More Britons believe that multiculturalism makes the country worse - not better, says poll

A majority of 56 per cent of people now regard Islam as a threat to Western liberal democracy, rising from 32 per cent in 2001

Shoppers make their way down Oxford Street on 24 December 2012 in London, England (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

More people in Britain believe that multiculturalism makes the country worse than those who believe it makes the country better, according to a new survey.

The survey by YouGov, commissioned by the Huffington Post, demonstrates a large decrease in the proportion of the population who believe that multiculturalism benefits the country.

The latest figures, polled for the anniversary of the 7/7 bombings in London, show the changing views of the country - the proportion of people who felt that Islam, as distinct from Islamic fundamentalist groups, poses a major threat to Western liberal democracy jumped from one in ten in 2001, to 27 per cent.

In addition the amount of people who regard Islam as a threat to Western liberal democracy had risen from 32 per cent in 2001, to a majority of 56 per cent.

45 per cent of Ukip supporters felt that a large proportion of British Muslims feel no sense of loyalty to this country and are prepared to condone or even carry out acts of terrorism, compared to only 14 per cent of Conservatives, 8 per cent of Liberal Democrats, and 7 per cent of Labour supporters.

79 per cent of people in the UK believe further terrorist attacks on the scale of 7/7 on British cities and other British targets are likely.

94 per cent of Ukip supporters thought attacks were likely, compared to 86 per cent of Conservatives, 81 per cent of Liberal Democrats, and 75 per cent of Labour supporters.

Next week marks the 10th anniversary of 7/7, when four suicide bombers killed 52 civilians in co-ordinated attacks on public transport during London's morning rush hour.

The first suicide attack on British soil was the UK's worst terrorist incident since the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, as more than 900 people were injured.

Four British Muslim men – Germaine Lindsay, Mohammed Sidique Khan, Shehzad Tanweer and Hasib Hussain, who saw themselves as "soldiers of war" – had carried out the attacks.