Black Britons ‘more likely’ to think Jews control the banks
A SURVEY has revealed that black British people are more likely to believe that Jews have a disproportionately high level of control over the banks, the media and the music industry.
The poll, which was carried out online by ICM Unlimited, compared answers from a rigorously weighted sample of 558 people from the black British community to those of a nationally representative group of 1,000 people.
It found that 21 per cent of the black Britons polled believed that Jews have a disproportionately high level of control over the global banking system — compared to 11 per cent holding the same belief in the wider population.
A larger number of black Britons were also found to hold the same belief about Jewish control of the global media (15 per cent against six per cent more widely). For the global entertainment and music sector, 16 per cent of the black people questioned said Jews had disproportionate control, compared to seven per cent more widely.
The survey also found that social
integration was a determinant in differences in attitudes to Jews.
Less-integrated ‘bonders’ (black people who say at least half, most, or all of their close friends are black) were found more likely than ‘bridgers’ (black people who say only a few or none of their close friends are black) to think that Jewish people have a disproportionately high control of the global banking system (25 per cent against 16 per cent) and the global entertainment and music industry (21 per cent against eight per cent).
Rakib Ehsan, a research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, which commissioned the survey, said the results were “striking”. He added: “The unfortunate reality is that British antisemitism is more prevalent in specific racial and religious minorities – especially their less-integrated elements.
“This of course poses a problem for the British left, in that levels of antisemitism are relatively high within social groups which traditionally provide steadfast electoral support to the Labour Party – including Jeremy Corbyn’s period as leader. Will the new party leadership, spearheaded by Sir Keir Starmer, have the courage to confront antisemitic beliefs in Labourvoting minority communities?
In light of these findings, he added, “The UK government must work with local authorities to re-strengthen community cohesion plans which help to foster bonds of social trust and mutual respect between different groups. This in itself should be designed to reduce prejudices – including those of an antisemitic nature.”
Dr Ehsan said it was “crucial” that black British and Muslim organisations did not remain in their “comfort zone” and only combat antiblack and anti-Muslim bigotry.
“This is the essence of anti-discrimination activism – fighting bigotry on your own doorstep,” he said.