Scared about a poll I read where Reform wins outright in First Past the Post????

[fixingmylife]

I guess we are years away from a General Election, but I am scared about the rise in populism and the seemingly popular Reform. I think it would be unthinkable to have Farage as our Prime Minister. I don't want a small state, private NHS, racist far right populist, Trumpist in charge of the country.

I know MN is generally fairly anti Reform, Brexit etc, but where are all these Reform voters. I don't know anyone personally who has admitted they would vote for them? Is it the all the disenfranchised young men?

Look, I get that it's annoying to be told that other people find your political views despicable, but many do, and we won't be silenced into pretending that Reform is just another legitimate political party.

@SquashedMallow , wasn’t there a thread the other day where @mumsnet said that using the laughing emoji in this way was not permitted?

That wasn't the question though, why are you so uncomfortable about people thinking this about Reform and their values? People, of which there are many, think Reform chat a load of shit, that's my democratic right you know!

I think Amazon taxes will help physical shops. I prefer to buy on the high street if possible. I think all parties like helping themselves and their mates.

Really, if that's the case, I'm definitely exiting MN. What I don't understand is why as a Reform voter you are so sensitive about an emoji, I mean do you not think your plain talking party can cope with a bit of plain talking in response?

So there have been no changes in the last 15 years?

No wage depression, no uncontrolled immigration, no NHS failings? No housing cost crisis?

Just gormless electorate, and posters, respectively, shifting to the centre and the right?

Do you really think it is possible to raise the tax threshold to £20k without a negative impact on public services? What about the NHS? Is it safe in Reform's hands? How will it be funded if they are in charge?

Definitely time for a bit more scrutiny of Reform's policies, isn't it.

When Labour produce a manifesto people are always asking how it is going to be paid for. Reform definitely need to cost theirs, because currently it's looking like a wish list rather than sensible policy. "People don't like paying taxes therefore we'll reduce taxes" "ok, how are you going to pay for stuff like education and healthcare then?"

Yes

The shift you mentioned.

Why did it start?

Yes. I think many more people will bother to work, even part-time. More money being spent in the economy will raise more tax elsewhere. If the government tax low earners less the economy will get moving. I understand sole traders are working less days now to avoid the £85k VAT limit. Reform want to raise it to £120k. Laffer curve and all that. The NHS is broken already and needs fixing. My Polish colleague (been here 18 years) says a French or Polish version would be far more efficient. I believe Reform advocate following the French model.

You may not like it, I may not like it, but it's democracy at the end of the day. Your opinion is no more greater than the majority at the end of the day. People seem unable to accept a political opinion different to their own these days.

I just googled the polls and a fair few headlines on Reform jumping up. Then Labour headlines on immigration.

Labour will try to counter with similar policies, I’m not sure it’ll work.

The Economist says there’s a £100 billion gap in Reform’s economic plans. That would crash the markets and the economy with it. If you thought the fallout from Truss’ budget was bad bring on Farage and see what total economic destruction looks like.

All those things you mention - NHS, Education, welfare, prisons etc - all groaning at the seams, underfunded and in danger of failing. All of these things are directly impacted by population numbers and tax intake/expenditure. Every single thing that you mention as important is being directly impacted by uncontrolled immigration.

It is a hell of a problem to solve and I have a lot of sympathy for those seeking a better life. But facts are facts and burying your head in the sand and pretending there is no impact on the institutions we all value is really naive I’m afraid. I think that’s why Reform is gaining such traction - none of the other parties will acknowledge this basic fact.

I'm off this thread due to being unable to reason with unreasonable people.

I just want to advertise that a certain poster is putting laugh emojis under all of my posts. So that other rational posters are aware of the childish and passive aggressive actions of these "reasonable and educated" people behind the scenes.

Labour are getting there…

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/05/08/rachel-reeves-tax-raid-57bn-black-hole-britain-finances/

Rachel Reeves’s record tax increases have derailed the economy and threaten to blow a £57bn hole in the public finances, analysts have warned.

Reform floating a French model of healthcare reminds me of Farage floating a Norwegian model of Brexit.

Link doesn’t work - and I have access to a subscriber account - so I can’t gauge the reliability of the analysts the Telegraph is relying on.

I suggest you just ignore them @SquashedMallow and continue the discussion with those of us who can express ourselves without resorting to lame
emojis in place of lucid arguments.

Agree. Just ignore

Yes, it is indeed democracy. And I am in favour of democracy as the best available option for governing a country, but I also recognise that democracy can sometimes produce disastrous results. 1930s Germany is probably the best example of this, though not the only one.

What some people seem not to understand is that I can respect the democratic right of people to vote for whatever political party they choose without having to pretend that I think all political choices are equally acceptable. It is not antidemocratic to express the opinion that some political stances are despicable.

Can you back that up about the French model? Because Farage has been vague.

Both France and Poland spend far more on healthcare than the UK. There’d be something badly wrong if it wasn’t better.