Nearly a third of Brexit voters believe Muslim immigration is part of a plot to Islamicise Britain, according to a major new study that has revealed a pattern of deep mistrust for authorities.
The survey, by researchers at Cambridge University and YouGov, is the most comprehensive examination of conspiracy theories ever conducted and is the first time academics have looked into questions of trust in the media and conspiracy beliefs across countries.
Asked if they believed “Muslim immigration to this country is part of a bigger plan to make Muslims a majority of this country's population”, 31 per cent of leave voters said they did.
The far-right conspiracy theory, known as the “great replacement”, originated in France and often apportions blame to perceived elites, such as the European Union.
The figure among Remain voters was six per cent.
Almost half leave voters (47%) believed the government was deliberately “hiding the truth” about how many immigrants live in the country, compared to 14 per cent of Remain voters. [The Independent] Read more
