The Voters Panel: ‘We will vote Reform – even if it puts Sir Keir Starmer in Number 10’

Published

1 year ago

February 28, 2024

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When Sky News launched The Voters Panel 24 hours ago, there was one party who stood apart from the rest – Reform.

Our online congregation – 2019 Tory voters working out their political home in this year’s general election – seemed less sure where other, bigger parties were planting their ideological flags.

In contrast, many members of our panel knew everything about what this 2024 post-Farage update of the 2019 Brexit Party stands for: its big picture policies, its characters, its aims, its vibe.

Politics live: Farage hits out at Starmer’s PMQs attack

In many ways this is remarkable. The party doesn’t have the global pulling power of Nigel Farage working full-time to support it. It does not automatically command much coverage in newspapers, radio or TV outside of GB News.

It has had a tricky time in by-elections. It hasn’t fought a general election before. And the name, Reform, would not automatically stand out on a ballot paper.

Yet, whether members of The Voters Panel found them attractive or repellent, it had clearly cut through, and for many on the panel, it represented more than just the sum of policies.

“I think the thing that stands out about Reform for me is that they want to bring back and get Britain great,” said Alison, 65, a panel member from Lewes.

At the other end of the spectrum, Joshua – who is set to switch to Labour from Tory in 2019 – said: “I hope Richard Tice and Nigel Farage go back to being fringe people with fringe ideas, which they are, and stop feeling and being made to feel by others like they are some sort of kingmakers with the best, strongest ideas in politics.

“They are odd people with sad, angry ideas that need to go away and I hope they do to help us come to our senses and have a more normal political situation, with a better chance of solving the country’s problems.”

According to the Sky News The Voters Panel, the Reform Party is the second biggest alternative destination to the Conservatives after Labour. In some polls of Tory voters, they are the most likely alternative.

The hope inside Conservative headquarters is that when warned voting Reform would put Sir Keir Starmer in Downing Street, some will peel away and back the Tories.

However, The Voters Panel showed that members had already given thought to this issue.

Four of the six online panel members who will, or are considering, voting Reform have already concluded that they will do so regardless of whether it puts Sir Keir in power.

Alison said: “If voting reform means that Labour becomes our next parliament, our next government, then I don’t mind that because I want the Conservatives to get a message that ordinary people like me aren’t happy with the way they have run the country, especially in the last 10 years.”

Rob, 49, from Chichester, said: “I’m absolutely aware that voting for Reform means that the Conservatives are less likely to form the next government. And it may well open the door to Labour.

“But I feel that may have to be a price worth paying if we are ever to get any real change in this country.”

Meanwhile, Kelly said that Reform would be her pick over the Tories because of the stance on tax.

“Some people might say that the Reform vote is a protest vote, but for me it isn’t,” she said. “It absolutely isn’t. It’s a legitimate vote and it’s a vote that they’ve had for [quite] a while now.

“The things that really speak out for me are lower taxes. Lower taxes in general are all going to be welcomed as long as we can afford it.

“And I’m sure that they won’t do what Conservatives have done and crash the economy again. I think lower taxes in the right areas will be really beneficial for me and my family.”

If even half of the voters that currently back Reform stick with this view, Rishi Sunak’s path to Number 10 looks even trickier.

Politics

Bitcoin ETFs lose $326M amid ‘evolving’ dynamic with TradFi markets

Published

1 hour ago

April 9, 2025

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Bitcoin ETFs lose 6M amid ‘evolving’ dynamic with TradFi markets

The evolving relationship between Bitcoin and traditional financial markets is under renewed pressure as global investors flee risk assets amid intensifying US trade tensions.

US-listed spot Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded their fourth consecutive day of outflows on April 8, with more than $326 million in net redemptions across products, according to data from Farside Investors.

BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) saw the largest sell-off of over $252 million, its biggest daily outflow since Feb. 26.

Bitcoin ETFs lose $326M amid ‘evolving’ dynamic with TradFi markets — *Bitcoin ETF flows, US dollars, millions. Source:* *Farside Investors*

The selling pressure follows US President Donald Trump’s April 2 announcement of sweeping reciprocal import tariffs, which triggered a historic $5 trillion wipeout in the S&P 500 over two days.

The delayed crypto market turbulence after the tariff-related sell-off in traditional markets highlights Bitcoin’s “evolving relationship with traditional markets,” according to Lennix Lai, global chief commercial officer at OKX exchange.

Lai told Cointelegraph:

“While falling 26% since January’s inauguration, Bitcoin’s relative resilience in the first two days following the tariff announcement — dropping 6% compared to Nasdaq’s 11% decline — suggests a nuanced dynamic emerging between crypto and conventional assets.”

Bitcoin initially remained firmly above the $82,000 support level but plummeted below $75,000 on Sunday, April 6.

Some industry leaders attributed Sunday’s sell-off to Bitcoin’s 24/7 liquidity mechanics, which made BTC the only large liquid asset available for de-risking over the weekend.

Bitcoin remains tied to global liquidity conditions

While there is an “encouraging sign” of a weakening correlation between Bitcoin and equities, Bitcoin’s price trajectory remains tied to global liquidity conditions, Lai said, adding:

“Though I see early signs of divergence, I believe Bitcoin remains fundamentally tied to global liquidity conditions, warranting caution amid potential market stresses — whilst gold remains as a hedge against geopolitical instability.”

“What’s most significant here isn’t just price action but Bitcoin’s growing conceptual influence — people increasingly view it as a valid strategic reserve asset for diversification in chaotic traditional markets,” Lai added.

Other analysts also see the growing money supply as Bitcoin’s main catalyst.

“Bitcoin trades solely based on the market expectation for the future supply of fiat,” according to Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX and chief investment officer of Maelstrom.

Magazine: Bitcoin ATH sooner than expected? XRP may drop 40%, and more: Hodler’s Digest, March 23 – 29

Politics

EU markets regulator says crypto may cause ‘broader stability issues’ as market grows

Published

5 hours ago

April 9, 2025

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EU markets regulator says crypto may cause ‘broader stability issues’ as market grows

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has warned that crypto will increasingly threaten traditional financial markets’ stability as the industry grows and becomes more entwined with traditional finance players.

“We cannot rule out that future sharp drops in crypto prices could have knock-on effects on our financial system,” ESMA’s executive director Natasha Cazenave said in an April 8 statement to the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee.

Cazenave noted, however, that crypto currently only accounts for 1% of global financial assets and is not yet significant enough to cause major “spillover effects” into traditional financial markets.

She warned that interconnections between crypto and traditional markets are rapidly growing — particularly in the more crypto-friendly US — and called for closer monitoring.

“Crypto-assets markets evolve quickly, in an often unpredictable manner, and we need to keep a close eye on these developments,” Cazenave said, adding:

“Turmoil, even in small markets, can originate or catalyze broader stability issues in our financial system.”

Cazenave’s concerns ranged from spot crypto exchange-traded funds and stablecoin use to hacks, scams and scandals — highlighting the recent $1.4 billion Bybit exploit and FTX’s collapse in November 2022.

Today in the ECON Committee, the role of crypto assets in relation to financial market stability was discussed. The European Central Bank (ECB) and the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) were present.

I raised a critical question about the digital euro.… pic.twitter.com/KST7FRBhFF

— Engin Eroglu (@EnginEroglu_FW) April 8, 2025

The European Union has already implemented several measures to safeguard against crypto risks, most notably the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation that was rolled out last year.

While Cazenave said MiCA marked a “breakthrough” for crypto regulation, she added that there is “no such thing as a safe crypto-asset” and that more rules may need to be implemented to mitigate future risks.

Her comments come as both crypto and the stock markets have experienced double-digit falls over the last few weeks as the Trump administration continues to follow through on its tariff plans.

Europe lags US in crypto adoption

While crypto adoption has accelerated in the US, Cazenave noted that over 95% of European banks remain on the sidelines, with no involvement in crypto-related activities.

However, retail participation is on the rise, with an estimated 10% to 20% of European investors having crypto exposure, which is in line with growing global interest, Cazenave said.

Most reports measuring US crypto adoption suggest that the range of adoption is between 15% and 28% of the population.

Magazine: Financial nihilism in crypto is over — It’s time to dream big again

Politics

Shaquille O’Neal gets judge’s greenlight for $11M Astrals NFT settlement

Published

6 hours ago

April 9, 2025

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Shaquille O’Neal gets judge’s greenlight for M Astrals NFT settlement

Former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal has been granted final court approval to settle a class-action lawsuit for $11 million with Astrals non-fungible token (NFT) buyers.

Florida federal court judge Federico Moreno granted approval of the settlement between O’Neal and the class group led by Daniel Harper in an April 1 order made available on April 8.

The deal created a fund of up to $11 million for eligible class members and awarded $2.9 million in attorney fees and costs. All those who purchased Astrals NFTs from May 2022 to Jan. 15 and those who purchased the project’s native GLXY tokens up until mid-January are eligible.

“The fee sought by lead class counsel has been reviewed and approved as fair and reasonable by plaintiffs,” Moreno’s order read.

O’Neal was hit with the lawsuit in May 2023 over his founding and promotion of the Solana-based Astrals NFT project, which the suit claimed was an “offer and sale of unregistered securities.”

The class group said they bought Astrals NFTs and “suffered investment losses” due to O’Neal’s “conduct” in promoting the project.

In August, Judge Moreno recognized that the class suit had alleged that the former NBA player was a seller of the NFTs. O’Neal agreed to the settlement in November.

Shaquille O’Neal gets judge’s greenlight for $11M Astrals NFT settlement — *Screenshot from court order on final settlement. Source: Courtlistener*

NFT sales slump

The Astrals NFT collection consisted of 10,000 unique 3D digital collectibles created in April 2022 by the artist Damien Guimoneau in a Solana-based project that promoted a virtual world where users could socialize and play with others, including the basketball star.

There has been no activity or sales from the collection for the past two years, according to NFT marketplace OpenSea.

Overall, NFT sales are still in deep bear market territory, with just $27 million sold as of April 7, down from more than $2 billion per week at the end of 2021, according to CryptoSlam.

Magazine: 3 reasons Ethereum could turn a corner: Kain Warwick, X Hall of Flame