A recent survey led by the University of Birmingham shows that Conservative and Leave voters are more likely to hold prejudices against Muslims than those who vote Labour and Remain. Those from upper and middle-class backgrounds also view Islamic beliefs more negatively than working-class individuals.

The survey was conducted between the 20th-21st July 2021 in conjunction with YouGov, interviewing a sample of 1667 people, as weighted by age, gender, social grade, voting record, region and level of education. Both public perceptions of Islam as a belief system and Muslims as a religious group in contemporary Britain were considered.

Respondents surveyed were categorised into various social groups, with those classified as being a lower social grade belonging to group ‘C2DE’ and those belonging to a higher social grade belonging to ABC1, following a standardised system of occupational classification. Regarding the criticism of Islam as a religion, 23.2% of people who come from the social group ABC1 hold prejudiced views about Islam compared to only 18.4% of people questioned from the C2DE group.

The findings also indicate that anti-Muslim sentiment harbours a consistent pattern in the UK and is much more prevalent among specific demographics, specifically: men, older people, those in manual occupations and Conservative and Brexit voters.

When respondents were polled on anti-Muslim conspiracy, 43.4% of Conservative and Leave voters agreed that there are areas in Britain that operate under Sharia Law where non-Muslims are not allowed to enter. This contrasts strongly with only 14.7% of Labour voters and 14.9% of those who voted to Remain. The study also finds that the proportion of older people (ages 65+) accepting the conspiracy theory is over three times higher than it is for younger people (ages 18-24), suggesting that a strong generational divide is present in the UK with younger people being more accepting of those from different faith backgrounds.

Another key finding shows that 36.3% of British people, and notably the majority of Conservative voters (57.3%) and Leave voters (55.5%), also agree that ‘Islam threatens the British way of life’, compared to Labour, Liberal Democrat and Remain voters where the percentage figures for the same question were just 18.9%, 18% and 21.6% respectively.

The survey further demonstrates that the British public readily hold more prejudiced views of Islam and Muslims compared to other religious groups. Support for the radical view of the prohibition of all Muslim migration to the UK is 4-6% higher for Muslims than it is for other ethnic and religious groups.

Dr Stephen H. Jones from the University of Birmingham and lead author of the survey stated, ‘Prejudice towards Islam and Muslims stands out in the UK, not only because it is much more widespread than most forms of racism, but also because prejudice toward Islam is more common among those who are wealthier and well-educated.’

A poll conducted on the student Facebook group ‘Fab n Fresh’ reveals that all respondents agreed that the British public tend to hold more negative attitudes and perceptions towards Muslims than other religious groups (Jews, Sikh, Hindu etc). Students are therefore aware of the disproportionate Islamophobia the UK is faced with.

In response to these troubling statistics, the survey offered specific recommendations to combat the systemic miseducation about Islam; calling for public bodies such as the government and civil society organisations to acknowledge and denounce Islamophobia and make stronger efforts to include religious literacy in equality and diversity campaigns. Educators also play a crucial role as suggested by the survey, with the need to provide clear guidance on debates surrounding Islamic tradition, recognising when these move from genuine and open criticism to harmful rhetoric.

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