OF FIVE Western countries polled by the Pew Research Centre, Muslims in Britain were the most likely to identify themselves by religion rather than nationality. A massive 81% considered themselves Muslim first. This was higher than in Spain or America, two other countries in which terrorist attacks by Islamic extremists have been carried out. Indeed, in America, only 47% of Muslims thought of themselves in this way, marginally more than in France. Perhaps a shared background of revolution, a written constitution and promotion of national values explains the similarities between responses in France and America: 62% of Muslims in both countries thought life was better for women there than in Muslim countries. By contrast, a mere 46% of Spanish Muslims agreed.

EPA