A new Survation poll commissioned by the Labour Muslim Network has revealed a startling collapse in support amongst traditional Labour Party voters in the UK Muslim community nationwide.
Labour Party: Muslim people are abandoning it
The exclusive new poll has found that support for the Labour Party had halved, dropping by 43% amongst British Muslim voters since the 2019 general election. The drop in support comes after weeks of criticism of Labour’s positioning over Israel‘s ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was also found to have a net favourability of -11% amongst British Muslims. The British Muslim community have traditionally been amongst the most loyal Labour voters with 86% supporting the party in 2019.
A collapse
The headline findings of the opinion poll are:
- The Labour Party’s support amongst British Muslim voters has halved, falling from an 86% vote share in the 2019 general election to a projected 43% (-43) in 2024.
- Identification with the Labour Party amongst British Muslims has fallen by a startling 23% points, from 72% in 2021 to 49% (-23) in 2024.
- 38% of British Muslims polled said their view of the Labour Party had become more unfavourable over the past 12 months.
- 62% of British Muslims polled said their view of the Conservative Party had become more unfavourable over the past 12 months.
- 85% of British Muslims polled claimed that the position of political parties on Israel-Palestine will be important in how they choose to vote at the upcoming general election.
- Sir Keir Starmer’s net personal approval rating amongst British Muslims is -11%.
- Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s net personal approval rating amongst British Muslims is -58%.
To view the results in full, please go here.
The poll was conducted by Survation via telephone interview. A combination of landline and mobile data were called. Field work was conducted between 18th January and 3rd February 2024.
Labour ‘risks losing support for a generation’
The Labour Muslim Network said:
The Muslim community has been amongst the most loyal Labour supporters anywhere in the United Kingdom. The findings of this new opinion poll shows a startling collapse of this electoral and communal relationship.
This is a crisis point for the future of the relationship between the British Muslim community and the Labour Party.
These findings come in the context of over 100 days of Israel’s continuous assault on Gaza. Over 25,000 Palestinians have been killed, more than 10,000 of whom are children, and the Labour Party’s response has been unacceptable and deeply offensive to Muslims across Britain.
Muslim voters have been watching and are now sending a clear message – they will not support any political party that does not fervently oppose the crimes committed against the people of Gaza.
The Labour leadership must change paths now or risk losing the support of the Muslim community for a generation.
Featured image via Channel 4 News – YouTube
By The Canary
This post was originally published on Canary.
