shocked my best friend voted Reform

Of course, he's just misunderstood, his remarks have been taken out of context, he's a victim really.

It doesn't matter what I say, or anyone else says, you've made up your mind. Repeatedly calling me and others who disagree with you "intolerant" might make you feel better about defending the likes of Farage but I'm not obliged to provide you with "evidence", we all have access to the same information. I (and many others) have decided based on the information available that Reform are a racist party. Others will come to a different conclusion depending on their own morals, values and experiences. I still maintain that OP can choose her own friends and no one is obliged to spend time with people who's views they find morally objectionable.

For me I respect each persons choice to vote for who they want too. How can you define someone by their vote? It does not make them a bad person

I really don't get why people get annoyed by this?! Everyone has the right to vote for whoever they want. It wouldn't change my opinion on someone. I don't know who any of my friends vote for because we're not boring enough to bring it up in conversation 🤣🤣

"Again"? What other "mistruths" have I spouted?

Happy to provide a handful of racist and offensive remarks by Farage but come on, let's not pretend anyone is so naive as to actually think that expressing racist views is a guarantee of arrest and detention because that's just a load of nonsense.

In 2013, Farage said Muslim immigrants are “coming here to take us over”.

In 2014, he said that he agreed the “basic principle” of Enoch Powell’s infamously vile and racist Rivers of Blood speech.

In 2014 he said he felt "uncomfortable" when he heard people speaking other languages on London transport.

In the same year he said he would feel "concerned" if Romanian immigrants moved in next door to him and also blamed being 2 hours late to an event on immigrants causing traffic. When asked why he objects to Romanian migrants but not Germans – like his wife – Farage's response to the interviewer was ‘You know the difference.’

In 2015 he complained about migrants with HIV being a drain on NHS resources, said people with HIV should be prevented from coming to the UK and that money would be better spent treating "taxpayers" for other conditions.

Let's not forget his hideous "breaking point" poster which even George Osborne (hardly a man known for his compassion) described as echoing nazi propaganda.

In 2017, in an LBC interview he described the so-called US “Jewish lobby” as a concern of his.
He has spoken of a "new world order" and the threat of a "globalist" government, often singling out Goldman Sachs and George Soros.

He described Barack Obama as a loathsome "creature" in an interview whereas he thinks Trump is marvellous and has claimed he should win a Nobel Peace Prize!

That's without getting into all the misogynistic bullshit he's spouted over the years.

But I could spend all day talking about why Farage is a vile bigot as well as an opportunist grifter, it won't change your mind or anyone else's who has been taken in by him since it's too easy and convenient to accuse anyone who doesn't agree with him of spouting mistruths.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27459923.amp here’s an example of Farage being racist, if you really couldn’t think of any at all whatsoever.

Ok, here are some examples of Farage's racism, with a link so you can see I'm not making it up. Scroll down to see his remarks about women too (it's not only immigrants he has contempt for). So yes I most definitely would judge a friend who supported his views:

Nigel Farage's most controversial moments: from 'racist' comments to a plane crash | Evening Standard
REMARKS ABOUT RACE/IMMIGRANTS:
"in 1981, an English teacher reportedly wrote to the headteacher asking him to reconsider his decision to appoint him a prefect, citing reports of fascist views. Another teacher allegedly said that on a Combined Cadet Force camp organised by the college, Farage and others “marched through a quiet Sussex village very late at night shouting Hitler Youth songs".

In 2013, Farage said he supported Muslim immigrants who “integrate” into society, but not those who are “coming here to take us over”.

In a 2014 interview on LBC, Farage said he felt "uncomfortable" when he heard people speaking other languages on London transport.

When LBC radio presenter James O’Brien asked why he objected to Romanian migrants but not Germans — like his Hamburg-born wife Kirsten — Farage retorted: "You know the difference."
Farage also suggested he would be concerned about living next to a house of Romanians.

He defended Ukip candidate Kerry Smith for using the word "ch**ky" to describe a Chinese person.

Farage has been condemned by leading Jewish groups, such as the Board of Deputies, for using antisemitic-linked tropes.
In 2017, Farage came under fire for antisemitism after an LBC interview in which he described the so-called US “Jewish lobby” as a concern of his.
He has spoken of a "new world order" and the threat of a "globalist" government, often singling out Goldman Sachs and George Soros.
The only formal response he has ever given to the complaints from Jewish groups was (via a spokesperson) to call them “pathetic” and “a manufactured story”.

REMARKS ABOUT WOMEN:
Farage said in 2014: “If a woman with a client base has a child and takes two or three years off work, she is worth far less to the employer when she comes back than when she goes away because her client base cannot be stuck rigidly to her.”
He added: “Maybe it’s because I’ve got so many women pregnant over the years that I have a different view [of maternity leave].”
In 2014, Farage also said that breastfeeding women should "sit in the corner".

He also admire Putin and Trump.

I don't think I've said anything at all about migration! I'm just responding to the idea that voting a political party into government is as ineffectual as voicing an opinion.

So in your response in which claim to quote Farage you basically don't quote him but pick a few words with quotation marks. Over 95% is what you say he says. Your not quoting him, you aren't responding and you are making allegations which cant back up.

I can pick a few words out there air from politicians from any party which would mirror the tiny snippets of 2-3 word quotes you have provided.

It just sounds like intolerant rhetoric and prejudice that it isn't based on evidence and you aren't able to back it up.

100%. And I say this as someone who was a staunch Labour supporter for most of my life.

Yes, that's the kind of effect of voting I mean, though of course there are nuances — was it in Labour's manifesto?

I doubt Labour voters are "happy" about it, but maybe some have it in for pensioners, as many do have it in for disabled people (many of whom suffered terribly from Labour's use of Atos to cut disability benefits).

Tbh I feel the same way about labour supporters. For me left wingers are selfish they believe in being soft on crime which affects the most vulnerable, weakening families ditto, soft on drugs ditto, no borders ditto. That's before you consider the anti semitism and anti women stances of alot of them. I try not to talk politics with anyone as I'm always disappointed by how many people are quite ignorant about the world especially if they get all their news from the BBC and Guardian (this covers alot of people I know).

Polarisation of politics is dangerous. Far better to accept that we have the freedom to vote and to gently find out why they felt this was the best party to vote for. If everyone who votes Reform is treated like a pariah this may make people entrench more and take on more extreme views. Better to be able to openly discuss complex issues (and challenge where appropriate). It's important to be able to be around people with different views

On the issue of racism, an insult often thrown at tory voters was that they were racist. It's only because Rishi Sunak was the leader this time that nobody has tried to say that tory voters are racist for the 2024 election. During the 2019 election process, I saw loads of posts on here about people voting tory being racist. For the 2024 elections, racism was the slur chucked at anyone voting Reform.

I am actually wondering whether the core hard left contingent just throw accusations of racism when people don't agree with their left views.

The left are the most bigoted of the lot IMO.

My politics are centre. I wish the moderate right and the moderate left could work together and get rid of all the extremists in both parties.

No you’ve got it completely wrong.
The riots and the rise of Reform are both symptoms of decades of completely unchecked immigration.

Your attitude op is all part of the reason why many people now consider voting for Reform. Well done

I'm not sure it's as simple as that.
Lots of people consider the Conservatives to be a racist party. Does that mean everyone who votes Conservative is a racist?

People vote for political parties and choose not to vote for others for all sorts of reasons.

IMO polarisation, pointing the finger and name calling helps no one.

To answer your question OP. I think if your friend is a good friend to you and you get on then YABU to judge her voting choice. Like them or loath them they are a mainstream party.

Do you remember when you were about 16/17 and looked down on the views of your parents or others because at that age you thought you had all the answers?
It's the same as that. They never grew up. They still have the teenage mentality of thinking they are right and anyone who disagrees with them must be thick.
The only difference is that now there is a lot of them, all congratulating themselves in being the only people with the correct view.
There are so many of them in fact, that they run a little dicatorship-no alternative view allowed sort of thing.

But I think your answer is that they are adults with the teenage mentality of no one knows better than me...a group of Teenage Kevins!

Well the people who voted for Labour are happy that many pensioners are now going to be struggling to keep warm this winter, is this what you mean ?

The leader of the party has repeatedly made racist, Islamophobic and xenophobic statements.

If this were true he would have broken the law and have been charged and arrested, now I may be wrong but in the UK your are innocent until proven guilty. So care to show me where he was charged for these crimes?

Otherwise your just spouting mistruths again.

Nice try OP, wonder why you're posting this now 🤔

You are making a lot of assumptions about my reasons for loathing Reform. None of them are correct.

Reform are not "questioning immigration". They are actively seeking to blame migrants and refugees for all societal ills. The leader of the party has repeatedly made racist, islamaphobic and xenophobic statements and has consistently been vocal in his support of Trump, even mimicking him by adopting the slogan "Make Britain Great Again" at campaign rallies in the run up to the election. He has also, during the election campaign, made baseless claims that migrants and refugees are responsible for the COL crisis and the deterioration in NHS services. He has accused migrants and refugees of being responsible for a "moral decline" and "cultural decline" in the UK and described migration as a "national security emergency"...if that's not far-right rhetoric I don't know what is.
Whilst I accept that Farage himself is not necessarily a Fascist, Reform gives confidence and legitimacy to those seeking to spread fascism and the politics of hate on the ground, hence why Tommy Robinson has thrown his full support behind Reform. Deliberately attempting to sow hatred and division by scapegoating immigrants and refugees is fundamentally racist and nothing will convince me otherwise.

If it's so easy to find it why don't you do that eg quote official policy or approved spokespersons?

I suppose you might try and quote people thrown out their party but wouldn't do the same with labour party candidates who have been thrown out? It only works one way for you?

Try to be more open minded and tolerant of the views of others.

My that's a lot of word salad just to say you think people who agree with Farage and vote reform have been conned and are thick and another great show of how intolerant and bigoted the left are.

Dress it up all you want but, no you are not superior or more clever you are just far far less intolerant.

Nice assumption…
No she didn’t vote the way her husband did - she just became more informed and they voted differently

Are you seriously arguing that mass migration hasn't profoundly affected people's lives in Britain?