By Harry Sanders, Content Writer for the immigration Advice Service.
What are the Key Influences on Attitudes Towards Immigration?
In the build-up to the 2016 referendum – and in fact, ever since – the vote to leave the EU has been synonymous with public concern over the number of immigrants entering the UK. The never-ending stream of rhetoric regarding immigration and border control certainly swayed many votes in 2016, with how one voted in the referendum now emerging as a key determiner of stance on the matter. Yet it is too simplistic to divide the public’s relationship with immigration so neatly along the Leave/Remain line. With our departure from the EU now official, it is perhaps a good time to consider how attitudes towards immigration intersect with a wider range of characteristics.
A recent Ipsos MORI report sought to unravel the complex and varied opinions the public has towards immigration, and how these have developed over the last few years in light of Brexit. The report found that, although we are becoming more positive about immigration, a majority (60%) of Brits still want to see immigration reduced. Given the centrality of the issue within the entire Brexit process, it is somewhat surprising to see that viewpoints have actually softened of late. However, Ipsos MORI point out that the softening was most acute directly after the referendum took place, potentially triggered by a reassurance that immigration would be reduced. Conversely, those who held neutral views may have developed feelings of sympathy towards migrants due to the media’s one-sided portrayal of the group.
The report shares some other interesting findings. One of the key concepts it discusses is that Leave and Remain voters cannot be so easily divided into two categories; the report splits both camps into three sub-categories each, which are more precisely defined by their socio-economic situations. The most pro-Leave group was found to be the most financially comfortable, as well holding the most nativist and anti-immigration views. In contrast, the most pro-Remain group were the most common to report that they were struggling financially. However, the other four degrees of the referendum voter spectrum are each defined by their own different socio-economic criteria, demonstrating the complexity of the factors driving one’s allegiance to either Leave or Remain.
Age has also been shown to have strongly influenced voter intentions in the 2016 referendum. A report by NatCen has investigated the extent of difference in attitudes to immigration between those in Scotland and those in England and Wales. With Scotland long perceived to have a more positive attitude towards immigration than those south of the border, one would be forgiven for assuming that the difference would be extreme. However, the findings actually evidence considerable similarity between the sets of populations. 52% of those aged 18-34 in Scotland feel that immigration has benefitted the economy, a viewpoint held by 54% of the same age group in England and Wales. Similarly, only 36% of those aged 55 and over in Scotland held this viewpoint, almost identical to 37% in England and Wales. Despite Scots being considered as more tolerant towards those without British citizenship than their English counterparts, it appears that age is where true differences lie.
Research such as this sheds light on generational differences in stance on immigration, with younger age groups perceiving the issue in a far more positive light than older generations. The reasons for this are discussed in a report by Common Vision, with millennials’ frequent exposure to the ‘rapid exchange of information across borders’ pinpointed as a key reason for the disparity. NatCen also discuss the significance that age has on viewpoint, stating that those most likely to be exposed to immigration in their daily lives have much more positive views.
Education was an even more divisive criteria: while a huge 75% of Scots with a degree saw immigration as having a positive effect on the British economy, 75% of Scots without a degree see the economic impact of immigration in a more negative light. As discussed, one’s Brexit vote is a reliable indicator of attitudes towards immigration. With this in mind, further investigation reveals a nation also divided along ethnic lines. According to a survey by Lord Ashcroft, 53% of white voters backed Leave, whereas 73% of black voters opted to Remain. It is clear that demographic differences are of huge significance in relation to stance on immigration.
Geography has long been thought to have played a key role in deciding voter intentions; in the case of the 2016 referendum, Scotland and London were the two focal points of the Remain vote. However, the inconsistency of these sentiments in other traditionally left-leaning areas (such as the North East), suggests not political or cultural causation, but socio-economic. For instance, Londoners experience less competition for employment with migrants due to the nature of their work, whereas those in other regions dominated by the availability of more manual jobs are less economically secure from outside competition. With regard to Scotland, it is a nation reliant on overseas workers ‘in order to remain economically competitive’, lending further credence to the notion that such circumstances are more likely to draw a positive view towards immigration.
Thankfully, it is clearer now than it was three years ago that the views of the electorate cannot be defined so simply along traditional party lines. Age, education, and a plethora of other socio-economic factors play an undeniable role in swaying a voter’s mind through an imperfect and unpredictable balance of influences. Despite common misconceptions regarding migrants seeking employment in the UK, the potential for increased economic competition will likely have an effect on voter intentions going forward as it did in 2016. After three years of bubbling tensions over Brexit, it is important to develop a thorough understanding of both the issue of immigration and attitudes towards it.
Harry Sanders is a content writer for the Immigration Advice Service, an organisation of immigration solicitors who provide legal aid to asylum seekers.
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