In 2011, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, the first Muslim woman to serve in the British cabinet, said that Islamophobia had passed the dinner party test, suggesting you could be openly Islamophobic in polite company without consequence.

13 years later, proPalestine protestors are being accused of sympathising with Hamas, Sadiq Khan is smeared as palling around with Islamists and both major parties have serious problems with Islamophobia.

Since the October 7th attacks by Hamas, Islamophobic attacks have risen by 600%.

Muslims remain a reliable punching bag in the UK, a convenient other to vilify when the chips are down.

It’s easier to blame pesky brown people than it is to sort out the economy.

But why do mainstream politicians feel so comfortable doing so?

To answer that, I want to ask people at the heart of the issue.

So, I've come to Tower Hamlets, the most Muslim place in the UK.

Reporter: Ed Campbell
Camera: Harry Ainsworth and Seán Hickey

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