Mumsnet is now backing Reform UK - survey

[IwantToRetire]

The ladies are for turning after all – as a new survey reveals that one in five of the politically engaged mothers on the social networking site are ready to pledge allegiance to Nigel Farage

https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/mumsnet-labour-reform-school-gates-keir-starmer-b2894524.html

Also in full at https://archive.is/V5P6n

The graph shows a bigger picture, its important to look at it all, not just the last two surveys.

Labour have always lead the poll, but now reform are leading. Only just, but the have polled higher than the Conservatives ever had, even when conservatives won national elections.

So if a traditional labour poll is moving towards Reform, its an indication that reform will do well in an election and could take labour seats.

I think a lot of left leaning middle class people don’t understand that traditionally Labour voters, particularly in the north, could swing to Reform. They seem to think it’s just Tories swinging to Reform. Like it or not, a lot of working class (and some middle class people as this is probably showing) people are totally fed up of both Labour and the Tories, and just want change.

As pp have said, the biggest group in this poll is the politically homeless, which I find unsurprising.

And I think it’s the “other” line that tells this story, because everywhere else there is a protest vote swing to the Greens, everyone overimpressed by Polanski etc. You’d expect the “other” line to be higher. But it’s not here.

I think they do. That's why they snear.

Nothing like the left for being snobs and politically intolerant.

In case anyone is interested - journalist request re follow up article on this survey. For the Telegraph
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/media_requests/5470768-media-request-has-your-political-allegiance-shifted-to-reform

I cant find any mention or request from MNHQ about taking part in this survey, nor them having published the results. I wonder how participants were selected.

Even if a significant proportion of Mumsnetters are considering voting otherwise than Labour for the first time, I don't think Kier Starmer will care: he doesn't like 'uppity' women with opinions contrary to his (the evidence for this being his behaviour when having to encounter such women in dealing with members of the public or fellow politicians).

But if MN is as reliable a bellwether of voter intentions as newspapers are saying, I hope Labour Ministers like Brigit Phillipson and Jess Phillips will feel some worry that their betrayal of their fellow women may come home to roost. Although, the current crop of Cabinet members have quite the brass necks on them so I'm not holding my breath...

I don’t think Mumsnet is the place to find reform voters .

The steepest up-tick is for “not sure”. So most people there are moving away from Labour but don’t know where else to go/politically homeless. I didn’t answer the poll but that’s defo how I feel. Usually I’d go to Lib Dem or Green but won’t now because of their GI policies… Don’t fancy Reform….

Have a read of @Pingponghavocposts, she covers it well.

@hattie43I’m not sure it is either but maybe a poll picks it up more

Up to 2024, the data is from the MN survey, so it makes sense that there are a lot of 'dont knows' because users are answering a general survey and maybe havent thought about it, or dont want to say.

Since 2024 the data is from politics tracker survey. I dont know if it is significant, but it could have attracted people who are politically engaged, therefore the 'dont knows' fell. Or it could have been that the survey was carried out nearer to an election?

The last survey was august/September 2025, was that before the greens gained popularity?

Exactly. Talk about a misleading headline

I voted for Labour in the last GE, and I bitterly regret it now.

Never again.

What I find most depressing is that I can just picture a whole swathe of Labour supporters looking at those figures (all of them) and, instead of saying, 'Why?' and starting a conversation, the first reaction will be to sneer and the second will be to pop on here to scold.

💯 this and the thread in chat is a spectacular example.

Can you tell me which party you think would be better? I’m not saying the current govt are perfect by any means, but I’m curious to know which other party would be preferable and why?

I’m definitely in the politically homeless cohort rather than any one party but it’s possible I might consider a tactical vote a number of ways, depending on the likely result.

Ha I hadn't even seen the thread in Chat!

I am currently one of the disenfranchised, but I am closely watching one of the opposition parties who appear to be moving in the right direction.

I prefer not to say which one, in order to avoid the potential for a pile on.

My answer to this would be 'literally anyone'. A dead houseplant would be better than Labour, at least it's not going to viciously suppress free speech and call you a bigot if you recognise basic reality like gravity, and two sexes in all mammals.

I will vote at the next election, not spoil my ballot as I've done previously and it'll be anyone who recognises basic reality such as the fact there are two sexes and grass appears green to most people. If a politician can't get that right, they're not to be trusted.

Yep. I think more and more people are getting fed up with the sneering and scolding. Tg

I live in a conservative area that could potentially swing Reform. So for the first time in my life, I’d consider voting Tory as a tactical vote.

Me too, especially as my Tory MP is actually a very good constituency MP. Reform round here are idiots. One is a neighbour of mine.

I’m pretty sure I filled in that survey. I’d have indicated don’t know/undecided. I was previously an active LD for decades.

Exactly this.
Labour have lost their traditional voting cohort of young working class men. I had 3 workmen over the other month (ages were around 23, 25 and 30) - and overheard them chatting about the budget, all of them were voting reform and were nightly hacked off about paying for people ‘who choose not to work’ - in their words. It’s a fundamental shift in voting.

They don’t feel better off and the narrative is that benefit claimants are better off - they don’t have children yet. I’m not sure 3 people are a good representative of course. TBH - they were lovely guys - hard working, funny and just normal lads. The sort of voter that should be voting labour and that labour should represent.

Probably self employed and not in a union, so I don't know how they fit into Labour's understanding of the world - but how many union members work in traditional industrial and manufacturing jobs now?

There are many things that left leaning middle class people don't understand:

-non-urban issues esp rural poverty & crime
-stuff that is popular with the working classes such as football and the royal family
-non-office jobs
-patriotism

Crucially too many of them are not interested in understanding.

I'm politically homeless and I genuinely don't want to have to keep spoiling my ballot.