• May 8, 2026

Indian-Born Sajish Tom Scripts History as Labour’s Only Winner in Hampshire Amid Reform Surge

Indian-Born Sajish Tom Scripts History as Labour’s Only Winner in Hampshire Amid Reform Surge

LONDON May 8: In a remarkable outcome from the UK local elections, Indian-origin politician Sajish Tom emerged as the only Labour councillor elected to the 78-member Hampshire County Council, defying a strong nationwide surge by the right-wing Reform UK party.

At a time when Labour suffered major setbacks across several parts of England, Sajish secured a decisive victory in the Basingstoke North division, defeating Reform UK candidate Duncan Philip Stone despite pre-election forecasts heavily favouring Reform.

Independent election forecasting agency “PollCheck” had predicted a Reform victory by a margin exceeding 10 percent in the constituency. However, Sajish overturned expectations with a commanding grassroots campaign and a strong local support base.

Political observers say Sajish’s victory was powered by years of community engagement, close personal connections with residents, and disciplined groundwork. Since 2021, he has been serving as a Labour councillor in the Basingstoke Borough Council.

Originally from Kottayam in Kerala, Sajish migrated to the UK with his family in 2005 during the Labour government led by former Prime Minister Tony Blair. His win is viewed as especially significant in Hampshire, where more than 90 percent of the population is white British and where Labour was expected to be wiped out completely.

With this victory, Sajish also joins the small group of politicians in the UK simultaneously serving in both a Borough Council and a County Council.

Beyond politics, Sajish has been an active figure in the UK Malayali community and trade union movements for more than two decades. He currently works in the administration department at Basingstoke NHS Hospital and has held several leadership roles within UNISON, one of the UK’s largest trade unions, including Branch Chairperson, Labour Link Officer, member of the South East Regional Finance Committee, and member of the Regional Welfare Committee.

Sajish’s wife, Ancy, works as a Deputy Nurse in the ICU department of Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, while their daughter Aleena works in London. The family traces its roots to Vaikom in Kerala’s Kottayam district and is currently settled in Thekkan Paravoor near Udayamperoor in Ernakulam district.

Basingstoke North Election Result
Sajish Tom (Labour) – 1,515 votes (34%) – Elected
Duncan Philip Stone (Reform UK) – 1,295 votes (29%)
Dee Marsland-Round (Green Party) – 725 votes (16%)
Ricardo Ferreira (Conservative) – 493 votes (11%)
Michael Berwick (Liberal Democrat) – 389 votes (9%)