I Pretended to Be a Reform UK Councillor Candidate for 3 Days – The Online Abuse Was Worse Than I Expected
A social experiment that exposed raw tribalism on both sides of the British political divide on X
For three days last month, I ran a quiet social experiment on X. I created a fake profile posing as a Reform UK councillor candidate that thoses pose “shouldn’t be here”. To make it more provocative, I presented myself as a non-UK nationalist who claimed to have settled here and was now running for local office under Reform’s banner and running to be a councillor.
The goal was simple: observe how people react to a foreign-sounding voice supporting Reform UK policies and in British local politics.
What I saw in the replies, quote tweets, and direct messages was eye-opening – and often deeply unpleasant.
The Setup
I kept the profile relatively low-key but consistent: a bio mentioning Reform UK values, net zero scepticism, concerns over mass immigration, and a strong emphasis on British sovereignty and made an ai poster of me as a non Uk nationalist. I used a generic photo ai image of myself and made ai turn me into a “non-UK nationalist” (stock image of a professional-looking man) and posted standard Reform-adjacent content – criticism of illegal boat crossings, worries about housing pressure, and support for tougher integration rules.
The twist? My persona openly identified as coming from outside the UK but claimed to “love Britain enough to fight for it politically.” This was designed to test whether the message or the messenger mattered more.
The Reactions
The responses fell into two main camps, both surprisingly hostile in their own ways:
From the Left:
Many replies were instant, venomous, and personal. Accusations of racism, “fascism,” and “you don’t belong here” came thick and fast. Several users expressed open disgust that a “foreigner” would dare support Reform UK. Some celebrated the idea of deporting people like my persona, ironically echoing the very policies they claim to oppose. Others descended into crude insults about my (fake) ethnicity and origins. The sheer volume of dehumanising language was striking – as if supporting controlled immigration instantly made someone subhuman.
From “Restore Britain” Types and Hard Nationalists:
This side was equally shocking, but for different reasons. A vocal group attacked me for not being “British enough.” Despite my persona’s strong support for Reform policies, some accused me of being a plant, a traitor, or “not one of us.” Comments ranged from “go back to your own country” to elaborate conspiracy theories about foreigners infiltrating nationalist movements. The purity-testing and gatekeeping were intense. Even when agreeing with the policy points, the messenger was rejected outright by parts of the online right.
From “Reform UK ” Welcoming Me:
Reform UK seemed to welcome me I don’t know if it’s because I said I was born here and worked on a farm. But a lot of Reform councillors welcomed me after I announced I was running to be a “councillor” in the next local elections.
Both Restore and the left showed their extremes revealed something important: both said about trumps policy. The left hated the ideas and the perceived outsider. Certain corners of the right hated the outsider regardless of the ideas.
Key Takeaways
Online discourse around immigration and national identity remains extremely raw in 2026.
Reform UK’s growing support clearly triggers strong reactions – both from those who see it as a threat and those who feel it doesn’t go far enough.
Pretending to be a non-native supporter exposed how identity politics works in both directions. Principles are secondary when tribal instincts kick in.
The speed and aggression of replies suggest many people are engaging emotionally first, factually never.
It also showed that all though the left like asylum seekers they don’t like them when they have right wing views
Also people threatened to turn up at my “farm” and steel the animals and destroy the crops.
This was just one small experiment with a single fake account. Imagine what real candidates and their families go through and MPs go through
What surprised me most wasn’t the existence of toxicity (we all know it exists), but how quickly and viciously it emerged from both the expected left-wing spaces and segments of the nationalist right.
Britain’s political conversation is broken. Experiments like this show exactly where the fractures are.
It also shows the UK is in decline and shows us what it currently is.
To end this social experiment I’m (Ryan) getting a load of people are still bringing this up even though I have said it’s a social experiment and I’m currently writing this report which is here.
