How to Stop Reform UK

Mother of the House DIANE ABBOTT MP argues that we must oppose Reform UK’s policies head-on, not capitulate to its divisive agenda.

We are under a concerted attack. And by that I mean migrants are under attack, along with asylum-seekers, all Black people and Muslims, and other oppressed groups. And, because of that, the labour movement as a whole is under attack because all of this is classic distraction, divide-and-rule, and scapegoating.

A party with only one policy

Reform UK is the organised expression of that division, discrimination, and racism. This is its only real policy. Its only response to all of society’s ills is to blame foreigners, to blame migrants, and to blame Black people. This is how they explain the crisis in public services, the cost-of-living crisis, and everything that is wrong with society. They peddle the reactionary fantasy that all these would be well if we just ‘send them back’.

Public services like the NHS and social care would collapse without the contribution of migrant workers. Some of our most productive industries would suffer badly without high-skilled labour from overseas. Our political culture would be coarsened if we refuse to meet our international humanitarian obligations.

Yet Reform UK completely ignores all the positive contributions, in every way, that migrants make to British society. They ignore the rights of people to be here and want to severely curb those rights. They peddle the most reactionary slanders about Muslim and Pakistani men, contrary to all the data and evidence.

Government capitulation

But they would not be able to flourish, and to dominate elections, if the entire political climate was not in their favour, and if successive governments had not promoted the myth that the most important issue facing the country is immigration, and that the most important priority is to curb immigration.

Those successive governments include this one, especially since Shabana Mahmood became Home Secretary. Before that, we inherited a system from the Tories which allowed a big surge in migration, as long as those workers had virtually no rights, were unable to bring their families, and waited years to claim any citizens’ rights. The Labour government maintained that system after winning in 2024. Shabana Mahmood has made it worse across the board. Permanent asylum status will be abolished and people returned whenever the government of the day sees fit. Indefinite leave to remain will be quadrupled to 20 years, and backdated to include those who were approaching the qualifying period.

This is meant to be the ‘Denmark model’, and would be one of the most draconian in Europe. It was a factor in sharply lowering the Social Democrats’ vote there, and Denmark has only just formed a government since its March general election. Adopting Reform-style immigration policies has not rescued Labour’s poll rating either. In fact, it is all music to Farage’s ears.

In politics, when your opponents echo your signature policies, it’s a dream come true. Your agenda becomes the dominant one.

Positive developments

But there are some positive developments. The most recent of these is the turn by UNISON, Britain’s biggest union, to outright campaigning for anti-racist messaging and against racist immigration policies, including the reactionary change to indefinite leave to remain. It is extremely important for trade unions that they take up all the key issues affecting their members and wider society. It is important for the entire labour movement and for those of us still in the Labour Party and still battling for the readoption of Labour values.

There has also been the emergence of the new Together movement which brought half a million onto the streets to protest against the racists and the far right. It was the biggest anti-racist demonstration this country has ever seen and completely eclipsed ‘Tommy Robson’s’ rabble, despite its backing from Elon Musk. Crucially, anti-racists no longer believe that the racist tide is unstoppable: we can fight back.

As a result of these developments, we have also had by-election successes where the anti-Reform majority has been mobilised to defeat them. We will need to repeat that success in future elections, especially in 2029.

This article was first published in Campaign for Labour Party Democracy’s Campaign Briefing 86, Autumn 2026.

CLPD Briefing 86 also contains articles by MPs Richard Burgon, Apsana Begum, Jon Trickett, Karl Turner, Katy Clark MPS for West Scotland and Deputy Presiding Officer in the Scottish Parliament, Mary Lou McDonald leader of Sinn Fein and Teachta Dála for Dublin Central, Hugh Lanning Labour & Palestine, Barry Rodin Disability Labour, Francisco Dominguez National Secretary VSC, Jeff Slee former RMT National Executive Committee member, Simon Fletcher political consultant and writer, Mike Phipps Momentum National Coordinating Group, Jean Crocker former VC Women’s Conference Arrangements Committee, Matt Wilgress, National Organise Arise-Festival of Left Ideas.