Reform UK Faces Internal Divisions Over Immigration Policies

More than half of Reform UK members hold hardline views on immigration, according to a recent poll, revealing tensions within the party as leader Nigel Farage attempts to broaden its appeal. The findings come amid a challenge from the right, led by Rupert Lowe, who launched a novel party after a falling out with Farage.

Poll Reveals Hardline Immigration Views Among Reform UK Members

A poll conducted by Survation between January 29 and February 16, 2026, surveyed 629 Reform UK members. The results, published by Hope Not Hate (HnH), indicate that 54% believe non-white British citizens born abroad should be either forcibly removed or encouraged to leave the UK. 22% extended this view to non-white citizens whose parents were also born abroad. Source Reform UK reported having approximately 270,000 paid-up members in December 2025.

Tensions Within the Party

Nick Lowles, chief executive of Hope Not Hate, described the poll results as evidence of internal tensions within Reform UK. He suggested that a dilution of the party’s policies to attract moderate voters, or a potential move to government, could lead to disillusionment among its more hardline members. Source

Support for Farage’s Rivals

The poll also revealed considerable support for Nigel Farage’s rivals on the right, Rupert Lowe and activist Tommy Robinson. Two-thirds of Reform UK members expressed a positive view of Lowe, who recently launched Restore Britain and advocates for mass deportations. Source

Rise of Racial Nationalism

Hope Not Hate warned of a rise in explicitly racial nationalism, defining English identity by “blood and ancestry.” The report highlighted the concept of “remigration” – a term used to repackage ideas of ethnic cleansing and forced repatriation. Source The organization cautioned that these views are increasingly entering the mainstream, with backing from Reform UK and certain media outlets.

Connections to Broader Far-Right Trends

HnH drew connections between racially charged views on identity and interventions by Reform UK figures such as Matthew Goodwin and Suella Braverman. Goodwin previously asserted that UK-born individuals from minority ethnic backgrounds were not necessarily British, stating, “It takes more than a piece of paper to make somebody ‘British’.” Source Braverman, in a Telegraph article, identified as a proud British Asian but not English.

Far-Right Realignment and Protests

The UK’s far right is described as “bigger, bolder and more confrontational” by HnH. Restore Britain, led by Rupert Lowe, is attracting support from across the far-right spectrum, though the coalition remains fragile. Source The “unite the kingdom” rally in London, led by Tommy Robinson, drew over 150,000 participants in what was the largest far-right protest in British history. Source Approximately a quarter of the British population reportedly identifies positively with Robinson’s movement. Source Robinson is currently in the US, where he has received support from right-wing figures. Source

Anti-Migrant Protests

The report also highlighted a surge in anti-migrant protests, tracking 251 such demonstrations throughout 2025, with activity persisting through the winter months. Source