Six in 10 British people believe antisemitism is a major or significant problem in British society, according to a new YouGov survey carried out in the aftermath of the Golders Green stabbings.
A total of 63% of Britons say that prejudice against Jews is a major or significant problem in British society, the highest of the 11 groups the poll asked about.
Following prejudice against Jews, Britons were asked how big a problem prejudice is against 10 other groups: Muslims, transgender people, women, disabled people, black people, gypsies, Asian people, gay/lesbian people, working class people, and Christians.
57% believe that prejudice against Muslims represents a major or significant problem in British society, putting it second only to prejudice against Jews. This was followed by transgender people and then women.
Concern about antisemitism was higher among white ethnic Britons than among ethnic minority Britons. It was also higher among those in the 50-64 and 65+ brackets, and lowest among 18-24-year-olds.
Every other group saw antisemitism as the most significant problem.
Interestingly, the youngest Britons stand out as the only group noticeably more likely to say that some other group faces such levels of discrimination.
Seven in ten young people say prejudice against Muslims is a major or significant problem in British society, with 61% also saying the same of Black people and women, and 60% for transgender people.
Every other group saw antisemitism as the most significant problem.
The views about antisemitism within political parties were highly partisan; Those who backed left-wing parties in 2024 were more likely to lay accusations of antisemitism at the door of right-wing parties, and vice versa.
Despite recent antisemitism scandals within the Green Party, only 25% of Britons felt the Green Party has an antisemitism problem, compared to 33% when asked about Labour and Reform. Very few believed there was antisemitism in the Liberal Democrats.
Compared to the antisemitism question, there is a much more definitive public view on which parties have a problem with Islamophobia, with 47% of Britons saying so of Reform UK. The Tories come next, at 27%, while only 14% say the same of Labour, 8% of the Lib Dems, and 6% of the Greens.
The UK Jewish community has been targeted by a series of incidents in recent months, including the stabbing attack in Golders Green last month, the murder of two Jews at Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester, and multiple arson attacks targeting the Jewish community.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said last week that “antisemitism will not be tolerated” and that the government will put more measures in place to ensure Jewish safety.
“It is not enough to say, ‘We stand with Jewish communities,’ of course we do, but we must show it and act it,” he said. “We can’t accept a future where communities feel safe only behind higher walls.”
