Reform’s electoral breakthrough is shocking, if not unexpected.
Clearly the disillusionment amongst voters is enormous, and Reform’s brand of scapegoating and division played on people’s fears for the future.
Reform is a thoroughly racist party (just look at the first five policies on its website) but many, many people are being duped by Farage because they are desperate for something better. Those people can be won through unity and solidarity – and by exposing Reform’s pro fat cat, pro Trump agenda.
Already the first of their candidates has resigned after his appalling comments on the rape of a Sikh women, describing Muslims as ‘rats’ and saying that white people are the master race.
Waiting in the wings are even worse forces. Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain made a local breakthrough in Great Yarmouth and are building branches around the country. Many of the more extreme elements around the far right and fascist groups are gathering around them.
This Saturday fascist Tommy Robinson is calling the far right into the streets to his ‘Unite the Kingdoms’ demo. It’s crucial that the unified march Stand Up To Racism is organising with the Palestine coalition is massive – and that we show the streets don’t belong to Robinson.
We are in for a hard fight. We have to help undermine Reform’s vote (and we believe SUTR hit their vote in some local areas) and build a movement capable of winning back those influenced by Farage – and a movement capable of turning back the far right on the streets.
Unity Marches
Glasgow
Day of rage against Reform UK shuts down Glasgow City centre in solidarity with all our neighbours, friends and workmates targeted by the far right.
Unity demonstrations in towns and cities across the country have shown what Scotland really looks like: anti-racist, united, and ready to fight back against Reform UK and the fascists trying to divide our communities.
Pics Colin Mearns
Crowborough
Unity is so important in Crowborough right now please support as much as possible share wide we have a gathering every Sunday 11-12 Crowborough Piazza TN6 1DE
Peaceful , no branding , home made signs , no chanting
Shropshire & Telford
Shropshire & Telford SUTR organised a Unity event of arts, crafts and music to bring the community together and celebrate diversity.
About 80 people came together for a joyful and emotional day, hearing first hand experiences of refugees from Ukraine, Sudan and Iran, as well as unions attending, volunteers from refugee support groups, marimba display and lesson, folk music, rapping, crafts, solidarity flag-making and food. All donated and supported by volunteers. New connections made and old connections re-established. An afternoon of joy and affirmation.
Croydon High Street
In Croydon today, we held a really successful Unity Rally on the High Street to build M16!
Over 50 activists came, and shoppers stopped to engage and join in!
Counter Protests
Bournemouth
Good turnout in Bournemouth yesterday after Reform took control of the new town councils.
40-45 on our side (loud & proud), barely 20 of them, no sign of Hampshire Resistance.
Birmingham
Britain First come to Birmingham to spread division, racism, and hatred disguised as patriotism. Their politics target migrants, Muslims, and diverse communities, standing against everything Birmingham represents. In response, Birmingham Stand Up To Racism has united anti-racist organisations, trade unions, faith groups, and community organisations to stand together against hate.
On June 20th, we will defend our city’s proud tradition of solidarity, diversity, and resistance, showing clearly that fascism and racism will never go unchallenged in Birmingham.
Oxford
Oxfordshire Patriots are having difficulty mobilising in support of Tommy Robinson’s fascist rally next Saturday – they have had to cancel the bus they hired to London.
Let’s make it a day to remember by ensuring we have many many more on our side.
Campaigning
Merseyside
Thanks to everyone who helped our Merseyside Stand Up To Racism and Women Against the Far Right stall in Liverpool today. We gave out many leaflets and had lots of conversations about the national demo to stand with Palestine and oppose Tommy Robinson and the far-right in London on the 16th May.
Lincoln
SUTR covered the whole of Castle Ward which was predicted that Reform would win by 2%. We gave out 4k leaflets in 9 days.
Labour held the ward by a 100 votes from Reform who came from 4th in 2024 to second in 2026.
Talking to people on the doorstep it’s clear working class voters are desperate for change and so are gravitating to Reform but are shocked when you point out their politics.
Help us leaflet and build for the biggest possible turn out against fascist Tommy Robinson.
Exeter
Results for the wards SUTR leafleted in Exeter
-Mincinglakelake and Whipton. Reform hold but, bucking the national trend, their vote didn’t grow. In fact it fell a little!
-St Loyes went to Lib Dems but only 5 votes in it (really glad we did this one)
-St Thomas went to the Greens with a 50 percent turnout which is v good for a local election
-Priory was sadly the only Reform gain but by only 12 votes
It’s not just the leafleting we did in the last few weeks that has an impact. In the last 9 months we had 4 big demos in Exeter, 20 plus hotel counter protests plus the media coverage we got have all helped create a strong anti racist mood in Exeter.
Norwich
We delivered thousands of SUTR leaflets across the city and it has paid dividends.
Swansea
Mixed news from Swansea
The huge east of Swansea/Neath and Brecon constituency where SUTR was unable to campaign much , delivered 3 Reform seats .
In the West of Swansea area where over 40 people delivered 13k leaflets Reform only got 2 seats . Seems like there may have only been a couple of hundred votes in it for the 6th seat!
In the West of Swansea area where over 40 people delivered 13k leaflets Reform only got 2 seats.
Finsbury Park
Despite the election results, we had one of our most lively and productive stalls to date in Finsbury Park today.
We got about 500 leaflets out for May 16th, and 20+ people to sign up for SUTR involvement.
Milton Keynes
We had a great result in MK with the local elections. Reform were predicted to take 26 council seats but anti racists weren’t having it. We mobilised and broke the Reform Vote to 9 seats . Reform had even as part of their election campaign brought in Farage and paid for Royal Mail delivery of their election flyers.
We did it by mobilising anti racists, the support of Trade Unions , The Green Party , input from Hope Not Hate and the brilliant support from Luton Anti Racists . A core of 28 people who then mobilised family , friends , neighbours launched a campaign which consisted of stalls at Central Station, Bletchley, Kingston Shopping Centre , leafletting their own wards and streets
In the final week the campaign just grew in momentum and we were able to target 5 marginal wards and leaflet door to door and do high profile stalls.
It was the shift to collective , organised leafletting that really gave momentum to our campaign.
We know we made a difference and the feeling of anti racists is pure joy.
Monitoring Group Report
The local election results have sent a shockwave through British politics. Reform UK has made major gains across England and Wales, winning council seats, taking control of authorities, and embedding itself as a serious force on the right.
But alongside the danger there were also signs of resistance, solidarity and growing anti-racist organisation. Across towns and cities anti-racists mobilised against Reform, Tommy Robinson supporters, Britain First and other fascist currents.
The elections showed how Reform feeds off anger over austerity, collapsing public services and the cost of living crisis. But activists repeatedly stressed that Reform offers only racism, scapegoating and division instead of solutions. As one activist put it, “Reform will not address that anger—they will deepen it.”
Yet the results also showed that anti-racist organising matters. In Milton Keynes activists mobilised trade unionists, Green supporters, anti-racists and local campaigners in a coordinated effort that cut Reform’s projected gains dramatically. Reform had been expected to win 26 council seats but ended with just 9. Organisers described mass leafleting, visible stalls and collective campaigning as decisive.
In Exeter activists linked months of anti-racist mobilisations—including hotel protests, demonstrations and sustained media work—to limiting Reform’s growth in key wards. In Norwich thousands of anti-racist leaflets helped create what activists described as a “strong anti-racist mood”. In Swansea campaigners noted that the areas where activists delivered 13,000 leaflets saw weaker Reform performances than neighbouring constituencies where little campaigning had been possible.
Glasgow saw hundreds march in a “day of rage” against Reform UK and the far right. Croydon held a major unity rally linking opposition to Reform with solidarity for Palestine and opposition to Islamophobia and antisemitism. Shropshire and Telford organised a multicultural unity event bringing together refugees, trade unionists and community activists. In Gosport and Portsmouth campaigners called for “love over hate” demonstrations celebrating multiculturalism and solidarity.
Crowborough has become a particular focus. Activists there described months of intimidation, protests and far right mobilisation. But they also spoke about the beginnings of resistance—weekly silent solidarity gatherings, growing local unity events and increasing anti-racist confidence.
The success of Reform Britain should also be noted with Rupert Lowe’s local offshoot Great Yarmouth first wining nine seats in Norfolk and holding the balance of power on that county council.
The danger does not stop with electoral advances. Fascist and street-racist forces continue trying to regroup around Tommy Robinson, Britain First and local far right organisations. Counter-protests took place in Bournemouth, Birmingham, St Helens and elsewhere. Campaigners are now urgently building for the national mobilisation on 16 May against Tommy Robinson and the far right.
Where the far right are challenged collectively, they can be stopped. Where anti-racist forces are absent or fragmented, Reform and fascist organisations gain confidence.
The task now is to turn that resistance into a national movement capable of confronting Reform, isolating the fascists and offering a genuine alternative to racism and despair.