They might not be the most dangerous, but the FBPE crowd are without doubt the largest group most willing to believe conspiracy theories and fake news, which is particularly surreal because they were in power in the UK for so long, and have broken so hard with reality now. https://twitter.com/imbadatlife/status/1278604951858688000

Most researchers think that basically everyone has pet conspiracy theories. Everyone has at least one weird or borderline thing that they are convinced of. For FBPE it's a combination of "Secret dark money/Russia/Cummings did Brexit" and "Everyone who voted Leave is an idiot."

What makes them into conspiracy theories is the interplay between social positioning, and individual proclivity. People who are part of a marginalised group are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories, says the research. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287715247_The_role_of_paranoia_in_a_dual-process_motivational_model_of_conspiracy_belief

More or less everyone involved in FBPE nonsense was utterly comfortable in their social position, until Brexit snapped that and suddenly they felt like they were a cultural out-group, who those with the power were looking down on.

But because they were so firmly part of the mainstream before now, that flip meant people who manifestly still have the power, became convinced they didn't, and now spend their time loudly believing absolute horseshit - and rebroadcasting it to their massive platforms.

Usually, conspiracy theories die when the out-group regains power. (Think Democrats forgetting about Halliburton and Blackwater, when Obama got elected). The problem is that this one will never die, because Brexit is forever. So where does this energy and febrile fabrication go?