public attitudes towards immigration and cohesion kully kaur-ballagan
DESCRIPTION
Britons are more worried about immigration control than some European neighbours Germany Most cause for concern Spain France United Kingdom Italy USA QWhich three of the following eleven topics do you find the most worrying in your country? – Immigration control Total Base: c.1,000 interviews in each countrySource: Ipsos MORI International Social Trends Monitor, Nov 2006TRANSCRIPT
Public attitudes towards immigration and cohesion Kully Kaur-Ballagan
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Source: Ipsos MORI Political Monitor Long Term Trends, http://www.ipsos-mori.com/polls/trends/issues.shtmlBase c.1,000 British adults aged 18+
% important issue
Defence/Foreign Policy/ Terrorism
NHS
Crime
Education/Schools
Environment
Immigration/asylum Race Relations
Q. What would you say is the most important issue facing Britain today? Q. What do you see as other important issues facing Britain today?
Concerns over immigration show upward trend
Annual Monthly
44%
42%
23%
19%
18%
11%
24%
Britons are more worried about immigration control than some European neighbours
Germany
Most cause for concern
Spain
France
United Kingdom
Italy
USA
Q Which three of the following eleven topics do you find the most worrying in your country? – Immigration control
Total
Base: c.1,000 interviews in each countrySource: Ipsos MORI International Social Trends Monitor, Nov 2006
3544
3627
4124
3840
33333841
393348
3337
47393751
4132
37
19
1225
1522
1618
1322
2217
413
11754320
63
21
Areas with little or more recent migration see it as more of a problem
Not a problem at all
A fairly big problem
A very big problem
Not a very big problem
Q Overall how much of a problem, if at all, do you think is immigration in Britain at the moment?
East MidlandsEasternLondonNorth EastNorth WestScotlandSouth EastSouth WestWalesWest MidlandsYorkshire & Humberside
Total
Base: (2,012) NB Small bases for some regions so data needs to be interpreted with caution/UK Border Agency
On balance, more people think immigration is bad than good for BritainQ How much do you agree or disagree with the following
statement? ‘Immigration is generally good for Britain’
Base: c1,000 GB adults aged 16+/ UK Border Agency
Strongly agree
Strongly disagree
Neither/nor Tend to disagree
Tend to agree
Don’t know/ refused/no opinion
27%
20%23%
22%
7%1%
June 07
26%
18%26%
22%
6%2%
Dec 0632% agree
48% disagree
34% agree
45% disagree
And fewer people think that immigrants have a good influence
May 2006% Don't know% Fairly good% Very good
% Very bad% Fairly bad
36%
26%
22%
7%9%
October 2007
28%
6%15%
19%
33%
Q Overall, would you say immigrants are having a good or bad influence on the way things are going in Great Britain?
Base: 1,013 British adults 18+, 31st Oct - 1st Nov 2007/The Sun
43% good
48% bad
34% good
52% bad
So what factors underlie these views?
14%
27%
41%
13%1%4%
Dissatisfaction with government remains high
Very satisfied
Very dissatisfied
Neither/nor Fairly dissatisfied
Fairly satisfied
Q Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the way the government is dealing with immigration and asylum?
Don’t know/ refused/no opinion
12%
27%40%
12%2%7%
June 07Dec 06
Base All: Wave 1 (1,001); Wave 2 (1,011)/UK Border Agency
27
40
57
68
47
37
24
15
% Agree % Disagree
Base c1,000 GB adults aged 16+ years, fieldwork May-June 2007/UK Border Agency
Q What extent, if at all, do you agree or disagree with each statement?
There are too many immigrants in Britain
Immigration is good for the economy
Immigration increases crime rates in Britain
We need more immigrants to do the jobs British people don’t want
Too many immigrants and not convinced of economic benefits
Even though immigrants are seen as hardworking
October 07
41%
8%
6%
45%
May 06
40%
11%
44%
5%
Q Generally, do you think immigrants work harder than people born here, not as hard, or is there no difference?
Harder
Not as hard
Not much difference
Don’t knowHarder
Not as hard
Not much difference
Base: 1,013 British adults 18+, 31st Oct - 1st Nov 2007/The Sun
27
8
5
66
53
85
87
17
More convinced about the diversity it brings but they should ‘abide by our rules’
% Agree % Disagree
Q What extent, if at all, do you agree or disagree with each statement?
People who settle in this country should have citizenship lessons about the British way of life
It is a good thing that Britain is a multicultural society
Immigrants make Britain more open to new ideas and cultures
Immigrants should be made to learn English
Base c1,000 GB adults aged 16+ years, fieldwork May-June 2007/UK Border Agency
24%
52%
18%
4%
Three-quarters think there is a great deal or fair amount of tension
A great deal
Don’t know 2%
Not very much
A fair amount
None at all
Q How much tension, if any, do you think there is in Britain between people of different races and nationalities?
Base: 1,000 British adults, 11th-13th April 2008/BBC News
National vs local perceptions
Most see immigration as a problem at the national level
Not a problem at all
Don’t know/ no opinion
A fairly big problem
A very big problem
Not a very big problem
Q Overall how much of a problem, if at all, do you think is immigration in Britain at the moment?
June 07
19%
41%
33%
5%2%
Base All: Wave 1 (1,001); Wave 2 (1,011)/ UK Border Agency
Dec 06
18%
38%
38%
4%2%
76% a problem74% a problem
Huge difference in perceptions at local level - more so than other public services
Not a problem at all
Don’t know/ no opinion
A fairly big problem
A very big problem
Not a very big problem
Q How much of a problem, if at all, is it in your local area?
June 07
37%
14%7% 31%
11%
Base All: Wave 1 (1,001); Wave 2 (1,011)/UK Border Agency
Dec 06
36%
39%
11%7%
7%18% a problem21% a problem
But people are noticing differences in their local area
2005
86%
2%12%
2008
73%
25%1%
Q My area doesn’t feel like Britain any more because of immigration
Base: 1,000 British adults, 11th-13th April 2008/BBC News
AgreeAgree
DisagreeDisagree
Whereas the picture nationally remains fairly stable
2005
40%
6%
54%
2008
58%38%
3%
Q Parts of this country don’t feel like Britain any more because of immigration
Base: 1,000 British adults, 11th-13th April 2008/BBC News
Agree
Disagree
Agree
Disagree
Addressing issues around access to public services
45%
21%
24%
9%
22%
21%
17%
15%
46%
27%
25%
19%
19%
18%
10%
8%
Lack of effective controls/ policies
Community tension/lack of integration
Too many immigrants/asylum seekers
Base: All who see immigration as a very or fairly big problem in Britain: Wave 1(764); Wave 2 (759)/UK Border Agency
Q You said that immigration in Britain is a very big/fairly big problem in Britain. Why do you say that?
Impact on public services biggest concern but also issues around labour market and overall numbers
Abuse of/burden on public servicesPressure on jobs/emp’t
Wave 2Wave 1
General threat to way of life
Crime/ASB
Other
Q How confident are you that public services like education and healthcare in your local area will be able to cope with the increasing population?
Only one in five think that local public services will cope with population increase
34%
5%
43%
15%
Very confident
Fairly confident
Don’t know (3%)
Not very confident
Not at all confident
77%
20%
Base: 503 British adults 18+, 31st Oct - 1st Nov 2007/The Sun
Q How confident are you that public services like education and healthcare in Britain will be able to cope with the increasing population?
And fewer still in Britain as a whole
11%
49%
4%
33%
Very confident
Fairly confident
Don’t know (3%)
Not very confidentNot at all confident
82%
15%
Base: 510 British adults 18+, 31st Oct - 1st Nov 2007/ The Sun
Neithernor
25
34
34
16
17
31
31
34
30
27
12
12
17
24
11
14
15
10
5
4
5
10
5
11
5
2
12
17
17
13
Those living in areas with new migration most likely to think others get priority over services
Total
Far right target group
A8 impact group
Non-deprived BMEs
BME General
Tend to disagree
Don’t know
Strongly disagree
Strongly agree
Tend to agree
Base: All (1,014), December 2006 – January 2007/Commission on Integration and Cohesion
Q To what extent do you agree or disagree that some groups of people in Britain get unfair priority when it comes to public services, like housing, health services and schools?
% Neither/nor
10
21
20
9
10
15
17
21
16
19
20
22
30
27
22
21
17
15
13
9
9
13
9
17
11
6
15
19
23
22
Priority over services in local area – less of an issue in than in Britain
Total
Far right target group
A8 impact group
Non-deprived BMEs
BME General
% Tend to disagree
% Don’t know
% Strongly disagree
% Strongly agree
% Tend to agree
Q To what extent do you agree or disagree that other people in this local area seem to get unfair priority over you when it comes to public services, like housing, health services and schools?
Base: All (1,014), December 2006 – January 2007/Commission on Integration and Cohesion
And in London, which is generally more positive about immigration…
Ethnic Geographic Polarisation in Inner/Outer London
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Houns
low
Hillingd
on
Newha
m
Waltham
Fore
st
Redbri
dge
Barkin
g and
Dag
enha
mEali
ng
Kingsto
n upo
n Tha
mes
Brent
Harrow
Croydo
n
Barnet
Enfield
Bexley
Haring
ey
Bromley
Haveri
ng
Merton
Richmon
d upon
Tha
mes
Sutton
Tower
Ham
lets
Camde
n
Lambeth
Southw
ark
Greenw
ich
Hackn
ey
Westmins
ter
Wandsw
orth
Islingto
n
Kensin
gton a
nd C
helse
a
Lewish
am
Hammersm
ith an
d Fulh
am
% o
f Nei
ghbo
urho
ods
in L
A w
ith H
ighe
st 2
0% o
f Lon
don
Ethn
ic
Pola
risa
tion
Inner LondonOuter London
The higher the ethnic polarisation score of an area the more concentrated the ethnic communities are within it, the lower the score the more dispersed they are.
The more different people who live nearby the lower the level of satisfaction with the area – making it tougher for public service providers
R = - 0.25
Ethnic Polarisation
Satis
fact
ion
with
are
a
0%
50%
100
Conclusions
Conclusions Immigration is one of the key issues facing Britain
– Seen as much bigger problem nationally than locally, although in some areas people are noticing the changes
Immigration impacts on society (access to services, employment) and people are not convinced by its benefits
Little confidence in government and public service providers to deal with increasing numbers
In terms of impact on social cohesion - need to tackle concerns over immigration – and how this is managed at the local level – tough because migration discussed very much in national terms
