Poll reveals British support for EU migrants

A new poll reveals that a majority of Brits want EU migrants who are already living in the UK to be allowed to stay in the country following June’s Brexit vote.

The ICM poll for the British Future thinktank, shows that 84 per cent of respondents say EU citizens already in the UK should be allowed to stay. This includes a majority of both Leave voters (77 per cent) and UKIP (the UK Independence Party) supporters (78 per cent).

What’s more, 46 per cent of those polled would be happy to see an increase in the number of immigrants arriving in Britain while 42 percent believe that it should stay the same.

The poll also revealed that while only 12 per cent of Brits want to see a reduction in the number of highly skilled workers, 62 per cent would like to see the numbers of low-skilled workers decreased.

“There are sure to be changes to immigration policy once we know what shape Brexit takes,” said Jill Rutter, director of strategy for British Future. “That will bring challenges but it also presents an opportunity – for a comprehensive review of a system that is widely believed to be failing and in which the public has lost all confidence.”

Three-quarters of those surveyed agree with the call for a “sensible policy to manage immigration that controls who comes to the UK, but still keeps the immigration that is good for the UK economy and society, and maintains Britain’s tradition of offering sanctuary to refugees who need protection.”

Article published 23rd August 2016