Most Brits Still Support ‘Hostile Environment’ to Illegal Immigrants After Windrush Scandal 

Most Brits think immigration has been too high over the last ten years, and 71 per cent back the government’s “hostile environment” to illegal migrants, despite the recent Windrush scandal which brought down the Home Secretary.

“Overall public opinion towards immigration remains negative,” pollsters YouGov reported when presenting the survey, conducted last week during the height of the scandal.

They found 63 per cent of people think the near-record levels of immigration into Britain over the past decade have been too high, and – by 32 per cent to 24 per cent – say it has been mostly bad for Britain.

Support for slashing levels of migration includes 84 per cent of Conservative, 49 per cent of Labour, and 43 per cent of Liberal Democrat supporters. Yet, just four per cent said levels of migration have been too low.

Furthermore, in principle, a massive 71 per cent backed the government’s “hostile environment” to illegal migration, with just 15 per cent opposed.

These respondents said they support requiring people to show documents proving their right to be in Britain to take up employment, renting a flat, or opening a bank account.

This is significant, as pro-mass migration activists and Labour Party leaders seek to use the Windrush scandal to overturn the government policy expecting landlords, bosses, and banks to check if people are illegal migrants or not.

The Labour party, in fact, were the first created a so-called hostile environment when last in power and used the phrase before the Tories, with Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry recently acknolaging this.

Asked about specific situations, 82 per cent of respondents said people should have to prove their right to be in the UK before accepting a job, 79 per cent before registering with a doctor, and 74 per cent before renting a home.

“In other words, just because the public think the government’s handling of the Windrush generation has been poor, it doesn’t follow that they have stopped supporting the policies that caused those difficulties,” YouGov conclude.