Mumsnet founder tells Labour and Tories 'get your act together' or face elections protest vote from London mothers

The battle for the “ London Mums” vote has ramped up ahead of Thursday’s local elections .

Political parties are seeking to win over mothers, and other voters, in the capital with many council seats expected to be decided by very small majorities.

Nigel Farage has claimed, in an exclusive interview with The Standard, that London mums are turning to Reform UK, partly over the level of crime in the capital.

Labour, the Tories and other parties rejected his claim as the elections for all 32 boroughs in the capital were looming.

Speaking exclusively to The Standard, Mumsnet founder Justine Roberts said: “So the message, I think, really is that the big two parties need to get their act together or perhaps there will be a protest vote at the next election.

“But it’s not really out of any great enthusiasm for the Reform candidates.”
She explained further: “It’s fair to say that there has been an increase in support for Reform on Mumsnet over the last 12 to 18 months.

“That said when we delve into it it seems to be that it is more dissatisfaction with the current Government and pressures around the cost-of-living, pressure on public services that is driving that change.

“It’s more of a drop in support for Labour than a surge of support for Reform.

“In fact, people are not really that big fans of Nigel Farage when it comes down to it.”
The Reform leader has described his party’s London mayoral candidate Laila Cunningham as a “very powerful” figure on speaking up for London mothers.

“There's an element, of course, of Layla that is the vigilante mum who's been out to try and sort of citizens arrest people who've threatened her children,” he said.

“But, I mean, there's somebody who's brought up seven kids in central London.

“London, of course, has problems, huge problems.

She certainly believes that law and order, a lack of feeling safe is now in London at the top of the list.”
But speaking to The Standard , Tory leader Kemi Badenoch challenged Mr Farage’s claim about London mothers.

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“I don't think that they are going to Reform,” she said.

She added: “London mums should vote Conservative because we care about children, we care about families.

“I'm a mother of three young children myself, and you know, we have been forcing Labour to do more for children's safety.”
She stressed that the Tories had piled pressure on the Government into taking a stronger line on banning social media for under 16s and on phones in schools.

Dawn Butler, chair of London Labour MPs, tore into the Reform leader, saying: “Nigel Farage doesn’t speak for London mums and never will.

“He represents division, hatred and dog whistle politics, everything that London rejects.”
The Brent East MP added: “Labour is delivering real support for families, expanding free childcare to 30 hours from nine months old alongside universal provision, saving families up to £7,500 a year, creating 100,000 new nursery places and rolling out Best Start Family Hubs.”#
Twickenham Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson stressed: "Nigel Farage claiming to speak for London mums is laughable.

“Reform's Trump-style politics isn't welcome in our brilliant capital which thrives on the values of tolerance and diversity.”
A Green Party spokesperson said: “Nigel Farage is a snake oil salesman offering fake solutions to the very real problems people are facing.”