By Sarwar Alam
There is a “shocking” lack of trust in the government to manage immigration with four out of 10 Britons feeling multi- culturism has undermined British culture, according to a new survey.
Thinktank British Future and anti-prejudice campaigners HOPE not hate, conducted the largest-ever public consultation on immigration, speaking to nearly 20,000 people across the UK, in face-to-face panel discussions and surveys.
The results found half of voters think immigration is straining public services and that migrants are willing to work for less, putting jobs at risk and lowering wages.
The paper, titled The National Conversation on Immigration, produced a damning reflection on the lack of trust people have in the government when it comes to immigration.
Only 15 per cent of participants felt the government has managed immigration competently and fairly and just 13 per cent thought MPs tell the truth about immigration.
“The lack of trust we found in the government to manage immigration is quite shocking. People want to have their voices heard on the choices we make, and to hold their leaders to ac- count on their promises,” said Jill Rutter, director of strategy for British Future and co-author of the report.
“While people do want the UK government to have more control over who can come to the UK, most of them are ‘balancers’ they recognise the benefits of migration to Britain, both economically and culturally, but also voice concerns about pressures on public services and housing.
“Most people are pragmatic and have constructive ideas about the choices we face. They want a system that manages the pressures to secure the gains of immigration – but right now they don’t trust the government to deliver it.”
Controversial moves, such as the Windrush scandal, the failure to deport foreign national prisoners and failure to meet the net migration target, added to political mistrust, the survey found.
Many participants felt that politicians had tried to shut down open debate about immigration or had used biased or inaccurate statistics when they had been forced to comment on immigration.
People did not trust the government to enforce immigration policy competently or follow through policy commitments.
Latest statistics show the number of migrants who settled here in the year to March 2018 was 614,000, equal to a city bigger than Bristol. Net migration was around 270,000.
Most people who took part in the survey were termed “balancers”, who see both the pressures and gains of immigration.
“They (balancers) do not think skilled or student immigration has been too high. They would like more control over low-skilled migration, but are pragmatic about well-managed migration when it is needed to fill jobs from care workers to farming,” said Sunder Katwala, director of British Future.
For example, 63 per cent of people felt migrant workers sup- ported the economy by doing the jobs British workers did not want to. And 65 per cent said they brought valuable skills to public services, such as those working for the NHS who characterised the best qualities of migration.
Fifty-nine per cent of those surveyed believed that the diversity brought by immigration has enriched British culture.
Almost two thirds of the poll agreed that “it is better when migrants commit to stay in Britain, put down roots and integrate” rather than those who came to the UK to work for a few years and then return home.
The report makes 40 recommendations for future immigration policy, including an annual “Migration Day” in parliament.
Kulsuma Aktergetty images