A majority of Labour voters believe immigration has made community tensions worse, bombshell polling shows. The survey of over 2,000 adults by YouGov found more than two thirds of voters agreed it has had a “significant” impact on cohesion and community relations.
Sixty-two percent of voters who supported Labour in July 2024 said immigration had a “very large” impact while 29% said it hadn’t done so. According to the YouGov survey, 45% said they didn’t have sympathy with those who took part in recent protests, but 41% said they did. For Labour voters, 25% said they were sympathetic towards those protesting while 63% said they weren’t.
Protests erupted in Epping, Canary Wharf and Aldershot, Hampshire, in recent weeks. Three people were arrested at a protest and counter-protest outside a hotel being used to house asylum seekers in Epping on Sunday (July 27).
Protesters waved union flags, while Stand Up To Racism counter-protesters marched to the hotel with signs reading: “Stop scapegoating refugees and migrants”.
The protest in Epping was sparked by the charging of asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, with sexual assault after he allegedly attempted to kiss a girl, 14. He denied the charge at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court and will stand trial in August.
Dame Angela Eagle, Minister for Border Security and Asylum has said the Government is trying to close migrant hotels, restore order and put value for money at the heart of the asylum system.
She said last week the Government is making decisions to protect taxpayers and uphold the integrity of Britain’s borders as it fixes a broken asylum system.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner admitted last week that immigration is having a “profound” impact on society and warned public anger over the issue was damaging community cohesion. Downing Street acknowledged the UK is “fraying at the edges” amid widespread protests.
Treasury Minister James Murray has said people have a right to protest about immigration, but there is never any place for criminal violence.
Mr Murray told Sky News the number of migrants housed in hotels has actually been falling under Labour amid renewed efforts to clear an asylum backlog.
Home Office figures show about 32,000 asylum seekers are being housed in hotels in the UK. This is fewer than last year’s 34,530.
The National Audit Office has estimated that the cost of housing asylum seekers will reach £15.3billion over the next 10 years.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has said the Government’s use of hotels to house asylum seekers will end by 2029.