Support for Reform UK among British Indians has more than tripled since the last election, according to new polling from the 1928 Institute, a group of Oxford-based academics studying the British Indian diaspora. Once considered firmly within Labour's orbit, this community — the UK's largest minority group — appears to be shifting politically in ways that challenge long-held assumptions.
A Growing but Uneven Surge
The research shows Reform's backing within the British Indian community has jumped from 4% to 13% in the past year — a significant increase, even if still below the party's national polling average. The timing of the findings, released around Diwali, underscores how Britain's ethnic minorities are increasingly being recognised as vital electoral battlegrounds.
"British Indian support for Reform is significantly lower than that of the general UK population," the report notes. "However, there is a strong upwards trend in support."
From Labour Loyalty to Political Fluidity
Historically, British Indians — making up around 3% of the population — leaned heavily towards Labour, especially during the 1960s and 1970s, when the party was seen as more welcoming to immigrants. But as second- and third-generation families have prospered and diversified, political identities have evolved.
In the 2024 election, 48% of British Indians backed Labour, compared with 21% for the Conservatives and 4% for Reform. Today, Labour's share has dropped to 35%, the Conservatives' to 18%, and the Greens have also climbed to 13%, particularly among younger voters.
New Priorities, New Politics
The data suggests the community's policy priorities are changing too. While education remains the top concern, the economy has overtaken health as the second most important issue. Crime now ranks third, displacing the environment. Meanwhile, equalities and human rights, once fifth on the list, have fallen to seventh — a telling indicator of shifting political focus.
These changes may help explain the community's increasing openness to Reform's populist messaging on economics, crime, and national identity.
Cultural and Ideological Undercurrents
Analysts note that social conservatism and Hindu nationalism have played a role in nudging some Indian voters rightward. A 2021 Carnegie Endowment report highlighted the lingering backlash to Labour's stance on Kashmir under Jeremy Corbyn, which alienated many Hindu voters.
For Nigel Farage, this presents both an opportunity and a contradiction. His rhetoric has oscillated between admiration for Indian and Australian immigrants and criticism of trade deals that make it easier for workers from India to enter the UK. Yet Reform's populist tone and emphasis on self-reliance seem to resonate with a segment of British Indian voters who see themselves as economically aspirational but politically underrepresented.
What Comes Next
As Nikita Ved, one of the report's authors, put it:
"Reform UK's rise is disrupting traditional voting patterns within the British Indian community. As economic and social frustrations deepen, both major parties may face growing pressure to engage more directly with a community whose political loyalties can no longer be taken for granted."
With Labour losing its once-automatic hold and the Conservatives collapsing under the weight of recent scandals, the rise of Reform among British Indians is less about Farage's charisma and more about a search for political relevance.
For a community long seen as a loyal bloc, this shift signals something bigger: British Indians are no longer predictable voters — they're pragmatic ones.
