A new survey has ignited fierce debate after revealing that over half of Reform UK members hold racist views regarding non-white British citizens. The poll, conducted by Survation for the anti-racism group Hope Not Hate, found that 54% of Reform members surveyed believe non-white British citizens born abroad should be forcibly removed or encouraged to leave the UK. Additionally, 22% support this measure for non-white citizens whose parents were born here.
Personal Reflections on a Disturbing Trend
Author Sarfraz Manzoor, who moved to Britain from Pakistan as a child, expressed deep concern upon reading the results. He highlighted the plight of Zia Yusuf, Reform's former chairman and current Home Affairs spokesperson, who comes from a Sri Lankan Muslim background. "It can't be an easy conversation to have with your parents saying that you might be about to boot them out of the country," Manzoor wrote, noting the personal stakes for many in this political climate.
The survey polled 629 of Reform's 270,000 members, leaving open the possibility that the majority are not racist. However, Manzoor described feeling less reassured by Martin Luther King's famous quote about the arc of the moral universe bending toward justice. Instead, he sees a circle looping back to attitudes from the 1970s, when the far-right National Front advocated for repatriation of "coloured immigrants."
A Daughter's Fear and Historical Echoes
Manzoor shared a poignant moment with his 14-year-old daughter, who asked if he could be deported if Reform wins the next election. This interaction underscored how these political debates affect families and communities. He recalled the "Tebbit test" of 1990 and other historical instances of racism, suggesting that such language has reentered political discourse, making it feel like society is regressing.
Proposing a Strike to Challenge Racism
In response, Manzoor proposes a radical solution: a strike by all non-white people living in Britain. This would include doctors, care home workers, taxi drivers, and restaurant owners. He argues that the impact would be immediate and profound, forcing Reform supporters to confront the consequences of their views.
Statistics support his case: foreign-trained doctors make up 38.3% to 42% of the UK's medical workforce as of late 2025, with common nationalities including Indian, Pakistani, Egyptian, and Nigerian. Migrant workers account for 32% of care worker roles in England, 94% of London's private hire taxi drivers are from ethnic minority and migrant backgrounds, and there are an estimated 9,000 Indian restaurants in the UK.
Imagining the Consequences
Manzoor poses provocative questions: How many days without a curry before Reform supporters reconsider? What if they couldn't get a repeat prescription from Dr. Khan or a taxi ride home after a night out? Would bigotry withstand having to care for elderly parents without care workers? He suggests that experiencing the loss of these essential services might make it harder for people to cling to exclusionary ideologies.
Citing Mike Tyson's adage, "everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face," Manzoor argues that such a strike could be the wake-up call needed. It would remind racists that a Britain purged of migrants might be worse than one that embraces diversity, highlighting the indispensable contributions of ethnic minority workers to the nation's daily life and economy.
