Ministers are facing calls to examine why the number of white Muslim inmates appears to be rising, as concerns grow over possible recruitment efforts by extremist prison gangs.
Figures from the Ministry of Justice show that white prisoners make up one in five Muslim inmates across England and Wales — a striking contrast with the wider Muslim population, where the proportion is 5.8 per cent.
The data has renewed long-running fears about the influence of violent Islamist groups behind bars, including claims that some gangs pressure inmates into converting or use religion as a means of control.
The statistics were highlighted by shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy, who said the disparity demanded closer scrutiny from the Government.
‘The percentage of Muslims who are white in our prisons is so vastly higher than in the general population it raises serious questions,’ he said.
‘We know that experts have warned repeatedly about forced conversions taking place behind bars, driven by Islamic gangs.
‘We need to be honest that something is not right here – Labour must urgently investigate and stamp out forced conversions in prison.’
Warnings over coercive Islamic conversions in jails have also been raised by Jonathan Hall KC, the Government’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, including in his 2022 report on terrorism inside prisons.
He described Islamist terrorists acting as ‘self-styled emirs’, who controlled prisoners through ‘leadership and recruitment’.
This included recruiting ‘vulnerable or lonely prisoners, using guidance, sharing of food or material gifts’ and ‘conversion backed by implicit or actual violence,’ Mr Hall said.
He cited the case of London Bridge attacker, Usman Khan, who ‘encouraged other prisoners to take on Muslim names [and] wear Muslim dress’ while ‘trying to convert prisoners’.
One lawyer who regularly visits top-security prisons to meet inmates told the Mail last year that inmates often converted to Islam for their own protection.
‘This is something which will happen hours after arriving on a wing. Immediately they arrive in prison they slot into the gang hierarchy. In some cases there are entire floors dominated by Muslim gangs,’ he said.
The phenomenon has also been documented by Ian Acheson, who conducted a review of Islamist extremism in prisons.
He has described how the power of Muslim gangs in some prisons was prompting inmates to convert for their own protection.
A government-commissioned review in 2023 found that gangs in some prisons were ordering prisoners to become Muslims or face violence.
Colin Bloom, the report’s author, said: ‘Failure to identify as a Muslim meant that at best the new prisoner would be denied ‘protection’ from the dominant Muslim gang on that wing, or at worst the new prisoner would be subjected to violence and intimidation from that same gang’.
There have also been reports of prisoners becoming so-called ‘convenience Muslims’ converting to Islam for perceived benefits such as getting more time out of cells for meetings and prayers, and getting to eat supposedly higher quality halal food.
![London Bridge attacker Usman Khan 'encouraged other prisoners to take on Muslim names [and] wear Muslim dress' while 'trying to convert prisoners'](https://i.dailymail.com/1s/2026/08/25/13/76283213-16078107-Usman_Khan_pictured_had_been_planning_attacks_on_the_Stock_Excha-a-2_1787660132755.jpg)
London Bridge attacker Usman Khan ‘encouraged other prisoners to take on Muslim names [and] wear Muslim dress’ while ‘trying to convert prisoners’
The MOJ has previously claimed that attributing a rise in the number of white Muslim prisoners to Muslim gangs would be ‘based on wholly anecdotal evidence’. It insists faith-based coercion is ‘not tolerated’.
The latest MOJ figures show there are more Muslim chaplains in prisons in England and Wales than there are Anglican or Church of England chaplains.
There are now 140 Muslim chaplains in prisons, up from 128 in 2023-24, versus 87 for the Church of England, down from 97 in 2024-25.
There are another 94 Catholic chaplains, 64 from free churches and 23 described only as ‘Christian’.
The number of white Muslim prisoners in England and Wales has risen from 2,767 in 2022 to 3,218 as of June 30, 2025 – a rise of 16 per cent.
The number of Muslim inmates overall has increased by 14 per cent from 14,037 in 2022 to 16,051 as of June 30, 2025.
A MOJ spokesman said: ‘We do not tolerate intimidation, gang activity or faith-based coercion of any kind in our prisons.
‘Prisons and staff act swiftly to clamp down on all threatening behaviour from any groups or individuals.’
