The BBC traces people behind social media profiles posting hundreds of repetitive messages backing Reform UK.
"Vote Reform UK", "Only Reform UK has a real plan for Britain" - an account on X has posted these and similar messages every couple of hours since the start of the election campaign.
I spotted this pattern of comments in posts recommended to the feeds of our Undercover Voters - 24 fictional people based around the UK with social media accounts, created to investigate what content is recommended to different types of voters during the election. The profiles are private, with no friends. They just like, follow and watch relevant content.
On WhatsApp, their account is labelled as a business account for a "consulting agency", and features a profile image of a faceless cartoon figure with a microphone headset on. Some responses to my messages from GenZbloomer sounded like parody - describing how they would have to speak to a Reform Party county organiser before they spoke to me, but adding that it "should not be an issue Reform has a super lax vetting process".Some social media users have claimed comments in support of Reform UK are being posted by bots
A spokesman for Reform UK told the BBC: "We are, of course, delighted about the organic growth of online support, but with that come some accounts that are not formally associated with the party, but actively subvert and lie about who we are." The BBC's Undercover Voter profiles in Bridgend were pushed content which included the alleged bot comments
"Of course I'm a real person. I'm just fed up with the government. I'm fed up with MPs," he said. He made light of the bot claims, joking that I could call him "Martin the Bot" and telling me he was not worried that these accusations might undermine Reform UK’s social media posts. One account run by someone called Matt said: "I can assure you I'm not a bot. I'm politically homeless."
What Matt’s experience seems to show is that comments that boost the perceived support for a political party - whether they come from UK voters or inauthentic accounts - can embolden more real people to join in.
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