Poll Exposes Extreme Views Among Reform UK Membership
A shocking new poll has revealed that one in five members of Nigel Farage's Reform UK party believe non-white British citizens whose parents were born in the United Kingdom should be forcibly removed or encouraged to leave the country. The survey, conducted by Survation on behalf of the charity Hope Not Hate, exposes deeply concerning attitudes within the party's ranks.
Disturbing Racial Disparities in Attitudes
The data shows a stark racial divide in members' views. More than half of Reform members (over 50%) believe non-white British citizens who were born abroad should be forcibly removed or encouraged to depart. This contrasts sharply with the 24% who hold the same view about white British citizens born abroad. The findings are part of Hope Not Hate's 2026 report titled "State of Hate: It Could Happen Here," which surveyed 629 Reform members.
Nick Lowes, chief executive of Hope Not Hate, stated that the results demonstrate Reform members are generally "more pessimistic, angry and extreme than the British public." He warned that while there is overwhelming support for leader Nigel Farage, the hardline views of party members could push Reform UK further to the right or lead to disillusionment if the party moderates its positions in pursuit of power.
Integration Concerns and Authoritarian Leanings
The poll uncovered additional troubling statistics about Reform members' social attitudes. Almost half (46%) of the party's members admitted they do not like mixing with people of other ethnicities, religions, and backgrounds in their local areas. This stands in stark contrast to the broader British population, where 77% say they enjoy mixing with people from different backgrounds.
Furthermore, the survey revealed authoritarian tendencies among Reform members. More than half (54%) expressed a preference for "having a strong and decisive leader who has the authority to override or ignore parliament." Additionally, two-thirds of members have a positive view of Rupert Lowe, the former Reform MP who now leads the rival right-wing party Restore Britain.
Context of Reform's Hardline Immigration Policies
These poll findings emerge against the backdrop of Reform UK's increasingly hardline immigration stance. Last month, the party's home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf claimed the UK is being "invaded" by migrants while outlining policies in Dover. Reform has proposed creating a "UK Deportation Command" unit to track down, detain, and deport people in the country illegally, with an aim to remove up to 288,000 people annually.
The party has also threatened visa freezes on Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Syria if these countries refuse to accept migrants with no legal right to remain in Britain. Reform claims it would deport more than 600,000 people during its first term in government if elected.
Civil War Fears and Political Significance
Perhaps most alarmingly, the Hope Not Hate data found that 66% of Reform UK members believe a civil war will happen in Britain. This compares with just 8% of the general British population who think a civil war will definitely occur within the next five years, with another 23% considering it possible.
Reform UK currently leads the latest YouGov voting intention poll with 23% support and claims to have more than 270,000 members. The party won over four million votes in the 2024 general election, and Lowes described its policy offering as "probably the most extreme that we've had from a major political party," suggesting it has shifted further rightward since the last election.
The Independent has approached Reform UK for comment on these poll findings, which paint a concerning picture of the views held by a significant portion of the party's membership base.
