People living in Brighton have shared their thoughts on Reform UK’s growing influence in British politics.
With Nigel Farage’s party becoming an increasingly prominent presence and local elections scheduled for May 6, reporters asked Brighton residents for their perspectives on Reform and whether they believe the party’s candidates could perform well at the polls.
Among the authorities holding elections in Sussex are both East and West Sussex County Councils, while the inaugural Sussex executive mayor will also be elected.
The Brighton and Hove full city council ballot is set for Thursday, May 6, 2027, though the exact number of Reform candidates running remains unclear.
Tom Hanrahan, who hails from Boston, Massachusetts, has resided in Brighton for several years while employed at a video games design and development company.
Reform UK has been pushing for stricter immigration controls through its ‘Operation Restoring Justice’ proposal. This policy would involve abolishing the indefinite leave to remain system.
Hanrahan stated that most people would likely agree this position is quite radical. He said he opposes it given his personal circumstances.
Conditions could be significantly worse, he noted. He is not fleeing conflict but is an immigrant who requires these policies to remain employed in the country.
Hanrahan mentioned that due to his visa status, he will need to return to America shortly.
He noted that the United States maintains strict immigration policies.
At the time of the 2024 General Election, Reform UK had 65,000 members.
By March of this year, that figure had risen to 275,000 registered members.
When asked why he believed this growth had occurred, Hanrahan suggested immigration has become the fashionable subject. It is an issue that readily resonates with voters.
All the difficulties people experience in their lives can be presented as being caused by immigrants, though this is clearly inaccurate. Immigrants work for the NHS, fill lower-paid positions, and perform various roles people do not really consider when they become frustrated about immigrants not speaking English or appearing different.
Meg Ringrose, 25, said if Reform UK gained power, the nation would simply collapse.
She described the party as full of hatred and said she does not find this appealing.
She noted that Farage is extremely skilled in how he phrases things and has specifically targeted middle class, white, older voters.
People can accept his statements at surface level without fully grasping the actual consequences, she explained.
Two former primary school classmates named Terry and Steve expressed that the country requires transformation.
Terry said he desires reliability, to be heard, and a fair system.
He said the current situation cannot persist.
He suggested Labour no longer appears to represent ordinary working people and that he feels politically abandoned.
Whatever one thinks of the so-called far right, that outcome is likely because people have become fed up, he stated.
Yvette Hall, who is worried about immigration and her granddaughter’s future, told The Argus she intends to support Reform.
Yvette, in her late fifties, said she has always backed the Conservatives but has lost confidence in them, as they seem to be creating increasingly difficult circumstances.
She explained that with a new granddaughter, she worries about her future and that her sons cannot afford housing, while others appear to arrive and receive assistance.
Hairdresser Mark Creed expressed worry that people are failing to recognise the level of backing the right-wing is attracting.
Commenting on the prevalence of Union Jack and St George’s flags appearing across Sussex, Mark observed that the number of flags on display suggests significant right-wing sentiment exists.
He noted that if Reform has support in Brighton and Oxford, the situation would be considerably more serious in other parts of the country where communities are less prosperous and diverse, so this represents a genuine concern.