Throughout the dialogue, participants discussed a broad range of existing evidence pointing to a significant deterioration in social cohesion, democratic trust and confidence in public institutions across the UK. Contributors noted that a growing number of citizens perceive democratic systems as ineffective, unresponsive or unable to address long-standing grievances.
Participants identified a range of interrelated pressures shaping the current environment, including economic insecurity, pressures associated with migration, declining confidence in public services, intergenerational tensions and a broader sense of national uncertainty. Several in the room argued that these pressures have created conditions in which extremist narratives and conspiracy theories can flourish.
There were extensive discussions around the mainstreaming of conspiracy theories and anti-democratic narratives. Participants noted that narratives previously confined to extremist ecosystems are increasingly visible within wider public discourse, including narratives associated with “replacement” theories, anti-government conspiracies, and distrust in democratic institutions.
The increasing hostility towards minority communities, particularly Jewish and Muslim communities, was also discussed. Contributors pointed to rising levels of antisemitic and anti-Muslim incidents, as well as broader concerns around intimidation, harassment and social exclusion.
Several participants emphasised the central role antisemitism plays across multiple extremist ideologies. Antisemitism was described as a recurring feature across Far-Right, Islamist and some Far-Left extremist ecosystems, often functioning as a unifying narrative despite ideological differences elsewhere.
Discussions were also raised around generational trends, particularly the susceptibility of younger demographics to extremist narratives online. It was raised in the room that traditional forms of civic engagement and community infrastructure appear to have weakened among younger generations, leaving some individuals more vulnerable to online radicalisation and identity-based narratives.
Participants repeatedly stressed that extremism cannot be understood solely through socioeconomic indicators. While deprivation and exclusion may contribute to vulnerability, discussions suggested that extremist beliefs are present across a wide range of educational and economic backgrounds.
There was broad agreement that the UK lacks a sufficiently developed evidence base to fully understand the scale and nature of the challenge. It was also noted that existing data remains fragmented across institutions and departments, limiting the ability to identify patterns, trends and emerging vulnerabilities.