A new national study suggests that “woke ideology” may be losing influence in the United Kingdom, as more Britons view the term negatively and express discomfort with the pace of social and cultural change. The survey, conducted by Ipsos and King’s College London’s Policy Institute, found that nearly half of the public now considers “woke” an insult, up from just over a third two years ago.The findings show that younger and older age groups alike have become more skeptical of the concept, although the most significant recent increase in negative sentiment came from 16 to 24-year-olds. In 2023, about 37% of young people said they viewed “woke” as an insult; by 2025, that figure had risen to nearly half. Over the longer term, the steepest shift has come among older respondents, where the share describing “woke” as an insult has grown steadily since 2020..Despite rising familiarity with the term, few Britons identify with it. Only about 20% of adults describe themselves as “woke,” while a similar share call themselves “anti-woke.”Most people say they identify with neither or do not fully understand the label. Among those who do take a position, men are more likely than women to say they are anti-woke, while young men are the only group to have seen a notable increase in identifying as woke themselves.The poll results also point to a wider sense of fatigue with cultural activism and political correctness. Half of Britons now say the country’s culture is changing too quickly, compared with just over a third five years ago, and a similar proportion say they would prefer the nation to be “the way it used to be.” National pride has slipped below a majority for the first time since 2020, with less than 50% of respondents now saying they feel proud of their country..Attitudes toward transgender rights reflect a similar shift. The proportion of people saying those rights have “gone too far” has more than doubled since 2020, while those saying rights have not gone far enough have declined. Even among young adults, support for expanding transgender rights has softened, though younger people remain more sympathetic than older generations.These changes come as public trust in institutions involved in shaping cultural debate continues to fall. Six in ten people believe politicians exaggerate or invent culture wars for political gain, and two-thirds say the media makes the country feel more divided than it really is. Still, nearly 64% of the public consider culture wars a serious problem for British society and politics, suggesting concern remains over the consequences of polarization.Overall, the research paints a picture of a country growing weary of ideological conflict. While Britain remains deeply divided on issues of identity, immigration and national history, many appear to be turning away from overtly “woke” politics and toward a desire for cultural stability and common ground. The results suggest that what was once described as a rising “woke” movement may now be facing its peak.
