Britain’s net migration has halved during Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s tenure, but Britons believe it is still rising.
Immigration surged after the pandemic, peaking at almost 1.5 million a year in 2023. The subsequent collapse has not reached the public consciousness, perhaps because the numbers of asylum seekers on small boats — the most visible, and to some voters least palatable, form of migration — remain stable.
It has been a millstone for the embattled Starmer, with voters naming it the most important issue facing Britain and most thinking numbers should come down.
The fact that the numbers have come down, largely unnoticed, may not be surprising: Surveys find voters in many countries are misinformed on statistical issues such as crime, immigration, and budget allocations.
