Mumsnetters voting Reform

[Illjustplayostrich]

Mumsnet mothers have always leaned Labour. Now Reform is ahead

https://www.thetimes.com/article/dbd39087-465c-4587-9eaa-292606ffb775?shareToken=a99daa444e8bc0f9444cca2bf01f3851

I'm slightly startled by this. I'm a centrist, slightly more right leaning perhaps but frankly I'm open to any government who will get a firm grip on the public finances and go about growing the economy in a sustainable way. My impression of this site is that it's definitely more left leaning and and Reform enthusiasts tend to get shouted down. Personally, I think we should be talking about them a lot more as it's highly likely they will form part of the next government.

My impression is that they are promising the earth but don't have people with the necessary skill set to make that happen. I really worry that they will get voted in and find out that they can't fix all the problems within 18 months, leading to yet more disillusionment amongst voters.

Universal credit has been a disaster

@Playingvideogames I think there are many who think immigration is an issue and agree it needs informed debate and considered reforms; but the difference is, they don’t see immigration as the only issue and the only factor responsible for problems and failures elsewhere.

Does the UK really need immigration to run the NHS with so many people not working already?

Taking skilled medics from countries that need it, seems a bit colonial. Just saying.

Perhaps it just need root and branch reform. On no. I said the bad word.

I’m educated to degree level, work in a professional role, and will be voting Reform next time. I’m doing it because I think Labour and the Tories have destroyed this country. If Reform don’t win next time, then I really worry about my children’s future in the UK.

Does the UK really need immigration to run the NHS with so many people not working already?

Are those unemployed people skilled health professionals?

Well I think the whole country has gone more right wing as a whole, and the extreme right and left are way further apart than they used to be.
So not surprised that Mumsnet has gone from broadly centre left to slightly right wing in the last 10 years, especially given that being gender critical will be causing a lot of previously left leaning women to swing right (myself included).
(I’m not intending to vote reform btw but won’t be voting for any of the left wing parties either)

Yawn. Nor do most people, you’re not superior.

Reports recently are that half of recently qualified doctors can't find jobs in the UK. So yes, quite a few unemployed people are skilled health professionals.

‘who’s going to pay taxes to fund your old age / train future teachers to teach your kids etc?’

That is a very very good question. It won’t be the millions of people living in council houses and on benefits, that’s for sure.

Yrs. And the reason young uk trained doctors can’t find jobs is because vacancies are being filled by foreign nationals.

I wasn’t referring to most people, I was referring to you.

I think you have to look at the reason and the way decisions are made in government. So the problem is always presented to a new government as;

we have a shortage of skilled workers in a particular field

That affects the economy now. The argument is that we need to maintain or grow the economy now.

Btw I am not saying this is only argument. But it is interestingly the one that suits nearly every politician because;

a) they can maintain a growing economy
b) they don’t spend money on education and training (takes ages, means further costs for public sector immediately via schools or technical colleges or re prioritising what you do have away from other spending)
c) public services are maintained
d) private enterprise is content (they aren’t fussy about where their labour comes from)

This orthodoxy covers left and right. It doesn’t cover far right and far left incidentally, but since usually neither the far right or far left hold the balance of power in the UK, nothing changes.

My guess is that Reform would, if they ever got into power, maintain immigration but make swingeing changes to the working visas given and the associated rights and benefits. This would firmly undercut most Brits and make them very attractive to employers. My guess, you understand.

Have they said it’s the only issue?

It’s like when the said engineers. Our engineers are leaving and the pay here isn’t competitive. People in shortage careers are head hunted globally. Not only that, they can’t get jobs here. Why? Cheap recruitment from abroad. India is quite common actually. Our homegrown graduates are being crippled by the economy and employment markets.

And then the UK has to send aid out to the countries these doctors come from to fund medical care for their inhabitants.

It is just trying to unpick so many strands and the current political offering in the UK are absolutely bloody useless.

Perhaps read through all of the posts - let me know if you find something that doesn’t circle back to immigration/immigrants in some way.
And while you’re there, let me know exactly where I said I’m superior.

Clare Foges on LBC is going to have a phone in later on 'why are mums turning to Reform?'.

Anyone going to call in?

Nice advertising for MN.

Hope someone child free calls in

It is at 7pm for anyone interested.

Why wouldn’t mn do PR?

Given how middle class MN is, why would anyone schedule a debate targeted at its members at the same time The Achers is on?

You should phone in Pandora. You could explain that there are now loads of 'Reformites' on MN and why they are not welcome.

I know why. Many women who have done well, feel successful are always told check their privilege and stay down. The 100k childcare rate and removal of PA is a good example of this. No other countries disincentivise women out of the work force like this. Let’s be honest, it’s mainly women making the choice to reduce career or lose 10,000s per year. It punishes women if they are successful and heaven forbid single parents. It makes lower paid women beholden to their husbands as they give up work.

If they complain about it on here, they are told there is no sympathy, it’s only a few years, to suck it up. By other women no less.

Salary sacrifice changes will also disproportionately impact women too due to time out of the workforce.

I can see why mothers are abandoning the main parties. No-one is fighting their corner and no-one is listening.

Going to get a whole lot worse when SEND mothers find out the plans for SEND reform too…

Labour are in process of making EHCPs advisory as they know how unsustainable the system is