A new YouGov poll has found that 72% of potential Liberal Democrat voters want net immigration of 100,000 or less per year. A majority (55%) of Lib Dem supporters wanted to see a much lower figure of 50,000 or less. Only 8% wanted the present level of 200,000 a year or more.
Results for Labour voters were almost identical. 74% of potential Labour voters favour net immigration of 100,000 or less a year and a majority (64%) want 50,000 or less; only 7% wanted 200,000 or more.
Conservative voters were 92% in favour of 100,000 or less while only 2% wanted 200,000 or more.
Taking the public as a whole, 79% favoured 100,000 or less while 5% wanted 200,000 or more. This underlines the strength of support right across the political spectrum for David Cameron’s aim to cut net migration to the “tens of thousands” during the course of the Parliament.
The poll also found strong support among potential Liberal Democrat voters for the Government’s measures to limit the number of economic migrants to Britain. 76% supported a limit while 18% opposed it, of those 4% strongly opposed. Labour voters took the same view while 96% of Conservatives supported a limit to economic migration, with only 3% opposing.
Replicate questions were posed in a YouGov survey last November and showed a very similar pattern in response to both questions. This suggests that people have not been influenced by recent criticism of the government policy.
Commenting, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of Migration Watch UK said "It is now absolutely clear that potential Lib Dem voters overwhelmingly support the Conservative policy of reducing net immigration to 100,000 or less. Who do Lib Dem leaders think they are speaking for when they oppose this policy?"
Notes to editors
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,530 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 8th – 9th May 2011. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).