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?

There's a difference between someone being a Reform voter and a Reform candidate. Many Reform voters do support the party views, but for quite a few it's basically a vote for 'none of the above'; the equivalent of spoiling their ballot paper.

Being a candidate involves more commitment to the party ideology. No, not all Reform politicians are racists, but most have some sort of dodgy views. Some are non-racist xenophobes (i.e. they hate white foreigners as much as non-white foreigners); some are homophobes; some are Christian-Righties; some are sexists (our local Reform candidate for MP went on about how 'women are taught by feminism that men and women can behave in the same way and I’m sorry but it ain’t true.'); some are anti-vaxxers; some want to sell off the NHS; etc.

I can never understand attitudes like this.
So you are cool with hanging out with racists then?

Isn't it the law that said so?

Where did you hear this .
Are you completely sure this happened
Why would they do that .

Same as all political parties then

She sounds fantastic, she can see through the other parties and realises the way the uk is headed if something isn't done for her and her children especially.

Well done that lady.

I know what my response would be!

Sleep with dogs, align yourself with cunts, get fleas, get judged accordingly!

Where is the UK headed if something isn't done?

Ugh
Found two articles straight away .
Yes your right ,I voted for them ,why are they meddling in trans issues,they should stick to increasing veganism.
There's literally no decent party to vote for any more

If it was me I wouldn’t respond to her message at all. Silence will say it all.

I'm asking these questions because I guess I'm a bit ignorant about it and I'm interested in learning more.

What does your husband being black have to do with anything? What are the connections of Reform to racism? I know they're heavily across wanting to limit immigration but specifically what examples have occurred to indicate they're racist?

I have also voted for them in the past but no more, their total disregard for vulnerable women has sickened me.

Because for some people anyone who has any issue with unchecked immigration is automatically a racist. Stupid, I know.

Yes saying boats should be used for target practice and that migrants should be left to drown - Ben Habid deputy leader, Andrew Parker Reform Activist..is all perfectly normal and not racist in anyway....

Just concerned citizens worried about migration.....

Always amazes me that RN/Le Pen is referred to as a "Far Right Party" but Reform and the Tories are not....

Their manifesto's are to the 'right of le Pens RN in pretty much every measure.

How did this ever happen

I would never vote Reform. That doesn’t make me a wonderful person.

Leaving aside the fact that you can't blame every single party member or candidate for what one particular person said, why is that racist? No I'm not advocating for using the boats as target practice, and I think to say that is abhorrent. But it's not racist.

If she was standing as a Tory instead of Reform would it not bother you then?

I know people very anti the boats and immigrants sneaking in from France. Would they do CPR if they found an immigrant on the beach….absolutely.

Just be thankful she’s not standing for Labour.

So why is it assumed they're being racist, and not anti immigration? Why is it assumed it's about the colour of the migrants skin rather than the fact it's theyre entering illegally? Agree with previous poster that it's abhorrent.

I’d just reply ‘lol’.

Is it an April Fools joke? You didn’t receive it on 1st April?

It’s very possible she is standing as a paper candidate. That means not campaigning or expecting to win just standing so people have an option to vote reform. And it’s only local elections.
dH & I are very much on the left but we still have friends we’ve known for a long time who support Reform. We just don’t discuss politics with them. There’s a mutual understanding there that it’s better not to talk about some things.

I'd respond neutrally and try to find an opportunity in person to ask why.

They will also scrap all diversity, equality and inclusion policies. They will also be banning the teaching of critical race theory in schools and that we should be proud of our colonial history, and that teaching about slavery should be “balanced”.

Not all Reform policies are bad, but the ones that are really are (in my opinion).

Cancelling membership of the WHO, not giving a shit about climate change (increasing use of fossil fuels and scrapping Net Zero altogether), leaving the European court of human rights… no thanks.