What I would like to ask Reform supporters what are the specific Reform policies they support?

[CurlewKate]

Just that really. I am a Labour voter, and I know what Labour policies I support. I think I know what Conservative and Lib Dem policies their supporters like. I don't know about Reform.

Every Reform voter I’ve ever spoken to a) talks about immigration (when usually they actually mean refugees) and b) talks about what a good bloke Nigel is and how he speaks for the people.

I watched a fair bit of the coverage last night and the Reform representative was aggressive and kept wanging on about the country being taken over etc. They know it’s what their voters want to hear.

Reform’s policies don’t stack up fiscally but people seem utterly uninterested. It’s like fucking Brexit all over again.

As far as I can tell, Reform voters believe that if we just sort out the “immigrants” and have a man of the people in charge, everything will be rosy.

The lack of coherent policies or the wherewithal to implement them seems to be surplus to requirements.

I think that’s actually why I feel so despondent. I’m not a Tory, I’m left-wing. I don’t feel despondent when the Conservatives win. A bit frustrated or irritated yes. Worried about what it might mean for vulnerable people, yes. But although I might disagree with the Tories, they do actually know how to run a government.

I don’t think Reform have got a clue. They’re like rowdy teenagers who have nicked the keys to a car - no clue what they’re going to do, but you can guarantee it will be a mess.

And not a single Reform voter I’ve ever met has demonstrated otherwise.

Look on the bright side. People in English local authorities where they've done well will see them in action, (mis?)managing bill collections and bus routes for a few years and will be put off voting for them in the more serious General Election. It will be illuminating.

I would respond to your points that:

A) the majority of the British population has been against high levels of immigration since polling on the issue started. Whether they mean refugees or economic migrants, ultimately studies have consistently shown that certain groups are disproportionately impacted by the disadvantages of immigration whilst other groups have disproportionately from large scale immigration. We supposedly live in a democracy. Why is it wrong for people to want a party that seem more dedicated towards bringing immigration down? Will their policies be completely workable? Probably not, but neither have Labour or Tory policies been on this issue.

B) Labour had an astonishing lack of coherent policies in the last election. Other than putting VAT on school fees, everything else was unclear and has often been seriously diluted. They have of course managed to implement ideological policies they said they wouldn't though like lifting the two child benefit cap. Implementing change is difficult, look at Labour and the Assisted Dying Bill. It won't be easy for Reform either but people obviously prefer their direction of travel.

C) Labour's policies have never stacked up financially either. Why doesn't this bother you? Do you think raising taxes on businesses has been good for the economy or anyone? All Labour know how to do is tax and spend and people have had enough. The irony that you accuse Reform of so much that Labour have already proven they are guilty of too.

@SpidersAreShitheads yep, it seems that people have been hypnotised by immigration promises and a vision of 1950s Britain. I can’t for the life of me see how a business like Reform plc funded by tax dodging overseas crypto ponzi billionaires who will want something in exchange for their “investment” will be prioritising the needs of the ordinary tax paying British person if they are ever in government. I just can’t understand why they believe Farage speaks for the British people when he spends so much time disparaging the UK overseas. He has complete distain for the very people who seem to trust him. The answer to any questions put to a Reform supporter is always met by, ‘yes, but what about the boats?’. It scares the fuck out of me.

I think a lot of people would have voted reform as the best chance to keep the greens, who are dangerous, out.

I’m amazed that so many people voted Reform. Immigration is obviously the top issue for lots of people. And this is a fairly recent thing too, surely. Ten years ago nobody was talking about immigration , were they?

I voted Labour but the threads on Mumsnet today got me curious on what Reform's policies actually are. I went on their website to read up on them.

They are very vague in the How's and I can see how that there could be disastrous consequences if they were applied. But I can see the appeal of the direction of some of them, on a surface level

If we can't afford to run NHS and Schools then it does make sense to cut foreign aid to 1 billion a year

If there's a housing crisis and we don't want to lose countryside then I can see how drastically bringing down immigration would help

The small boars crisis is a disaster for everyone involved except the criminal gangs. Wouldn't immediate deportation help stem the demand for small boat crossings?

And yes, I'd love to see a real investment into British manufacturing, engineering and farming.

I do see the appeal of this kind of direction. I don't believe Reform have the brains or character to deliver. They haven't thought all the consequences through.

And I think their approach would lead to human rights disasters and that they would be as likely as all the other parties to line their own pockets at the expense of the public.

So I don't trust them, wouldn't vote for them. But I do see the appeal.

None of that answers the question of what Reform’s policies are.

That’s exactly my point - they’re a party of hate.

£20,000 personal allowance

I would hope so but I don’t think it will.

They’ll blame someone else - just like Trump supporters, Reform voters seem to suck up whatever nonsense is spewed.

Like green voters with ZP

It’s unusual to like all policies of any political party. Sometimes it’s the spirit. I notice the left of centre supporters shout the loudest.

And none of that is local election territory…

Where have you been?
Brexit was 10 years ago, and I distinctly remember seeing people reading the daily mail on the tube with headlines screaming about those dangerous Polish, Romanians or (gasp!) even the Bulgarians ‘coming over here and taking our jobs’ as far back as 2004. Day after day after day, nothing but vitriol for Eastern European migrants. I remember it distinctly as I was fairly new to this country at the time, and wondered how white people could so thoroughly hate other white European people quite so much for seemingly no good reason.
Brown or black people coming here never stood a chance.

Policies for what? National government or local government? Does any party set out a manifesto 3 years ahead of a national election??
id be intrigued if Labour have policies for local government as never seen that and I am in a labour council area. I’ve no idea what they stand for but they keep putting up the council tax.

There is a very good 2 part documentary that was on BBC2, so probably still on iplayer and it categorically shows that resistance to immigration started gaining serious ground as soon as Eastern Europe had the freedom to move and work here. We were told 40k max a year would be making the journey, we were getting 300k and more. It's not sensationalist, it's not hyperbolic, it just follows the trajectory of the immigration debate. People wanting fewer immigrants predates Brexit by more than a decade but it absolutely shows that Brexit was nailed on and the dickheads who were pushing for remain and using economics as their reasons were always going to lose. This country has wanted less inward migration for a very long time and in that time we have added 20 million people.

I’d like to know their NHS policy. There’s nothing on the website.

No it's not. I think a lot of people use these elections to signal to government the direction they want to see.

To be fair I didn't see any campaign information in my area for any of the parties so not sure what the local policies would be.

Yes, I think there was a lot of tactical voting to keep the Greens out.

Google your local Labour Party website and they will be there. For eg https://www.westminsterlabour.org.uk/

Fancy using economics as a valid reason to remain in the EU!

i mean, how stupid can you get?

They still walk among us. I thought Brexshitters had died off.

No, I don’t recall that at all. I’ve never heard anyone saying anything like that either, about polish people etc. but I just read the less emotive and more informative post after yours that explains the situation about immigration in the UK. So I get the picture, yes, and like everyone else, I guess, I wonder if the issue is ever going to be addressed.

The policies are pretty easy to find:
https://www.reformparty.uk/policies

They might not be the most comprehensive policies known to man but we are a few years away from a General Election. Leaving the ECHR for example is a key enabler for truly reforming immigration.

Well, yeah, it was as it turned out. Economics was a fucking ridiculous area to focus on, because the 'spoils' of membership weren't shared equally. And so we got what we got, the establishment being given a bloody nose.

immigration and nostalgia seem to be the main themes. Oh and pro-fossil fuel.