Scots ‘no more liberal’ towards migrant levels
SCOTS are not more positive about immigration than people living elsewhere in the UK, a report has found.
Despite claims of a warmer welcome north of the Border, there is ‘remarkably little evidence’ to support this, a study shows.
The ‘balance of public opinion about the consequences of immigration’ is not markedly more positive than in England and Wales, according to the research, by electoral expert Sir John Curtice and Ian Montagu.
But the findings do suggest there is a difference in how ‘attitudes towards migration are reflected in the ballot box’.
Nicola Sturgeon has called for powers over immigration to be devolved to Holyrood after Brexit to allow the Scottish Government to control policy over the controversial issue.
Previous reports have argued there is no need for Scotland to have a different strategy.
And Sir John’s latest study – for the National Centre for Social Research – states: ‘[There is] remarkably little evidence that public opinion in Scotland is any more liberal towards immigration than in England and Wales’. The report shows that 17 per cent of Scots believe immigration is bad for the economy, compared with 16 per cent of people south of the Border.
Some 46 per cent of Scots think immigration has a positive impact on the economy – but the figure is 47 per cent in England and Wales.
The report suggests that the dominance in Holyrood of the SNP – which has traditionally taken a pro-immigration stance – has created a perception that Scots as a whole are less concerned about the effects of immigration.
The study states: ‘The fact that those who back Scotland’s largest party, the SNP, hold relatively positive views about migration helps create the impression that Scotland as a whole does so as well.’
The document, published today, also indicates that people who have voted for the Tories or Labour in Scotland appear to be ‘less likely’ to ‘take a positive view of the economic consequences of immigration’ than the supporters of those parties in England and Wales.
The research shows that 70 per cent of Remain voters in England and Wales believe that immigration has been good for the economy – against only 56 per cent in Scotland.
Nationalist MSP Stuart McMillan said: ‘People across Scotland and across the UK clearly recognise the benefits of migration for our economy, culture and wider society.
‘That’s why it is so absurd that the Tories want to end free movement once we leave the EU, which will harm our NHS, our universities, key industries and our ability to work and travel across Europe.
‘This is why the SNP will fight to remain within the EU through a second referendum or, failing that, stay within the single market, which is eight times bigger than the UK alone.’
The survey is based on the latest British and Scottish Social Attitude polls, which were conducted by the National Centre for Social Research and the Scottish Centre for Social Research.