AIBU to be utterly baffled at how many people are falling for Reform after the Brexit mess?

[TheCoralShaker]

I’m not into any political party or ideology – honestly, they all seem like varying shades of grifters to me – but I just can't believe how many people are jumping on the Reform bandwagon like it's some magic fix.

After everything that happened with Brexit – the lies, the infighting, the broken promises, the economic fallout we’re still wading through – how are people still falling for this kind of simplistic, shouty politics? The "common sense" soundbites, the "tell it like it is" nonsense, the constant scapegoating of whatever group is most convenient that week... it's all so transparent.

I'm not saying any of the main parties are perfect (far from it), but Reform seems to be just a bunch of media-savvy populists spouting whatever will get the loudest headlines. What’s worrying is how many people lap it up without even questioning what’s actually being proposed, or whether it’s remotely feasible.

Where are the critical thinking skills? Why are people so easily seduced by these pantomime figures who tap into anger and offer no real substance? It’s like the more outrageous someone is, the more they’re celebrated, and never mind whether any of it makes sense.

I get that people are frustrated, disillusioned, sick of the status quo, so am I. But falling for another bunch of opportunists who thrive on division and offer nothing beyond slogans seems like doubling down on the same mistake.

AIBU to think that we should have learned by now? Or is this just how politics is going to be from now on, performative outrage and no actual plan?

yabu in that you admit that current parties are a shower of lying grifters, but equally expect people to vote for them again as if by magic they are going to change. I dont think people voting reform are expecting magical change, just a two finger salute to the current parties. if reform are shite, they may not get voted in again, or they might as clearly being shite hasn't hindered any of the current parties.

County council actually wasn't that bad during the Tory reign. They re-opened several libraries shut by their Labour predecessors for a start which was very popular.

it's also the economic system we have. Everything is measured in the next quarter's GDP figures. So something that will pay off in the long run doesn't get done if there's no immediate benefit.

It's like austerity. The things they cut weren't valued because they don't see the economic benefits, but you take them away and you lose more in the long run. Community centres, cutting the police and mental health support etc etc.

Why did Reform win then? You can’t have it both ways.

One Word - Rishi!

National politics usually trumps local politics!

Not in local elections a year after Rishi was history. You said yourself that reopening libraries was popular.

I totally agree with! A few social media influencers are ‘influencing’ people too, mind you, go on comment section on social media and you can tell there is hardly a brain cell between the lot of them. They’ll get what they deserve and soon see that they are all lying scheming shits.

I’m not surprised at all, they can get away with weak policy because the voter bloc they are targeting aren’t the most politically or economically literate. They have identified a gap (socially right economically left) and are fully exploiting it for their own egos - but it will work. This voter bloc are otherwise politically homeless and so sceptical of the political norm they won’t listen to anyone who challenges the only party even trying to represent them.
Surprised - no?
Its a result of years of political mess and poor political and economic literacy in the working class.

Instead of blaming the voters - can you explain why this socially slightly more conservative/economically more socialist bloc have no other political channels through which to express themselves - and why it is you believe this position is a result of political illiteracy? What is wrong with this position

I despair OP. Politics has just become populist nonsense, the world and the country are falling apart and we have zero choice of anyone that isn’t self-serving, who actually believes in something and can actually do anything to lead us out of this mess. It’s depressing and I can’t see a way out of it. So I just stop thinking about it tbh. Everytime I turn on the news it just leaves me angry or depressed.

The main parties are working against the interests of working people and in favour of the international wealth, that’s why. They are all in it together and they all lie. We are desperate. These show up Labours latest lies.

https://fullfact.org/politics/2025-spending-review/

https://equalitytrust.org.uk/news/in-the-news/reaction-to-the-2025-spending-review/

It's the X Factor version of politics. Plausible conmen promising simple solutions to complex problems. See also Trump and Johnson. And Brexit. Remember when Johnson was predicted to be in power forever if he hadn't shot himself in the foot so spectacularly?
Stop The Boats! Get Brexit Done! Oven Ready Deal! It's nauseating.

The sound bite, clickbait media is ushering the Reform party into power because the likes of Farage are more entertaining than boring old policy.

Labour uses slogans too. Smash the gangs, further and faster, difficult decisions on repeat.

Some drift away as they can’t do them.

Every political party uses them and always has. This is one of Thatcher’s.

I wasn't pinning it to any particular party. Just the dumbing down of politics in general. I used to think that Farage didn't have a cat in hells chance of becoming PM, now I'm not so sure.

Working people first (brings a tear to my eye that one 😅)
Country before party
Grown ups back in charge
Promises made, promises delivered

Money in your pocket 😅
Inherited

Every interview is a script.

Three-word slogans have a long history. The French revolutionaries were inspired by “Liberty, equality, fraternity”. Another New Labour effort was “Forward Not Back”, the slogan for the 2005 election, possibly not so memorable but it served its purpose. “Yes We Can” was Barack Obama’s more inspiring formula in 2008 and 2012. Donald Trump showed he could make it work for the other side with “Lock Her Up”.

How about: 'Dignity and security for disabled people'? Which was doing the rounds in 2001.

How about it? Are we going to fill the thread with the various catch phrases used by politicians of all colours going back to the French Revolution?

😁Am I taking up too much internet with the hypocritical and outright lying Labour slogans?

I just feel really bad for the voters who were hoodwinked by Labour rhetoric, mistaking their words for their principles.

We could trade them all day but what would it accomplish? Maybe we should just agree that all political parties are hypocritical liars and use slogans and have done for 200 years? It’s a bit rich for anyone who supports right wing parties to accuse anyone of lying after three years of Johnson - maybe he told a different kind of lie.

Perhaps if they had employed some critical thinking skills and were capable of distilling the true nature of the impending government, the realities of the economic climate and the zest for policy driven by ideology, there wouldn't be so much buyer's remorse?

I don’t think there’s much buyers’ remorse. Reform seems to be swelling its ranks by picking up the few remaining Tory votes.