Earlier this year, researchers at Imperial College London<\/a> found a \u201csignificant positive association\u201d between high street vacancy rates and the popularity of Reform\u2019s predecessor, UKIP.<\/p>\n Reform UK channels resentment in two directions at once, explains Duffy.<\/p>\n \u201cPopulist appeals point upwards to a distant elite holding all the power, and outwards to groups \u2013 particularly immigrants \u2013 who are portrayed as taking what should be yours. There\u2019s a lot of resentment at the core of it, tied very closely to these feelings of powerlessness.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n From the \u201ctake back control\u201d slogan of Brexit to the more recent \u201conly Reform will take back control over our borders\u201d, this is clear in right-wing sloganeering.<\/p>\n Four in 10 Britons feel they have \u201cno influence at all\u201d over national decision making; among Reform UK supporters, this spikes to 56%. Only non-voters (60%) register a higher tally.<\/p>\n Advertising helps fund Big Issue\u2019s mission to end poverty<\/p>\n Reform UK supporters and non-voters are also the most negative about their role in local decision making \u2013 45% and 51% respectively feel that they have no influence at all, compared to 30% nationally.<\/p>\n This feeling is intimately linked to service decline. The survey shows a collapse in confidence that public services will respond to complaints.<\/p>\n \u201cThe big change has been in whether services are seen as responsive,\u201d Duffy says. \u201cThe proportion of people disagreeing that services listen to complaints has doubled. That reflects years of pressures.\u201d<\/p>\n The researchers asked respondents to tally the institutions they have the most and least trust in.<\/p>\n When the public are asked which services, from a list of 19, are least likely to prioritise their interests, local councils are the most frequently chosen answer, selected by 28% of people. This places them on par with private landlords<\/a> (27%) for negative public perception.<\/p>\n Government benefits offices (26%), utility providers (24%) and the police (22%) are seen as next least likely to put people\u2019s interests first, while few say the same of hotels (6%), restaurants (7%), supermarkets (7%) and schools (8%).<\/p>\n Advertising helps fund Big Issue\u2019s mission to end poverty<\/p>\n Local councils in particular face a difficult task.<\/p>\n \u201cCouncils cover an awful lot of services and have a lot of touch points with people,\u201d Duffy says. \u201cIt only takes one or two bad experiences \u2013 whether it\u2019s parking, housing, or education \u2013 to colour your whole view. On top of that, they\u2019ve had huge funding cuts for years, with more of their budgets swallowed by social care. It\u2019s a tough ask.\u201d<\/p>\n By contrast, institutions with direct, personal interactions \u2013 such as restaurants, supermarkets, banks, or GP surgeries \u2013 are rated much more positively. \u201cIf you\u2019re face to face, or there\u2019s a strong commercial imperative to fix the problem, people feel more listened to,\u201d says Duffy. \u201cThe NHS also benefits from a kind of national affection that gives it a head start, even when people struggle to access services.\u201d<\/p>\n As democratic disconnect grows and public services fail to improve, Reform is waiting in the wings.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople want to feel that things are getting better,\u201d Duffy says. \u201cUntil they do, the sense of powerlessness will remain\u2026 that\u2019s worrying for the government and for all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this?\u00a0Get in touch and tell us more<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Advertising helps fund Big Issue\u2019s mission to end poverty<\/p>\n Reader-funded since 1991 \u2013 Big Issue brings you trustworthy journalism that drives real change.<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Support-journalism-in-article-CTA.png\")
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