It's always interesting watching the far fringes of left and right come to the same conclusions, almost as if the same person had laid the trail of propaganda pointing to it.
Norm Finkelstein took this position, arguing that NATO encroaching on the Russian border was provocation. I didn't agree or disagree because I don't know enough about geopolitics to consider myself informed on the matter. His case was persuasive, however, if not at least interesting. I generally consider him pretty level-headed, so it was worth the listen.
Russia is the abusive ex-boyfriend that can't accept the relationship is over. That's also the reason many of the rightwing asswipes defend russia, they identify with russia's actions.
Russia is the remains of an empire whose head is longing after past glories. It's all about Putin's ego and not accepting Russia's role in the world of today.
On one hand, Farage is a massive cunt, an enemy of the state, and the man responsible for irreparable damage to UK politics due to Brexit.
On the other, if Reform is going to run against the Tories, there's a real opportunity his tinpot party takes the Gammon/flag-shagger vote away from Sunak's populist run as Tory leader, and in a month we see the Tory party get absolutely annihilated.
Years ago, I said that it was quite sad to see that Conservative's had lost their party to the populism of the Boris era, because many MP's that wanted to see a strong union (bear in mind the full name of the Tories is the Conservative and Unionist Party) were expelled from the party and ostracised to make room for grifters under BoJo. While I'm no conservative, many voters value conservatism in their politics, and while I don't like Starmer much either, he's basically the closest thing to a Conservative AND a Liberal in major party politics in the UK.
My vote is probably with the Greens this year, but in many areas Labour should absolutely destroy the Tories, hopefully to the point where they become the third or fourth party in the UK.