John Curtice: Reform voters want the Britain of 30 years ago

Reform voters want a Britain that is less ethnically diverse and want less liberal attitudes towards sexuality, according to a new study.

The new British Attitudes Survey has profiled the typical Reform UK voter, and suggests rising support for the party is less about protest and more about ideology. It also suggests that Nigel Farage is on track to win the next general election.

Most notably, the survey says Reform voters are distinguished by their attitudes towards culture issues such as immigration, welfare and equal opportunities.

Reform candidate Thomas Kerr, Scottish leader Malcolm Offord, UK leader Nigel Farage, chairman Dr David Bull, and candidate Graham Simpson on stage at the P&J Live in Aberdeen. | Michal Wachucik/Press Association

The survey was co-authored by polling guru Professor Sir John Curtice, who said Reform UK supporters want to see a return to the Britain of 30 years ago.

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast, Professor Curtice said: “Demographically they are older, they are less likely to be university graduates, and are more likely to be male, particularly amongst younger people where there is a noticeable gender gap.

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“They are very distinctive on attitudes - they are more likely to be dissatisfied with the NHS, certainly more likely to think the way Britain is governed needs a great deal of improvement, but mostly it is their attitudes towards culture issues.

“Reform voters are very much distinguished by their attitudes to immigration and equalities policies - for example, virtually all of them think equal opportunities for trans people has gone too far, whereas only half the public think that.”

Professor Sir John Curtice | Leon Neal/Getty Images

Reform UK enjoyed a stellar performance at the 2026 Holyrood election last month, storming from a standing start to the second biggest party in the Scottish Parliament after winning 17 seats.

The new band of Reform MSPs have promised to shake things up in Scottish politics, and argue they are in with a chance of winning the upcoming Aberdeen South by-election for Westminster.

The party also enjoyed successes in the Welsh and English local elections as well, often at the expense of both Labour and the Conservatives.

Professor Curtice says the attitudes survey does not mean Reform voters can be labelled as “far right”, however. While they tend to be former Conservative voters who fled the party after Brexit, they do not hold economically right-wing views.

He added: “They want a Britain that is perhaps the Britain of 20 or 30 years ago, that’s one way to characterise it.

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“They want a Britain that is less diverse ethnically and in terms of religious observance, and live in a country that has less liberal attitudes towards sexuality and certainly less towards advancing equalities designed to enhance minority sexual preferences.

“This is not the reformation, this is not suddenly people launching a new wave of attitudes or an indication of a country that is becoming more culturally conservative. It is a counter-reformation.

“These people feel immigration has changed the country in a way they feel uncomfortable with, and they are not being successfully appealed to by Reform.”