Understanding public attitudes to immigration. Proposing reforms to restore public confidence that immigration can work fairly for all of us.
Britain’s post-Brexit immigration approach needs to rebuild public confidence and secure political consent, while meeting the needs of the economy, public services and our global obligations. That will require a much deeper level of public involvement, to address people’s anxieties and respond with a system that manages the pressures and secures the gains of immigration.
Advocates for the gains of migration do not have the public and political support they need. We work with civil society, employers and political voices to develop public messages, policy agendas and broader coalitions to engage concerns effectively by proposing constructive solutions.
The findings from our National Conversation on Immigration project inform our approach to policy change.
British Future, together with Hope not hate and the Home Affairs Select Committee, conducted the biggest-ever public consultation on immigration in 2018. The National Conversation on Immigration comprised over 130 meetings with local citizens and stakeholders in 60 locations across every nation and region of the UK, together with an online survey and nationally representative research by ICM. In total 19,951 people took part. Read its final report here.
Date: 16 February 2025
Most of the public would prefer current levels of international student migration to stay the same or increase, even though it makes up 40% of net migration, according to new research.
Date: 21 January 2025
What can government and advocates in the UK and Europe can learn from the US Presidential campaign for how we talk and act on immigration and asylum?
Date: 15 January 2025
Report from a British Future event examining lessons from the US election for the UK immigration debate
Date: 14 January 2025
New poll finds most Brits would rather Elon Musk kept out of our politics, as new British Future initiative examines ‘lessons from America’ for the UK.
Date: 28 November 2024
New net migration figures for the year to June 2024 are a reminder of unkept promises on immigration and a lesson for PM Keir Starmer.
Date: 14 November 2024
On 12 November, British Future’s Director Sunder Katwala gave the Migration Museum’s Annual Lecture at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall in London.
Date: 29 October 2024
New research on the challenges facing BN(O) Hong Kongers in finding work and dealing with the cost of living in the UK.
Date: 28 September 2024
Sunder Katwala examines new findings on public attitudes that show the Conservative party and its new leader needs to win back trust on immigration
Date: 24 September 2024
As the Prime Minister uses his conference speech to condemn recent outbreaks of racist violence, Sunder Katwala examines the difference between ‘legitimate concerns’ – and those with no legitimacy at all.
“It is not ‘censorship’ to insist every website operating in our country does so within the law.” Our @sundersays argues in @easterneye that UK govt should reject Elon Musk’s ‘pick and mix” approach to the law and Make Social Media Lawful Again [1/2]
Spain has reduced small boat crossings by 46% by combining diplomatic deals with source countries, expanded legal routes and enforcement. Could the UK learn from them? @theipaper reports:
This European country cut illegal boat crossings by half - what the UK could learn
Spain's approach to reducing illegal maritime crossings has had impressive results, with numbers down dramatically last year
inews.co.uk
Our @sundersays on the UK government's dilemma: "how to defend a rule-based world order once the most powerful states barely pay lip service to international law." @EasternEye [1/2]
"The only safe prediction may be to expect another volatile year in domestic and global politics," writes our @sundersays for @EasternEye on what 2026 has in store. [1/2]
"We can take some solace in the fact that this offer to import the Trump and Vance doctrine into our own politics is something we will get to decide for ourselves at the ballot box." Our @sundersays letter to @thetimes on Trump's fears for Europe's 'civilisational erasure' [1/2]
With the men's football World Cup draw today, @sundersays @EasternEye column reports from the women's game at Wembley: "It would be hard to find a more inclusive pride and patriotism than the way in which the Wembley crowd were cheering on the Lionesses"
What the Lionesses’ success reveals about unity and diversity in England
Expert says sport serves as a bridge between communities.
www.easterneye.biz
We’re delighted that our @jake_puddle &
@Heather_Rolfe, together with @jillyrutter of @BelongNetwork, won the MRS Presidents Medal last night at the Market Research Society & Research Live Awards 2025, for the ‘The State of Us’ report. [1/3]
Good to see @JohnRentoul citing British Future's new research and analysis in this explainer of the new net migration figures for @Independent [1/3]
If you missed our webinar today 'New net migration figures: What next for politics and policy?' you can watch a recording here:
THURSDAY WEBINAR: 'New Net Migration Figures - What Next for Policy and Politics?'
Our expert panel discusses the new ONS net migration figures (published 9.30am Thurs 27th) and findings from the British Future/Ipsos Immigration Attitudes Tracker (also published 27 Nov) [1/2]
'Labour risks leaving its voters behind over settlement proposals' – New blog from our @Heather_Rolfe for @UKandEU drawing on research for the Immigration Attitudes Tracker [1/2]
