The most pernicious secret about Reform

[SeriousFaffing]

The results from a YouGov poll in December show quite a large difference between men and women of those who would vote Reform at the beginning of 2026.

This has got me thinking about the split and women’s awareness of Reform.

Agree or not, I’m sure that everyone is aware of the links made between Reform and racism… However, I think that a just as big elephant in the room is what appears as pernicious and deep rooted misogyny… I think that the YouGov poll appears to show that women are subliminally - or very - aware of this fact.

When I think of Reform, I see images of white men chanting “we want our country back”. I think of Farage cosying up to the anti abortionists in the USA (many news articles on this) and I think of Reform’s policies to boost the birth rate.

I wonder about wanting ‘our country back’ being as much about harking back to a time when women were not out at work (taking up jobs) and expecting dinner to be on the table when he comes home. No answering back at home or in the work place. And, you know, ‘Protecting our women’ as though a commodity or object… But only when it suits.

What do you think? Am I unreasonable as a woman to worry about Reform getting into Government?

You are unreasonable - no, as a woman, I am not worried about Reform getting into Government.

You are not being unreasonable - I am worried too.

Definitely. The idea that Reform will be the best party to protect women's rights is completely deluded.

A picture tells is worth a thousand words.

Urrrgh FFS 🙈

@JustSomeWaferThinHam

What bothered me about Reform’s position on online safety is that Farage pitched this as some type of online freedom issue and had no proposal at all for any form of protection for children online. That told me loud and clear that he didn’t care about children. He gave some reasons such as teens will access porn via a VPN, but that argument is as silly as saying underage drinking should be allowed because teens will find alcohol anyway.

Farage on women

• “no employer with a brain in the right place would employ a young, single, free woman” because of maternity rights.
• "maybe it's because I've got so many women pregnant over the years that I have a different view."

Absolutely.

Do people who think Reform is the best of a bad bunch not have any knowledge of how voting far right has panned out in history? I guess they do but are fine with it.

Is it racist for local people to be upset about 3 of their young girls being brutally murdered by a young man that was not stopped because of his race and the authorities then lied to the public about his race and tried to conceal his motivations?

DV is sadly very common, especially in deprived areas. I’m not sure you are making any point of interest.

Can you share which of their policies are ‘far right’?

I have noticed a plethora of smears and frankly outlandish claims on this thread but have seen zero evidence to back any of them.

The Lib Dem’s have gone so far as to confirm that they were wrong to describe Reform as ‘far right’ as it is patently incorrect.

People who have voted far left tend to regret their decisions. According to history.

He's a liar. Frequently says one thing and does another.

Quacking on about protecting our children and voting against online safety laws.

Bleating about protecting women yet voting against upskirting laws.

Being the big gob behind Brexit which (knowingly) royally fucked farmers and then putting himself front and centre, waving the flag for British agriculture and 'save our farmers' when the inheritance tax was brought back.

Claiming the reason he has never held a surgery in his constituency is because he has been advised by the speaker's office that it is unsafe to do so. This has been confirmed as a lie by the speaker's office themselves who said they'd never given that advice.

Omits to declare his financial interests and expenses. He's one of many in his party. He's not the only murky politician, lord knows, but he sure is scuzzy. I don't know how anyone is still falling for it.

The message is clear. They don't want any migrants here because they believe that there is a risk that migrant men might rape or abuse their women and children. They want it to be known that they have an exclusive right to rape and abuse these women and children themselves, and they will do whatever it takes to protect those rights. They are essentially defending their property.

There isn't a large mainstream 'far left' party in the UK. It would be the Communist Party of Britain or maybe the Socialist Workers' Party, but neither have a big foothold.

Anyone voting for extremes of anything would come to regret their choices, one would think.

(edited for name correction)

They assume it won't affect them.

Fools.

Women shouldn’t just worry about abortion rights.

Farage doesn’t believe in a free NHS or current women’s rights like maternity leave either. He totally would sell NHS services to US insurance companies to improve his personal wealth after he’s served in government. I think he’d follow his hero Trump and do things like that withdraw the UK from WHO.

@JustSomeWaferThinHam

What bothered me about Reform’s position on online safety is that Farage pitched this as some type of online freedom issue and had no proposal at all for any form of protection for children online. That told me loud and clear that he didn’t care about children. He gave some reasons such as teens will access porn via a VPN, but that argument is as silly as saying underage drinking should be allowed because teens will find alcohol anyway. He literally had no suggestions about improving online safety for children.

@HangingOutAtTheRialto and yet the public are falling for it! I have family members who are solidly backing reform, it’s depressing.

In answer to your question, OP, I don't think the misogyny is a secret at all, but it's clear that some are choosing to stick their fingers in their ears and look away. They pretend they can't see it. Presumably because they like the racism. Though they obviously pretend they can't see that either.

It's really very hard to comprehend why any woman would actually vote for Reform. It doesn't even take much in the way of critical thinking skills to work out what they stand for. Internalised misogyny, maybe? Or perhaps just wishful thinking?

I pity them really. Imagine voting them in and then gradually realising what you've done?!

Reform have also said that they would like to see ICE-style enforcement on British streets. Unbelievable

@EuclidianGeometryFan aren't you the person who should be able to answer that question? I often wonder what Green voters are thinking. Why did you support them?

His number 2 guy is a Muslim though?

@MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack

The women that I know who back reform are privileged and so women’s rights have never been important to them. They have husbands who pay for everything, they are worried about immigration and they hate ‘woke’. Think Pam in Gavin & Stacey, although I have no idea how Pam would have voted!

I pity them really. Imagine voting them in and then gradually realising what you've done?!

My guess is that will be the case for a lot of voters if they get their wish, @MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack . Still, at least they'll have stuck it to the 'elites', eh?.

@JustSomeWaferThinHam it is offensive to the people of Southport that you would lump those people in with them, as if it’s something that everyone from Southport went out and did afterwards.

The people of Southport picked up the pieces after those thugs came in cars and on trains to trash their town and weaponise that tragic, awful event. The families of those girls are some of the most dignified people I have ever seen. Don’t disrespect them.

Don't be so ridiculous. I'm in Ireland where we have the GRA and it still fucking mattered that when I was dying of sepsis I could have an abortion. I'm sick of these men can't be women people being happy to throw abortion away just to stick it to trans people. I used to be vocal about men can't be women until I realised who it was I was aligning myself with and just how little they care about women.

He's looking to deregulate and make more money for himself and his cronies. He doesn't give a crap about anyone else (whether they voted for him or not).

(edited - typo)