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Most Britons Want Tougher Immigration Laws
- Many adults in Britain believe their country should enact stricter guidelines for immigrants, according to a poll by Ipsos-MORI. 63 per cent of respondents believe the laws in immigration should be much tougher.
In April 2005, as part of the governing Labour party's election manifesto, prime minister Tony Blair announced the introduction of an immigration points system. The plan divides would-be immigrants into five tiers according to skills and job offers. The government claims the new system will eventually bring an end to the migration of low-skilled workers from outside the European Union (EU) into Britain.
On Aug. 22, the British government revealed that 427,095 persons from Eastern Europe have been allowed to work in Britain since May 2004. Conservative party immigration spokesman Damian Green urged for a change in existing guidelines, saying, "Controlled immigration makes life much better for everyone involved."
Polling Data
Which one of these statements comes closest to your views on laws about immigration in Britain?
Aug. 2006 | Apr. 2005 | |
Laws on immigration should be abolished, | 1% | 2% |
Laws on immigration should be relaxed | 5% | 8% |
Laws on immigration should remain as they are | 17% | 19% |
Laws on immigration should be much tougher | 63% | 58% |
Immigration should be stopped altogether | 12% | 11% |
Don't know | 2% | 2% |
Source: Ipsos-MORI
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 975 British adults, conducted from Aug. 11 to Aug. 13, 2006. No margin of error was provided.