garage used those words. He agrees with the Nazis.

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Mike T

He's hardly setting up concentration camps, destroying Jewish businesses etc now is he? He is awful but we are nowhere near 30s Germany and it is silly to say so. In fact, I would say that the biggest threat to Jews in the UK is PAG etc.

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Amir

He is not in power. I have no idea whether if he did have power, he would set up concentration camps. He has not condemned those actual concentration camps or gas chambers. If he did apologise for his past behaviour and use of despicable language and condemn the actions of Nazi Germany in full detail, that would be a good start.

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In reply to Amir

Mike T

I would suggest that antisemitism is strongest in other communities. Witness the Manchester attack. Farage is just a buffoon who could be easily destroyed in a debate.

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In reply to Mike T

Amir

Destroying Garage in a debate is of no use. He needs to apologise and do the honourable gesture and resign.

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Mab Meirion

Doesn't need to, Clark's Army Surplus Barracks will be repurposed as and when they are needed but for whom remains hopefully never to be seen...

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Amir

Deform are not just awful, they are incredibly despicable, nasty, intolerant, agenda less and useless. Garage cannot bring himself around to condemn his horrendous language in his past tells everyone else he still agrees with what he said and did. He leads the party. The buck stops with him.

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theoriginalmark

I bet you check on here everyday in the hope that you can make a pointless comment in support of Reform and make yourself look stupid, how embarrassing.

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Erisian

No need for her to apologise There are such obvious similarities. Demonizing a religo-ethnic group for starters.

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Nel

The nazis didn’t arrive suddenly one day. They started off with the selfsame rhetoric as reformuk.

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Mike T

I think you'll find that the rhetoric of the Nazis was a million times worse. Saunders Lewis definitely on Reform level though.

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CapM

Get yourself educated I'll help you begin - https://www.iwa.wales/agenda/2014/10/using-the-antisemitism-charge/

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In reply to CapM

Adrian

The fact that you ‘educate’ yourself by reading that leftist tripe explains a lot.

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In reply to Adrian

Amir

If that is the best response you can give, it is poor.

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In reply to Adrian

Fanny Hill

Enjoying the Protocols of Zion, are we?

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Amir

Doesn't lessen the effects Farage words on his school mate. Especially as he is unwilling to apologise. The rhetoric starts with such unkind words and actions and when gifted with power, this form of rhetoric will morph into something far more sinister.

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Jeff

And they were voted in. It went downhill fast. H ran on hateful vile policies in the 20's till he was elected. Dachau opened in 1936.

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Fi yn unig

Councillor Clatworthy said a lot here but did not address what his leader meant by ‘Peoples’ army’. He should have looked into that before responding. He also spoke about bringing communities together and Councillor Gebbie reminded us how Clatworthys’ ‘party’/company tried in Caerphilly to bring some part of the community together to vilify another part driving division and hatred. They paid the political price of failure and were rightly rejected.

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Fanny Hill

Quite agree with the latter part of your comment, let’s start with Danny Tommo, Robinson’s mate, or Gateshead’s “Pink Lady” Gemma Mattinson whose idea of “protect our children” was to abuse the kids she was supposed to be looking after. And let’s not forget the 40% of rioters arrested last summer were reported for domestic violence or abuse. All seem to fit the bill.

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Richard Lice

" A little extreme perhaps" Indeed yet Reform are a broad church .To join all you have to do is ask

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Jeff

40%+ of the farage rioters had previous fro domestic abuse. One of this years hotel protestors had previous for raping kids. farage was happy for a bloke that gave his ex a serious kicking to be an MP. farage touts tate as a serious voice for young men. tate, well known misogynist, is facing some serious allegation in court for vile things and accused of choking women he abuses (see LBC/BBC etc.) farage supports trump, self confessed abuser and facing many claims for the same And farage is happy with that abuser coming to the uk. And farage supports a trump that is trying to get tate off the hook. farages vetting of his party has let in a lot of nasty types that have been suspended or left as they are found out. Have a read of this. https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lucy-Connolly-v-The-King.pdf

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Amir

Why can't we deport our home grown reprobates and imbeciles (other wise known as racist monsters)? We did it before.

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Jeff

it will be interesting but then I wont be voting for a racist party. Seen this? https://bylinetimes.com/2024/06/19/the-five-questions-nigel-farage-is-never-asked-about-brexit-trump-and-russia/

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Fanny Hill

Fair do’s you’ve managed to invite a lot of negative responses in your reply to my comment. Keep on digging.

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Cymrawd Popty-Ping

Call me a pedant, but the Wehrmacht might amount to overreach. That said, the Volkssturm sounds about right - a bunch of pensioners, scared into service by the prospect of the 'barbarians at the gate'. Panzerfaust, anyone?

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Tucker

Its nice that you still suport a Russian asset

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John Ellis

'... she was incensed to find a Reform leaflet had been delivered inviting her to: “Join The People’s Army Today!”' I've received what I imagine must have been the same mailshot. I presume that Reform, boosted doubtless by the money being shovelled its way by billionnaire 'libertarians' both here and across the Pond, is mailing every household in Wales as their first attempt to garner support in advance of the Senedd elections next May. I think that she has assessed it absolutely spot on. And my own response to this utterly abhorrent political faction is going to be ... well, let's call it vigorously shirty! The very last thing that Wales needs is to give any power to a party which manifestly has its nose up Putin's rear end.

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Charles Coombes

She could be correct!

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Guess Again

Yes, the party whose leader bullies and taunts Jewish people with rhetoric about gas chamber isn't fascistic at all. We lefties need to get a sense of humour. You know what's funny? Hitler killed himself.

Reply

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I bet you check on here everyday in the hope that you can make a pointless comment in support of Reform and make yourself look stupid, how embarrassing.

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