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?

It’s a case of sheer desperation for change, and maybe get the main parties to wake up a little and work for us not international corporates.

Brexit was and is a mistake: but globalisation and selling the country under our feet out was a bigger one.

Migrants are not just a scapegoated group. Unfortunately in the numbers we are talking about they are a problem, particularly the men. Look at Sweden. The Scands are starting to cut down on immigration now.

I'm boggled by the way everyone ignores that Reform in = NHS gone. I appreciate it has to change but I'm sure if Labour suggested using European policies (like Farage has suggested) to do it, Reform would be the first to complain.

I'm boggled by the way everyone ignores that Reform in = NHS gone. I appreciate it has to change but I'm sure if Labour suggested using European policies (like Farage has suggested) to do it, Reform would be the first to complain.

Older non worrying voters won't be impacted by that though will they? In terms of having to pay more?

It's very easy to sneer at reform voters but unless the other parties start listening to what Reform offer and what supporters like about them they will gain ground.

Brexit shows if you ignore concerns, someone offering 'jam' will get support. In the main, I would guess that many brexit supporters don't actually see the negatives as the obvious ones don't directly effect them , ie freedom of movement.

Someone up thread said you would need to be a conspiracy theorist to believe them, ironically the most vocal supporters I know are also flat earth, covid deniers plus all the weird CT believers.

It's not unreasonable to distrust huge numbers of young men arriving from cultures where women's rights are not adhered to for example.

Fascists gonna fash. They’re all thick as mince

This with bells on. The spite and knee jerk ignorance has to stop. They need to show reasoning and sound figures not back of a fag packet done by an intern.

Labour seem intent on pushing people away. All the nonsense about TWAW. Ridiculous.

The WFA being scrapped for pensioners on £11.5k and now going too far the other way. Are they incapable of thinking logically? Why not bring it closer to the minimum wage so at least younger people feel it is going to those who actually need it.

The farm tax. The minister responsible knows nothing about farming, is MP for Streatham FFS. Why didn't they conduct some research first, talk to the NFU. understand that farms return about 1% on average and any tax on land will make farms unviable. Farms that produce all our food.

I couldn't vote for this version of Labour simply because they are damaging. Their ignorance is doing long term harm to our national infrastructure.

The media, including the BBC, are happy to amplify Reform talking points/views and give their MPs disproportionate TV time. Their proposed policies are never scrutinised and held to the same standards as the other political parties. The newspapers and other printed publications (Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, Daily Express, the Sun, the Spectator and the (slightly more impartial) Times) are predominantly right wing and don't challenge, scrutinise and investigate Reform policies and politicians.

Despite his many years in politics, Nigel Farage has no track record in local or national government. They are now running some councils which doesn't seem to be going well.

Labour trying to mimic or embrace Reform policies is sickening and a big mistake.

We do have a problem. We have a lot of illegal/legal migrants setting up shops rapidly in our town they are multiplying by the day. I am very worried they are selling vapes(a lot illegal) and Monster etc to 12 year olds - I know because my DS has told me and I am reporting it to the police. The police take ages to sort it out if at all. Maybe they want to lure them in to sell drugs? As fast as the shops are closed another opens.

I am very worried so I will vote reform. We will have more riots if the Government don't step in now.

TBH if I feel like going into these shops and shouting at them it won't be long before a bunch of angry dads go in and start getting physical.

The tories gave us the brexit shitshow though and accidentally bumbled out of the single market like idiots on a wave of racism and xenophobia stoked up by the right wing press. Let's not have short memories about this.

I knowna few Reform voters including one who has, comically, started to dress like NF 🙄

They are scared. They're not actually angry, hateful idiots (not all of them anyway) but they are scared. And, for them, the appeal is that Reform appear to he tackling the issues that a lot of people are concerned about but other political parties appear to be ignoring.

They're falling for the rhetoric because they felt that someone in power is acknowledging the issues that other parties aren't.

I think that’s a very strong possibility. I see it as a positive that they gained all those councils so early in this parliament, by the time we go to the polls again in 2029 their incompetence will be on full display.

Labour are failing , tories have failed and people want change . I think the media and social media constantly trying to diss Reform voters as thick racists is actually empowering them , us against the establishment type thing .

They thought Brexit would make everything all right. It didn't, it made things worse, so now they are latching onto Reform as the new magic solution.

Labour are reacting this way I agree.

This isn’t about the current government. It’s about Reform.

Very well said - the idea that you can't call somebody that's done/is proposing to do something stupid stupid, but must instead pander to their views because then they'll somehow do something unstupid, always seemed mad to me. There was plenty of reasoned analysis prior to the Brexit referendum as to why it wouldn't be a good idea, and there's quite a bit of reasoned analysis now as to why what Reform are proposing would be a bad idea (think Liz Truss +). But stupid people don't want to get into all that boring real world consequence and practicalities stuff, they like a nice simple 'common sense' solution being peddled by somebody who'd be 'a good laugh down the pub'. Muppets.

The Labour Party and Conservative Party both became too inward looking and too London centric. Neither party was appealing to the electorate and when you take voters for granted, it's obvious the environment was right for Reform to come along and take votes. For all his faults, Farage is a good speaker, he is streets ahead of the likes of Rayner and other front benchers.
I agree with others that he is a 'disruptor'. If it pushes the Labour Party and Conservative Party into actually listening to the electorate and getting better quality MPs into Parliament, it can only be a good thing. It's not that Reform are good - it's that the established parties are so poor atm.

Same here. We have just learned that we are to have our 15th barber shop in our small town that has less than 6000 people. It’s blatant money laundering and the majority are run by Albanian men but if you question it then you get called racist. It’s worrying when you go through our town in the evening and see all the teenagers hanging around these establishments and I agree it’s only a matter of time before the public will take it into their own hands due to authorities turning a blind eye to the going’s on. As someone else mentioned on this thread unfortunately Reform are the only ones addressing these issues so it’s no surprise that people are swaying towards them.

Of course the current gov is a factor 🤷‍♀️

People are moving to Reform based on them and also how they perceive Labour.

I suppose under any system there are winners and losers, and maybe they feel under reform they will move to winner. Maybe they don't care others will be worse off.

It’s ironic that Reform and Farage can “promise” anything they want, often things which are in reality undeliverable - and their fans take it as face value that it will be done. Brexit was also like that.

Labour “promised” things too, some of which they delivered, some which haven’t happened yet, and some which had to be put on ice or reversed due to reality. And get treated like the devil’s dogshit. In reality they’re delivering more manifesto promises than the Tories ever did and more promises are being achieved than literally every single upside which was promised about Brexit.

Labour manifesto progress is attached.

I think you’ll find most new Reform coverts are erstwhile Tory voters.

Moving to Reform is much higher now Labour are in power. Plus we’ll see what Wales does.

Yes because the Tory party has imploded and Reform is the only right wing alternative.

Labour chop and change their policies by the day depending on who they are trying to please. Obviously this week it’s the pensioners although I suppose that wouldn’t be in your chart anyway because they never mentioned scrapping the WFP in their manifesto or targeting the disabled.