For the first time since 2016, when the UK voted to leave the European Union, immigration has emerged as the top concern for Britons, according to a poll by Ipsos released on Friday. This shift comes in the wake of recent riots targeting Muslims and migrants.
The latest Ipsos Issues Index from August shows that just over a third of Britons consider immigration the most pressing issue, followed by healthcare at 30%, the economy at 29%, crime at 25%, and inflation at 20%. Meanwhile, 11% of respondents highlighted race relations as their top concern.
Net migration to the UK reached a record high of 764,000 in 2022 but dropped slightly to 685,000 the following year. Public apprehension over immigration has grown in the aftermath of widespread rioting in numerous towns and cities, where anti-immigration protesters targeted hotels accommodating asylum seekers and mosques, Ipsos noted.
“The impact of the recent riots across the UK is evident in this month’s data… the level of concern about crime and race relations has also climbed to recent highs,” said Ipsos researcher Mike Clemence.
The Ipsos findings align with a recent YouGov poll, which also reported that immigration topped the list of significant national issues for the first time since 2016, a year marked by heightened concerns about immigration that influenced Britain’s decision to exit the European Union.
Ipsos surveyed 1,010 adults between August 7-13, while YouGov polled 2,163 adults from August 5-6.
