UK poll shows most Britons have negative view of Muslims amid rise of far right

A new poll has revealed that Muslims are the least favoured immigrants in Britain by religion, with the UK witnessing a rise in far right politics and Islamophobia.

The poll, commissioned by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, found that 41 percent of the British public believes that Muslim immigrants have a negative impact on the country, compared to seven percent to 15 percent having the same opinion about followers of other religions, including Christianity and Judaism.

On top of this, over half of respondents believe Islam is not compatible with British values, with just over a third believing the religion promotes violence against non-Muslims.

Almost half also believe Muslim women are pressured into wearing the Hijab.

"Whilst the term ‘immigrant’ is used, the real issue for most people is 'Islam'," Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the leader of the Ahmadiyya community, said in a statement.

Ahmad added that many British people are afraid that their societies are changing beyond comprehension, and they feel that their nation’s resources are being disproportionately utilised in favour of immigrants.

Despite the negative views, one positive finding the poll found was "a clear generational shift" in perceptions towards the religion, with almost half of the younger generation, 18–24-year-olds, viewing Islam as compatible with British values verses 14 percent of over-65s.

Only 14 percent of young people believe Islam encourages violence against non-Muslims compared to 40 percent of the older generation.

The survey comes as the UK marks almost a year since the far-right riots that swept Britain in July and August 2024, which left the Muslim community in fear for their safety.

The riots were initially sparked by a disinformation campaign against Muslims.

The UK has witnessed a record level rise in anti-Muslim rhetoric, with cases increasing by almost 50 percent than the previous year, according to Tell Mama.

This also comes as the controversial Reform UK party, which has been accused of harbouring Islamophobic and far-right views, made significant gains in the English local elections, winning mayoral and parliamentary posts in a surge of support.