I am very confused by Reform and their recruitment

[Beakthrough]

I thought about trying to be neutral but I'm sure which side I'm on will come through.

I understand why they've gained such a following and I understand why the Conservatives are doing so badly. I also understand why some of what Labour has done is unpopular, albeit I don't think they're as bad as the very right wing influenced press would have people believe.

But, if the reason for Reform's success is that the Conservative government was so bad, what do they gain by taking on all the worst elements of the last government?

Have we got to a point where reform voters are Reform and that's that? Is Farage's leadership so strong it doesn't matter who the troops are? Is government experience better than no government experience regardless? Won't voters who wanted change recognise they're getting the old government back?

I think they're basically taking the right of the party and hoping that all the right wing voters will move across too.
It's helpful for them to have Big Beasts who have government experience as this lends them gravitas.
But yes, they criticised the previous Conservative govt and blamed them for breaking Britain but are just adopting them all. They are desperate though so 💁

I mean Braverman & Jenrick! They’ll be fighting like rats in a sack long before next Christmas!

This is what I think. There'll be infighting before too long at all, espcially if as appears to be happening, their polling popularity declines.

But, Farage is not a stupid man.

The Conservative Party will be better off without those that have defected anyway. They may well become a more appealing prospect for previous Tory voters who are politically homeless at the moment.

You're trying to apply common sense, logic and rationale to people who are foaming at the mouth every time Nigel mentions 'forriner'.

Yes, that thought has struck me too. I don't think it will happen under the current leader but I don't think it was ever intended that she'll be there at the GE.

Reform have played the media game much better in many ways, and the media has allowed them to play it by giving them far more room than the Lib Dems or the Greens.

They are very much relying on being the new kids on the block, and selling themselves as something different, only they're not at all. They're exactly the same thing, but even more incompetent - see what a mess the councils they've won are in. Oh, plus a big dollop of open American Trumpist influence and hush-hush Russian influence. The last thing they will be is a patriotic party the puts Britain's needs first. But people want a change and many have decided they 'might as well try' Reform unfortunately.

They probably welcome the Tories because they're in desperate need of senior political experience should they win.

I’m not sure on that one, she’s one of the few leaders seeing a rise in ratings and polls

Yes, it’s looking more and more like Reform is just that right wing of the Tory party, which is the same people who were left after the post-Brexit purge. So - Reform = Tory, really.

True, if conservatives emerge from this as a decent centre right party I would consider voting for them.

Kemi Badenoch is definitely growing on me, which I never thought I’d say as a historically left wing voter!

I agree!

Perhaps they think it brings status to have former Tory ministers in their ranks?

They are going to claim the liberals in the Tory party held them back and now they are going to clean up the whole mess in the country and make all the harsh decisions and deliver a hard whathaveyouunicornmakebritainproperlybritishempireagain- and people will suck it up as desperate to be lied to and for things to change. That’s what going to happen and not much anyone can do about it. Just hope they don’t bankrupt everyone for good.

I think they need the tories for the experience of being an MP too. If you look at some of their candidates in the election it was beggars belief that they could function as MP’s. the local one here didn’t seem to have any knowledge of politics at all and came across as thick as mince.
Look at how many reform councillors have quit because they can’t hack it, they’ve learned a lesson I think

He’s not stupid but he is a grifter and like Boris he won’t really want the hard work involved in being PM

im looking forward to my reform voting mates explaining how they’re going to elect a bunch of tories after slagging them off for the past couple of years