A casual friend has just told me she's standing as a Reform candidate

[Mumblechum0]

And I have no clue how to respond.

I've always liked her, we're not close, ie don't do anything just the two of us, but are often in the same group at parties, book group, joint birthday bashes etc.

She's very posh, professional job, husband's a head fund manager (he walks round in a tweed cap and goes shooting on his family estate etc etc...just setting the scene, she's well educated etc.)

Anyway, she messaged me yesterday to say that she wanted me to know in advance that she's standing as a Reform candidate in our local elections; she didn't ask for my support, but didn't want me to just see her face on a leaflet through the door.

I'm married to a black man, have a mixed race son.

I haven't responded yet, as I don't know whether it's best to just ignore, or to say thanks for letting me know, or actually to say I'm quite horrified (which is my actual reaction).

Any ideas?

Ask her how she feels about Reform’s manifesto statement that ‘multiculturalism has imported separate communities that reject our way of life’ in the context of your black husband and mixed race son, then block her.

Why would you be friends with people who you think are racist?

I have a need to believe that my friends are good people. Do you not care? Or do you not think racism is bad?

What's a Head Fund, OP?

You shouldn’t discuss money, religion or politics with anyone for a peaceful life!
Our local reform candidate was black so I wouldn’t automatically assume she’s a frothing racist.

Tbf... There are such communities.... There are parallel societies and that is actually big issue which needs to be looked at how to remedy that. It's not racist to say that. Multiculturalism is supposed to be people living together, not separately.
So the statement is not wrong as such.

Have you forgotten how Farage and co. acted over the Southport murders? The riots that ensued?

How does she think her husbands hedge funds will be affected if a Reform government crash the economy as Trump is doing? I understand they basically want to do Luz Truss 2.0 if they are ever in power. Seems pretty stupid for her to be fighting for that.
I suppose "well educated" doesn't = intelligence.

No need to respond, she will very probably have seen this thread!

Exactly. Farage and his ilk like to stir the pot and then act all innocent when racists start rioting.
A bit like Trump and the Capitol riots. From the same playbook.

Call me a cynic, but AS IF 🙄

How can you have non-white kids and have racist friends? I couldn't.

Have they denounced Putin ? Has their owner denounced Putin ?

Or, to put it another way, what do you agree with about Putins invasion of Ukraine ?

I would treat her like I would treat a Trump candidate; very warily.

Wow, did you see that coming OP?

You can focus on one of a number of policies or actions, take your pick. The lack of proper vetting so that someone who regards Jimmy Savile as a hero did not have their social media checked. The wish to end the NHS and replace with private insurance. Their energy policy. Or even that only one of their four MPs actually seems to do much work as one.

Could you really see a friend as supportive of you and your family if you had a black partner, mixed race sons and they chose to stand for a party with a long standing history of racist remarks being made by multiple candidates?

To me standing for the party would be the thing that made me keep my distance. To be so passionate about a party who was so opposite to my views would make me question things.

It’s different when it’s just people voting for them, as much as I could never I can sort of see why some people would pick them without believing most of what they say.

You’ve got friends who you know are racist? And your children aren’t white?

Do your racist mates not mind the particular race your children are then? Or do you knowingly have friends who believe your children are worth less than white children?

Either way it’s mind boggling.

At least she’s casual?

Smile and if this is a significant misalignment with your view that you can’t reconcile with, fade into the background.

I also have a few racist pals

Only on MN would that be a brag 🤣

They should make this their campaign slogan.

Yes, also, I fundamentally disagree with the notion that I'm narrow minded as I don't have or friends with extreme, intolerant views that undermine democracy. If that's what narrow minded looks like, give me centrist friends any old day!

@PandoraSox , I was reading an article today about a young woman who tweeted an admittedly unpleasant comment in the first few hours after the Southport attack which she thought better of and removed four short hours later. She had a previously unblemished record and was suffering from depression following the death of one of her children. She was a childminder and cared for children from quite a cross section of races whose parents wrote glowing character reports in her defence. She was jailed for 2.5 years. She repeatedly asks to be allowed what should be her right to visit her 12 year old daughter but is consistently refused. There was no mercy shown to any person who was found to have committed the slightest wrong following those riots. I’m very confident that many people would have loved to have jailed Mr Farage if they could have found reason to do so but they could not. As I recall he questioned what we were being told which was that the perpetrator was a Welsh ex choirboy and there absolutely was no connection to terrorism. As was evidenced by the reaction of many people who came out onto the streets (I absolutely do not condone rioting) others shared his scepticism. Those that sought to conceal the truth are responsible for the riots no one else.

Not everyone who voted Reform are racist, I'm mixed race and wouldn't be offended by someones political views.

...or Farage's Ukip poster, based on one the Nazi's used, depicting a column of refugees, with the slogan "Breaking Point"

Farage like his chum Trump, is con man, a charlatan, selling piles of shit disguised as Tea Cakes.

Aside, just had the Reform candidate flier through today, the Reform hopeful looks like someone from Crime Watch.