Why do people like reform?

[TheGoogleMum]

I haven't been keeping very up to date with politics. I usually vote Labour. I don't really understand the popularity of reform, could anyone explain it to me?
As far as I'm aware Farage doesn't actually do anything when he wins a seat somewhere so I'm not convinced they'll actually do anything? Is it just a protest vote that's gone a bit far?

I’m fully aware of how the US system works, having lived there. I also know how the French system works, having lived there. As well as Singapore.

And I’m not naive. I understand exactly what Farage is. However my point was the simplistic mumsnet narrative of US system bad and U.K. system good and there are absolutely, definitely no other options than choosing either the U.K. or US system

It’s ok though, Brexit and Reform voters are the stupid ones. The stupid ones definitely aren’t the people who don’t vote Brexit and Reform but think that calling people who do vote Brexit and Reform stupid is enough to make them vote for someone else. You do you.

Sorry, I’m not sure I understand your comment?

What are they on to? How will Reform fix it?

Reform supporters talking about "safe spaces"? Oh my god I've seen everything now!

They dobbed in their Rupert MP over some woke nonsense didn't they after Musk said he wanted him over Fagash ?

I agree @ZigZagJigsawI think the biggest problem is most people have little understanding of politics (myself included to be frank). So they are very good at saying what is wrong with other parties, calling voters stupid, or clowns, depending on who you are referring to. But people don’t really believe in their parties or there would be endless threads voicing in a passionate way the amazing plans and policies that they stand for. That’s how you gain support. But you really just get endless threads of doom and gloom, pointing out what is wrong with everyone else, how stupid they are. It’s very easy to call other people stupid. But that is a stupid argument, said the pot to the kettle.

Oh my goodness, no, not black and white at all. There's no easy answer at all. Reform tend to make it sound like there is, which a lot of people want to hear, and in turn increases frustration with what looks and feels like a lack of action on the part of the main parties.

Increased manufacturing in the UK was part of the Brexit Manifesto. So they're already on it. But it's never been espoused as part of any climate policy.

Follow the instructions in the last paragraph and you’ll be able to see.

Have you tobee? Wait till next GE..

I don’t like reform but I think people are fed up. Life is harder for many than it has been for years. Health, housing, social services are all falling apart whilst we pay ever higher taxes.

Finger of blame to benefit claimants, illegal immigrants, feckless young people, feckless older people( all those early retirees).

Increasingly polarising rhetoric and out of that toxic soup people turn to reform. Better doesn’t need to be better for everyone, you just need to promise it will be better for the people who are likely to vote for you.

I feel like Ed Miliband wrote something a while ago about this government being the last chance for socialist democracy and if Labour fail we will see a swing to reform next election.

After reading all the nasty posts on this thread I'd like to say congratulations to all the newly elected Reform and independent councillors and Reform mayor and MP. A bit less sneering hatred from LabCon politicians, supporters and voters might have seen a different result.

Safe spaces only really apply when you're sharing something very personal that you need not to be mocked for or disbelieved. If you have a political view then a safe space isn't relevant - we don't owe each other unconditional support in our political views. Disagreement and challenge is fine.

Populism thrives on charismatic leaders, soundbite policies, and cost-free sloganeering - the exercise of power without responsibility. The fact that they championed Brexit, believed it was a good idea, and actually made it happen tells me all I need to know about how they would govern. But this kind of politics only makes things worse, because the world doesn’t work that way. As disillusionment deepens, the cycle of despair that fuels populism grows darker. It’s a road that leads toward authoritarianism, even fascism or worse. It now seems baked into our supercycle: a path toward both economic and democratic collapse.

I think they often just don’t like the other options.

I don’t want to like Reform but I feel like they are the only party who might take seriously the problems that are ruining my life. I live a very poor area and diverse area. I have lived here a long time and the area has been very diverse for a very long time. This diversity is in general not a problem.

In the last 5 years we have had very high immigration from different areas. A lot of Roma people and people from Eastern European countries. Our already struggling area is now even worse. A massive increase in aggressive begging on the high street. Criminal activity, drug dealing, prostitution. Drunk men hanging out outside shops and on the street, increase in fly tipping. Loads of fake businesses on the high street for money laundering.

People assume voting Reform is racist but the areas affected have often been diverse for a long time and been fine. It’s about recent high economic immigration.

It’s really hard to live around people who give no shits about the community or country they are in. They are just here to make money in illegal ways and send it home. However I know if I voice this to Labour supporters they will call me racist.

I completely agree and this is something that concerns me.

And the sneering at people who vote reform just makes things worse. The issues that are making people vote reform need to be addressed and a long term plan implemented, in my opinion. Reform are offering quick fixes to complex problems and those quick fixes won’t work but they sound good to their fan base. And the sneering? Well that just makes the people being sneered at more likely to vote reform.

See Gordon Brown and Gillian Duffy.

Because the Conservatives drove our country into the ground and Labour were voted in to restore hope but instead the put the boot in to the pensioners taking away their WFA, they are attacking the disabled, stopping farmers pass on family farms without huge death duty so not gaining the UK food security. I'm just wondering who Labour will attack next? Nigel if elected as PM will take us out of the 1950's ECHR which stops us from refusing entry to rapist and child molesters and stops us from sending back illegal immigrants who come from safe countries. Nigel will devise our own bill of rights transferring across sensible things people agree with and ditching the other bits. Nigel has said when he was campaigning on doorsteps the things people hated the most were WFA and disability benefits being taken away at the same time as paying £42.5k a year to accommodate each illegal immigrant who comes across in rubber boats. He also heard that Labour tried to smeer him by saying he'd charge UK taxpayers £10k to have their appendix out. He has said numerous times the NHS will remain free at point of use and hesxagainst the 2 child cap something Labour supports. He said the other thing that made people angry is the grove to net zero at expense of decimating our economy and the ridiculous amount of money spent on inclusion and diversity and states the best most qualified person should get the job. Ct out foreign aid and in general common sense policies that many people want. He is going to go through government contracts with a fine tooth comb and see if he can get cheaper contracts.

The problem is the same as Brexit. Pointing out that Reform is making empty promises and is courting/stoking division on the back of them is called sneering and puts people's backs up as their choice is being criticised. Discussion becomes impossible and ends up as a slanging match.

Reform, like Brexit, is very rich people using what people are deeply unhappy about to create a system that makes them richer.

If we could create a party that addressed people's legitimate concerns, the ones that the current main parties have not tackled for decades, that was genuinely in the interests of the people (people who are low paid, living in former industrial areas or third generation unemployed, people who can't access decent public services) then I'd be keen to know more. And I totally get that Reform feels like that to a lot of people.

Populism, pure and simple.

He also heard that Labour tried to smeer him by saying he'd charge UK taxpayers £10k to have their appendix out. He has said numerous times the NHS will remain free at point of use

And has he said how the NHS will be funded under Reform? Because that is the devil in this particular detail.

I don't think I could ever vote for them as I'm pro EU and, to a large extent, pro immigration. However, they are the only party that aren't hell bent on wrecking the private rental sector, which is a big plus. I find them so odious I don't think I could ever vote for them, but a small part of me is tempted.

This is true about echo chambers. People are ditching traditional news outlets and getting their information from TikTok and X. There's a hell of a lot of misinformation out there and this (along with other factors) is shaping people's opinions.

Well I'm sure will all be walking in a Reform paradise after the next GE @OxfordInkling and @nomoretoriesforme.