Forum Topic

The challenge of Islam to British society

'Immigration, segregation and Islamist activism are creating a crisis.'A long but thought provoking read.Do readers agree or is it just hyperbole ?https://www.spiked-online.com/2026/09/19/the-challenge-of-islam-to-british-society/?utm_source=Spiked+Subscribers&utm_campaign=34172c6618-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2026_09_20_01_50&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-34172c6618-297294498Extract -'There is little doubt that Islam poses a challenge to British society. It is growing in influence and has political as well as religious ambitions.'It is already affecting our democracy and changing our culture. Former home secretary Suella Braverman didn’t hold back in a Telegraph op-ed in February 2024: '‘The truth is that the Islamists, the extremists and the anti-Semites are in charge now. They have bullied the Labour Party, they have bullied our institutions, and now they have bullied our country into submission. This is a crisis. And the fightback must start now, with urgency, if we are to preserve the liberties we cherish and the privileges this country affords us all. If we are to have any chance of saving our country from the mob.’

John Hawkes ● 24d18 Comments

It's about time people started talking opening about the R word.Re-migration.We, the white, Christian majority are slowly being displaced, seemingly with the full knowledge of our leaders.

James Davidson ● 24d

We have freedom of religion and belief here.  There were just about as many non-religious people in the UK as there were Christians according to the 2022 census.  There are people who practise very many other religions and those religions will be divided again into many other beliefs.

Philippa Bond ● 24d

The real problem is extremists of any religion and none.

Philippa Bond ● 23d

Looks like James Davidson and Michael Brown make an ideal couple, with Hawkes an honourable associat⁷e member...

Richard Carter ● 23d

Oops! That should of course have been 'honorary' not honourable.

Richard Carter ● 23d

I couldn’t open the link on my phone but I will google it later on.However I totally agree with Suella Braverman’s views on the Islamist threat.  She has been warning us since 2023: ‘The risk from terrorism is "rising", Home Secretary Suella Braverman has said.The cabinet minister was speaking as the government published a review of its counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST, which has been updated for the first time in five years.Ms Braverman said: "We now face a domestic terrorist threat which is less predictable, harder to detect and investigate; a persistent and evolving threat from Islamist terrorist groups overseas; and an operating environment where technology continues to provide both opportunity and risk to our counter-terrorism efforts.The CONTEST strategy has been around since 2003, and was last updated in 2018 following the five terror attacks in 2017 - which included the Manchester Arena bombing and the London Bridge attack.Since then, there have been nine terror attacks, which killed six people and injured 20 others - and a further 39 attacks were disrupted, according to the Home Office.This year's review highlights how the "primary domestic terrorist threat" comes from "Islamist terrorism.It makes up "approximately 67% of attacks since 2018, about three-quarters of MI5's caseload and 64% of those in custody for terrorism-connected offences" as of March this year.  Considering that Braverman worked very closely with M15 (and M16) I trust her rather than a circle of melts from Amnesty and Hope Not Hate with clasped hands singing Kumbaya ..:

Sue Hammond ● 23d

Meanwhile 2 more people have been arrested at the weekend planning attacks on the Jewish community in Manchester it is reported.

Robert Wheeler ● 23d

FFSWhat next?

Jonathan Callaway ● 22d

Mr Carter'Looks like James Davidson and Michael Brown make an ideal couple, with Hawkes an honourable associat⁷e member...'Member of what exactly ?Please explain and not just respond with a childish attempt at humour.You rarely tell what you really think.Frit !

John Hawkes ● 22d

Mr Carter'Oops! That should of course have been 'honorary' not honourable.'I was taught at school "engage brain before opening mouth".You should do the same when posting 😉

John Hawkes ● 22d

Ms Bond'The real problem is extremists of any religion and none.'The real problem as you put it is that Islamic extremists feel their actions justified by religion and have put this into action by bombing and murdering British citizens on our own streets.Don't think many Christians, Sikhs or Hindus have done the same.And many Muslims are still targeting British Jews born and bred here.Which is rarely the case of those of Islamic persuasion who feel strangely reluctant to return to the 'homeland' in what they claim to be Palestine.

John Hawkes ● 22d

Mr Wheeler'Meanwhile 2 more people have been arrested at the weekend planning attacks on the Jewish community in Manchester it is reported.'Hold on a little and Mr Carter will say these attacks were justified because the attackers were fighting for freedom and to drive out the Jews who illegally 'occupy' the state of Israel.

John Hawkes ● 22d

Mr Hawkes, as an atheist, I've no time for any religious extremists - or secular terrorists,but it seems to be more common for religions to be hijacked by extremists for their own purposes. An obvious example are the Islamists terrorists but Christians have had their own moments; ok, the Spanish Inquisition was a while ago, but the action of some US Christian anti-abortionists seem to verge on terrorism by murdering opponents:https://www.adl.org/resources/news/anti-abortion-violence-america-stealth-terrorismI think you'd agree murdering doctors and security people is to be condemned? The worrying thing is I believe criminals like these may have contacts with some of our more right wing parties ... as Mr Rose has referred to "lefties I assume it's ok to use the term "right" in a political context?

Michael Ixer ● 22d

Mr Ixer'ok, the Spanish Inquisition was a while ago, but the action of some US Christian anti-abortionists seem to verge on terrorism by murdering opponents:'More gaslighting and obfuscation.You forgot to say "What did the Romans ever do for us" !You equate what happened in the The Spanish Inquisition -'Officially authorized by Pope Sixtus IV in 1478 and implemented under the Catholic Monarchs, King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile, with the first inquisitors appointed in 1480.Its initial purpose was to maintain Christian orthodoxy, particularly among Jews and Muslims who had converted to Catholicism, but it quickly became a tool for consolidating royal power and enforcing religious uniformity.Over its more than three-century existence, the Inquisition prosecuted an estimated 150,000 people, with 3,000–5,000 executed, mostly in the first 50 years, while others faced penance, imprisonment, or exile'.- with what Islamists are doing in the 21st century.Hamas Palestinians killed more Jews in October 2023 than were killed by the Inquisitors and 6,000,000 were killed by the Germans in the WWII genocide (genocide in the strict definition of the term and not used by a few Palestinian supporters like you).Have you forgotten that ?And you show your lack of rational thought or a desperate perversity to appear different and 'progressive' in describing what a few US anti-abortionists are doing.Christians in your view but you forget many UK citizens are not as liberal and insouciant as you in the taking of any human life.Don't keep asking puerile questions such as - 'I think you'd agree murdering doctors and security people is to be condemned? 'Eh yes - duh !'The worrying thing is I believe criminals like these may have contacts with some of our more right wing parties'You believe...Evidence and which 'more right wing parties' do you have in mind.Please name them and even perhaps give figures of their membership from a reputable Opinion Survey company.You might be an atheist ("How bold" !) but all this lack of belief just makes you appear someone who would be at home in the Common Room of a Student's Union in a UK University ranked about 100+ in the quality assessment list.

John Hawkes ● 22d

It isn't just one religion - of which there are different types: it is of ALL RELIGIONS - of which there are different types! The more extreme they are: the worse they are! Why does anyone or everyone seem to think that their own religion and beliefs are superior to everyone else's?It is also obvious that there are people here in the UK who presumably consider themselves to be Christian but who most definitely are not behaving in a very Christian way.There is definitely a lot of reflection needed by everyone.

Philippa Bond ● 22d

Ms Bond'It is also obvious that there are people here in the UK who presumably consider themselves to be Christian but who most definitely are not behaving in a very Christian way.'You are not referring to the Archbishop of Canterbury are you ?Insulting a leading Muslim cleric simply because of racist comments he made and his support for those Muslims that destroyed the Twin Towers on 9/11.BBC News'The Archbishop of Canterbury has withdrawn an award given to a Muslim cleric who praised Osama Bin Laden.Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi received the award for reconciliation and interfaith cooperation from Dame Sarah Mullally last week, on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.'Lambeth Palace faced a backlash after it emerged Ashrafi praised Bin Laden - the architect of the 2001 attacks - as someone who had "been fighting for Islam against the Russians, Americans and British", in comments from 2007.Ashrafi also reportedly said he would give Bin Laden the title Saifullah, which means "Sword of God". He told the BBC his remarks had been "totally taken out of context".'

John Hawkes ● 22d

the Islamists, the extremists and the anti-Semites are not in charge now and never have been.

Clifford Cowell ● 20d

I did NOT mean the Archbishop of Canterbury!

Philippa Bond ● 20d