Public attitudes to immigration warmer than at any point since 2015

That’s the conclusion from new research by Ipsos-MORI for British Future:

It reveals a continuing trend of the public feeling that immigration has a positive impact (46%) more than a negative impact (28%) on Britain. When the tracker survey was conducted in February 2015, by comparison, it found only 35% were positive and 41% were negative…

Sunder Katwala, Director of the independent thinktank British Future that led the research, said:

“Public attitudes to immigration are warmer today than at any point since 2015, as opinion has gradually shifted since 2016.

“The debate has moved on from the numbers fixation of the last decade. People still want an approach that offers fairness and control – but there is public consent for the immigration that our economy needs.”

This shift in public opinion towards support for immigration has come through in other research too, such as from the British Election Study.