The nationally representative survey, conducted by Whitestone Insight between the 25th – 27th October 2024 shows that over 64% of Muslims believe their religion is depicted more negatively than others – a rate nearly twice that of other faith groups – Christians at 38% and Hindus at 29%.
Despite this, Muslims reported strong faith-based resilience and a belief in the positive role of religion, with 69% agreeing that faith is a force for good in society.
Furthermore, Muslims were notably supportive of public expressions of faith, with 61% endorsing British politicians listening to faith leaders on social and political issues – a higher rate than other faith groups surveyed.
Additional findings reveal that, while only 20% of Muslims expressed contentment with their portrayal in the media, Hindu and Christian respondents were significantly more satisfied.
Eren Ramadan, Secretary of the Institute, said:
These statistics reveal a strong desire among British Muslims for fairer representation and more balanced coverage of religion within the UK media.
There’s a clear call here for the media to play a more constructive role in fostering understanding and inclusivity toward all faith groups, especially Islam, within public discourse.
For any further information or commentary, please contact Eren Ramadan, secretary for the Institute.
Eren Ramadan
eren.ramadan@iifl.org.uk
Notes for editors:
- Please link to our website: www.iifl.org.uk
- Whitestone Insight interviewed 2,083 UK online between 25th – 27th October 2024. Data were weighted to be representative of all UK adults. Whitestone Insight is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.
The data set for the October tracker can be found here.