Daily Mail
February 17, 2014
Seven out of ten voters want immigration reduced or stopped completely, according to a poll released last night.
The YouGov survey found strong public concern about immigration, with people saying only the economy will be more important in the 2015 general election.
The poll also revealed six out of ten people believe it is essential that migrants should be able to speak English, while 67 per cent think British people should be given priority for jobs.
Net migration – the difference between the number of people coming to live in the UK and those emigrating – rose to 182,000 in the year to June, up from 167,000 in the previous 12 months.
Prime Minister David Cameron has promised to get this figure below 100,000 in the current Parliament.
According to the ONS, there are now 785,000 adults in the UK who are ‘non-proficient’ in English.
The poll was conducted for the Channel 5’s The Big British Immigration Row: Live, which will be screened tonight at 8pm.
Campaigners said the government must now listen and take firmer steps to reduce the number of incomers.
Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migrationwatch, said: ‘This poll makes it crystal clear that the immigration lobby have decisively lost the battle for public opinion.
‘The public’s common sense has seen through their arguments. The political system must now respond.’