London, Dec 11 (PTI) The votes of British Indians must not be taken for granted by the major parties as the electorate is getting increasingly drawn towards the extremes on the right and left of the political divide, the ‘British Indian Census 2025’ reveals this week.

The research by the 1928 Institute think tank, released in a House of Commons committee room in London on Tuesday, found that Indian diaspora support for the anti-immigration Reform UK tripled to match a similar rise in young voters backing the climate action focussed Green Party.

While support for the governing Labour Party is still higher among British Indians than the national average, at 35 per cent compared to 22 per cent within the wider population, there has been a 13 per cent decline in this support.

Meanwhile, the Opposition Conservatives have lost ground with a 12 per cent fall since 2019 and the Liberal Democrats registered no change at around 9 per cent support within the community.

“Political support among British Indians is increasingly volatile. In the past year, support for Reform tripled to 13 per cent — now matching the Green Party — while Labour has a 13 per cent drop over the same period," said Kiran Kaur Manku, co-chair and co-founder of the 1928 Institute.

The University of Oxford researcher cautioned policymakers against taking the community for granted as it has “diverged from political allegiance” and wants to see delivery from their politicians.

“Older, long settled and working middle-class British Indians are drifting towards Reform, while those that are younger and with more recent roots in the UK are turning to the Greens. It shows a community that is increasingly critical, voting on performance, not allegiance.

“Their priorities mirror the national concerns towards living costs and also the building blocks of public services,” she said.

Lord Krish Raval, British Indian Labour peer in the House of Lords, pointed out that this trend towards the extremes of the political divide was reflective of the disillusionment being felt within the wider British electorate.

“I'm not overly worried by these polls. They reflect the national mood, and we're no different from any other community,” said Raval.

“In this age of polarisation, I just wonder whether a constructive way for us to proceed is to exercise the power and talent that we have in our community... enter politics with some of the people you know in public life," he said.

The Green Party, meanwhile, welcomed this "surge” in support and attributed it to their business-friendly policies and focus on improving outcomes for all sections of society.

“The Green Party is also committed to ensuring that anti-racism is embedded across the Party. We reject the toxic narratives being peddled by Reform UK, especially around immigration, that are stoking hatred and sowing division in our communities, leaving many feeling anxious and fearful," said Sharmen Rahman, Green Party spokesperson for Equalities and Diversity.

For the second census of its kind since 2020, the 1928 Institute conducted a survey of 2,355 British Indians aged over the age of 18 between April and August this year. Its findings are intended as a snapshot of the UK's largest diaspora group – estimated at around 1.8 million – and hence a significant electorate.

The research found that British Indians want the UK government to focus on the fundamentals — education, the economy, healthcare, and tackling crime and poverty. Crime emerged as a top concern, shaped by the fact that 60 per cent have faced prejudice in the past two years, much of it perceived to be racially (70 per cent) or religiously (18 per cent) motivated.

Overall, the 'British Indian Census 2025' found an emphasis on an India-UK relationship that reflects the personal and professional ties that bind the diaspora to both countries. Trade and business emerged as the highest priority within this corridor (56 per cent), with strong support for the recent signing of the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

“As we are trying to build the profile of business and investment in the UK, we recognise that we are stronger as a country having deals as we are doing (with India), but it's also important that we build and link in our diaspora to those opportunities," said Seema Malhotra, Minister for the Indo-Pacific in the UK Foreign Office.

“What this research also shows about the Indian diaspora community is that sense of still being very internationally connected and very focused on economic prosperity," she said. PTI AK AMS