Reform UK rising in popularity with young men

[ILoveCustardTartsFromTescoBakery]

It's just being spoken about by Ben Kentish on LBC

Just about how Reform UK have a large following of 18-35 year old men. Specially men, not women.

Why is this? What's driving them?

The fact that some many young men voted for very far right leaders elsewhere in the western world is also being spoken about

So far, the opinion seems to be that it's because Reform UK are very active on TikTok/Instagram seems unlikely but I don't have a better idea

I personally know a few young men who are 'all for' Nigel Fanny but I don't understand the appeal, although I also noticed it's always men that seem to support him the most

For context, I'm 27. Married. Own husband seems to say 'well I don't hate him, no'. Argh.

I live in a fairly poor city, came from a bad upbringing (my own father was in prison and a drug abuser) and I'm sick of this type of excuse to be honest. I've got off my arse and worked, as should everyone if they want more from life. I don't earn a huge amount but that's nothing to do with immigration. The real issue is the disgusting cost of housing and bills these days. Blaming immigration for your own problems is just pathetic.

They do NOT get more on benefits. That's a load of rubbish.

obviously, that’s also a completely valid opinion. But many many young people disagree - as we are talking about - and there needs to be a counter argument to them other than ‘that’s pathetic’, which will go down like a cup of cold sick

Because they want someone to blame (immigrants and women) and are lured in by simplistic solutions?

Because no one else is listening to them?

Although I do agree that there are socio economic factors that make what was white male privilege feel like it didn’t exist if you are poorer. But it does exist even in poorer circumstances it is women and children who fare worst. But ultimately I agree with the much quoted

“When you're used to privilege, equality feels like oppression.”

Because the 'LEFT' are completely unhinged and they are scared stiff of saying the wrong thing?

I can't say I blame boys, I mean what else is there to aspire to? What left wing men are there to look up to? Seriously, who?

I do agree HOWEVER, the right seem to be now also targeting women which is a real concern.

I won’t touch on the young male, incel etc stuff as PPs have done that beautifully.

I do think part of the draw to Reform in general is politics has become a joke. Gone are the days of politicians with a bit of charisma or clear plans set out for how to fix what feels like a very broken system. Seems to be non stop mud slinging, bowing to certain groups and blaming the opposition for the countries problems whilst doing naff all to fix it.

In enters someone like Farage or Trump who seem to have a bit of swagger and CLAIMS they will make changes that people are so desperate for.

Alexander @ datepysch

He’s mainly interested in attraction and mate selection which is probably why he keeps having to talk to incels. But he veers off into interesting little areas of psychology. He’s measured and appears to not be insane. Which is nice.

It is patronising to dismiss thier concerns, but it's OK to also feel reform won't offer the change they are looking for either and that tik tok or similar isn't a hugely reliable source of information.

If I believe my twitter feed, the UN has just built camps across Ireland to house soldiers from africa, who will be peace keeping troops for something that is about to be declared.

Are you genuinely interested?

These responses are so dismissive - 'It's social media' 'they're all uneducated' 'they hate women' - you're not going to understand if you just nod along with them.

Well many do but this is about so much more than jobs. It's about status in society, pride, respect. I think of my grandfathers. Two working class men, born in the early 1900s, they worked hard (always had employment), married young and raised their families. Religious men, church goers. They were respectable men, respected by others, proud of their homes, jobs and families, living good Christian lives. I compare them to the millions of disillusioned working class men that seem to exist today. Angry men, looked down on and despised by so many. No respect or pride anymore. Women don't want or need them like they used to, they can't afford a house, they struggle to pay the bills.
They're constantly being told they're privileged because they're white males. I never forget being at an event where a wealthy white woman was arguing with a poor white man. This woman was raised in a middle class family, had a high paying job and owns a nice house in a trendy part of London. She was repeatedly telling this man (who was on minimum age and living in a flat share in a deprived area) how privileged he was, saying "You're a white man! You can never understand how it is to be a woman or how it is to be black!". It made me cringe so much.
I don't see many of these working class white men as being privileged in the slightest. I'm in touch with old school friends on social media and through school reunions. It's very noticeable that the working class men are living shitty lives in comparison to others. We're all 50 now. The middle class men and women seem to be doing very well for themselves. Good marriages, nice houses, good careers etc. The working class women are in general, OK too. They've thrown themselves into their kids and grandkids and have formed strong social networks. It's the working class men I see struggle. Several of my classmates have died from ill health or suicide. Others look bloody awful, old before their time. I see them go from low paid job to low paid job, living in rented accommodation, unable to hold down relationships.
I'm generalising of course. I do know plenty of working class white men who have great jobs, happy marriages and are doing just great. However, I'm pointing out the noticeable differences I see.
Where I grew up (a deprived town) there are still barely any immigrants, yet my former classmates focus their rage on people who come in small boats and get free food and accommodation whilst they can't make ends meet. In their eyes the government couldn't care less about them, but will bend over backwards to accommodate the "boat people". They feel irrelevant, left behind, looked down on.
I believe their anger is completely misguided and I go on protests against people with these beliefs - but I see how their anger and frustration has grown, fuelled by misinformation.

Thank you! Off to go have a look 🕵️‍♀️

I don't disagree with much on this thread but this is certainly not true:

Gen X are the first generation of women to be able to do things independently from men, which means men are no longer necessary for a woman to have a bank account of her own, own property etc

I am a boomer. I have never been financially dependent on a man in my life and have never had any trouble getting a bank account! I have been able to "do things independently" and have done so since I left university in the 1980s. No necessity for a man except by choice. Not sure where you are getting this idea from?

It’s just something people say

Immigration is a big part of it. Government haven't got a grip of it. maybe part of it is thry think by importing all these single young men they'll have even less of a chance of a date.

A lot of young men don't have good earning jobs, struggle to get women, can't afford a house or even to move out of parents. Feel society has been too feminised. There's a real malaise with many. Someone like that tosser Tate doesn't happen in a vacuum..

I think this is true. There does seem to be an inertia in the system where politicians sort of all tinker around the edges and perhaps people want radical change. I think perhaps when there is a feeling of stagnation moving into a slide into regressions radicals seem more attractive because they basically don’t give a shit and they will do stuff. They know they are hated by some and have a thick enough skin to keep forging ahead regardless.

The argentinian president just did some stuff that people were warning would be a disaster and it’s been ok (reduced state spending by 30%, planning to competency test public servants, trying to get dollars back into the banking system) he’s managing to control inflation. Perhaps thats part of the problem, politicians often work on received wisdom. Perhaps the system needs a heartattack sometimes to get it restarted. Bukele in El Salvador is a radical and authoritarian but he reduced the murder rate drastically and most gangs have collapsed. Fundamentally people were suffering from high crime and most normal people will tolerate that in exchange for not worrying their kids are going to get shot.

If you don’t get control of the situation and stand around saying “we can’t” people will move towards people who look like they can. Whether they do or not is a different matter.

Not sure about his political leaning because labelling, left, woke, far right is reducing people to a one word, likely inaccurate, description.

But how about Marcus Rashford? Using his high profile to highlight child hunger?

Or Bob Mortimer? Using comedy when over coming major help problems

Or Stephen Fry using his platform to calmly discuss sexuality and acceptance?

Or Mick Lynch the train trade union leader he is a force to be reckoned with for workers rights?

Grayson Perry, questioning male identity and it's role in the modern world?

Louis Theroux, calmly bringing to light some of the more extreme, fringe elements of culture.

Randall Monroe. Hard to explain look him up XKCD, he's just wonderful.

Who can dismiss Brian Cox's enthusiasm for the pursuit of knowledge about our universe.

That crazy Ice Man, if you want manly hardcore. He is lovely, utter nuts but proper nails and lovely.

There's loads if you look.

All the dads each weekend coaching sports for free in their own spare time.

Many male teachers who try and inspired kids to keep pushing forward offering after school clubs and homework sessions again outside their job remit.

There's many, in all walks of life, but they get dismissed as pansies for not controlling their women by the Tate's of this world. Or dismissing by the Farage's as being part of the evil woke crew.

Even if men do try and inspire the other men still think their white knobs should be worshipped for just being.

To say there are NO absolutely none, role models shows a complete disinterest.

What is the hard evidence?

Totally agree. We need proper debate about all these mad claims

I think some boomers are younger than people realise. My mum, also a boomer, but 78, had to get her dad or husband permission to have a credit card, open a bank account or buy shares (pre 1975, when we had the sex discrimination act) She had to have her husband permission for contraception too.

And the left just aren't appealing to them. The establishment centre/liberals certainly aren't and the populist right pick up the slack. Same in America.

Question is where liberalism got it so wrong (socially). And ultimately capitalism (economically).

Our education system seems to be failing to teach good critical thinking skills, and people are therefore very susceptible to the crap that they see on Tiktok etc. Maybe we need to strip out a lot of the unnecessary subject content out of the curriculum and really focus in on teaching kids better analytical skills.

It's very easy to understand why young people, and especially young men, might feel disillusioned with mainstream politics and why they might start looking for alternatives. It is alarming, however, that they have somehow reached the conclusion that the likes of Reform offer any kind of solution. This is a complete failure of logic and understanding, and it's terrifying.

I think the other problem is that there really aren't many attractive alternatives at the moment. The current calibre of politicians on all sides of the debate leaves much to be desired. So many people feel politically homeless and so many people perceive that the political classes are massively out of touch, lacking in integrity, in it for their own self interest etc. As a society, maybe we need to spend some time reflecting on exactly why our best people aren't interested in going into politics.... do we not pay them enough? has it just become too toxic with all of the abuse? Too dangerous? We need to find a way of offering people better alternatives so that the likes of Reform don't end up filling the vacuum.

Or the far left that dominates the narrative is telling them that every natural male instinct they have is toxic and the only way they will get ahead in life is to suppress it (extra brownie points if you just 'become' a woman). On the other hand women can only be celebrated if they act like men. I'd rather be 'poorly educated' and have a grip on reality than part of the over educated (low intelligence) chattering class of morons who can't even tell the difference between men and women, who lay awake at night in terror because of 'climate change', who are too scared to have children because they think the earth is over populated, who are so afraid of their femininity they can never allow themselves to be vulnerable and to receive help, or are so afraid of their masculinity that they can't articulate an opinion without apologising for it. Miserable people who will front and tell the world how happy they are but are convincing no one.

Keir starmer could plaster himself all over tik tok 24/7 - young men (and anyone with common sense) would just leave the platform and find somewhere else. Your arrogant post is indicative of why this is happening. Point blank refusal to see what's apparent as opposed to the pre-chewed baby food version of reality you are being spoon-fed.

Novel idea: if you want to know why young men are attracted to the right then treat them like human beings and talk to them and listen to what they have to say (if you can bear to have anyone challenge your world view). Or you can do what the left seems to be particularly good at and just throw them in prison for daring to have a different opinion.

Agree with every word of this. And it's not just the poorer cities; it's London too.