A casual friend has just told me she's standing as a Reform candidate

She would no longer be my friend.

There are racists in every walk of life, that is true. But Reform is more attractive to racists of all sorts than Labour.

OP's friend is standing for the party in the full knowledge that it's raison d'être is to "other" certain groups of people and blame the UK's ills on them.

If that was my friend I'd be really disappointed in them.

Maybe you live in a bubble. I don’t support reform (or Trump although I don’t disagree with everything) but polls show significant support- about 25% and above. That’s a lot for a recently formed party.

My point was that we should stop demonizing people with different opinions though. There is not one “acceptable” opinion

@Goldenbearthe poll two days ago put them ahead for electoral seats

I’m not sure it’s easy to gauge in the way you put.

I literally don't know anybody from the builders next door to the solicitor down the road who is looking at Trump and thinking bring this here via Reform, Reform who couldn't run a piss up in a brewery. Remind me how many seats in parliament do they have again?

Exactly. It seems to be a thing that if you vote for a left-wing party then that is the socially-acceptable thing to do, but if you dare vote for anyone right of Labour then you ought to feel ashamed and will be ostracised by all your Labour voting friends.

The reality is that there are plenty of people who don’t like Labour of their policies and are patiently awaiting the next election when they hope that Labour will be voted out again.

It’s called a democracy and is something we should all embrace. Otherwise, what is the alternative?

Dozens of people were killed in the BLM riots and billions of property destroyed.

Not to mention the funds embezzled.

Yes Reform is right-leaning but they're hardly the BNP. If I were your friend I'd be offended that you assumed I was racist.

Dozens of people were killed in the BLM riots and billions of property destroyed.

I think some people think that everyone believes as they do and anyone who doesn’t is some sort of deplorable racist person. But actually reform has a lot of support and maybe you should stop dismissing people as hateful because they have a different opinion to you

Plenty of racists vote for Labour.

I don’t vote for reform but I’m not sure why you’re horrified that people are standing as candidates. We live in a democracy. Also why is you being married to a black man relevant?

What do you mean, why are people 'in for a shock'? What do you anticipate happening- that everyone is looking on at the US extreme measures with admiration? Deluded comes to mind.

@Annajones101 You think BLM in the US was hysteria? Batshittery?

Yikes.

It is not in the slightest bit odd to conclude that someone standing as a candidate for an inherently fascist party is racist. She might not be, but it’s definitely not odd to make that assumption.

People like OP, with their superior, sanctimonious views, are in for a shock.

Remember the batshittery in the US. BLM hysteria, trans madness, daylight crime and massive shoplifting being overlooked, a general shift to left madness. And those opposing it were called ‘the basket of deplorables’?

How did that work out?

OP’s friend is better off ditching OP.

Honestly, I think it’s rather odd that you immediately jump to the assumption that she’s racist.

Ok

no need for the link it’s already been out for over a year so have seen it.

I still stand by what I said, and can see from this thread that others agree.

You are right. For example, I remember when Farage was being openly xenophobic about Romanians. This is just one example:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27459923.amp

How odd to message you. I wonder if she messaged all her acquaintances?

I have some Tory friends but that’s as far as I’m prepared to go!

What do you think an ordinary person can do about them, apart from being aware and pushing for better, faster investigation and punishment?

Just ignore it.
It would be different and more difficult if you were close friends, but hey - each to their own!

Reform UK manifesto 2024: 11 key policies analysed - BBC News

Top one is immigration........

"go home" was certainly heard by many EE throughout their lives here, if not by most. People were/are attacked for being EE. Children bullied qt schools for being EE. Threads made towards some, arson attacks on some homes and shops. There were some hate motivated killings too.
The prejudice against some EE, especially Romanians and Albanians is out of scale. "There are too many!". EEs had it before Twitter became main mouthpiece and news source. The peak of hate crime around Brexit was actually scary. Actually, EE immigration was one of the main topics for Brexit.

I am always quite dismayed when people claim people in UK were/are totally fine with white immigrants. Has it been going unnoticed or been downplayed by people because EE are white (but not high enough on hierarchy of whitness to be equal to WE ones)? Or is it be a it wasn't played out online as heavily as this is now? Not on X, doesn't exist pr something?

Quite ignorant if yes tbh