STRONG public support for cutting immigration and a hardening attitude to benefit spongers are revealed in a major new survey today.
Vice chairman of MigrationWatch UK Alp Mehmet backs reform
Three-quarters of those questioned wanted immigration reduced.
More than half said it was bad for the economy and 48 per cent thought it undermined Britain’s cultural life.
But people drew a distinction between different types of incomers.
Highly skilled workers and students with good qualifications were widely welcomed as being good for Britain but support plunged in the case of unskilled labourers.
Alp Mehmet, vice chairman of MigrationWatch UK said: “This survey confirms that when they are told exactly what’s going on and are asked the question, the British people will come up with the common sense answer.
“Any advanced economy is going to have an element of migration. We don’t say there should be no immigration but there is no question that it has to come down.”
Official figures last month showed net immigration fell 36,000 last year to 216,000 – still more than double the Government’s aim of fewer than 100,000 a year.
On welfare, the report on British Social Attitudes by NatCen Social Research found just 28 per cent of people want more spending on benefits, compared with 58 per cent in 1991.
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