Support for club football reaches across our society, spanning political, social and ethnic divides.
‘Shared Goals: The power of football to connect diverse communities’ sets out new research exploring the unique power of club football to foster a shared sense of identity and pride in local towns & cities, across people from different backgrounds.
The project worked with two clubs, Brentford FC and Huddersfield Town AFC, to create new social media campaigns drawing on research with local fans and communities. Research for Shared Goals found both films strengthened a sense of local identity shared by people of different backgrounds.
The report highlights examples of best practice among clubs working to bring communities together, and sets out a series of recommendations. Clubs could do more to welcome new fans from different backgrounds and project a sense of inclusive identity in their communications; league bodies should encourage social connection work through their EDI frameworks, funding and a new ‘Belonging and Inclusion Index’. And government should play its part too, using ‘Levelling up’ funds to support initiatives promoting shared, place-based pride through football.
"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]
"What is the best-kept secret in British politics? It must be falling immigration. Almost everyone knows that immigration hit record highs... Few realise the last couple of years have seen some of the biggest ever reductions too." @sundersays @EasternEye
Net migration now 204,000 – new @ONS figures today
Net migration now 204,000 – new @ONS figures today

At 204,000, long-term international net migration (number of people immigrating long-term minus number of people emigrating long-term) for the year ending June 2025 was around two-thirds lower than a year earlier (649,000).
Read more ➡️
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/internationalmigration/bulletins/longterminternationalmigrationprovisional/yearendingjune2025
PUBLISHED TODAY: ‘Noise & Nuance: What the public really thinks about immigration’ – the report on the British Future/Ipsos Immigration Attitudes Tracker, which has studied public opinion on immigration and asylum since 2015 [🧵]
Our @sundersays.bsky.social gave evidence this morning to the Justice and Home Affairs Committee Inquiry into Settlement, Citizenship and Integration - watch here:
https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/cdf09b84-dbe9-4f35-b5a3-672f5117b586