Home UK Immigration Brexit: Public believes immigration can be controlled without leaving EU in remarkable turnaround, survey finds

Brexit: Public believes immigration can be controlled without leaving EU in remarkable turnaround, survey finds

by admin

Author-Rob Merrick

The public no longer believes it is necessary to leave the EU to control immigration in an extraordinary turnaround since the Brexitreferendum, a survey has found,

Voters – including Leave supporters – said they now judge that existing EU rules provide “enough control” on incomers from the continent, without the need for the UK to pull out.

Far from demanding an immigration crackdown, no less than 71 per cent support allowing EU migrants to come to the UK either to work or study – including 62 per cent of Leave voters from 2016.

The results represent a striking shift from three years ago, when a widespread anti-immigration sentiment fuelled the Brexit vote, rather than a general revolt against the system as many politicians claimed.

Crucially, the researchers at University College London put it down to “missing information” – because so many people were unaware about the existing controls back in 2016.

Just 20 per cent knew about the “three-month rule”, the EU regulation – never enforced by the UK – requiring any EU citizen seeking to stay beyond three months to work, study or have enough money to support themselves.

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