Abubakr Nanabawa from The Muslim Vote argues that Muslims must not give into fear and run back to Labour in the hope of keeping Reform UK out. Rather, they must stand firm in backing independent candidates who reflect their values.
Reform UK, which is notorious for pandering to Islamophobic sentiment, has alarmed many of us by its successes in yesterday’s Westminster by-election and local elections. This is understandable but we must avoid knee-jerk reactions and look to the significant impact of the Muslim vote during last year’s General Election as a model for the future.
In 2024, British politics shifted. For the first time in decades, voters cracked the foundations of the two-party system. Greens, Independents and Reform made significant gains as public trust in both Labour and the Conservatives reached historic lows. But one year into Labour’s government, it’s clear they have not understood the message.
From Labour’s point of view, the discontent of 2024 by Muslim voters was an emotional outburst — fuelled, they suggest, by the war in Gaza — rather than a structural political awakening. They see it as a blip, not a movement. That reading is both cynical and dangerous.
Since coming to power, Labour has failed to take a meaningful stance on Gaza. Even as the Israeli assault on Palestinians has escalated, the party’s leadership has remained mostly silent, or worse, complicit. Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s brief moment of moral clarity was swiftly walked back. And while Labour found time to defend MPs denied entry into Israel, they have said little about the lives being denied to Palestinian children daily.
This silence matters. For politically engaged British Muslims, Gaza is not a single-issue concern — it’s a reflection of a broader failure of moral leadership. And it’s not just about foreign policy. Labour is pushing benefit cuts for disabled people while supporting an assisted suicide bill that many see as reckless and inhumane. They have failed to challenge profiteering water companies, and continue to back economic policies that deepen inequality — leaving even full-time workers unable to afford rent, let alone buy a home.
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Meanwhile, Labour-run councils are crumbling. In Birmingham, the city has been mismanaged into bankruptcy. Public services are collapsing. Key workers have gone on strike, not out of greed, but out of desperation. And across the country, local governments suffer the same fate: poorly funded, poorly led and unaccountable.
Despite all this, many will argue in 2026 that we must support Labour to stop the far right. The rise of Reform is real — and yes, their platform is hostile to refugees, Muslims and marginalised communities. But we cannot allow fear to dictate our politics. Labour is counting on us to vote for them out of habit or fear, not because they’ve earned it.
We need to change that dynamic.
From protest to change
To British Muslims: it is time to move from the politics of protest to the politics of change. The emotional energy that fuelled opposition to injustice in 2024 must now become political organisation. Not tomorrow — today. The truth is, we should have started yesterday. But it’s not too late.
Let’s be clear: our communities are not passive victims of politics. We are doctors, teachers, campaigners, organisers. In 2024, Muslim voters helped shape key results in dozens of constituencies. From grassroots protests to food bank drives, our communities show every day what leadership rooted in justice looks like. Now we need to bring that leadership into our local politics.
This means backing candidates and movements that reflect our values. Not career politicians who remember us when it’s convenient — but local Greens, principled Independents, and grassroots leaders who stand with us year-round. It means choosing integrity over access, community over ambition.
We must reject the “uni-party” system that has failed working people of every background. Labour and the Conservatives have both presided over rising inequality, broken housing markets, and a generation of young people priced out of the future. That failure is not abstract — it’s personal. It’s the nurse relying on a food bank; the graduate drowning in debt; the family priced out of their own neighbourhood.
Labour wants us to believe they are “less bad” than the rest. But that is not a vision. That is not leadership. And it is not enough.
The 2025 elections may be alarming. Reform have made significant gains, and the calls for pragmatism will grow louder. But fear cannot be our compass. If we are serious about building a just country — one that treats Palestinian lives as human, values community over corporations, and invests in people over profits — we must build it ourselves.
The 2026 local elections are our next opportunity. If we organise now, we can do more than send Labour a message — we can start building a new political future. One grounded in moral clarity, community strength and real accountability.
British Muslims believe in this country. We believe in a Britain that defends the vulnerable, challenges injustice and creates opportunity for all. We believe in hope — not fear.
Let’s organise. Let’s lead. Let’s build the future we deserve.
You can check out The Muslim Vote website here.
