There's a Reason Some Populist Views Are Popular

Froma Harrop on May 12, 2026

The British election should serve as a warning to Democrats who let their left fringe run riot with scant criticism. Too many Democratic strategists and friends in the progressive media read the noise coming from the far left as evidence of broader public opinion than warranted, even among Democrats. Then come voting day, turned-off moderates make them lose.

Britain's voters just battered the Labour Party over what many perceived as social disorder amid uncontrolled immigration. Many were incensed by the influx of migrants from Muslim-majority countries, some prone to crime and violence. The obsession by many over Israel and the Gaza War further fueled an outburst in attacks on British Jews.

Britain, it seems, has a silent majority that didn't want to speak their minds through confrontations with screaming lefties, many recorded for posterity by a wall of cellphones. Reform UK set off the political earthquake by breaking Britain's old two-party reign. Labour had been the party in power, having replaced the Conservatives in 2024. Many Conservative voters, angered by their party's failure to defend their border as well as their national identity, deserted the party.

Anger grew that arrivals rushing off rubber rafts onto British soil were immediately offered benefits courtesy of taxpayers. Almost all had requested asylum, and most were granted protection against removal while their cases crawled through the bureaucracy.

That resembled the policy under Joe Biden until the last months of his term. It was a big reason Democrats lost the presidency to Donald Trump for the second time. Border crossers typically claimed asylum and were allowed to remain in the United States until their cases were heard, often years in the future. This was a big reason Democrats lost the presidency to Donald Trump for a second time.

Reform UK is a right-wing populist, anti-immigration party. Its leader, Nigel Farage, had long been dismissed by British elites.

Prominent voices in Labour and the far smaller, more radical Green Party attributed the left's losses to rampant racism. It appears, however, that a good number of Reform UK voters were immigrants themselves worried about the same matters as the native-born.

What does the vote in Britain have to do with our Democrats? Many on their left flank have made Gaza their all-consuming issue, ignoring far bloodier conflicts elsewhere, not to mention issues germane to their own districts. That group is heavily represented by liberals who are economically comfortable and so don't worry much about losing their health coverage. For many younger progressives swimming in social media, politics is for performance, not about governance.

Shortly before Britain's election, Zia Yusuf, a Reform UK spokesman, threatened to place immigrant detention centers in areas that voted for the Greens. These facilities are deemed undesirable to the surrounding community. Yusuf argued that Green supporters should live with what they would push onto others. Green Party leaders framed the warning as "racist" or "cruel."

It's interesting, however, that New York City's new socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani, has chosen the East Village for a men's homeless intake center. About 70% of voters in the super lefty neighborhood backed Mamdani for mayor. But residents rose in revolt against placing the center where they live. A judge has issued a temporary restraining order on the project.

It's lazy to dismiss political movements like Reform UK or MAGA in this country as slop for right-wing populists. On matters like immigration, there is good reason for concern. Sure, racist attitudes can seep into discussions on how many and which immigrants are let into the country. But the issue also touches on such important matters as national security, wages and public spending.

There's a reason some populist views are popular.

Follow Froma Harrop on X @FromaHarrop. She can be reached at fharrop@gmail.com. To find out more about Froma Harrop and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators webpage at www.creators.com.

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