British Muslims oppose the war on Iran? No kidding, so do most Brits

“British Muslims oppose the war on Iran? No kidding, so do most Brits Submitted by Hassan Joudi on Thu, 04/23/2026 - 10:48 The attempt by right-wing think tanks to paint British Muslims as a 'fifth column' should be recognised for what it is - an attempt to divide society A march attended by half a million people and organised by the Together Alliance featured a coalition of organisations opposed to the far right and US imperialism, 28 March 2026 (Henry Nicholls/AFP) On Is the Pope Catholic? It seems these days, we need a poll to tell us the obvious. Step in Policy Exchange , which in its recent 10-page report authored by Dr Rakib Ehsan , pronounces that, "While neither the US nor Israel is popular with the British public, British Muslims are notably more hostile towards the two countries." Given that the US and Israel have for decades aggressively bombed dozens of Muslim-majority countries that British Muslims have familial, cultural and business relationships with, some denting of goodwill is hardly surprising. Ehsan goes on to lament apparent "anti-Americanism" among British Muslims as if this is somehow not shared by millions of other concerned citizens across the UK. A recent poll by Sky News suggests only 11 percent of Britons believe the US’s actions against Iran will leave the world a safer place. And indeed, Policy Exchange’s own polling data suggests only 18 percent of Britons support the UK joining the US and Israel’s war on Iran . Across the globe, rising anxiety about the rapid breakdown of the international rules-based order in favour of a Trump-led “might is right” approach is widespread. Is it too much to consider that British Muslims might share such views, and want our government to take a firmer line in standing up to this madness? Genuine objections By reducing complex geopolitical frustrations to "anti-westernism", we miss the opportunity to engage with genuine objections to British foreign policy and its impact at home, such as the cost-of-living crisis. Indeed, the shared concern of the impact on our wallets of this US-Israel-Iran war is another area that Policy Exchange glosses over. Its own polling data suggests that 84 percent of British Muslims are concerned about the impact of the war on the cost of living (vs 83 percent of the overall population), 83 percent on increased petrol and diesel prices (vs 77 percent of the overall population) and 65 percent on the risk of widespread attacks on Brits abroad (vs 67 percent of the overall population). It seems British Muslims care about similar things that most Britons care about, something Tufton Street , right-wing media and their donor networks can’t fathom, as it goes against the narratives of division they want to sow. British Muslims care about similar things that most Britons care about, something Tufton Street, right-wing media and their donor networks can’t fathom In fact, polling by More in Common before the 2024 general election revealed that 68 percent of British Muslims ranked action on the NHS as their immediate priority for any incoming government, while the economy ranked as the highest single concern. None of this is a surprise. Policy Exchange, a self-described "educational charity" and so-called "think tank", was founded in 2002 by the likes of former Tory Minister Michael Gove . In 2008 it reportedly fabricated evidence as part of its "research" for the report "The Hijacking of British Islam". Another Policy Exchange favourite is invoking the phantom "Muslim Brotherhood" as the mysterious yet convenient catch-all bogeyman to supposedly explain British Muslim community dynamics. Upon closer inspection, what is often the target of such accusations is legal democratic participation by law-abiding activists, whether on domestic "bread-and-butter" issues like housing and jobs, to international issues like criticising military action that causes yet more oppression and misery. Yet again, by generalising diverse British Muslim civil society as a monolith influenced by some supposedly "Muslim Brotherhood" international conspiracy , opportunities for genuine understanding and tackling shared concerns are missed. And labelling civic society activities as "entryism" - usually coupled with "extremist" for good measure - often serves the interests of autocratic regimes like the UAE or Saudi Arabia (cited specifically by Policy Exchange as supposed fountains of good practice) who view any grassroots political mobilisation - faith-based or otherwise - as a threat to their own dynastic power. I approached Policy Exchange for a comment but no response came through by the time of publication. Suspicious minds Therein lies the flaw - the clinging to a failed securitisation-based social cohesion model that continues to build suspicion, not trust; that separates subjects of surveillance into those with acceptable and unacceptable opinions. That reduces communities into "anti-western" and "pro-western", rather than a patchwork of beliefs and views about politics, society and the economy in an increasingly complex and technologically fast-paced world. Anti-Muslim bias in British media is off the charts. Will anyone step in? Read More » There are many issues across the community requiring serious attention, but they are ones that many British Muslims, especially the younger generation, are increasingly rising to the challenge and forging cross-society partnerships to address. Governance and safeguarding training initiatives for Muslim community leaders have seen a boom in recent years, alongside no end of awareness campaigns from topics including fostering and youth mentoring, crime reporting, food banks and local poverty alleviation. From tech entrepreneurs and philanthropists to innovative imams and scholars, professionals, charity leaders and more, change is happening. And the results may surprise you. A 2025 poll by the Concordia Forum found that 85 percent of British Muslims support democracy as "the best system of government" (versus 71 percent of the general population). Moreover, 94 percent of British Muslims support "equal treatment under the law for all faiths and none" (versus 80 percent of the general population). British Muslims are a dynamic, youthful and energetic part of our nation; they are doctors, teachers and neighbours whose views on yet another US-initiated war are often driven by the same worries, hopes and aspirations for a better world that the wider British public holds. Policy Exchange has for many years been desperate to paint British Muslims as a "fifth column" . Its own data - and that of many other polls - suggests otherwise. The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye. British Muslims Opinion Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:29 Update Date Override 0

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