Britain faces a test of identity: Will Britons become a minority in their homeland?
Story by David Ben-Basat • now •
The Jerusalem Post News
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks at the British Museum in London.
In one of the most provocative speeches heard in the British Parliament in recent years, MP Andrew Bridgen claimed that “over the past 100 years, approximately 250,000 women and girls have been raped in Britain, with 90% of the perpetrators being Muslim.”
His remarks triggered an immediate uproar, but also ignited a deeper debate about immigration failures, the silencing of issues in the name of political correctness, and the influence of ideologically driven minority groups on British governance.
The harrowing revelations from Rotherham, Rochdale, Oxford and other cities – where thousands of girls were sexually exploited by organized gangs, some of Pakistani-Muslim descent – exposed a particularly dark chapter. Official reports confirmed that local authorities failed to intervene for fear of being labeled racist. This wasn’t ignorance, but institutional fear.
Prof. Alexis Jay, who led the Rotherham inquiry, wrote: “Authorities knew, but preferred political quiet over protecting victims.” In this sense, the systemic disregard for these crimes allowed a foreign and dangerous ideology to operate unchecked.
The threat today extends beyond physical violence – it lies in a dominant ideology spreading through schools, media, mosques, and local councils. Groups like Hizb ut-Tahrir (Party of Liberation), declared illegal in Britain in 2024, operate under the guise of human rights while promoting the vision of a global Islamic caliphate.
Members and supporters of the Islamist party Hizb Ut-Tahrir rally in Tripoli, northern Lebanon, in support of Palestinians and against Russian and US intervention in Syria, October 16 (credit: OMAR IBRAHIM / REUTERS)
Members and supporters of the Islamist party Hizb Ut-Tahrir rally in Tripoli, northern Lebanon, in support of Palestinians and against Russian and US intervention in Syria, October 16 (credit: OMAR IBRAHIM / REUTERS)
“Europe imported a minority with a radical identity and cultural autonomy demands,” wrote Christopher Caldwell, journalist, author, and senior fellow at the Claremont Institute and Hillsdale College. “In doing so, it forfeited its own identity and culture.” Though Muslims are not yet a majority in Britain, they are a well-organized and ideologically driven minority that is gaining growing influence.
The 2024 parliamentary election marked an unprecedented surge in political activism among Muslim communities in the UK. The Muslim Vote movement, formed ahead of the election, mobilized hundreds of thousands of supporters, targeted key constituencies, and promoted candidates sympathetic to “the Palestinian side.” The message was clear: any candidate refusing to condemn Israel would lose local support.
Four independent pro-Palestinian candidates were elected to Parliament. In 10 constituencies, the Labour Party lost its parliamentary majority. Similar defeats occurred in recent local elections: in Bradford, Birmingham and Oldham, candidates with anti-Israel messages secured key positions in local government.
Upon becoming prime minister after last year’s election, Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer was forced to shift his stance. After initially refusing to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, he faced heavy public pressure and a drop in Muslim voter trust.
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Eventually, he issued a public apology, stating that “Labour listens to all communities.” But his carefully worded statement rang hollow. The new political reality on the ground no longer aligns with moderate approaches, but instead with clear demands to sanction Israel.
A Guardian poll revealed that 45% of Muslim voters cited Gaza as one of the key issues influencing their vote – compared to just 12% of the general population. In other words, what was once considered a foreign policy matter is now a major political factor in British elections.
More voices in Britain now argue that “the country has been hijacked by Muslim extremists.” This is the picture when elected representatives express support for Hamas, local candidates gain power on anti-Israel platforms, and MPs fear publicly backing the Jewish state.
An Islamic summer camp in the UK for children aged 9 to 14 has sparked public outrage amid allegations of indoctrination and extremism. According to The Telegraph, the camp, operated by the Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission (AIM), is suspected of having links with Iran and is set to take place next month in Hertfordshire.
Social media posts by the organization praise Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and promote his books as “excellent sources of knowledge.” Shortly after the attacks on October 7, 2023, the group posted that “the Zionists brought this disaster upon themselves.”
The camp’s code of conduct reveals a strict gender separation policy: girls must wear a hijab at all times, boys’ and girls’ sleeping quarters are separated, and schedules are arranged to prevent interaction between the sexes. The only permitted joint activities are daily prayers and group photos.
British democracy has become a platform through which an ideological minority shapes a religious-nationalist reality.
“Britons have lost the ability to speak the truth out of fear,” Journalist David Rose wrote. “We no longer live in a liberal kingdom – but in a political space where communal organization is stronger than the law.”
What’s unfolding in the UK should raise red flags across Europe. The political Islam creeping into decision-making centers through democratic votes represents a dangerous intersection of liberty and vulnerability.
The struggle today is not against religion, but against its politicization. Europe – and Britain in particular – must enact legal safeguards to curb the foreign influence of radical elements, preserve national identity, and protect freedom of speech.
Britain, once a global leader in civil liberties and the fight against fascism, now faces a new test: a test of identity. The lingering question is whether the country will regain its footing – or whether, within less than three decades, ethnic Britons will become a minority in their own homeland.
The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, an honorary consul, deputy dean of the consular diplomatic corps in Israel, and president of the Israel Radio Communications Association. He is a former NBC television correspondent.
