.svg)
Image - Andrew Teoh
This article was originally published on Jun 30, 2025
Nigel Farage’s right-wing populist party, Reform UK, recently made significant gains in the English local elections and has cemented itself as a serious threat to the two main political parties. For many, the party’s sudden rise raises questions, especially considering that when it was first launched as the Brexit Party in 2018, it was not widely seen as a credible political force. So, how did this happen? And why are increasing numbers of young people aged 18–24 now voting for Reform?
Public trust in the UK’s traditional two-party system has sharply declined, particularly among younger generations. Many young people feel overlooked, believing that neither Labour or the Conservatives genuinely represent their future. This erosion of confidence has created space for alternative political movements- most notably, Reform UK. The party presents itself as offering new solutions to unlock the UK’s potential, which it claims has been destroyed by 30 years of Labour and Conservative rule.
Reform has capitalised on one issue above all others: immigration. While many rightly criticise the party’s rhetoric as racist or discriminatory, it is one of the few parties offering a clear and hardline stance. This no-nonsense approach appeals to a substantial portion of the electorate, including some young men, especially those facing economic hardship, job rejections, or underemployment.
As youth anxiety over employment rises, it becomes easier to blame migrants rather than examine deeper systemic issues caused by successive governments. This narrative has been strategically fuelled by Reform’s use of misleading or exaggerated statistics, often spread via social media.
Farage and other Reform figures target young men aged 17–19, many of which are coming across political content online for the first time. Farage, for instance, has repeatedly claimed that immigration is the root cause of the UK’s housing crisis, stating that Britain needs to “build a new house every two minutes” for migrants. This narrative oversimplifies the real, long-term causes of the housing shortage, which primarily stem from underinvestment and structural failings in affordable housing. Yet these deceptive talking points have proven effective in gaining support, especially among young men across the country.
Pressure from Reform and the broader right has already begun reshaping mainstream political discourse. Labour leader Keir Starmer, who once promoted a pro-immigration stance, recently referred to Britain as an “island of strangers”. This shift reflects a political climate increasingly influenced by populist pressure and suggests a broader move to the right.
This rightward shift parallels trends in the United States, particularly the rise of Donald Trump in 2016. Trump’s populist campaign was marked by misinformation and theatrical slogans, tactics mirrored by Farage’s Brexit campaign. This includes the infamous and inaccurate claim that £350 million a week could be redirected to the NHS.
British politics has increasingly adopted elements of American-style culture wars and confrontational debates for entertainment. If this trajectory continues, electing a right-wing populist party may not be surprising.
Reform UK echoes many of Trump’s talking points, including anti-woke sentiments and opposition to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion initiatives. These themes resonate with a subsection of young men online who feel modern progressive movements marginalise white, heterosexual men.
Influential figures such as Andrew Tate, Jordan Peterson, Charlie Kirk, Ben Shapiro, and Tommy Robinson have cultivated large followings among young men who are coming to terms with their identities and political beliefs. Their messaging taps into these uncertainties, often portraying feminists, immigrants, and LGBTQ+ people as threats to male identity and freedom.
In the UK, Tommy Robinson is particularly notorious for spreading manipulated narratives in his YouTube documentaries to incite anti-Muslim sentiment. He repeatedly claims that 80% of grooming gangs in the UK are Muslim—a figure that has been debunked by the Home Office. Such misinformation, often presented as "uncomfortable truths", draws young men into what’s commonly called the “alt-right pipeline”: a process of radicalisation via social media that frames far-right views as simply “telling it like it is”.
It is crucial to recognise that many of these young men are not inherently racist, sexist, or homophobic. Rather, they are vulnerable to manipulation due to their disillusionment with an economic and political system they perceive as working against them. Online influencers provide easy explanations for society’s failures- often by blaming “the other”.
Far-right rhetoric exploits legitimate frustrations but diverts them into harmful scapegoating. Feminism is misrepresented as anti-male, while movements like Black Lives Matter are twisted into perceived threats against white people; prompting reactionary responses like “Not All Men” or “All Lives Matter”.
Not every young man who supports Reform UK holds far-right views. However, a concerning number are being drawn into an ideology rooted in anti-immigration, anti-feminist, and anti-progressive beliefs.
The challenge is not only to counter false narratives but also to rebuild a political culture in which young people feel genuinely represented, listened to, and empowered—without having to resort to division, blame, or extremism.
.svg)
Access all articles, events, career resources, and our regularly updated News Matrix. It's free!
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
