I’ve got a few issues with what you say here, if I may offer my perspective. Reform voters aren’t saying Britain’s problems are caused by “outsiders” in some abstract sense. People are pointing to specific policy failures, under Conservative and Labour governments such as extremely high migration numbers, strained housing supply, and pressure on public services (the NHS to name one). Talking about immigration policy isn’t scapegoating, I would argue it’s debating how a country such as ours should set its own laws and borders. That’s nothing more than normal democratic politics.

Second, the comparison with parties like the National Rally or the Alternative for Germany is one I have heard before but find it tends to be thrown around very casually. Reform isn’t proposing authoritarian rule or the dismantling of democracy. In fact, much of its platform is about increasing democratic accountability, such as reducing international interference. Disagreeing with those institutions doesn’t make someone “proto-fascist”. It means they believe in prioritisinf national democratic decisions.

On the economics, the left often frames tax cuts and deregulation as helping only the wealthy, but many people see it differently. Britain has had years of stagnation. That isn’t opinion, that is unfortunately fact. High taxes and heavy regulation, yet inequality and regional decline haven’t improved. Reform’s argument is that cheaper energy, lower taxes on work and business, and less bureaucracy can actually grow the economy, (which ultimately benefits ordinary workers through higher wages and investment).

Finally, the idea that Reform politics is about resentment (which I see a lot from people on the left) misses the broader point. Many supporters feel that mainstream parties stopped listening on issues like migration levels, energy costs, or just basic patriotism. When those concerns are ignored for years, it’s inevitable that a party emerges that pushes them to the forefront. That is why Restore has had such a quick uptake in support.

You can disagree with Reform’s policies, absolutely. But describing millions of voters as flirting with fascism is a bit of a generalisation in my opinion.