Voters back immigration levels cut

2:28am Monday 8th September 2008

Significant cuts in immigration are backed by a large majority of supporters of all political parties, according to a new poll.

The YouGov survey was released at the launch of a new cross-party parliamentary group calling for a balanced migration policy, under which immigration is capped in line with the number of emigrants to maintain a stable UK population over time.

The group's co-chairs, former Labour and Conservative ministers Frank Field and Nicholas Soames, said ministers should slash the number of non-EU migrants allowed to settle permanently in the UK after coming here to work for four years.

Government statistics suggest around seven million more people will come to live in Britain by 2031, equivalent to adding seven cities the size of Birmingham, said the Cross-Party Group on Balanced Migration.

And they pointed to results from the poll suggesting that substantial reductions in immigration are backed by voters of all parties as well as Britain's existing ethnic minorities.

A sharp cut in immigration is backed by 81% of Labour voters, 83% of Liberal Democrats and 89% of Conservatives, found the survey, commissioned on the group's behalf by thinktank Migrationwatch UK. Some 33% of those questioned said they would be more likely to vote Conservative if David Cameron adopted a balanced migration policy.

Balanced migration was backed by 36% of Labour voters, 43% of Lib Dems and 23% of Tories, but 45% of Labour supporters, 30% of Lib Dems and 66% of Conservatives thought the limit should be even lower.

Among ethnic minority voters, 75% thought immigration should be cut, with 36% backing balanced migration and 39% wanting even tougher limits.

Migrationwatch chairman Sir Andrew Green said: "Concern about the present massive uncontrolled level of immigration is not a partisan issue. I hope that all the political parties will now get the message and engage in a constructive debate about balanced migration in the months ahead."

Mr Field added: "The results show not only overwhelming support but that newly-arrived black and white British citizens wish to be given an opportunity of supporting a balanced migration approach in the polls at the next General Election."

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