Reform are getting a shitload of voters

[HeBeaverandSheBeaver]

I have not voted
Reform and live in a safe tory seat But I voted
Lib dem tactical vote

I said ages Ago on here the reform would do really well and was shouted down.

Same as brexit, no one will admit voting for reform but
They still do it in droves it seems.

I'm Willing to bet they
Might win an election in four years at this rate!!

Scary
Times

Reform just came in third in Swindon South with 6000 and something.

It's protest.

My partner voted reform. I'm actually peeved off with him. Called him and idiot, said they're racist and no women's rights and he just replied he's not a woman so doesn't matter.

I doubt people voting Reform think much further than their own front door though aye @cantgetmybreath

I howled with laughter at Mandleson.

I enjoy living in interesting times.

That’s pretty terrifying. I couldn’t stay with someone like that

I really think a lot of it is a tactical demonstration of disgust. Punishing the big two and just expressing disenchantment. Not all of it, but a lot.

The only way to prove to people that parties of Reform's ilk don't have all the answers to improve their lives is to grant them power and watch them fail. Sadly they often destroy so much more than themselves in the process.

It’s shocking but I think Neil Kinnock had it right. He said Reform offer simple solutions to complex problems. People who don’t want to think too deeply about politics are drawn in by the soundbites.

Look: people like right wing “populist “parties—they like them because they offer excitement, politics as spectacle , and a story of revenge against elites and foreigners. Its right here on this thread where several posters have implied that a vote for Reform is a just revenge for SE elite contempt and neglect. That is voting as psychodrama. That is spite voting. That is voting as a salve for wounded egos.

The fact that these votes are for a specific party with specific goals is utterly lost on these voters. They think they will get something they like—thats populism and demagoguery’s role it promises rewards to the formerly scorned silent or moral majority and punishment and shame for the hated elites (women, non whites, immigrants, the poor on benefits, the mentally ill, the autistic, the educated, the uneducated) its very flexible and the viter hears what he wants to hear. In the words of a Trump voter “he was supposed to hurt the right people.”

Here is a shocking thought:perhaps politics doesn’t have to be a war of all against all? Perhaps all the parties could try to work for the good of the entire country and all the citizens instead of trying to simply punish the enemy within?

the same could be said for people that vote for the other parties too, and how much they know about the policies etc

Why are you surprised??

The swing from Tory to Reform is massive and the polls were telling that for weeks. Its still a MASSIVE Labour landslide, bigger than Blairs based on the exit polls.

White working class voters who voted for Boris in 2019 are flocking to Farage, but the trouble for Farage (if he wants the keys to no 10) is to get Labour traditional voters and centre right middle class Tories to turn to him.

I was expecting Reform to pick up a popular vote , but our first past the post means Reform need to get the above to get to no 10.

SWINDON SOUTH LAB GAIN.

Reform 6000 votes, Tory 12,000 Labour 21000

Farage isn't going to get to number 10 if he can't turn places like this from the Tories like Starmer has.

Really? With all this churn? And all this negative voting? God it's so depressing.

I think it is really bad, if Farage wins his seat and even half of the predicted seats then just think of how much more prominent and sustained the voice of the far right in the UK will be over the next 5 years constantly dragging the conversation in that direction. Its a huge platform for them and Labour will have to show clearly their is another way to solve some of the serious complaints people have about how life is in the UK for many, many people or we could be like France in 5 or 10 years. The thought that Farage has just won this kind of platform is just horrifying to me and he has won because if you watch the election coverage right now it is clearly "the main story" even over Labours landslide victory.

If they were in serious danger of taking power, they wouldn't attract the protest vote.

It's a bit like the Brexit party.

This.

I think people surprised by the number of votes Reform are getting have not been paying attention to what is going on and how people feel across the country.

There are huge numbers of people who don’t feel represented in politics or that their genuine concerns for the country are being listened to. The signs have been there for years and in Europe too. Disenfranchisement results in the rise of populism.

Calling those people racist or thick is not going to help us going forward.

Yes, it could be, however the reform policies are utter unfalsifiable nonsense for anyone with any logic or common sense. They can say anything is their policy, such as “zero nhs waiting lists”! Which sounds great and like completely made up bollocks

@saythebellsofstclements not sure what they are thinking 🤔 could be they just got excited to use their new blue passport 🤔or maybe they think these jokers will let them take the muzzle off their xl bullies

No one voting for Reform thought they’d get in to power.

Like Starmer saying Corbin would be a great PM when he knew he wouldn’t win.

They're predicted 13 seats per the exit poll.

They will show themselves up in weeks.

Think how many times Farage has had to sack staff and candidates (across his various parties) because they say stuff that gives them away. It'll be that on a loop.

We just need to find a way to talk to the people who have voted for them.

Ask them how they’ll do it, how they think other countries would respond to unilateral action and how our fishermen would cope with no access to other markets that they rely on. Just like Brexit, they’re painting a picture where we can do what we like and there will be no consequences.

Ask them how they would force supermarkets to pay a fair price. Ask them how this would impact the cost of basics for consumers.

@pistachioicecream they are a bit thick though aren't they tbh ? I mean if you scroll through social media it's the same people who were convinced there was a chip in the covid jab who are voting for them.

@cantgetmybreath

Like I said. Just like Brexit. Presuming everyone who doesn’t vote like you must be thick.

Patronising see you next Tuesday.

Given how Brexit has turned out - despite the cacophany of warnings that it'd turn out to be an absolute fucking disaster - it's a given that Brexit voters are a bit thick.

And all because Doris heard a foreign accent in the Post Office queue.

If we talk to disenchanted people like that we really cannot complain when they do dramatic things to register their feelings. Why would you post that?

Ask them how they’ll do it, how they think other countries would respond to unilateral action and how our fishermen would cope with no access to other markets that they rely on. Just like Brexit, they’re painting a picture where we can do what we like and there will be no consequences.

Gordon Bennet. We KNOW.

@saythebellsofstclements was just observing that the headline promise will have been influential. She's right.