Cliff Notes
- Sir Keir Starmer expressed concerns that Britain could become an “island of strangers” if immigration issues are not addressed, drawing criticism for similarities to past inflammatory rhetoric.
- Recent research indicates that almost half of Great Britain’s population feels like “strangers” in their own country, with feelings of isolation strongly linked to economic disparity.
- The survey reveals a significant link between political support and feelings of disconnection, with those backing Reform or Conservative parties more likely to feel estranged, while supporters of Labour, Lib Dem, and Green parties are less affected.
People do feel like strangers in Britain – but it’s not just because of migration, polling finds
Last week, Sir Keir Starmer voiced his worry Britain could become an “island of strangers” if immigration was not tackled.
Some claimed this was a controversial and dangerous stance – drawing parallels with Enoch Powell’s Rivers of Blood speech.
But research released today suggests close to half of those in Great Britain feel like “strangers” in their own country.
The survey, carried out by pollsters at More In Common, asked 13,464 people in Great Britain for their feelings on the matter.
And what is even more surprising is that the survey was carried out over a month before Sir Keir‘s speech.
The research is only being released today, and it is understood that Downing Street had not seen it before the prime minister’s speech.
However it will likely be welcomed as a justification of a position aimed outside of Westminster.