Queen Mary University of London Poll Uncovers Ethnic Minority Perspectives on British Politics and Social Governance

Much has been written about the difficulty of accurately polling ethnic minority voters in the UK. According to the 2021 census, Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people make up 18 per cent of the UK population but are consistently underrepresented in polls that claim to be representative, with some polls having BAME respondents at only 5 per cent or lower. To make up for deficiencies in their samples, polling companies often weight results for ethnicity, giving more weight to the same number of BAME respondents they do have so that they are able to reach the 18 per cent population level.

Not all ethnic minority people have the same experiences or think the same way. It is therefore inaccurate to weight a few people’s views to represent whole swathes of the population. Conflating different views together – as a single BAME category does – also risks masking the important differences between groups that, in the UK, very often diverge in their social, economic, and political experiences, as the Mile End Institute’s new polling demonstrates.

Our poll, conducted by Number Cruncher Politics, shows that over half of ethnic minority Londoners (56 per cent) say that the UK is very or moderately racist and highlights that there are big differences between different ethnic groups. 19 per cent of Caribbean Londoners say that the UK is very racist, compared to just 3 per cent of Chinese Londoners. Our polling also demonstrates the effect that international events (including war and ethnic and religious tensions) have on British politics, with 60 per cent of Pakistani Londoners and 42 per cent of Indian Londoners, believing that the main parties’ positions on the conflict in Kashmir will decide how they vote at the next general election.

Other highlights include:

Londoners are feeling cost of living rises

• 62 per cent of ethnic minority Londoners say that they are paying too much tax; 28 per cent believe the amount they pay is about right; and only one percent believe it is too low.
• 93 per cent of ethnic minority Londoners are very or somewhat concerned with the cost of living; nearly half (47 per cent) say that they will not be able to maintain the same standard of living over the next year.

People rate their local NHS services highly

• 69 per cent of ethnic minority Londoners would give their local NHS services three or more out of five if asked to rate them – five being excellent and one being poor.

Education is a sign of success and is perceived to change social attitudes

• 32 per cent of ethnic minority Londoners view it as a sign of success to send their children to private school; 33 per cent of white Londoners agree with them.
• 45 per cent of ethnic minority Londoners believe that university education is an indicator of success in life; 32 per cent of white Londoners agree with them.
• 64 per cent of ethnic minority Londoners say that higher education changes a person’s social attitudes. 33 per cent believe it makes a personal more socially liberal; 17 per cent say it makes them more economically right-leaning; 16 per cent believe those with a higher education are more pro-EU.

The Metropolitan Police Service still faces major challenges

• Almost half (47 per cent) of all Londoners say that the Police are institutionally racist; over half (54 per cent) of ethnic minority Londoners agree.
• 45 per cent of ethnic minority Londoners say that the Met Police are institutionally sexist.
• Trust in the Met is very low. Only 15 per cent of ethnic minority Londoners trust the institution a lot; 62 per cent trust it a little; 18 per cent do not trust it at all.

Race Relations in London remain problematic

• 13 per cent of ethnic minority Londoners were the victim of a racist incident in the last two years.
• 56 per cent of ethnic minority Londoners say that the UK is either moderately or very racist.
• Over half of Londoners (54 per cent) believe that Rishi Sunak being of ethnic minority background has had no effect on racism in the UK.

International events do have a local impact

• 59 per cent of ethnic minority Londoners say that international events such as wars in other countries affect relationships between people in the UK.
• 60 per cent of Pakistani Londoners and 42 per cent of Indian Londoners believe that the main parties’ positions on the conflict in Kashmir will decide how they vote at the next general election.

Labour is on track to win big in London, despite Sadiq Khan’s unpopularity

• Sadiq Khan is likely to win a third term in office: 54 per cent of ethnic minority Londoners say that they would vote for him, compared to 43 per cent of all Londoners.
• Susan Hall has the support of 22 per cent of ethnic minority Londoners, compared to 26 per cent of all Londoners.
• However, only 34 per cent of white Londoners and 33 per cent of ethnic minority Londoners are satisfied with the way that Sadiq Khan had done his job as Mayor of London.

Londoners are ‘Dissatisfied’ with Rishi Sunak’s performance as Prime Minister

• Only 26 per cent of all Londoners are satisfied with Rishi Sunak’s premiership. However, Indian Londoners are much more supportive of the Prime Minister than other ethnic minorities, with 47 per cent of Indian Londoners saying that they are either very or somewhat satisfied with his performance.