shocked my best friend voted Reform

That would bother me.

You only have to look at the disgraceful riots happening at the moment to see what the far right is about and what their hateful rhetoric can do.

Reform's views to me are absolutely disgraceful and racist/xenophobic and I could not be friend with someone who supports them.

'@mirrensidhe · Today 00:31
Why do you feel so righteous?'

Because as someone who immigrated to this country and became a British citizen, I will never support racist/xenophobic behaviour or people who seem to have way too many dodgy Russian ties.

It is this kind of attitude that leads to radicalisation.

We should be able to debate these issues properly. The just saying 'no issue to see here' drives people to the more extreme ends when they feel they have no voice.

It's the same factors at play with Brexit. Instead of explaining what the benefits are and accepting that in some areas the pace of change wasn't always positive (class sizes, lack of extra support for kids who don't speak English and the impact that has on learning for everyone, rapid changes to agricultural work) we'll just shout 'gammon' at them and insult them for being racist.

Of course racism does underpin some of it but when it is all lumped together with legitimate concerns and things that do need to be addressed in some way with resources, people seek out the parties that seem to offer them a voice and options.

It's a dangerous cycle and we need to stop just shutting down discussion.

I welcome asylum seekers and see what an important role some play in improving our country. But I also question if Vietnam and Albania are the most dangerous places in the world, worry for the women and children left behind and the damage it does to these countries for generations to come, and more the massive impact losing our local hotel has had on the rest of the economy.

There were two long standing businesses connected to weddings that have now closed, the cafe has shut because our visitor numbers are well down etc.

I don't support Reform but I can understand why people feel that these things are not being addressed and trying to find some way of being heard. And I think we need to wake up to that.

But the BBC is lying to us. It's lied for years about trans ideology and the clash with women's rights and the harm it does to children. It simply ignores major revelations and events in the issue. E.g. 2 males BOXING as female today in the Olympics.

It's lying about the war that Hamas started with Israel, consistently reporting HAMAS propaganda as facts.

Re: Reform. I agree that many people voted for them as a protest against the major parties and that people are truly worried and the cost of living (not being able to live independently from parents or afford children), and they worry about male, undocumented migrants, both in terms of crime and of using resources/ costing taxpayers money.

Labour Party has an antisemitism problem and panders to extremists who are in no way left-wing.

You sound like a bigot OP.

Labour has been accused of antisemitism. If you vote Labour - does that make you anti Semitic? No.

I know people, who voted Green, Reform, Labour, Conservative… a wide range of opinions across an informed and well Educated group. The last election there was a lot of tactical voting and a lot do votes that were just a FU, knowing Labour will win but wanting their voice heard somehow.

if we only socialise and have conversations with those who we agree with we will just end up as divided as America.

To me it’s all about values. I couldn’t love someone who didn’t have similar values to me - I’m a socialist and I believe in a fair, equal and inclusive society.

Reform are a bunch of racists, at least partly responsible for the current rioting.

Why are you labelling Reform voters as Nazi?

I didn’t see any Reform polices that wanted to annihilate an entire race.

People cam vote for reform for lots of reasons. I wouldn't be so quick to judge her at all. She's still that lovely person you know.

But Reform isnt racist. They may have selected some dodgy candidates but it's not like the Labour party and Tories haven't either!

It's not racist to question immigration.

Not everyone who votes Reform is a racist but, in my experience, the vast majority of racists vote Reform. That's not company I want to be in.

I totally fail to understand who she voted for is anything to do with you.

Agreed . It never ends well .

What I have never understood with Farage is how he made plenty of money himself working for the EU and his wife is a European. Do as I say not as I do.

I’ve put YABU but that’s because my very dear, longest time friend did the same and despite my shock she is still the lovely person I’ve known all my life. She voted Brexit which shocked me, then doubled down on Reform and I just can’t understand why. She’s one of the nicest people you could meet, literally does not have a bad bone in her body. I’ve never even known her to be political in the nearly sixty years I’ve known her, never once has she talked politics (these were on her FB).

But Reform isnt racist. They may have selected some dodgy candidates but it's not like the Labour party and Tories haven't either!

It's not racist to question immigration.

If you are focused on the views of individual candidates who were removed from their party then you are wilfully ignoring the same mistakes that Labour have made with their candidates.

Id suggest your views aren't based on fact but on perception rather than evidence and demonstrates the prejudice you hold against certain groups of people in the UK.

Reform, yes, practically, Conservative no (so far).

THE majority of Reform UK’s General Election candidates are “not political sophisticates”, Nigel Farage has insisted amid a car crash interview on Good Morning Britain.

The Reform leader struggled as he was challenged on reports that 41 of his party’s candidates were “friends” on Facebook with British neo-fascist leader Gary Raikes, the founder of the New British Union.

Farage repeatedly insisted that his candidates are not politically savvy [!] and when “they see a comment on Facebook, they like it”.

Labour will face these growing issues if they can’t deal with trafficking. You’ll see that kind of demand in reported from last night. I think what they’re planning won’t do much and anger will grow but we’ll see what happens

Meant to quote pp who asked

@CocoDolphin

Our NHS is staffed largely my immigrants. We need them. We are also an aging population and we need more young people.

Education certainly needs sorting out. Judging by the ridiculous levels of ignorance and capacity to believe in the bullshit spewed by Farage.

I agree with this. Some of us remember the scenes in Zimbabwe of the Mugabe supporters physically attacking the opposition, their families and anyone who dared to vote for them. Every time you say you are repulsed or disappointed by someone voting a different way to you is a step you take further away from democracy.

Well that's the great thing about freedom. You don't have to hang out with people you don't like.

EasternStandard
Have a read of the news reports including from last night

I have. But I’m still confused. In what way are these riots being caused by a government which has held power for less than a a month?

They are caused by people looking to sow division. Not the new government.

Well yes, obviously!! Why on earth would you enter a partnership with someone who didn't share your values?

Sure so op can drop a bf of 30 years or the bf can do the same due to op’s intolerance

Erm, voting, however, is an action that has an enormous effect on other people's lives. Casting a vote is not the same as expressing an opinion: it's giving a mandate to allow someone to act on your behalf, according to your opinion.

Gosh, a lot of people here who don't take responsibility for their actions!

But your political views reflect your whole world view. If someone seemingly believes the rhetoric of the liar and racist, Nigel Farage, then yes, I'd see them less favourably. It's not arrogance at all, it's a natural reaction for some of us.

Why are people equating democracy with friendships? Freedom to vote for whomever you choose does not mean you have to be friends with anyone and everyone.