England’s local elections have just occurred, and like many people up and down the country, I cast my vote for the party I wanted to represent the local area. Because I am at university, I was voting in the place I study as opposed to my home area. However, both are in Lancashire. I voted for the party I felt would best represent the interests of my local area and the people in it. What I can say is that I most certainly did not vote for Reform or the Conservatives.
Reform UK sweep the floor at the local elections
Yet Reform UK absolutely swept the floor, both nationally and locally, in a victory that has left me feeling concerned about the future of my county and my country. In an article published on April 15, 2025, I voiced my fears over the rise of Reform UK in Lancashire, saying:
I don’t doubt that there are other places in Lancashire that are becoming more involved in far-right ways of thinking, and anti-immigration and racist beliefs, considering the growing trends in other areas of Lancashire, and in the country and the world as a whole. It really concerns me, and I dare say that if I am concerned and upset, then many other people will also be concerned and upset.
Growing signs of people in Lancashire embracing right wing ideology
Unfortunately, it appears that I was right about other places in Lancashire becoming involved in far-right ways of thinking. It is even more surprising to see a far-right presence at Lancaster University, where I’m studying. At a recent Stand Up to Racism and Palestine Solidarity demonstration there, organised by the Socialist Workers Party, someone shouted “Up Reform!” while driving past. Additionally, there have been worrying reports about Reform being on campus (either supporters, or the party trying to recruit – it was unclear which).
What worries me more, however, is the fact that Reform UK has taken control of Lancashire County Council, and that seven out of ten councils in the city where I go to university have been taken over by Reform UK. Alongside this, Reform and the Conservatives were voted in where I live when away from university.
This is extremely concerning and makes me worry for the safety of local residents. I say this because I worry that local residents who are part of marginalised groups, as well as queer and disabled people such as myself, will be more likely to be verbally or physically harassed by supporters of the party, due to the confidence this may have given them, and may feel as though they cannot go to their local councillor for help. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has claimed children with SEND and adults with “mental health issues” are “massively overdiagnosed”. He also has a less than favourable record on LGBTQ+ rights, and in 2014 said: “I do not support same-sex marriages”.
One small ray of light was that the more left-leaning Green Party did, surprisingly, take three of the ten councils in Lancaster, which gives me a sense of hope that maybe one day things will get better in Lancashire. Just not today.
Similar trends elsewhere in the world
Nationally, Reform UK took hundreds of seats from the Conservatives and Labour, getting approximately one-third of the vote for local councillors. With the exception of Liberal Democrats and Independent candidates, voting patterns essentially favoured the most right wing to least right wing
Lib Dems gained 129 seats, amassing a total of 320 in the elections. Independents took 80 seats, which was only 20 fewer than usual. I found this quite surprising, considering the far-right sweep taking over the nation.
The national results, however, are hardly surprising given that we have seen a global shift to the right, such as with Trump’s re-election in 2024 and the AfD (classified as extreme-right) coming in second in Germany’s recent elections. These are people who hold ideals that are very dangerous for minorities, as evidenced by Trump rolling back DEI initiatives due to a so-called ‘culture war’ on ‘woke’ people. So, is it really any surprise that I am concerned about the implications for the world, as well as the UK and Lancashire?
We are not powerless and can choose to act
As always, there are things we can do. We can sign petitions, donate to anti-racist charities, use our voices to speak up, give platforms to the voiceless, and attend peaceful protests and demonstrations. We cannot let Reform UK win.
Yes, many of us may be angry and scared right now. But we are not powerless to change things, and the sooner we realise this, the sooner we can begin to campaign for positive change.
I am appalled by this result and the implications for Lancashire now that Reform UK has taken control of Lancashire County Council. What I wrote in my previous article on the subject still stands:
Although this rise in far-right beliefs is concerning and is beginning to have an impact in local areas, and I certainly have my concerns for the sake of marginalised individuals in my area, I hope that Lancashire can show that it does not tolerate racism. We need to elevate the voices of the 13.4% of non-white people in Lancashire, and to make sure they feel safe and welcome living here. We need to use our voices and privilege to speak out against xenophobia, racism and transphobia and show Reform UK that their ideals and beliefs will not be tolerated, much less accepted and celebrated, in Lancashire.
Let’s stop Reform. Don’t let them win the next general election. If they do, we will be heading to a very dark place indeed.
