Immigration top concern in Britain for first time since 2016: Poll

IMMIGRATION has emerged as the most important issue for Britons, according to a poll by Ipsos, marking the first time since 2016 that it has topped the list.

This shift comes in the wake of recent riots targeting Muslims and migrants across the country.

The poll showed that 34 per cent of Britons identified immigration as the biggest issue, followed by healthcare at 30 per cent, the economy at 29 per cent, crime at 25 per cent, and inflation at 20 per cent. Additionally, 11 per cent of respondents cited race relations as their primary concern.

Net migration to the country reached a record high of 764,000 in 2022, slightly decreasing to 685,000 in the following year.

The pollster indicated that concerns about immigration have grown following recent riots in various towns and cities, where anti-immigration demonstrators targeted hotels housing asylum seekers and mosques.

"The impact of the recent riots across the UK is clear in this month's data... the level of concern about crime and race relations has also surged to recent highs," said Ipsos researcher Mike Clemence.

The unrest has lessened after arrests were made, and some offenders were swiftly jailed. In response, many also participated in anti-racism rallies.

A similar trend was noted in a YouGov poll released last week, which also showed immigration as the top issue for the first time since 2016, a year when immigration concerns were a significant factor in Britain's decision to leave the European Union.

Ipsos polled 1,010 adults from 7-13 August, while YouGov surveyed 2,163 adults from 5-6 August.

(Reuters)