Hi everyone. Just to clarify a few things mentioned throughout the thread, including the recent poll covered in The Times.
The poll was conducted last year as part of our regular political polling, and it showed Reform leading the parties with Mumsnet users for the first time ever: 20% of users told us they would vote Reform if there was a general election tomorrow, 18% said Labour, 14% Conservative, 10% Lib Dem and 4% Green (and 2% each for the SNP, an independent candidate, or ‘other’). Nearly a quarter (23%) of the users we asked said they were unsure and 5% said they wouldn't vote.
As you may know we regularly ask users for their views on a wide range of issues that affect their lives and families. This includes social issues, public services, everyday experiences and, at times, political opinions.
We do this because Mumsnet exists to reflect what women actually think and experience, not what others assume they think. The scale and honesty of our large community of mostly women means we can surface perspectives that are often missing from public debate.
As with all our research, this polling sits alongside broader analysis of on-site discussion. Using tools like MumsGPT, we look at the themes and concerns being raised, for example around the cost of living, safety for women and girls, or children’s mental health, to understand why people are feeling the way they do. Those insights are shared with journalists and policymakers precisely so they can engage with women’s concerns, rather than dismiss or caricature them.
Our surveys are always clearly advertised on site, and participation is optional. They are also sent to our Mumsnet Voices insight panel, which is a group of users who have chosen to take part in research. You can sign up to Voices here if you haven’t already.
Mumsnet has always been politically plural. Our role is not to curate a particular set of ‘acceptable’ views, but to reflect what women are actually saying even when that’s messy, contradictory, or challenging.
Finally, a wee reminder that the Media requests board exists precisely so journalists can ask questions here rather than approaching users all over the place on Talk, so please bear that in mind and keep it civil. Thank you.