Major Political Shift as British Jews Abandon Mainstream Parties
British Jews are undergoing a dramatic political transformation, turning away from the traditional main parties in favour of smaller alternatives, according to groundbreaking new research. Support for both Labour and the Conservatives has plummeted to unprecedented lows, creating space for significant gains by the Green party and Reform UK.
The Numbers Behind the Political Exodus
Support for Labour and the Conservatives combined has crashed from nearly 84% in 2020 to just 58% by July 2025, according to a comprehensive report from the Institute of Jewish Policy Research (JPR). This represents the lowest level of support for the two main parties ever recorded in the British Jewish community.
The research, which surveyed 11,000 British Jews, reveals a striking divergence in political preferences. By June 2025, nearly one in five British Jews (18%) were backing the Green party – a development described as "paradoxical" by researchers given the party's stance on Israel, which it formally labelled an "apartheid state" at its 2024 Manchester conference.
Meanwhile, support for Reform UK among British Jews surged from 3% in August 2024 to 11% in June 2025, though this increase lagged behind the 14% rise the party enjoyed with the wider electorate.
Understanding the Demographic Divide
Dr Jonathan Boyd, JPR's executive director, explained the clear demographic patterns emerging from this political fragmentation. "Reform UK is more likely to attract male, older, orthodox, and Zionist Jews; the Greens are more likely to attract younger, unaffiliated and anti-Zionist Jews," he noted.
The rapid growth in Green party support is particularly noteworthy. Between August 2024's general election and June 2025, backing for the Greens among British Jews grew by 9%, significantly outstripping the 1% rise in Green support among the wider electorate over the same period.
This suggests that for a significant minority of Jews, domestic priorities and progressive values outweigh foreign policy concerns, even when those concerns involve the party's position on Israel.
Forces Driving the Political Fragmentation
The report identifies three primary forces behind this political realignment:
- The war in Gaza and its polarising effect on Jewish attitudes
- Rising antisemitism, culminating in the Heaton Park Synagogue terrorist attack
- A broader collapse of trust in mainstream parties
These factors are pushing Jewish voters toward parties that offer clarity – whether through populism or radical progressivism. The report notes that significant parts of the Jewish population may gravitate toward voices promising strength and clarity, regardless of ideological baggage when mainstream parties are perceived as weak or hostile.
The political preferences of British Jews now differ markedly from the wider electorate. Jews remain less likely to vote for Reform UK (11% vs 28%) but more likely to vote for the Green party (18% vs 7%) compared to the general population.
This shift represents what researchers describe as a "structural shift in Jewish political identity" that mirrors broader trends in UK politics. If these developments persist, the report warns that British Jews are likely to become more politically polarised, potentially prompting further internal community tensions.
