A recent poll indicates that a significant portion of the British public would back the government in a large-scale deportation initiative if pursued.
The survey, conducted by GB News’ JL Partners, reveals that many British adults feel foreign criminals should not remain in the UK. Interestingly, their views on border control appear to be more stringent than those of Americans.
In response to the polls and the voices opposing deportations, Brexit leader Nigel Farage noted that “the middle ground is moving very quickly,” suggesting that “people have had enough of this situation.”
In this month’s poll, a striking 81% of respondents supported the idea of deporting immigrants who entered illegally and committed crimes. Only 8% were against these deportations.
Even if we excluded cases of undocumented immigrants committing crimes, a substantial 66% still supported deporting all immigrants living in the UK illegally, vastly outnumbering the 15% who disagreed.
Support for deportation seems to cut across various demographic groups. Majorities of both men and women, most age brackets, and all income levels backed the idea, with at least some agreement from nearly every group surveyed. The only notable dissent came from certain Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi respondents, although even among these groups, views on deportation would shift based on the context.
Political party support reflected similar trends. Conservative and Reform UK voters showed the strongest backing, but even among Liberal Democrat and Green Party supporters, more favored deportation than opposed it.
A comprehensive analysis by JL Partners compared sentiments in the UK with those in the US, finding that Britons are generally more supportive of deportation. Around 50% of Americans express approval for the expulsion of illegal immigrants, which is notably lower than the UK’s 66%, with only 27% opposing it in the US.
Tom Lubbock, co-founder of JL Partners, discussed the findings on GB News. He remarked that British citizens are more inclined than Americans to advocate for the deportation of all illegal immigrants and cited significant attention from the public regarding border control issues. He noted that previous surveys would not have yielded such results, suggesting a changing national mood toward immigration.
This poll adds to a growing body of evidence of a toughening stance on immigration in the UK in light of rising public concerns following years of open borders. A large part of the UK’s population growth this century is attributed to immigration, which has exacerbated issues like housing costs and public safety.
Here’s a quick summary of related polls from recent weeks:
…A comprehensive academic study revealed that most of the British public perceives the country as divided.
Notably, 86% expressed a belief that tensions exist between immigrants and UK-born individuals, a significant increase since 2023. Additionally, half of the voters felt that changes in the country are happening too quickly, while a substantial majority longed for a return to previous conditions.
The rising sentiment among British residents about rapid change is primarily driven by white Britons. The views have shifted from a previous consensus that minority communities faced no significant issues, to a prevailing belief that the country is becoming unmanageable.
This survey follows another recent study showing that the British public’s stance on immigration is notably stronger than that of many right-wing Americans. A report by the National Center for Social Research found that British individuals were more likely than Donald Trump supporters to agree with perspectives skeptical of immigration, such as concerns about losing national identity.
A significant 81% of right-leaning British respondents held such concerns, compared to 65% of Trump supporters. Moreover, 70% of British right-wingers believed a decline in the white population is detrimental to society, while 52% thought that diversity in races, ethnicities, and religions weakens societal cohesion.
