Is the UK Really Pro-Iran? A Reality Check with Andrew Fox
In this episode, the hosts speak with former British soldier and Middle East strategist Andrew Fox about the public sentiment in the United Kingdom regarding the Israel-Gaza conflict and Iran. Responding to observations of pro-Palestinian and pro-Iran protests, particularly in London, Fox explains that while these demonstrations appear widespread in the media, they largely represent a noisy fringe rather than the majority view.
He emphasizes that most people in the UK—across both white and immigrant populations—are not deeply engaged in these issues, citing everyday responsibilities like mortgages and parenting. Fox argues that, similar to the U.S., public activism is more common on the political left, whereas those on the right tend to be less visible in street-level activism. He also notes that outside of London, the is
sue is rarely discussed in public spaces.
As the discussion wraps up, the hosts praise Fox for his grounded perspective and highlight the practicality of his insight: most people simply don’t have the bandwidth to obsess over yet another conflict in the Middle East.
Transcript
Chuck Warren: So we see in America on TV, especially in social media, you see all these protesters in favor of Gaza and Iran and so forth. Would you say that the United Kingdom is more in favor of Iran and the Palestinians than Israel or is it just simply loud voices – Dominating the news.
Shay Khatari: If I may also follow up on that, we see a lot of what Chuck is mentioning among in London and among the recent immigrant population. How much is that predominant among the non recent immigrant population? Those who have traced their ancestry back to England and especially out of London.
Andrew Fox: I think we see a lot of people, both white and from immigrant populations, on the protests in London. But I do think it is the noisy fringe who make themselves heard disproportionately, very much as it is in America. And actually, I think if you asked 90% of people in the UK what they thought of this,
they probably don't care. They probably think it's sad that the kids have died in Gaza and isn't that awful. But, you know, these people have mortgages to pay and children to get to school. And they don't have time to obsess over yet another war in the Middle East because
it's not as if we've been short of those over the last 20 years. So I think really it's the extreme fringes who are making the most noise. But it has created a very toxic atmosphere in London particularly. But I don't live in London. I live outside of London and you never see any mention of it, frankly, when you're out in public. It's a very unusual thing to see.
Shay Khatari: You know, it's one of those things you see in America, too. If you're a lefty, you love protesting. You're very radical about even how you conduct politics. But if you're conservative, you're more cautious, low-voltage about politics. You're not going to go to every rally.
Chuck Warren: Well, Andrew made the best point, which makes him one of the smartest guests we've had on, is that people have lives. They have mortgages. They have kids they got to take to soccer. They got... you know, they got a life to do. So, Andrew, as we're wrapping up here, tell our folks how they follow you and how they reach you and so forth.
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Read Andrew Fox’s article: The Moronic Obscenity of Siding with Iran
Follow Andrew Fox on X: @Mr_Andrew_Fox