What can an individual do to keep Reform out?

Re: by-elections. All the recent by-elections bar one, which Reform won by the skin of its teeth, have been council by-elections which are by their nature a very different beast to Westminster elections.

There was the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, which was a Labour gain for the Scottish Parliament. Reform came third.

Another test will be the Senedd election in Caerphilly. Still not a Westminster election, but a better weather-vane than council by-elections IMHO.

Yes, I know the usual lot will say I'm deluded etc., but the thought of a Farage government scares me. It could break up some of my friends and family who are married to people with ILTR.

Polls are a snapshot in time. Even the pollsters make that clear. Read the caveats. Voting patterns, how votes are distributed and who stands or doesn't stand where will have an impact.

I agree also with @BIossomtoes , there will be a massive tactical voting campaign against Reform and similarly I would vote Tory (🤮) to keep Farage put of no.10. I think we will possibly have a hung Parliament in 2029. Unless Labour can get its act together and win back voters.

And just as much to keep Reform out. Christ I’d even hold my nose and vote Tory if that was what it took.

Certainly will, get Labour out

He should probably learn what democracy is and not get depressed because he cant get his own way because his opinion isnt the only one that matters.

So say everyone who voted Labour apart from a few hardliners! 😆

Probably not.

The op used it for the friend in her op and Labour.

Encourage centre and left wing parties to address the concerns of a huge part of the population, rather than calling them racist and transphobic. You’re never going to get in if you demonise and alienate the majority. Just maths.

That's rather a sad start for a young boy though? What does he actually believe in positively? What if the party that is the biggest threat to Reform is the Conservatives I thought he was left wing.

Not a great believer in tactical voting, personally. Even if it would keep Labour out.

@Leavesfalling repent at leisure!

Work out which party is the biggest threat to Reform in his constituency and volunteer for them- door knocks, leafleting etc. Reform’s weakness is that they don’t have the established local networks that the more established parties have and that can make a big difference.

They aren't really points.

I don't think people are embarrassed about intending to vote for Reform these days? The polls show they are in very good company.

It might be more that many people don't trust people on the left to restrain themselves and not blurt out the usual Tourettes (apologies, John) vomit of "reform racist nazi far right". Far easier to just smile along and pretend they agree. And then vote against everything the left stands for in the privacy of the voting booth.

Everyone writing about Reform say that it’s for a friend 😂 I’m not disbelieving you, but it is funny.

You used present tense "The majority of people are doing no such thing". You're blatantly wrong as all the metrics I mentioned above shows. At the moment, the majority of people are voting against Labour. I realise you find this hard to get your head around though.

I'm not an imbecile so I'm fully aware of when the next election is but the acclaimed conference speech did nothing to improve ratings and Digital ID is being opposed by the majority. If they keep going down that road then they won't win any supporters back.

Now. As I keep reminding you, almost four years is a very long time in politics. There will be tactical voting on steroids in 2029.

Based on Labour's approval ratings, polling figures and bi-election results it's clear that the majority are voting against Labour.

The majority of people are doing no such thing. For every one of those there’s another who will vote for whichever candidate has the best chance of beating Reform.

👏👏

I think he probably needs a reality check and understand that the majority of people are thinking what can they do to ensue they never have another Labour government ever again in their lifetime.

I did hear a brief clip earlier where their leader, when asked if people are generally born male or female, he said no and that it’s more complicated than that. He also clearly stated that of course a woman can have a penis, doesn’t sound like science to me !

100%, am also an immigrant, centre-right politically. I know so many people who just outright celebrate being called fascist because it's almost the sign of being a free thinker or something, similar to bonding over being cancelled. They have milquetoast views like "borders should exist" but the more that gets grouped with true fascism, the more people will shrug and go along with it.

As a legal taxpaying immigrant I want people to have high trust in the immigration system and to have confidence that the people who come here are contributing and are safe.

Reform are currently quite poorly organised and lacking key talent necessary to run an actual government. If the electorate saw concrete results (not promises) from the current government this would significantly dilute the threat.

He should do what he can to make where he is a bit nicer. Pick up a bit of litter when he’s out, volunteer to help people improve their conversational English, help out at the foodbank or homeless shelter.
Extreme ideologies thrive when people feel dissatisfied and disconnected.
Making all kinds of people feel welcomed, included, and part of a community reduces xenophobia and bigotry because it’s hard to hate someone once you acknowledge that they are a human being.
I’ve had some success drawing a few people back to the centre ground, not by cleverly demolishing their fact-free rhetoric, but by sitting with them, listening to them, then gently encouraging them to think what they would do if they were in the position of whoever they’re currently demonising.
It takes a lot of patience and tenacity, but is much more successful than shouting them down.

I actually think Jeremy Hunt and Sunak were slowly turning things around.

Reeves has made things infinitely worse, that’s not just my opinion. She’s out of her depth, a Chancellor in a party with a tax and spend ideology who told the electorate she wouldn’t raise any of the taxes which would allow her to spend. She has boxed herself into a corner unnecessarily. The economy is flatlining now because of choices Labour has made.

Starmer made the mistake of thinking growth in the economy would come from two things: the Labour Party simply just being in power and saying the word growth repeatedly during the election campaign.