Elham Asaad Baras

More than half of Conservative Party members believe Islam poses a threat to the British way of life, according to a poll commissioned by HOPE not Hate.

Almost 3 in 5 (58%) of the 521 Conservative members surveyed believe Islam is a threat to the UK, which is twice the national average.

Furthermore, more than half (52%) of those surveyed concur with the popular conspiracy theory that claims certain parts of European cities are off-limits to non-Muslims and are ruled by Sharia law.

And 45% of members think it’s true that “Globalist elites are encouraging immigration into Europe as part of a plot to weaken European identity”,

The findings give an insight into why senior Tories have refused to condemn the recent comments by the party’s former chair about the London Mayor as Islamophobic.
Nick Lowles, CEO of HOPE not Hate, said: “Conservative Party members hold a view of Britain that lays the ground for the Conservative Party to shift further to the Radical Right.

“Our findings are deeply disturbing and alarming. They underscore the problem that the Conservative Party has with Islamophobia. It’s not just that they are tolerating senior politicians making anti-Muslim statements, but that their membership holds opinions that are out of step with the values of modern Britain.

“It’s time that the Conservative Party confronts this issue head-on, especially at a time when tensions are fraught and communities are being divided.”

Lee Anderson’s comments last month sparked anger among some in the Tory party but received impassioned defence from many others.

Anderson said on GB News that he thought Sadiq Khan, one of the country’s most prominent Muslim politicians, was being controlled by “Islamists”. Sunak removed the Tory whip from Anderson as a result but refused to classify the comments as Islamophobic.

Downing Street said: “At a moment when tensions are running high, it is right for people to expect a high level of consideration to be given by politicians to the words they use.”
Other prominent Conservatives have defended Anderson, including the former Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, who said that the row over his comments constituted “hysteria.”

Since then, Anderson has reaffirmed his statements, refusing to retract them and criticising Khan for not outlawing pro-Palestinian demonstrations in London.

Evidence is mounting that grassroots Tory members are backing Anderson over Sunak. On March 4, the Guardian revealed that members of the Conservative Democratic Organisation exchanged WhatsApp messages, referring to Sunak as a “snake” for suspending Anderson and advocating for his return to the party.

Tory members are twice as likely to have a negative view of immigrants as a positive one, according to the poll findings. Nearly three-quarters believed that immigration had been bad for Britain and that multiculturalism was not working.
Compared to the findings of a 2020 poll, in which 47% of Tory members said they thought Islam posed a threat to the British way of life, these opinions seem to be hardening.

That 2020 poll was commissioned for the Singh review, an inquiry into Islamophobia within the Conservative Party, which found there was no evidence of institutional Islamophobia in the party.

Some have criticised that review for being too narrowly focused. Sajjad Karim, a former Tory MEP, said, “I can go back to about 2012 or 2013 when I first started to detect some of this type of talk. We haven’t gotten here suddenly. But the party really has to get a grip on it now.”

He added: “[The Singh review] ended up sending a signal to the party membership that was basically ‘Muslims are fair game’.”

Lowles said: “Based on the views of Conservative members, it’s clear why Anderson, Braverman, et al feel increasingly emboldened to push the boundaries of decency and speak negatively of Muslims, immigrants, and multiculturalism more generally. The battle for the soul of the Conservative Party has begun, and so far the radical right is winning.”

While many Tory members hold hardline views on cultural and societal issues, they are not backing the candidates who arguably most represent those positions.

The poll found that Braverman is only the second favourite among members to be the next Tory leader with 16% support, while Kemi Badenoch, the combative Business Secretary, is third with 8%. The most popular candidate is instead the more centrist Penny Mordaunt, who commands the support of 22% of members.