The British would prefer “a more Starmerite approach to immigration,” a poll released on Sunday suggests.
A survey carried out for British Future found that half of respondents would approve of a new humanitarian visa for people with a strong asylum claim or links to the UK.
This scheme could enable up to 40,000 such arrivals each year, according to the organisation, which describes itself as “an independent, non-partisan think tank and registered charity, engaging people’s hopes and fears about integration and immigration, identity and race.”
It also found 62 percent of those polled support greater integration for asylum seekers, particularly aimed at improving English language skills so everyone in the country is fluent by 2035.
The survey of 2,502 adults between July 5 and July 8 found half the public would “approve of a new approach to the small boats issue, through a new humanitarian visa allowing a capped number of 40,000 people with a strong asylum claim or links to the UK to come safely to Britain to claim asylum – undermining the business model of people smugglers.”
Just 16 percent would disapprove, according to polling by Focaldata for British Future.
Around 62 percent said they would support an annual debate in Parliament on migration, in a similar fashion to the Budget.
Two-thirds of respondents said the government should process the applications of people who have arrived in the UK seeking asylum, to decide if they are entitled to stay here as refugees or not.
The previous Tory government passed the Illegal Migration Act, which it said would “put a stop to illegal migration into the UK by removing the incentive to make dangerous small boat crossings,” by allowing enforcement teams to detain and “promptly” deport some migrants.
Sir Keir said he was “not prepared to continue with gimmicks.”
British Future Director Sunder Katwala said in a statement: “This new research finds the public prefers a more Starmerite approach to immigration – built on control, competence and compassion – to the storm and fury of [Reform UK leader Nigel] Farage.
“The new PM 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 only a minority of voters will miss.
“Getting the system working again would be a strong start.
“That means processing claims, getting people out of expensive hotels and returning those whose claims fail, where it’s safe to do so.
“But there’s also public permission to go further, too – boosting integration, increasing transparency and looking at better ways to respond to small boat arrivals.
“The evidence shows Starmer can unlock public support for a fairer and more effective approach.”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper called the deaths “truly awful” and said her department is “accelerating action” to tackle Channel crossings.
The French coastguard said 63 people were rescued in an operation involving four ships and one helicopter.
A further four people were taken by a medical team but didn’t survive.
Channel crossings so far this year are estimated to have exceeded 14,000 as of last week, according to Home Office figures.
Ms. Cooper wrote on social media platform X: “Criminal gangs are making vast profit from putting lives at risk.
“We are accelerating action with international partners to pursue & bring down dangerous smuggler gangs.”
Conservative MP James Cleverly, who was home secretary in the last government, wrote on X: “Reports of more deaths in the channel are a tragedy.
“As a country we must do everything in our power to stop the boats and put an end to this vile trade in human suffering.”
