School of Social & Political Sciences

The 2024 race riots in the UK were fuelled by a growing anti-immigration sentiment, shaped by the Reform Party's rhetoric and policies. By leveraging economic anxieties and nationalist populism, the party has contributed to a climate of fear and division, exacerbating social tensions, which formed a key backdrop to the violent unrest

On the 4th July 2024, the Reform Party won a substantial 14.3% of the vote in the UK General Election, winning them five seats in Westminster. Less than a month later, on July 29th, a devastating attack at a dance class in Southport, Merseyside, left three children dead with five other children and two adults injured. These two events became interlinked in a way that few could have predicted. The crisis that followed consisted of some of the largest far-right riots the UK has seen, resulting in the arrest of 1280 people. 

Misinformation quickly spread surrounding the identity of the perpetrator of the attacks, with claims that he was a Muslim asylum seeker and that the attacks were terror-related, when, the attacker was in fact born in Cardiff and raised Christian. The day after the attacks, riots erupted across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The first riot took place near the location of the attacks, those involved targeted a mosque, throwing bricks and bottles. This was mirrored by many riots that followed across 27 towns and cities, with some also attacking hotels believed to house asylum seekers.

The Rise of Reform

In the wake of the UK's decision to leave the EU, the Brexit Party was founded in 2018. The party's initial entrance to parliamentary politics was unconvincing, and as a Brexit deal came to a close, their purpose became unclear. In 2021, after the UK had left Europe, the party rebranded as Reform UK, and its leader, Nigel Farage, after stating he felt he had achieved his goal, resigned from parliamentary politics.

Having led the campaign to leave the EU, an anti-immigration stance was already synonymous with Farage. Upon his return to party leadership in June 2024, with electoral success within grasp, it was essential that Reform UK spoke to the right people about the right things.

Farage established Reform UK with a focus on British sovereignty, introducing zero-tolerance policing and restructuring the House of Lords. But what persisted throughout their campaign, was their claim that Britain's biggest threat and challenge was that of mass immigration and its contribution to a loss of British pride, culture and identity. 

With a clear manifesto that spoke to issues such as raising the minimum income tax bracket and a focus on tackling the cost-of-living crisis, whilst also dramatically raising the inheritance tax threshold and halving the rate at which it was taxed, Reform UK catered to various economic bases. Additionally, Reform proposed a freezing of 'non-essential' immigration and preventing the settlement of illegal immigrants by sending boats that arrived on UK shores back to France. The spokesperson of right wing, populist Britain had returned, and by many, he was welcomed with open arms. 

After a period of political uncertainty, failings and instability, it is clear that many British people were more receptive than ever to the claims and ideological standpoint of Reform UK. As a result of this, many traditionally Conservative voters found Reform more convincing on Election Day. In 2019, 50% of Conservative voters thought the party would reduce levels of immigration, but by the summer of 2024, this was down to 25% resulting in 41% of this group shifting their vote to Reform UK. It is thought that Reform votes cost the Conservatives 80 seats in the Election, suggesting that the right wing is fracturing, and that approaches to immigration may be the deciding factor for many voters. 

This was exemplified by the success that Reform UK saw in the 2024 general elections, and as of January 2025, they have topped the polls for the first time, reaching 25% in voter support, this has grown to 26% by February 2025. Support for Reform UK is not dwindling, and their ability to challenge the two party-system is only growing. 

Reform and the Riots

Just hours after the first reports of the Southport attacks were made, misinformation spread concerning the attacker's nationality and immigrant status. Reform activist Nicholas Lissack, posted on X that he could 'confirm the authenticity' of a post that claimed the perpetrator was a migrant. This falsehood, along with those of many other right-wing people of influence online, contributed to the intense atmosphere of anger and confusion and provided a clear target for those seeking someone to blame. 

The day after the attacks, Farage himself posted a video online where he questioned whether the truth was being withheld from the public. His comments, although vague, suggested that authorities were covering up information about a terror related motive. This reinforced the narrative that people should question mainstream media, and that information was deliberately being hidden from them, provoking feelings of suspicion and paranoia. 

In the lead up to the election, Reform UK's manifesto focused closely on reducing levels of immigration, using strongly divisive and provocative language, describing Britain as 'at breaking point', and claiming "the small boats crisis threatens our security". Onis and Kutlay claim "right-wing populism thrives on polarisation and the existence of categorical 'others'". It is clear, then, how incendiary phrases such as "once and for all, we will take back control of our borders, our money and our laws", scrattered throughout Reform's manifesto, could contribute to a rise of right-wing populism in Britain. For some rioters, who believed the misinformation they were presented with, the attacks in Southport may have been confirmation that the issue of immigration posed an imminent threat as Reform claimed. It cannot be known how many rioters truly felt this, or whether many simply took the opportunity to be violent and destructive within a group. But this fear-inducing language is sure to have exacerbated social tensions, provoking an environment conducive with violent unrest. 

Demographic of Rioters

Eyres argues that Reform capitalised on discontent among working-class men in underprivileged areas whose trust in traditional parties and institutions has been eroded over time. The riots occured in seven of the UK's ten most impoverished areas. 36% of those convincted live in neighbourhoods with the top 10% of worst self-reported health levels and 29% were from the top 10% of areas with the lowest levels of qualifications. These figures suggest that the riots were made up of people who had been continuously let down and undervalued by the government.

For people with longstanding, unaddressed grievances, Reform's messaging offered a powerful outlet. The party's rhetoric of challenging the political elite, referring to the House of Lords as "crony filled", and addressing issues like economic inequality, immigration, and national identity, struck a chord with those who felt overlooked by both Conservative and Labour leadership. By positioning itself as the voice of the forgotten working-class, Reform UK tapped into deep-seated frustrations, channelling the anger and alienation felt by those in deprived areas into a populist, anti-establishment narrative. The connection between the riots and these areas underscores a wider trend of political disillusionment, where discontent is not just about immediate issues but also about a sense of systemic neglect. 

In regard to the political allegiance of the rioters, it was founded that of those arrested, one third of them lived in constituencies with the highest support for Reform. Additionally, constitutencies where five or more charged protesters lived, 22.3% of the electorate voted for Reform, compared to the national average of 14.3%.

This support was exemplified by rioters chanting Nigel Farage's name, alongside that of Tommy Robinson, an infamous far-right activist. Though Reform has distanced itself from Robinson, his public endorsement of the party indicates that his views are reflected by Reform, reinforcing the perception of a shared ideology. Reform and Nigel Farage can attempt to condemn political violence, racism and islamaphobia, and deny commonalities between themselves and far-right extremists, but their rhetoric and policies have attracted voters who hold those views. Whether intentionally or not, Reform's appeal to certain segments of the electorate has made them a political vehicle for far-right views, effectively representing and legitimising them in Westminster.

Looking Ahead

The summer riots of 2024 serve as a reminder of how political actors, such as the Reform Party, can perpetuate and aggravate divisions within society, and use them as leverage in times of crisis. Deploying inflammatory rhetoric and divisive policies, they have fuelled a climate of fear and mistrust, particularly in relation to immigration. If support for Reform grows, as polls suggest, the current divisions in the UK can only expect to deepen. It is crucial that The Labour Party addresses the prevalent economic and social grievances that have caused so many voters to feel disenchanted by traditional politics. Failing to do so risks similar periods of crisis occurring more regularly, with even greater consequences. 

 

---

This blog is part of the SPS Student Academic Blog series. You can read more contributions from the series here.

First published: 23 April 2025