Public want a massive cut in immigration
Nearly 80 per cent concerned about the issue
Click to access YouGovpollpressrelScaleofImmig(Final).pdf
May 12-14, 2009
A new poll has found that more than 7 out of 10 adults want immigration cut by over 80%. Just 1 in 20 adults support the current level.
The YouGov poll, which was commissioned by Migrationwatch for the Cross Party Group on Balanced Migration, found that 79 per cent of people were concerned or very concerned about the issue of immigration.
Net foreign immigration the number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants has run at about 300,000 a year for the last five years.
17% of adults questioned believed that net foreign immigration should be reduced to 50,000 a year a level last seen in the early 1990s.
39% of adults thought that there should be no net immigration (i.e. the number of immigrants should reflect the number of emigrants).
16% of adults thought there should be more emigrants than immigrants.
Over half ABC1s (52%) and C2DEs (58%) thought that immigration should be cut to either no net immigration or there should be more emigrants than migrants. Young people also think that immigration should be drastically reduced: a total of 63% of 18-34 year olds thought that net immigration should be either 50,000 a year, or there should be no net immigration, or that emigration should be greater than immigration.
There is also strong support for a significant cut in immigration in London, where nearly one third of the population are now immigrants themselves. 74% of Londoners are concerned or very concerned about the issue. Just 6% of Londoners support the current of level of net immigration. 65% think that net immigration should be cut by 80% while 50% think that there should either be no net immigration, or emigration should be greater than immigration.
Concern about immigration was highest in the Midlands and Wales, where 82% of people were concerned or very concerned about immigration. Even in Scotland, which has received far fewer immigrants than England, 67% people were concerned or very concerned about the issue and 65% wanted to see a cut of 80% or more in the level of immigration.
Commenting on the findings, Frank Field MP and Nicholas Soames MP, Co-Chairmen of the Cross Party Group, said:
This poll shows the publics concern about immigration is very widely felt and the demand for change very strong indeed. The issue must no longer be swept under the carpet at Westminster. If mainstream parties do not tackle these issues, the extremist parties will. Silence and inaction on immigration are the recruiting sergeants for the BNP.
Notes to editors
1. The Rt Hon Frank Field MP and The Hon Nicholas Soames MP are Co-Chairmen of the Cross Party Group on Balanced Migration. The Groups Vice-Chairmen are Lord (Bill) Jordan CBE (former President of the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union) and Daniel Kawczynski MP (Conservative, Shrewsbury & Atcham). Other members include Tobias Ellwood MP, Roger Godsiff MP, Peter Kilfoyle MP, David Taylor MP, Lord Ahmed, Lord Anderson, Lord Carey (former Archbishop of Canterbury) Baroness Cox, Field Marshal Lord Inge KG, GCB, PC, DL, Lord Skidelsky and Lord Wakeham.
2. The full results of the poll are attached. They are also published on the balanced migration website: www.balancedmigration.com.
3. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2072 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 12th – 14th May 2009. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).
