Ooh! British Political Stuff! What fun!

[CaptainFritz28]

To my fellow webdip policyyappers of British origin,

What is the reform party? What do they stand for? Is it any good?
I could just go and research some and find out, but it seems more entertaining to ask y'all. Leave your biases in, I want to know what you really think.

- A curious and ignorant American whose interest was piqued by you redcoats. :D

[Jamiet99uk]

They are an attention seeking right-wing party that formed out of the remnants of the "Brexit Party" after that party was rendered irrelevant because Brexit had happened. They have now largely morphed into a cult of personality for Nigel Farage since he became their leader.

Bunch of cunts who appeal to casual racists.

[Jamiet99uk]

(And, in fairness, to people who have been struggling after years of Tory cuts and mismanagement, and to whom Farage and co can offer cheap but appealing soundbites telling then to blame immigrants for everything).

[Jamiet99uk]

Reform UK's policies at the 2024 UK General Election can be summarised as:

- A freeze on immigration... well not actually because we need foreign doctors and nurses.... but, erm, people coming to the UK legally won't be able to bring their spouses or children;

- Making France responsible for UK immigration somehow;

- Massive tax cuts for small and medium-sized business;

But:
- A new mega tax on banks;
- Major tax rises for large businesses;

- A Royal Commission to propose reforms to social care;

- Massive increases in fossil fuel use;

- Ban "woke ideology" - very few specifics on this one, apparently apart from a ban on the word "transgender" being spoken in British schools;

- Tax subsidies for private fee-paying schools (presumably because that's where Farage sent his own children) - a meaningless policy for most British people whose children do not attend private schools;

- Increased funding for the NHS;

- Stop building new railways and increase the amount of vehicle traffic in London;

- Remove the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights;

- Stop public funding for the BBC.

[Octavious]

To my fellow webdip policyyappers of British origin,

What is the reform party? What do they stand for? Is it any good?
I could just go and research some and find out, but it seems more entertaining to ask y'all. Leave your biases in, I want to know what you really think.

- A curious and ignorant American whose interest was piqued by you redcoats. :D

They are the latest incarnation of UKIP, following its previous and highly successful period where it was known as the Brexit Party.

They exist now to reform the British electoral system, principally via introducing Proportional Representation, and to continue to promote the merits of Brexit.

They did rather well in the last election by being a protest vote for right wing voters (and a fair few lefties) who were fed up with Tory lies and ineptitude. Typically the sort of people who weren't afraid of Labour winning, but didn’t want to vote for Labour either.

Time will tell whether they get wiped out at the next election or whether they will become a permanent feature allied with the Tories. It is possible (but I don't think likely) that the next election will see a successful electoral pact between Reform and the Tories that will usher in a new age of PR. If anyone can achieve that, Farage can. He certainly stands more chance than the Lib Dems ever did.

[Jamiet99uk]

@Capt.Fritz:

I think myself and Octavious are the only Brits who regularly post in the politics forum, so this is probably all you're going to get.

Where did you hear about Reform UK?
What piqued your interest?
How is Nigel Farage perceived by people in America?

[CaptainFritz28]

I heard about it in a random news article, it piqued my interest because it was a splinter group from the conservative party and usually such groups are rather curious (and something we never get here in the U.S.). I don't know much of Nigel Farage, except that he was in favor of Brexit, and I don't know much of British politics in general (which I think is true of most Americans), so I can't speak to the more informed Americans' views on him.