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Two-thirds of voters believe that EU citizens should apply to come to Britain instead of enjoying free movement, a new poll showed.
The latest annual survey of British attitudes towards politics by the National Center for Social Research found widespread support for ending freedom of movement after the transitional period.
However, the number has been declining since the 2016 referendum, when nearly three-quarters supported ending freedom of movement. After the 2016 referendum, support for demanding EU immigrants to apply for the right to live and work in the UK dropped from 74% to 62% in 2020.
Most voters also seem to support the principle of treating migrants the same regardless of their country of origin. Up to 58% said it should be neither relatively easy nor relatively difficult for people from France to come to the UK, while the same was true for people from Poland (58%), Pakistan (55%) and Australia (53% ).
Voters think that the work someone does should make a difference, but they make a distinction between “skilled” and “unskilled” workers that forms the basis of the government’s new point-based immigration policy.
While 80% believe that doctors should be a high priority, only 18% say the same of bankers. And while only 19% believe hotel cleaners should be a priority, up to 60% believe care workers should be a priority in the immigration system.
As the UK prepares to leave the single market and customs union in late 2020, new research from the UK survey of social attitudes reveals a nation that is still divided on the impact of Brexit.
It shows a nearly even split in the impact of Brexit, with 51% believing the economy will worsen as a result of exiting the EU and the same proportion believing the EU has undermined Britain’s ability to make its own laws.
Sir John Curtice, NCSR Principal Investigator and Professor of Politics at the University of Strathclyde, said: “Our research challenges some of the myths surrounding the Brexit debate. Voters reacted adversely to the Brexit stalemate, but this reaction was found among both Remain voters and Leave supporters, while the experience appears to have stimulated rather than depressed voter engagement in politics. “
Confidence in government has dropped significantly since 2016. A similar survey in 2016 showed that 22% of people said they trust the government “most of the time” or “almost always,” the highest level in surveys of NSCR since 2007.
By 2019, this had fallen to 15%, the lowest level on record in more than 40 years, with more than twice as many people, 34%, saying they “almost never” trust the government.
While the poll also shows that confidence in government after the Brexit stalemate has been shaken, the public would like Britain to follow some leads from the EU.
Around 80% want British airlines to continue to comply with EU rules on flight compensation and 69% want to follow EU rules prohibiting roaming charges by mobile phone companies.
Overall, the Brexit process appears to have stimulated public interest in politics with a higher level of engagement in Westminster in the long term.
Between 1986 and 2013, only 31% said they had “a lot” or “a lot” of interest in politics. In the immediate aftermath of the Brexit referendum, this figure rose to 42% and still reaches 39%.
