Labour’s support among muslim voters has dropped by around a third amid anger at Keir Starmer’s Israel stance, according to a poll.
Research by Survation found that the party was backed by around 86 per cent of muslims at the last election in 2019.
However, that has seemingly dropped to 60 per cent in a new survey.
The findings will raise fresh concerns in Labour circles about the impact of the raging war in Gaza. Sir Keir repeatedly refused to call for an immediate ceasefire as Israel responded to the Hamas massacre of civilians on October 7.
The Opposition is facing a crucial test in the Rochdale by-election on February 29, with George Galloway running against their candidate on a pro-Palestinian platform.
Simon Danczuk, who previously held the seat for Labour, is also standing for Reform UK.
Labour ‘s support among muslim voters has dropped by around a third amid anger at Keir Starmer ‘s Israel stance, according to a poll
Survation highlighted that their poll was carried out using a ‘probability based, telephone-led approach’. Owing to the difficulty of polling such groups it was a relatively small sample.
The research found that Labour had 60 per cent support, the Tories 8 per cent and other parties 32 per cent.
That compared to a study from 2021, when people were asked to say how they voted in the 2019 general election. That showed support for Labour at 86 per cent, the Tories on 10 per cent and other parties on 4 per cent.
The Rochdale by-election is due to take place on 29 February, having been triggered by the death of veteran Labour MP Sir Tony Lloyd last month.
Sir Tony had a majority of nearly 10,000 at the 2019 election, and Labour is widely expected to retain the seat after selecting local councillor Azhar Ali as their candidate.
However, Mr Galloway has form for causing upsets in constituencies with large muslim communities, and has been urging voters to ‘boycott Labour’ over its Gaza stance.
In a sign of the strength of feeling among activists more widely, deputy leader Angela Rayner was barracked at a fundraiser recently and was driven away by a police escort.
Mr Danczuk has been arguing that Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak ‘don’t care about our town’.
He was first elected to the Commons as Rochdale MP at the 2010 general election and retained the seat for Labour at the 2015 general election.
But, in December 2015, he was suspended by Labour following newspaper allegations he had exchanged explicit messages with a 17-year-old girl who had been seeking a job in his constituency office.
Mr Danczuk apologised for ‘inappropriate’ behaviour, adding: ‘I was stupid and there’s no fool like an old fool.’
He was later barred from standing as Labour’s candidate in Rochdale at the 2017 general election.
Mr Danczuk subsequently quit the party and chopped up his membership card as he launched an outspoken attack on then-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
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