Immigration Poll

Ipsos's recent poll for the Sun, conducted by telephone on 31st October and 1st November, shows a mixed picture of attitudes towards immigration in Britain. More people now agree that immigration is good for Britain (from 43% last year to 48% now), and fewer people disagree with this statement (45% last year and 36% now). Almost half (45%) think that immigrants work harder than people who are born here.

The proportion of people who think immigrants are having a good influence on the way things are going in Britain has dropped by 9 points (from 43% last year to 34% now), and the proportion who feel they are having a bad influence has increased by four points. Almost a quarter (24%) think immigrants are more likely to be involved in criminal activity than people born here, although 62% think there isn't much difference. A third of people (34%) agree that they are unwilling to say what they really think about immigration in case they are seen as racist, although more than half (59%) disagree.

Eight in ten people disagree that the government is 'open and honest' about the scale of immigration into Britain. Three quarters (77%) say they are not confident that public services like education and healthcare in their local area will be able to cope with an increasing population, and more than eight in ten (82%) are not confident that public services in Britain as a whole will be able to cope.

Topline Results

• Ipsos interviewed a representative quota sample of 1,013 adults in Great Britain aged 18+.
• Interviews were conducted by telephone on 31st October and 1st November 2007.
• Data are weighted to match the profile of the population.
• Download the data tabulations pdf, 274KB

Voting — all absolutely certain to vote

Q1 How would you vote if there were a General Election tomorrow?

(If undecided or refused at Q1)

Q2 Which party are you most inclined to support?

Base: All 'absolutely certain to vote' (577)

Voting — all

Q1 How would you vote if there were a General Election tomorrow?

(If undecided or refused at Q1)

Q2 Which party are you most inclined to support?

Base: All naming a party (1,013)

Q3 And how likely would you be to vote in an immediate General Election, on a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 means you would be absolutely certain to vote, and 1 means that you would be absolutely certain not to vote? Base: 1,013 British adults 18+

Q4 Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the way the government is dealing with immigration and asylum?

Q5 Which of these statements comes closest to your views on laws about immigration in Britain?

*face-to-face survey

Q6 There are different opinions about immigrants from other countries living in Britain. By immigrants we mean people who come to live in Britain. How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

"Immigration is generally good for Britain"

Q7 There are different opinions about immigrants from other countries living in Britain. By immigrants we mean people who come to live in Britain. How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

"There are too many immigrants in Britain"

*face-to-face survey

Q8 Overall, would you say immigrants are having a good or bad influence on the way things are going in Great Britain? Would you say very or fairly? ("Immigrants refers to both illegal and legal immigrants, from the EU or somewhere else".)

Q9 Thinking about the neighbourhood where you live, do you think recent immigrants have done more to improve your neighbourhood, create problems for your neighbourhood, or haven't they had much effect either way? ("Immigrants refers to both illegal and legal immigrants, from the EU or somewhere else")

Q10 Generally, do you think immigrants are more likely to be involved in criminal activity than people born here, less likely, or isn't there much difference? ("Immigrants refers to both illegal and legal immigrants, from the EU or somewhere else")

Q11 Generally, do you think immigrants work harder than people born here, not as hard, or isn't there much difference? ("Immigrants refers to both illegal and legal immigrants, from the EU or somewhere else")

Q12-13 I am going to read out some statements about British society and social issues. For each one, please could you tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree?

1. The government is open and honest about the scale of immigration into Britain
2. I am unwilling to say what I really think about immigration in case I am seen as racist

Q14 The Office of National Statistics has predicted that the overall population of the UK will rise by 4.4 million people to a total of 65 million in the next eight years. They estimate that 2.1 million of this overall rise can be put down to immigration. This rate of growth is higher than it has been in past years.

1. How confident, if at all, are you that public services like education and healthcare in your local area will be able to cope with this increasing population?
2. How confident, if at all, are you that public services like education and healthcare in Britain will be able to cope with this increasing population?