AIBU to think that Reform pose a real threat to UK democracy?

[Sherbs12]

Reform’s unelected chairman, Zia Yusuf, has announced that Reform will build detention centres housing immigrants waiting for deportation in areas which vote Green (or rather those which don’t Reform). They call this ‘an exercise in democratic consent’ and it’s been - rightfully - condemned by all other parties.

Last week he was threatening to ‘carpet bomb’ areas in which their MP had voted a certain way in parliament.

Obviously, this is detracting from the discovery that Farage received a £5million donation in 2024 when he seemingly changed his mind and decided to run as an MP.

So, while politics can be heated, all parties are open to criticism, we can debate the reasons behind the rise of Reform, AIBU to say that this approach from Reform is unacceptable in a democracy and an alarming indicator of how they would be in government?

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/amp/entry/zia-yusuf-reform-uk-migration_uk_69f8483de4b06e9242f51ba4/

That would certainly seem to be the case for my local authority.

Giving people both ends of the political spectrum what they voted for doesn't make you a threat to democracy

When did Green voters say they wanted detention centres?

This is not how you govern. You don't seek to punish voters who did not vote for you,you govern for the good of the entire country.

I asked the same question. I don't believe they did

I think it's a waste of time and money, tbh.

In my area, and many others, we'll be having elections again in a year's time for the new unitary authority, which will spend a year getting itself organised before they take over entirely in 2028. The existing councils could do without having a load of newly elected and inexperienced councillors learning the ropes while staff are trying to work towards the handover of functions to the new council.

Imo, it would have been much better to extend the term of the existing councils. It takes a year or two before new councillors really get the hang of how things work, and there are a lot of electoral divisions here where existing councillors aren't standing again, so there will be lots of new ones.

I saw it from the other side in the '90s, when part of the county was hived off to become part of a unitary city council. It was a huge amount of work and disruption for both authorities.

They're voting for open borders, so..

100% it’s appalling optics.

Also, the Green Party (who I don’t vote for) definitely don’t want detention centres so I don’t understand this line of ‘you get what you want.’ It’s like Greens getting in power and saying ‘reform areas will pay no taxes and have no council services - it’s what they want, what’s the problem? ’ based off the fact they want lower taxes.

Why is it a 'punishment' to have asylum seekers in your community?

So the exact opposite of detention centres. Make reform voters make sense

If they said we’re going to house asylum seekers in Green communities it would still be a weird thing to do, but that would be fine. They already are mostly housed in these type of urban progressive areas.

But they’re not. They’re not proposing having asylum seekers ‘in the community.’ They’re proposing building detention camps to imprison them. They’ve said they would not be allowed out at all. So they’re punishing Green voters but rubbing their noses in it by doing the opposite of what they want. I really don’t understand why people aren’t getting this.

So immigrants free to live and work in the community.

Maybe Reform can "deport" them to Green constituencies but how would they police keeping them there?

I’m not sure it’s any worse than electing a Green government who want to ignore anyone on society who doesn’t agree with them, removing their democratic rights. Polanski comes across as unhinged.

I am not a Green Party voter although I would vote that way tactically to keep Reform out. Anyway this is their immigration policy from the Green Party website:

*We welcome the contributions that migrants and refugees make to British society. We want to be welcoming, promote social cohesion and support migrants to put down roots.
Green MPs will push for:

• An end to the hostile environment.
• An end to the minimum income requirements for spouses of those holding work visas.
• Safe routes to sanctuary for those fleeing persecution.
• The dysfunctional Home Office to be replaced with a new Department of Migration, separating this function from the criminal justice system.
• An end to immigration detention for all migrants unless they are a danger to public safety.
• Abolition of the ‘no recourse to public funds’ condition that exacerbates social, economic, and racial inequalities.
• Those seeking asylum and protection to be permitted to work while their application is being decided.*

So, they are definitely not in favour of detention centres and the words 'open borders' do not come up. It's just shit made up by Reform.

Reform genuinely scare me.

When I was at school, we used to ask very innocent sounding questions now. "How could the Germans have fallen for the allure of fascism?"

Thing is when economic problems come along, there are always people on the extreme of politics who will come along to blame it on an outside group. Farage and his ilk have been the latest in a very long line.

I'm not saying that people shouldn't want to retain cultural norms of where they live, but one of the facile arguments peddled by the hard right are that we can reduce immigration. Fact is we are a dwindling nation with a very low birth rate and an elderly population to support. But in response to this those on the hard right will point to those on long term sick or not working yet also proposing cutting healthcare spending and somehow proposing magical "efficiency savings" will be had. Savings 14 years of austerity didn't find.

It's incredibly frustrating and also dangerous the rhetoric from the likes of Farage et al.

Is it punishing to have detention centres nearby?

Yes. If reform said we’re going to house asylum seekers in Green communities that would be fine. They already are mostly housed in these type of urban progressive areas and most people would welcome them or not give a shit.

But they’re not saying that. They’re not proposing having asylum seekers ‘in the community.’ They’re proposing building detention camps to imprison them. They’ve said they would not be allowed out at all. So they’re punishing Green voters but rubbing their noses in it by doing the opposite of what they want. I really don’t understand why people aren’t getting this.

"Say it loud and say it clear: refugees are welcome here*"

• Not here obvs

Because they're still people and have to go somewhere. Better to have them where there's less hostility towards them imo, for everyone involved.

How so? I mean in relation to removing democratic rights of those who disagree with them.

Sounds like a good idea.

They propose to detain them until they are deported. That hasn't changed.

The bit that has changed is that they are proposing to prioritise putting them in detention centres in Green Party voting areas and to avoid putting them in Reform voting areas.

But there will still be Reform voters and Tory voters in those areas (Reform will need the Tories to prop them up so can't afford to piss off their voters) so how will they feel about this?

Honestly, if you believe Reform would ever do this, or even be able to do this, you are as daft as Yusuf is. It is a load of wank.

Nope, it’s Labour and greens who pose the threat.and if greens are so happy with unchecked mass immigration then it’s reasonable to house them in those constituents !

And I absolutely want illegal immigrants detained then deported