Events

How do we understand and shape immigration and cohesion policy in polarised times?

How do we understand and shape immigration and cohesion policy in polarised times? A full-day event in the heart of Westminster brought together Churchill Fellows, policy experts, and civil society voices to explore this pressing question, sparking rich dialogue and critical reflection.

The day opened with Julia Weston, Chief Executive of the Churchill Fellowship, setting the scene and encouraging a spirit of sharing insight and experience. The morning session was chaired by Heather Rolfe, Director of Research and Relationships at British Future, and referenced British Future research for its 2025 Immigration Attitudes Tracker report and the report The State of Us: Community and strength and cohesion in the UK throughout the discussion.

The discussion, led by  Sunder Katwala with a responses from Rosie Carter, explored immigration and cohesion in polarised times. Key takeaways included the need to build a clearer understanding of where the public is on immigration and to find common ground rather than relying solely on the political and news agenda.

Sunder highlighted the nuanced nature of public attitudes to immigration that is often not reflected in political and media debates “We’ve had a lot of change in immigration policy in the last few years and most recently we’ve now seen a fall in immigration, and we don’t have a public debate or political debate that reflects that so literally almost nobody knows that.”  

In the afternoon, a panel featuring Jacqui Broadhead , Churchill Fellow & Director, Global Exchange on Migration and Diversity Bekele Woyecha Churchill Fellow & Deputy Director of Asylum Reform / Together With Refugees and Emily Graham, Policy Associate, Future Governance Forum) examined migration, policy, and community action.

Discussions highlighted the need for policies that are built from practice, not imposed from above, and the importance of understanding the realities faced by charities, and communities working on the ground. The audience supported greater incorporation of lived experience in policy formation and suggested that the arts and cultural storytelling could play an important role in challenging ignorance and fostering connection.

Throughout the day, participants repeatedly stressed the value of open conversations with local communities to find common ground, which are ongoing rather than reactive to political debates or media cycles. Across panels and Q&A sessions, it was clear that social cohesion is a collective endeavour, nurtured through listening, empathy, and inclusive action.

The event concluded with a simple but powerful message: every conversation, every act of engagement, is itself an act of cohesion but more of these conversations need to be had. Real change comes when policymakers, practitioners, and communities work together — guided by evidence, experience, and shared humanity.