British Muslims feel a greater sense of national pride than an average UK citizen, according to the results of a new poll. While 79 percent of the Britons said they agreed with the statement “I am proud to be a British citizen”, the figure rose to 83 percent among Muslims. The poll of 2,000 people, conducted by the United Kingdom-based think tank Demos, was designed to find what symbolises the best of Britain.
The Muslim Britons were also found to be significantly more optimistic than the rest, with just 31 percent agreeing with the notion that Britain’s best days are in the past compared to an average of 45 percent. The poll suggests that Muslims are more able to appreciate the political freedoms than other Britons, as they can trace their family roots to far more oppressive and non-democratic regimes. The results of the survey shatter the myth that Muslims are not patriotic.
British-Pakistani boxer Amir Khan, one of the most prominent flag wavers among the nation’s Muslim population, often speaks in interviews about his sense of national pride. The report found, “This optimism in British Muslims is significant as – combined with their high score for pride in being British – it runs counter to a prevailing narrative about Muslim dissatisfaction with, and in the UK.” Around half of the people questioned for the survey said they believed Britain benefited from being a multicultural country. The survey also discovered that courteous and generous behaviour inspired patriotism more than institutions such as the monarchy or the BBC.
British Women were found to be significantly more optimistic about the country’s future than men, while young Britons were found to be only 10 percent less patriotic than those aged over 65. Two thirds of the respondents said they had volunteered at least once during the past year and the act is the biggest single indicator of national pride.
‘British Muslims more proud of nationality than other UK citizens’
