I discuss the findings with @thinksinsight.bsky.social's Jennings, @psurridge.bsky.social and colleague PolHome's @alaintolhurst.bsky.social in this week's episode of The Rundown

podfollow.com/politicshome...

Rival attacks on Reform up to now have largely focused on racism (Labour), left-wing / "socialist" on economy (Tories), and soft on Putin (everyone)

This new @thinksinsight.bsky.social research suggests little experience / high risk are the biggest concerns in the minds of voters unsure where to go

But the research showed just how remarkably "sticky" Reform's 'strong' support is atm

There is a 25% that, "when presented with any weaknesses or concerns about the party, they tend to dismiss them as untrue or unimportant, or flip them around and say they are actually a strength of the party"

"While this group of voters accept Reform’s strengths, they do have some clear reservations*," said
@thinksinsight.bsky.social director Allie Jennings

*Lack of experience; no plans, apart from on immigration; a risky choice

There was also wariness about Farage himself among this 'soft' group

Maybe “locally avoided”?

www.politicshome.com/thehouse/art...

CST: 'we utterly reject his message of hate and division. His so-called support for our community is not welcome or helpful'

That was 2021. I hope + anticipate similar sentiments in 2025

@benshimshon.bsky.social and I did a bit of polling on this earlier in the year- quite interesting on who cares most about the broken promise
www.politicshome.com/news/article...

This is excellent and urgent.

www.nytimes.com/2006/08/20/s...

Perhaps a kind of Crocodile Dundee version? This is not chaos. THIS is chaos… ?

The takeaway:

👉 Accommodating the radical right on immigration doesn’t win back voters.
👉 It alienates the progressive base.
👉 And it raises the salience of the very issue the radical right owns.
In short: it’s electoral self-harm.

Longer thread with detailed results here bsky.app/profile/turn...