To ask if you agree with ‘the flag flyers’

I'm surprised flags on motorway bridges have endured. I'd have thought the chances of a multiple car pile up if one gets wrapped round a truck windscreen, would've had the highways agency taking them down immediately.

Not educated to a high standard but earn a middle income.

Defacing public property is wrong. I think flags should be flown from public buildings but otherwise, I think the flag-shaggingbis a bit much.

I think we’ve already started to see the impact of over focusing on one issue - if feels like Brexit and immigration have been all the politicians have been focused on for 10 years - how has that improved anyone’s lives. Where are the policies to tackle the lack of social mobility - it feels like opportunities have shrank - there is no focus on helping adults retrain - I’m not surprised people feel frustrated and hopeless.

It doesn't surprise me that you disagree with the number of people I quoted, because it's being trotted out by the MSM (via the Government) that there were only around 150,000 max in attendance. This is clearly not true, but no point in getting into a debate as to why it's so obvious that thousands more people were there.

As for supporting a rally or protest organised by Tommy Robinson, with speeches given by Ant Middleton and Katie Hopkins, I'm my own person, just like everyone else is, and just because people went along to the march, it doesn't have to mean that we all like or agree with a absolutely everything they all say.
By this I mean, I'm no big fan of KH, for instance, as she's said so many things I don't agree with.

However, I do agree with everything KH and the others said during the speeches, as including everything Elon Musk said. They are the only ones who've stuck their heads above the parapet and spoke up for what I believe the majority of people are thinking.

No one else has done the same have they?

I'd probably agree. A lot can go wrong if you focus on achieving one political objective at whatever cost.

Is this last year's election though?

Understood
But impact on nhs? views on education? Climate change? Benefits? And probably worst of all foreign policy? It terrifies me...

Playing devil's advocate.

I don't expect people planning to vote for reform believe they will solve all their problems, but neither do they think Labour will. They think reform will solve one specific problem, high immigration, and one is better than none.

Agreed
However depressing and wrong this is
Their problems won't be sorted by farage etc and life will be worse.
As if getting rid of asylum seekers / stopping the boats will sort all our problems

Although I disagree with yoy number quoted i understand your sentiment here
And I also know lots of people attending thought it was a free speech rally
But seriously, sharing a march with TR, Katie Hopkins, L Fox etc? Watching musk and realising where the money is coming from? Doesn't that repulse you ?!!

This. I call troll?

WC, no further education, but clever enough to know a knuckledragger when I see one.
No, I don't like what the flags stand for atm.

Voting intentions by school type from the survey

Private school: Labour 38%, Reform 25%, Tory 17%

Grammar: Reform 34%, Tory 23%, Labour 14%

State: Reform 33%, Labour 20%, Tory 17%

Funny how there was probably a million people protesting peacefully in London last week (with around 26 arrests, most of whom were from the anti protesters side), yet you concentrate on this outside a hotel?

There might well have been a number of dickhead protesters where your friend was, but they don't represent the whole nation. I think it's fair to say, the vast majority of people supportive of the unite the kingdom message are just ordinary, law abiding, non racist, and non confrontational people who just want to stand up peacefully.

Mayb the working class agree with Farage and the flag flyers more because the asylum seekers are being housed right next door to them.

I don't really understand what you mean by 'propaganda pushback'? And who this has 'shifted rightward', and how?
I'm talking about a short segment on the news where black and Asian citizens were speaking about their feelings. There have been many other reports where people have been interviewed expressing support for the flags 'they are pretty' and so on.
Are you suggesting that people like you and your friends are listening to the people feeling intimidated and upset by the flags, and becoming even more right leaning as a result of what they are saying? If so, why is that?

I don't agree with the sentiments behind the flag flying personally. I do see how people have latched on to it and been convinced that refugees and asylum seekers are the problem. In my city, the flags are exclusively in areas with high levels of deprivation and social problems. People feel abandoned and frustrated that they/their kids can't get a house/afford to put the heating on/have to use food banks, even though they're working. Successive governments (of all stripes) have failed to get a grip on it, and so people are willing to listen to those who promise that getting rid of migrants will mean they have everything they want.

It's bullshit, but there's a lot of cash behind the people who are spreading disinformation, and it's really hard for (increasingly underfunded!) community organisations to counter this narrative.

The completely over the top propaganda pushback from the establishment has been so blatant I think it will have shifted even more people rightward.

No, I didn’t miss the point which was about flying flags and if that was acceptable and how you were more likely to lean towards the right if you did,, it was the inference that the post and others seem to make that not having a degree or a professional qualification somehow makes you a lesser person who is more easily swayed by the likes of Farage, BIL was staunchly conservative but makes no bones about the fact he would now vote reform

There was a report on the news last night where some elderly black women who have lived snd worked in the UK all their lives were speaking about the fear and intimidation they fear in the current climate. Some Asian people were also saying how divisive this has been. Do you think this fear and division felt by some of our citizens is worth it to 'Unite Britain?'.

I broadly agree with the flag fliers, I think it looks great to see the English/British flag flying everywhere. Ideally it should be in a more appropriate place than from lampposts but as we currently don't seem to have many flagpoles etc it'll do for the moment.

I've got a degree and I'm a higher rate tax payer. I despise the undercurrent implying that only poorer/uneducated people support it. Besides anything else its completely condescending and actively drives people over to Reform.

Dislike Farage and Reform, I think if/when they get in they won't do anything other than put money in their own pockets and screw everyone else over.
Labour need to take a good long look at what the electorate actually wants (not what they think they should want), and start actually doing something (not talking, action) or it will be Reform next time. Reform wouldn't be so popular if Labour/Tories hadn't so thoroughly failed.

I agree. I have no doubt that a ton of racists are loving this, but I also can't help think of Rotherham. There is a lot of sneering on this thread.

I'm an immigrant and all the immigrants in my life are an asset to this country. I also know that my 'middle class, professional, educated' life insulates me from the concerns others have.

Degree educated, middle class high earner and have my own teeth.

I thought it was great to see the flags and how big the turnout was at Unite The Kingdom rally. The vibe is certainly changing, even middle class people I socialise with are starting to talk about previously socially unacceptable subjects openly.

Thanks, a nice bit of common sense...

Could you share the working definition you are using for 'The Left'? Would that be my Labour voting 80 year old uncle and his friends from the old miners club? The Communist Party? Or just everyone who disagrees with the flags?
Because the first two groups do not believe people can change sex.
Perhaps you have evidence to share that proves everyone in the third group is 'The Left' and believes people can change sex?
Because without that, people might thing you're just using the term 'The Left' as a meaningless slur for people you disagree with, without really understanding what it actually means. And then making up lies to link people you disagree with with a rather niche belief about human biology.