UK Elections 2024: How PM Keir Starmer Wooed British Hindus in Run Up to Elections

London (UK): There is absolutely no place for Hinduphobia in Britain, said the newly elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, during his visit to Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Kingsbury, North London on the campaign trail last week. 

He reassured British Hindus that there is "no room whatsoever for Hinduphobia in Britain." 

This message has been consistently emphasized during Diwali and Holi celebrations in recent years, portraying Labour as prepared to take on governance of the nation following 14 years in Opposition.

In his recent visit to the Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Kingsbury, Kier Starmer addressed the hundreds of people sitting in the temple and began his speech with 'Jay Swaminarayan'. He went on to acknowledge that, 'this temple, a beacon of care and compassion in the community, treats people, no matter what their background or belief, with dignity. He wore a floral garland around his neck and received a traditional ‘tika’ on his forehead at the temple.

Starmer stated at the Swaminarayan Temple, "If elected next week, we will aim to govern with the spirit of sewa to serve you and a world in need," reaffirming his commitment to ensuring “no room for Hinduphobia in Britain.”

There are around 1 million people in Britain who identify themselves as Hindus, according to the 2021 Census.

A Labour win under Starmer might result in a more stringent stance on anti-Hindu hate crimes in the UK. The party has promised to bring in social welfare programmes to help poorer sections of the Indian community. 

No Place for Hinduphobia in UK 

Keir Starmer's stance is steering the party in a new direction on the issue, distinct from the shadow of Jeremy Corbyn, the former Leader of the Labour Party (2015-2020), who received criticism from British Hindu leaders for his perceived “anti-Hindu” stance.

Under the tenure of Corbyn, the Hindu Council in the UK came out with a statement saying, “Anti-Hindu prejudice had festered under Labour.”

In 2019, Anil Bhanot the then director and trustee of the Hindu Council, United Kingdom wrote a letter to UK’s top Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis slamming Corbyn on his anti hindu stance. 

'It is a sad state of affairs that a major political party in our country which used to be a progressive socialist voice has veered towards what is almost a fascist ideology,” Bhanot wrote.

Corbyn’s views on the abrogation of Article 370 from the Indian Constitution also led to a group emerging called ‘British Hindu Indian Votes Matter’ that countered against Labour’s “anti-India” and “anti-Hindu” sentiment.

Labour in the run up to the elections has acknowledged the Hindu community's demands. It will soon become evident whether the newly elected 58th Prime Minister of United Kingdom lives up to his promises to the British Hindus.