Reform voters - why? Which policy attracted you?

[Flyhigher]

Why did you vote reform? I'm genuinely interested.

The best thing about Labour winning for me is that the Rwanda scheme is now dead.

That was never going to happen! Wonder if we will get the money back.

Incorrect.

we need the RIGHT immigrants to improve public services.

The majority of immigrants are not doctors, nurses, skilled people or people with businesses that would do well in the U.K.

we also need a lot of people who are not already trained doctors or nurses, though! There are loads of health and care roles, and other roles in hospitals that people can be trained to do as well whether already skilled or not.

And a great many immigrants and asylum seekers are in fact trained in a variety of roles; many of them are likely to be hard workers and to contribute to the economy once they are processed and given the chance to work. We could get on with doing that an awful lot faster.

Yes we need also to build housing and schools and transport links, but that's a fact regardless of where the people originate - we need plenty of workers and will continue to do so even more in the future.

I didn’t vote for them but I can see why some people did. The idea of a French style NHS is definitely worth exploring but the usual big mouths will claim that some people don’t have 50p. We do need a grown up hopefully cross party discussion about this. Maybe a referendum to see whether people would support a part payment model with an option for the lower paid to be given free access. Throwing more money at it really isn’t the answer. It’s a monster.

Uncontrolled immigration is another big issue. Fine if you are not affected but if your local town has been taken over by young men being housed in hotels or groups of men hanging around on the street. Worse is the undercurrent of views in some areas that women are second class and are fair game for abuse if they are not dressed in the way the men would like. Look at what Jess Phillips had to put up with and those men surrounding a school and spouting horrible nonsense seemingly free to say whatever they like. That is what people are worried about and I am very uncomfortable with a handful of Independent MP’s being elected on one issue - Gaza. What else will they be looking for?

@Lalalacrosse I meant change in general to include NHS.

Why are people concerned about immigration?
How does it actually affect you?

I've already answered this down thread. The additional numbers put pressure on schools, hospitals and housing which are already struggling to cope. Added to this, the additional state expenditure needed on those migrants that aren't net contributors that affects everyone if taxes have to rise.

And, as with the example I gave of my SIL, closed communities that don't integrate, follow different laws and where female rights are very different than in the rest of the U.K.

My parents voted reform, my mum said it was because they'd promised to finish putting brexit policies in place so we could reap the benefits as we were only getting the shit end of the stick at the moment.

🤷🏻‍♀️

I know lots of people who voted reform. The main points were NHs waiting times and immigration.

People will still be talking about Brexit in 100 years. And how great it could have been if it wasn't for the remoaners.

I didn’t but I can see immigration was a top reason and if Starmer is unable to get trafficking down Reform could keep growing

Then you would be unbelievably wrong, @EarthlyNightshade . I follow social media as well as news and other commentary sites, not just mumsnet. Gender Ideology was mentioned sooooo many times it's not funny.

I didn't vote for them, but for those I know who did, it was more of a protest, rather than spoiling, it was an anti everyone else rather than a pro Reform.

Exactly the same as me.

Taxes, immigration, Britain first before any foreign aid.

I think some people voted as they really do feel Reform offered a more honest approach to issues that affect them and that they are concerned about such as immigration, the UK’s foreign aid and foreign policies and how the economy is managed.

but I think from what I have heard and people I’ve spoken to, it was a protest vote from people that would not / could not / will never vote labour or any left leaning party but could not vote for the conservatives this time. They knew that Labour would likely win overall so their vote was a protest against the Tories

I am genuinely surprised.
Could you point me to anything in the news, or even relatively mainstream talking about Reform getting votes for this? I have looked but maybe I am not using the right key words.

Twitter...gender critical. It's all over it.

I think the protest vote went to the libdems. Their policies are so authoritarian, I can't truly believe that in 70 odd constituencies large swathes of individuals voted in favour of banning all flights under three hours.

And I do wish a few more people would familiarise themselves with the Laffer curve.

@cryinglaughing just out of interest (genuinely asking, not goading) why would you never vote labour? If in 10 years time a really strong leader and manifesto was put forward by Labour would you still not vote for them?
I have personally voted for many different parties depending on the local MP / candidate so would just like to understand your view on why you would never vote Labour 😊

Lib Dems have only said banning domestic flights if you can get there by rail in 2.5 hours, I can't see too much of a problem with this.
So you could still fly London Edinburgh, etc. and of course abroad.

This, and their promise to look after ex serving military.

That wasn’t the policy. It was domestic flights where the same journey would take less than 2.5 hours by train. I can totally believe that policy would be something large swathes of voters would be fine with. I certainly would.

Because I want a massive crackdown on immigration. I want illegal immigrants deported, and I want our borders ruthlessly protected. That’s it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for helping poor countries. The rich countries have a moral duty to do so, just as rich people have a moral duty to help the homeless or abused. But I want them to stay where they are.

I don’t believe that these boatloads of young men are genuine refugees. The majority are clearly economic migrants. Human rights activists help them, of course, and tell them what to say. Why have they left their home country? Where are their wives and parents and grandparents? Have they left them behind to face all the ‘war and persecution’ we keep hearing about? In general, young men don’t just up and leave like that. Are they wanted for a crime back home? Is that the real reason they’re fleeing? Look at the case of Anicet Mayaela, an illegal immigrant who was helped by anti-deportation campaigners. He won the right to stay and is now in prison for raping a young girl. That’s the other side to all this, the side the smug, sanctimonious campaigners prefer not to think about. There are real consequences to this. When you dump thousands of young men on a community, many of them possibly criminals, you’re going to have problems. What about the young woman who has undocumented young immigrant men move in next door? What about HER human rights - especially the right to feel safe in her own home.

I work opposite a park. Every day I watch groups of young immigrant men sitting around in that park, playing music and causing trouble. And there I am stuck in a job I hate to pay for their housing and benefits. What do you want me to do, dance for joy? In the last few years, my local woods have been hacked down to make way for two new estates, including blocks of flats, and at the other end of the village a giant new estate has been built. On top of that, we’ve just heard that 800 new homes are planned for the road that leads into town. That road is clogged with traffic NOW, so god knows what it will be like when another thousand cars are added. But it’s never enough. The village news letter informs me that developers want to build on the big field near the centre of the village as well. Honestly, I feel like crying as I type these words. This migration crisis is NEVER going to end. And there will NEVER be enough rabbit hutch houses, no matter how many we jam on top of one another. The world’s population is currently eight billion and is set to peak at ten billion mid-century. The African birth rate is so high the African population is going to double. The U.K. population is currently 65 million. Would 70 million be too many? 80? 100 million? 200 million? Should we just turn the whole of central and southern England into one giant new build estate and be done with it?

The vast, vast majority of Reform voters just want immigration brought under control, end of story. I have zero interest in the so-called ‘faaar-right’ that the BBC constantly bangs on about. Where is this far-right? I’ve never seen a far-right march, or met anyone with genuine far-right beliefs.