Would you avoid places that are now reform?

[TinaMariah]

Lots of people who live near reform cities posting online stating they will boycott. Many are black or brown and are concerned about the levels of racism they've experienced in the last few weeks, and are stating they will avoid. Many calling for annual events to be held elsewhere. Anyone have any thoughts on this? I'm definitely concerned as a black woman who has experienced racist abuse twice in the last two weeks, one where I was told 'farage would kick get rid of yas' (this was whilst watching the football). I'm definitely worried.

People are free to avoid where they do not feel they are safe, but honestly I don’t think there are any worries. Political views change all the time, political parties change their stance all the time. There was lots of anti semitism under labour, but I won’t be leaving the UK

I live in 30p Lee's constituency, I didn't vote for him when he was a Tory and I didn't vote for him yesterday either. Only just over 20% of the population voted for him this time. The Tories haven't even bothered campaigning here, we've had a grand total of ONE campaign leaflet from them along with piles and piles from Labour, Reform and the independent candidate. Labour came second here.

To be fair I don't think many people are queuing up to come here anyway!

Whilst racism has no place in modern societies, I find blatant racism so much easier to deal with than the chip, chip away of micro aggressions and othering treatment. Less mental load for me. They've shown me they're a cock and I will believe them.

The real problems are when racists also have power.

I loved the Ashfield count BBC reporter complaining the coffee machine didn't take card payments - I was like "welcome to Ashfield"!

Lots of people can't stand him - he got told to take his silly battle bus out of the Co-op carpark just after he jumped to Reform (after he got it stuck in the Morrisons carpark - which, to be fair, is a horrible tight strange shaped carpark)!

The theme the areas Reform thrived in have in common is that they've essentially been abandoned to decline by politics for a very long time - and it's left a vacuum for this to happen.

The way 30p Lee jumps parties he'll probably be in the Monster Raving Loonies in a few months anyway.

Like I said upthread Reform promised people earning under 20k would not pay taxes. That's probably why people in areas where there are mainly minimum wage jobs voted Reform, not necessarily because they were racist .

I came across some racism in Cardiff once. A local having a right go at someone wearing a burkha in a loud voice on the highstreet. Nobody said or did anything.

You are describing inverse snobbery - perhaps at a stretch inverse classism or racism. A reform voter is not necessarily racist any more than a Labour or Lib Dem voter.

There is much more to it than that op, it is far more complex and you could probably benefit from educating yourself as to why they have voted reform in the first place. As a country we need to get far more comfortable with debate again, disagreeing but being respectful and making a concerted effort to understand different view points, or we will end up an extremist, divisive nation that screams into the abyss - where lively debate and change/growth used to be.

Take a look at what has happened to Jess Phillips. That is not what we want for our country, thanks.

Are there constituencies that had a high Reform vote but were pipped at the post by Labour or Conservative?
How would you know where to avoid. Turn out was pretty low here 50% so you never know who is living around you or one town over.

All this talk of Reform voters as if they're lepers to be avoided is disgusting double standards. "Im not racist therefore I hate reform voters". Strong hypocrisy. 4 million people we;re talking about here.

These are areas that have been seriously let down but Reform isn't the answer nor is immigration the root cause. We know the root cause. I visited Norfolk for a weekend break a few years back and then went to Great Yarmouth and honestly I felt really sorry for the area, it felt like a different world in modern day Britain which is unacceptable.

Was it because it was badly run down ?

Almost all UK seasides are like that! Doesnt make them a pity case.

We are an interracial family and wouldn't move somewhere with high number of reform votes. Definitely not.

I don’t hate reform voters, I just don’t particularly want to be around or support the local economy of places populated with people who either are racist or condone it if they think they stand to gain something from knowing about it but letting it go.

I’m not calling for reform to be classified as a threat or prosecuted under hate speech laws or something. I just don’t want to be anywhere it’s been legitimised.

People vote for different reasons, voting Reform was a protest vote by those who didn't feel they could vote Labour or Lib Dem. Those who vote Reform are a mix of people with different characteristics. I would be more wary about visits places where the independent MPs standing on the Middle East issue were voted in.