Reducing immigration became more important to voters in July, polling has shown, amid social instability over anti-migrant protests and more calls from top UK economists for a greater focus on getting Brits into the labour market before hiring overseas workers.
Research by City AM/Freshwater Strategy has shown reducing immigration is the single most important issue for 30 per cent of voters compared to improving the cost of living, which was highlighted as a top concern for 28 per cent of voters.
Improving healthcare remained a top priority for 11 per cent while growing the UK economy was a key issue for nine per cent of voters.
One in 20 voters said environmental protection and reducing carbon emissions was the single most important issue ahead of boosting defence, reducing crime and cutting taxes.
A separate poll by YouGov suggested nearly half of Britons (45 per cent) now wanted zero net migration and mass deportations of those who arrived in the UK in recent years.
The radical approach is backed by 86 per cent of Reform UK and more than a quarter of Labour and Liberal Democrat (27 per cent each).
The same poll showed almost half of Britons (47 per cent) also incorrectly believe more migrants are in the UK illegally than legally.
Anti-migrant protestors have clashed with pro-migrant protestors outside asylum hotels in recent days across London, reflecting the tensions bubbling up across the country on the issue.
Labour is hoping they curb small boat crossings through tougher border security and a migrant returns deal with France, which is set to come into force by the end of the week.
Immigration is a ‘problem’ for UK economy
This year has seen the earliest time yet that 25,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel.
But Brits are concerned about the effects of immigration beyond illegal migrants crossing from France, with leading economists now becoming more vocal about the impacts of mass immigration on the UK economy.
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR)’s David Miles said increasing immigration to support growth “could not be sustained” due to people’s cost to UK services including schools and the NHS.
Miles said immigration was creating a “serious problem” for public finances and living standards, adding the fiscal advantages of getting more inactive Brits into work were “as great as the benefits of having more people come and stay in the UK with average or, especially, well above average earnings”.
The fiscal watchdog has faced intense scrutiny over its measurements of the benefits of immigration to the UK economy.
In March last year, the OBR said welfare spending would remain “largely unchanged” as a result of net migration of 350,000 while general tax revenue would increase.
The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), among other expert bodies, have meanwhile been more emphatic about the fiscal costs of mass immigration.