Yeah, I don't think enough of the centrists consider the question of how intrusive state powers might be used by a far-right government. Despite having several demonstrations at the moment.
If Reform is far right then Corbyn's Labour was definitely far left. Certainly it is completely incorrect to label Farage "far right", he is nothing of the sort. Overall the most accurate description for Reform is probably right-wing populism.
You can't simply put a label "far right" on anything and everything on the right while, at the same time, claiming that everything on the left is only "mild social democracy" when similar left-wing populism exists if not, indeed, far left.
> Key to the far-right worldview is the notion of societal purity, often invoking ideas of a homogeneous "national" or "ethnic" community. This view generally promotes organicism, which perceives society as a unified, natural entity under threat from diversity or modern pluralism. Far-right movements frequently target perceived threats to their idealized community, whether ethnic, religious, or cultural, leading to anti-immigrant sentiments, welfare chauvinism, and, in extreme cases, political violence or oppression.
I don’t know, that sounds pretty spot on for the current global wave of right-wing populism, including Reform.
What's spot on is the trend to label anything or anyone in favour of cuts to immigration as "far right", and to extrapolate that being broadly "anti-immigration" means being effectively for "racial purity" with Mein Kampf on the bedside table. This is transparently false but insidious and it obviously seems to have taken roots as you show.
It does not help healthy debates on such important issues, but perhaps that's exactly the point.
These parties are not far right for favoring cuts to immigration. They’re far right for harping on about native whites getting replaced and referring to migrants like they’re some sort of infestation.
> In a widely seen video on Twitter former UKIP leader Nigel Farage claimed that new census figures showed that "London, Birmingham and Manchester are all now minority white cities".
> “125,000 illegal migrants have crossed the English Channel in nearly 4,000 boats since 2018. You can use what ever word you like for it, but I think invasion is appropriate — and millions of people agree with me.”
That's being anti mass immigration and populist, not "far right" and I can tell you that outside of Western liberal circles this is considered a mild, if not matter of fact, take on things.
The Chinese even have a term for this Western/European ideology that is self-loathing and accepting of anything on the altar of "diversity" and refusing to face issues such as mass immigration: "white left" (and that's coming from a country ruled by a Communist Party). So, apparently most of the world is actually "far right"...
"In March 2024, the BBC called the party far-right but soon retracted its statement and apologised to Reform UK, writing that describing the party as far-right "fell short of our usual editorial standards" [1] (Can't accuse the BBC of being biased in favour of right-wing politics, I think)
In France the largest party is Parliament is labelled "far right". That being the case then the third largest party is "far left" and could be in government depending on next elections and, especially, on possible coalitions.
We must be living in parallel universes with HN being our only interdimensional link.
On the far-right, we have authoritarian politicians openly mingling with fascists and neonazis. Le Pen in France, Reform in UK, whatever parties in Germany and Italy... Not to speak of the counties where they are _already_ in power like Hungary.
On the far-left we have... well actually, who is left enough that they'd be as "far" as the fascists and neonazis are on the right of the spectrum? I'm not aware of any party or politician with any sort of influence that'd be that far left. Is anyone proposing full-on marxism? USSR-style or chinese-style central planning (not that anyone on the left considers these a model to repeat)? The "communist" and "socialist" parties are wayyyy more centrist. The political horseshoe actually looks more like a hook.
Could you explain how Reform UK is "far right", and which neonazis and fascists Reform politicians are mingling with?
I am from the UK, and follow UK politics closely. Seems I missed these "far right" policy announcements and neonazi affiliations?
I read one mention of a local councillor who'd shared an inappropriate post and was immediately suspended from the party. Is that how you're concluding that Reform UK is a nazi-adjacent party?
Le Penn and Reform are slightly to the right of centre.
Anyone that goes againt the replacement of the native populations of Europe is being smeared as far right.
Talking about "parallel universe", to claim that Le Pen or Reform UK are authoritarian and "openly mingling with fascists and neonazis" is pure fantasy.
But if that's what you think then surely many left-wing parties in Europe must be far left, too. For instance when the leader of the main left-wing party (and 3rd largest party in Parliament) in France says that he wants to get rid of capitalism.
You're posting this in a thread about an article where a bunch of "left" politicians are trying to pass sweeping surveillance legislation. Yet you expect people to take their proclamations that they just want "functional healthcare" at face value?
I have yet to see a single communist that can discuss like a rational human being. They have no problem with contradiction, non-sense, things that plainly do not work, things that are false, things that are false sometimes (when they need them to be) but are otherwise true.
Not once, not in any debates, online, or in real life. It's truly a virus of the psyche. It is remarkable.
If you use random social media posts and memes from a low level party member you can equally argue that Labour is a nest of dangerous communists and Hamas sympathisers, and make similar absurd claims against all parties.
