Asylum Poll
- MORI interviewed 1,005 British adults aged 18+
- Interviews were conducted by telephone on 4-6 January 2001
- Results are based on all respondents unless otherwise stated
- Data are weighted to the known population profile
- An '*' indicates a finding of less than 0.5%, but greater than zero
- Poll conducted by MORI on behalf of The Mail on Sunday
QV1 How would you vote if there were a General Election tomorrow? [If undecided or refused at Q1] QV2 Which party are you most inclined to support?
| Conservative |  35% |
| Labour |  46% |
| Liberal Democrats |  14% |
| Scottish/Welsh Nationalist |  3% |
| Green Party |  1% |
| Democratic/UKIP/Referendum Party |  1% |
| Other |  1% |
| Would not vote | 9% |
| Undecided | 8% |
| Refused | 4% |
Voting Intention over the last 12 months & Long Term Trends
Q3 What would you say is the most important issue facing Britain today? Q4 What do you see as other important issues facing Britain today?
| Q3 | Q3/4 combined | |
| % | % | |
| National Health Service/Hospitals | 21 | 44 |
| Education/schools | 10 | 35 |
| Common Market/EU/Europe/Single European Currency | 11 | 19 |
| Crime/law & order/violence/vandalism | 8 | 19 |
| Economy/economic situation | 8 | 16 |
| Unemployment/factory closure/lack of industry | 4 | 12 |
| Immigration/immigrants/asylum seekers | 5 | 10 |
| Transport/public transport | 2 | 11 |
| Petrol prices/fuel | 3 | 9 |
| Beef/BSE/Mad Cow Disease | * | 1 |
| Housing | 2 | 6 |
| Pensions/welfare security | 1 | 6 |
| Pollution/environment | 2 | 5 |
| Poverty/inequality | 1 | 4 |
| Morality/individual behaviour | 2 | 3 |
| Inflation/prices | 1 | 3 |
| Taxation | 1 | 3 |
| Countryside/rural life | 1 | 2 |
| Drug abuse | 1 | 2 |
| Defence/foreign affairs | * | 2 |
| Low pay/minimum wage/fair wages | * | 2 |
| Animal welfare | 1 | 1 |
| Other race relations | 1 | 1 |
| Local government/council tax | * | 1 |
| Northern Ireland | * | 1 |
| Nuclear weapons/nuclear war/disarmament | * | 1 |
| Pound/exchange rate/value of pound | * | 1 |
| AIDS | 0 | * |
| GM/GM (Genetically modified) foods | 0 | * |
| Scottish/Welsh Assembly/Devolution/Constitutional reform | 0 | * |
| Privatisation | * | * |
| Trade unions/strikes | * | * |
| Other | 3 | 7 |
| Don't know | 10 | 17 |
Q5 Please tell me whether you think that the Conservatives, Labour, the Liberal Democrats or some other party has the best policy on immigration and asylum seekers?
| Conservative | 19% |
| Labour | 18% |
| Liberal Democrats | 5% |
| Other | 2% |
| None | 11% |
| Don't know | 45% |
I am now going to read out two proposed policies for dealing with asylum seekers coming to Britain. Please tell me whether you support or oppose each.
Q6 Detain all asylum seekers in 'Reception Camps' until their case has been settled. Q7 Speed up the existing system for investigating asylum applications so that those whose applications are refused can be expelled more quickly.
| Q6 | Q7 | |
| % | % | |
| Support | 60 | 84 |
| Oppose | 33 | 9 |
| Don't know | 7 | 7 |
| Net support ± | +27 | +75 |
Q8 Since it was elected in May 1997 do you think the Government has or has not dealt appropriately with asylum seekers?
| Has | 20% |
| Has not | 63% |
| Don't know | 17% |
| Net has ± | -43% |
I am now going to read out a list of statements, and I would like you to tell me to what extent you agree or disagree with each.
Q9 Refugees come to Britain because they think Britain is a 'soft touch'. Q10 There are too many immigrants in Britain. Q11 It would upset me if a family of asylum seekers moved into my street. Q12 Britain should not take any more asylum seekers.
| Q9 | Q10 | Q11 | Q12 | |
| % | % | % | % | |
| Strongly agree | 49 | 33 | 11 | 28 |
| Tend to agree | 25 | 21 | 7 | 16 |
| Neither agree nor disagree | 6 | 10 | 12 | 9 |
| Tend to disagree | 10 | 20 | 32 | 23 |
| Strongly disagree | 8 | 11 | 36 | 21 |
| Don't know | 2 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| Agree | 74 | 54 | 18 | 44 |
| Disagree | 18 | 31 | 68 | 44 |
| Net agree ± | +56 | +23 | -50 | 0 |
Q13 In a recent interview, the former Conservative Deputy Prime Minister, Michael Heseltine, said A/B. Do you agree or disagree with this comment? Q14 In the same interview, he also said A/B. Do you agree or disagree with this comment?
- A) 'A very large number of those seeking asylum are cheats.'
B) 'The demands on scarce housing and medical care made by dishonest economic migrants is stretching the patience of voters.'
| A | B | |
| % | % | |
| Agree | 59 | 57 |
| Disagree | 28 | 29 |
| Don't know | 13 | 14 |
| Net agree + | +28 | +29 |
Q15 If a woman with a child asked you for money in the street, would you….?
| Give her some money | 24% |
| Ignore her and walk past | 54% |
| Report her to the authorities | 4% |
| Depends | 12% |
| Other | 6% |
| Don't know | 0% |
Q16 And if you thought she was not an asylum seeker, would you be more likely or less likely to give her money, or would it make no difference?
| More likely | 7% |
| Less likely | 4% |
| Make no difference | 88% |
| Don't know | 1% |
Q17 What do you think will be the outcome of the next General Election?
| Conservative victory | 13% |
| Labour victory | 60% |
| No overall majority/hung Parliament | 5% |
| Liberal Democrats victory | 1% |
| Other | *% |
| Don't know | 20% |
