Dear John,
Last week, I visited Runcorn ahead of the Runcorn and Helsby Parliamentary by-election. After speaking to local residents and businesses, the conclusion was obvious: it looks VERY likely that Reform WILL win there on May 1st.
But I wanted to dive deeper…to find out what’s at the heart of this massive political shift towards the far-right.
I asked the people of Runcorn a number of questions…about parties, leaders, policies, and the state of British politics in general. Their responses were revealing…and extremely concerning.
In this constituency, which has been represented by a Labour MP since 1983, I found clear anger and frustration toward Starmer's government. As a result of that, the anti-establishment message pushed by Nigel Farage and the Reform party appeared to be gaining traction. Their criticisms of immigration, globalisation, and 'wokism' were resonating with voters - which may explain why Starmer has recently adopted very similar rhetoric.
Some people even refused to speak to me outright, citing a (completely irrational) fear of being imprisoned for speaking out against Labour and Starmer. We’ll be posting some of these conversations with the people of Runcorn on our social media channels soon…keep an eye out for those.
Frustration with Starmer was definitely a factor but the underlying reason for Reform’s growing popularity was clear: ordinary people do not feel represented in this democracy. Across every part of the political spectrum, people are fed up.
* They don’t think their vote matters.
* They don’t think politics is working for them.
* They don’t think anyone in Westminster cares about them.
The result? A vote for the group they see as ‘the outsiders’ and ‘the disruptors’ – in this case, Reform UK.
We can see this in the polls:
That’s why Open Britain is working to repair the cracks in our democracy - so they can’t be exploited by the likes of Nigel Farage with his snake oil promises. We’ll continue to expose Farage for what he is – but the more important job involves forcing wholesale and lasting change to our political system so that everyone - including those drawn to support Reform through frustration or desperation - has a democracy that works for them.
Through our work with the APPG for Fair Elections, we’ve fought in Parliament for:
* A more representative voting system, giving everyone a voice and a vote that counts.
* Helping people use their democratic rights, so they can hold leaders accountable all the time; not just at elections.
* Stronger regulation of ‘dark money’ and disinformation, to stop the far-right bile promoted by Farage poisoning political debate.
Strengthening our democracy will weaken Reform and protect Britain from authoritarianism. More importantly, it will give people in this country more of a choice, expanding our electoral options and letting us choose the future we actually want – and not just vote out of vengeance or spite.
Runcorn is emblematic of a greater shift happening across the country. Starmer’s government has, as yet, failed to take on the challenge and confront the populist right with a real agenda to empower people democratically in this country.
That fight is only just beginning, and Open Britain is working hard in Parliament and beyond to ensure that democracy is prioritised over distractions – starting with the three objectives laid out above.
Donate to Open Britain today if you’re able, and sincere thanks for your continued support.
All the best,
James Patrick
Campaigns and Content Officer
Open Britain
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