Voting for Reform.the north/south

[Jollyjupiter]

As a proud Northerner i can say 80 per cent of my peer group will vote for Reform in May. Do you think it will be a North v South split?

The data does not support your assertions. Ignore the reporting sources (I imagine you're not a fan of the Guardian); they contain some interesting information.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/nov/13/who-votes-for-reform-and-why-charts-that-show-who-supports-farage-party?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/who-supports-reform-uk-and-who-the-greens/

The second link is focused on the outcome of the Gorton and Denton by-election while the first is nation wide. Essentially they back up previous findings that social class and level of education are clear indicators of likelihood of voting for Reform. Pretty much as you'd expect for a number of reasons.

I don’t know the political leanings of all of my friends. But of those I do, some will vote reform, some conservative, two Labour, no one will vote Lib Dem or Green. I won’t be voting for Reform.

I think she's saying that it's surprising that people don't learn from their mistakes.

Yep. It’s just the turquoise Tory party.

Not this pensioner.

Which is fine, and equally there are some younger people voting for them. It's about trends.

@Figgygal & it’s so recent too, I don’t get it.

I think some just cannot accept reality because it’s easier to believe that the utopia of low tax, excellent services & low immigration is achievable. Maybe it’s the only think that gives them hope.

We’ve got Senedd elections next month in May and it’s tight between Reform and Plaid Cymru. Most people in my area are voting for Reform, we are a typical working class valleys area with low wages and high unemployment. I never thought I’d see anything apart from a Labour government in Wales so it’s going to be a massive thing for us regardless of which party out of the two win. Personally I’ve still not decided on my voting intentions yet but I doubt it will make much difference if I voted for anyone else apart from reform because they are so popular here.

Please don't use Jews and anti-Semitism as an excuse for voting for the far right. We remember what they did to us in the Nazi era and many, if not most of us would not risk voting for fascism while we still have a choice.

And this is the issue.

Apathy and using it to justify why you’re voting for them. If you agree with them and want to vote for them, fine, but own it. Plenty will disagree.

If you don’t want to vote for them, why on earth would you?! What if they win by one vote in your area? That would be your vote.

What's problematic is that Farage is hearing people's outrage whereas the established parties aren't. Some will vote for Farage just on the basis that he wants to control immigration, scrap PIP for mild mh problems and scrap benefits for foreign citizens. If some of the other parties would agree to this then Farage wouldn't stand a chance. Because who in their right mind would want health care as in the US? That's what Farage wants- meaning that poor people will just not be able to get health care.

He’s saying what he thinks he needs to to win votes. He’s not actually going to do any of it.

Exactly!

I do find it amusing that when confronted with actual facts, the reform voters disappear off because they can’t trot out their usual lines.

My son's life was literally saved by the NHS. He received care that would have cost thousands of pounds for which he paid nothing.

When I had a cancer scare, I was seen by the NHS within two weeks and again had immediate treatment that would have cost me a fortune elsewhere.

When I had shingles in the eye, I was referred by the NHS to an NHS eye hospital and seen and treated that day. Again, expensive care, no charge.

I'm not seeing the joke there, to be honest.

It won't be a shock to anyone, though. We've seen the polls. It's common knowledge that there are lots of racist idiots in this country - I'm not sure why you think we would be unaware of this?

That's why some of us are making plans for how to get out if we need to. The only actual shock will be to the idiots who vote for Reform when they realise the enormity of their fuck-up.

Yes, I did and do feel a need to swear at people who dismiss the real suffering of real people as you ignorantly believe their medical needs are ‘not important’. Yep, swearing at that is justified. If you want to interpret that as swearing at yo, well that is between tou and your ego.

However, this next comment is at you. Interpreting my post as meaning I am against the NHS displays both a lack of intelligence and an ideological fervor to believe any acknowledgement of failings in the NHS is due to being ‘against the NHS’ . If your way of ‘thinking’ is typical of those in the NHS, no wonder it’s in a mess.

Do people genuinely believe every single politician is out of touch, stupid, don’t hear what some constituents say?

Could it possibly be some things are a tad more complicated than Farage claims?

I think if you live in a particular area, there's a tendency to extrapolate the political vibe around you to the whole country. In contrast to OP 'in the north' as she describes it, I'm could say I'm in Richmond-upon-Thames. If someone round here said they were voting Reform, people would assume they were mentally unwell / senile, extremely xenophobic or just a very unpleasant individual all round. Reform is a literal joke round here. No way would Reform even bother trying to canvass door to door. They would be laughed off the streets. Nobody entertains their nonsense for a second. And ironically, people around here would be the ones to benefit most from their tax cuts for the wealthy! Still, it is blatantly clear that their underlying agenda is rancid, appealing to the very worst sentiments in humanity.

Wouldn't surprise me if Reform did win a GE though as too many people are so desperate they'll try anything. It will be Brexit 2.0 - turkeys voting for Xmas. The poor will get poorer and the country more divided. If Reform do get in, I think it may be our last push to go abroad and sit it out for a few years. It would be too embarrassing to be in this country, having to be represented by that odious grifter and his pathetic cronies. And no I am not a 'leftist.' Far from it. I just know a crock of utter shite when I see it.

Okay so I’ll ask - if your friends are suffering that badly, why have they not paid to go privately? I’m currently 3 months into a wait that I know will be a long one, for a knee injury. I am in pain everyday.

However I also know that the reason I’m waiting so long is because it is not a serious issue. Compared to what is seen fast, I’d much rather some pain.

Areas like that were royally fucked by Brexit. Wales lost about £1bp in EU funding, much more than it contributed. I have no idea how people think this is anyone’s fault other than Farage.. but he skilfully placed the blame on the government for everyone’s issues, rather than take some ownership for his own behaviour.

People want quick answers, to tricky problems.. and I think he gives that in spades.

Not necessarily. There are wealthy, well-educated people who don't give a shit about other people. Those will vote Farage but atleast it's an informed decision.

The Reform Council in Kent has been a total disaster. I shudder to think about what it would be like if they were in charge of the country.

My opinion is; vote for the party whose manifesto you support and is realistically affordable. I shall not be playing games to vote against my values to try and stop another party even if they are extremist.
The Party I support needs to know how many of us support it.

Replicating what Labour did.