by The public prefers a “more Starmerite approach to immigration”, polls suggest.
A survey for the think tank Future of Britain found that half of respondents would allow a new humanitarian visa for people with a strong asylum claim or links to the UK, which could enable up to 40,000 arrivals each year.
It was also found that 62% of respondents would support better integration of asylum seekers, aimed at improving English skills so that everyone in the country is fluent by 2035.
It comes as four migrants died trying to cross the English Channel off the coast of Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, on Friday after their boat capsized.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the deaths as “truly appalling” and said her department is “accelerating action” to tackle paid Channel crossings into the UK.
A survey of 2,502 adults between July 5 and July 8 – after the General Election – found that half the public “would approve a new approach to the issue of small boats, through a new humanitarian visa that would allow a limited number of 40,000 a person with a strong refuge. claim or links to the UK to come safely to Britain to claim asylum – undermining the business model of people smugglers”.
Only 16% disapproved, according to the poll conducted by Focaldata for British Future.
Around 62% of respondents said they would support Parliament to discuss an annual migration plan in a process similar to the annual Budget.
Two-thirds of respondents said the Government should process applications from people who came to the UK seeking asylum, to decide whether they are entitled to stay here as refugees or not.
The previous Tory government passed the Illegal Migration Act, which the Home Office claimed at the time would “stop illegal migration into the UK by removing the incentive to make small, dangerous crossings”, by the ability of enforcement teams to maintain and “promptly”. ” remove some migrants.
According to Home Office figures, the number of Channel crossings so far this year is estimated to have passed the 14,000 mark on Tuesday last week.
According to the French coast guard, 63 migrants were rescued in an operation involving four ships and one helicopter on Friday, while four others were taken by medical staff but could not be saved.
Since becoming Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer has said he will scrap the plan to send some asylum seekers arriving in the UK on small boats to Rwanda, instead handing Border Security Command the tasks of “the gangs to break” which promises to bring people across. the Channel for a fee.
Sir Keir said he was “unwilling to continue with gimmicks”.
British Future director Sunder Katwala said: “This new research finds that the public prefer a more Starmerite approach to immigration – based on control, competence and compassion – against the storm and fury of (Reform UK leader Nigel) Farage.
“The new Prime Minister has a mandate to find practical solutions to Britain’s problems, so he was right to scrap the Rwanda scheme, an expensive and unethical gimmick that will only lose a minority of voters.
“Getting the system working again was a strong start.
“That means processing claims, getting people out of expensive hotels and returning those who fail their claims where it’s safe to do so.
“But the community is also allowed to go further – increasing integration, increasing transparency and looking at better ways to respond to incoming small boats.
“The evidence shows that Starmer can unleash public support for a fairer and more effective approach.”
After the incident near Boulogne-sur-Mer, Ms Cooper wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Criminal gangs are making huge profits from putting lives at risk.
“We are accelerating action with international partners to pursue and bring down dangerous gangs of smugglers.”
The additional loss of life on the English Channel this morning is truly horrific. My thoughts are with all those affected.
Criminal gangs are making huge profits from endangering lives. We are accelerating action with international partners to pursue and bring down dangerous gangs of smugglers.
— Yvette Cooper (@YvetteCooperMP) July 12, 2024
Conservative shadow home secretary James Cleverly wrote: “Reports of further deaths in the channel are a tragedy.
“We as a country must do everything we can to stop the boats and end this evil trade in human suffering.”
Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay called for “an alternative to people smugglers and tackling the roots of the asylum crisis”, while Mr Farage said: “Four deaths in the English Channel this morning, the new Government had better start moving quickly. .”
