A NEW CONSENSUS? - HOW PUBLIC OPINION HAS WARMED TO IMMIGRATION

Our purpose is to conduct and promote research into, and the education of the public in, the economic, social and political sciences, science and technology, the voluntary sector and social enterprise, public services, and industry and commerce. [...] And in 2016, concerns about freedom of movement were one of the decisive factors in the public vote to leave the EU (Curtice 2017) – a choice which has reshaped the UK’s politics, legal apparatus, and relations with the rest of the world. [...] In the run-up to the EU referendum, immigration was the biggest issue on people’s minds, followed by the NHS, the economy and the Brexit debate itself. [...] Yet the right-hand side of the chart demonstrates the other horn of the Conservative dilemma: the appeal of the Lib Dems – as with Labour – is strongest among the three in 10 Conservative voters with positive views of migration. [...] While most of the public are not necessarily aware of the full details of the immigration system, there is a considerable body of work showing that voters are aware of and responsive to some of the core principles framing immigration policy.