Voters are increasingly worried about immigration as the scale of Tory failure on the issue becomes apparent, but even so there was wide support for the sacking of Suella Braverman, including among Tory voters. Eric Kaufmann investigates this apparent paradox and reports his findings in UnHerd.
British voters, especially national populists, are annoyed by small boats, high immigration and pro-Palestine marches, but most do not yet realise the transformative scale of today’s immigration levels. Ahead of the publication of U.K. migration statistics later this week, they are not sufficiently agitated to support an electoral insurgency.
The academic Matthew Goodwin pointed out that voters support the Rwanda scheme by a 40-32 margin, rising to 71% among 2019 Tory voters. YouGov’s most important issues tracker shows that immigration is, for the first time since Brexit, the top issue for Conservatives, and a leading concern for 37% of the public.
On the other hand, by a 57-20 margin, people support Suella Braverman’s sacking from the post of Home Secretary, as does a slim 44-39 share of 2019 Tory voters and Leave voters. How can we make sense of these apparently contradictory findings? To find out, I conducted a small survey of 289 2019 Conservative voters on Prolific, a platform used by many academics, on Monday. The sample divided 43-39 in favour of sacking Braverman, about the same as YouGov’s nationally representative data from last week.
The most important factor predicting support for Braverman’s sacking is popular perception of the scale of immigration. Those who have noticed substantially higher immigration since Brexit are much less likely to agree with sacking the former Home Secretary than other Tory voters. Older voters like her more than the young, 2017 Tory voters more than 2017 Labour-Tory switchers, and Leavers more than Remainers. The chart below shows how support for Braverman changes as these parameters are altered: some three in four Labour-Tory switchers backed Braverman’s sacking, compared to just 32% of those Tories who believe immigration has increased a lot since Brexit.
When I asked respondents to summarise Braverman in a few words, Left-liberal critiques tended to paint her as a nasty racist; conservative respondents who worry about immigration but think she should be sacked tend to see her as rude, ambitious, uncaring and obnoxious, as the word cloud below reveals. When asked why they favoured her removal, such voters were mainly concerned about her undermining Rishi Sunak, the party or the police’s authority. Mainstream media coverage may have shaped the perceptions of such voters.
Source: Prolific, November 20th 2023, via Wordart.com. Descriptions of Braverman from 17 pro-sacking, restrictionist Tory Leave voters.
You’ll need to set up an account to comment if you don’t already have one. We ask for a minimum donation of £5 if you'd like to make a comment or post in our Forums.
I have just posted this below the Jewish Life thread but it probably better belongs here:
I do not understand the need to undermine the notion of country / countries. Tribes and nations have been with us throughout recorded history. The most obvious explanation is that tribes developed from the extended family and subsequently developed further in to nations. The most obvious explanation being safety in the group and like-minded views and values.
Some ancestral peoples split from their original tribes and set out on their own and subsequently developed separate and distinct societies.
Countries represent the tribal concept extrapolated. Far from being new, as societal beings the tribe or country is essential to our way of life on this planet. This is why the myth of ‘diversity is our strength’ is complete and utter BS. It is in fact in typical Orwellian speak the complete opposite. Cultural diversity can only ever lead to greater divisions along tribal lines until such time as the stronger tribe becomes top dog.The losers either integrate or get wiped out.
Why is immigration being forced on Western nations by the Davos Deviants? The intention is to sow disharmony, tension, unrest and even violence which of course will lead to ever more restrictve laws and fear.
Why is the West being flooded with muslims? Quite simply they have societal and religious constructs which are the polar opposites of the fundamentally Christian countries into which they are being deposited.
The Davos Deviants couldn’t care less about islam but as a means of gaining control third world people with third world values are the perfect tools for disrupting First world countries. And it is working.
While I expect vitriol for my patriotic views those castigating me must understand that failing to stand for England and St George will simply speed our collapse in to a third world shit hole. We are at war on numerous fronts and preservation of our national identity is just one of those fronts and that is why I support the deportations of those immigrants who have failed to integrate.
Why is immigration being forced on Western Nations? ———Because it is easier to govern as a world government if we are mixed together. We will feel more like citizens of the world rather than citizens of Individual Nations with our own particular cultures. So determined are our own politicians to pander to the world government in waiting at the UN/WEF that they are traitors to their own people and cover up assaults and rapes on women all over Europe incase we interfere in their multicultural world government plans.
“Democracies owe their existence to national loyalties—the loyalties that are supposedly shared by government and opposition, by all political parties, and by the electorate as a whole. Wherever the experience of nationality is weak or non-existent, democracy has failed to take root. For without national loyalty, opposition is a threat to government, and political disagreements create no common ground “
Well it’s a very exciting day here in the Netherlands as it’s election day. Also the Leftards are getting all sweaty palmed because populist, Geert Wilders’ party ( PVV ), has had a recent surge in popularity. Imagine that, a right-wing PM? Well he’s anti-Islam, so of course he’s my favourite! LOL More here;
”The complicated process of putting together a new coalition, likely to involve at least four parties, will start on Thursday, once the votes have been counted. No party, ahead of Wednesday’s vote, was polling at more than 20% support, highlighting the tightness of the race.
The PVV, the VVD and the GroenLinks/PvdA alliance were level pegging in the final poll of the campaign, with the NSC close behind, and that raises the spectre of a very difficult formation process, political pundits say. The NRC said in its analysis that there is little chance of a stable government, given all the focus on the “winner” and the potential of Geert Wilders to be the biggest.
Wilders himself told Tuesday night’s final election debate that he planned to be the prime minister of “all the Dutch… whatever your background.”
The comment that was greeted sceptically by the VVD’s Dilan Yesilgöz. “I don’t think there is anyone who believes that,” she said. “His election manifesto shows the opposite. His wish is to eradicate Islam from the Netherlands. And I do not believe he will be prime minister. The Netherlands wants a leader who can bring people together, take a lead internationally and build majorities.”
Well if he could guarantee stopping this happening ( see below link ) then he’d get even more votes. 860 Palestinian refugees destined for Australia. I mean, no bloody Arab country wants them ( with good reason ) so fly them all the way down under instead! What could possibly go wrong? It’s not like they come with a handy ”I’m a Jihadist” lanyard round their necks is it? Scotland won’t be far off, you watch.
”The left-wing Australian government has quietly welcomed hundreds of Palestinian refugee arrivals in the weeks since the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.
The Department of Home Affairs confirmed Tuesday that 860 temporary visas have been approved for Palestinians with connections to Australia seeking to escape the Gaza Strip up to November 20, ABC News reports.
Canberra’s move to approve the Palestinian arrivals comes as none of the Arab countries that claim to love them as brothers are willing to accept them as refugees, as Breitbart News reported.
Security concerns at the prospect of admitting Hamas sympathizers is a wide concern on the matter as opposition immigration spokesman Dan Tehan slammed the government for not openly telling Australians about the visa scheme.”
The complicated process of putting together a new coalition, likely to involve at least four parties, will start on Thursday, once the votes have been counted. No party, ahead of Wednesday’s vote, was polling at more than 20% support
Proportional representation at its finest: 4 different parties, each rejected by about 80% of the electorate, form a joint government of universal stasis as the political program of this government will need to be the intersection of all four party programs (minus some concessions made during horse-trading, but excluding anything categorically opposed by a single party). This is not a system of government, especially not of democratic government, but one of mutual neutraliztion in favour of those who really hold the reigns of power.
I agree it is not perfect by a long stretch, but I prefer it to the two party system we have created in the U.K., where each party has multiple fractions constantly at war whilst chasing votes.
Not everything which is not perfect is also good enough. Especially not the structurally immobile party oligarchy designed to accomplish voter disenfranchisement while providing an illusion of democracy at the same time. The effortless grace with which all our so-called human rights were abolished the moment the UN demanded this (to be repeated ASAP, ie, once public finances have recovered to a sufficient degree to make this again possible) should have taught this to anyone.
Mainstream media coverage may have shaped the perceptions of such voters.
I think the last sentence in the article sums up the problem.
JASA
1 year ago
How can anyone think that immigration hasn’t increased a lot? Even if they are glued to the news from the BBC et al., they just have to look around them and open their eyes. Even if they live in the middle of nowhere, such as the far north of Scotland, where my parents have a house.
The average British voter is either too stupid or too fearful to vote for anyone other than the Unaparty.
A country always gets the politicians it deserves.
Nearhorburian
1 year ago
We need to remember that the vast majority of the population are so fucking stupid that they let themselves be injected with experimental untested gunk when even if there was a nasty new virus it was clearly only a threat to the ill and old.
The U.K. politicians should pay attention to the Netherlands.
The PVV (anti-immigration, right of centre party) has become by far the biggest party.
Geert Wilders likely going to become PM.
The irony is that he was denied entry into the U.K. a few years back…
The shift in polls happened after a televised debate, including some of the smaller parties. Wilders had a strong performance.
The Dutch have just had enough.
On a different note I gather the EU has voted to remove countries veto rights on a number of issues… watch that space.
I am watching it. ————-Wilders can’t even leave his house. So the lefts vision of multi cultural open borders has to be defended by violence.
RTSC
1 year ago
I suspect there are a lot of “quiet” Braverman supporters …. people who are basically scared to say they support stronger immigration controls, for fear of being thought “nasty” or racist.
Maybe they don’t do anything about it because they don’t hear so much on mainstream news about rape gangs all over Europe. They are maybe not aware that sex crimes and rapes in Sweeden are 20 times higher by immigrants than by indigenous Swedes and you can be arrested in Sweeden for pointing that out. They maybe have forgotten about Rotherham , Telford, Oxford etc since mainstream media swept all of that under the carpet not to “offend” Muslims. They cannot maybe see eg that what happened in Cologne in 2015 where the authorities stood by as their own women (500 of them) were raped and assaulted at an xmas market. ——–Perhaps they don’t know what is going on in Holland Belgium and France where Macron has wrung his hands and blamed French people for what immigrants are doing in that country. ———–Wakey wakey. —But actually the horse has bolted. It is too late. —Geert Wilders just won in Holland but he cannot even go out of his house for fear of slaughter.
“They maybe have forgotten about Rotherham , Telford, Rochdale and Oldham since mainstream media swept all of that under the carpet not to “offend” Muslims.”
There have been some convictions in Rochdale but Bunter Burnham, Fuerher of Manchester, is continuing to block the Oldham enquiry which proves how utterly damning this would be.
If the general public knew the extent of this rape culture all over Europe they would truly be shocked. But it is all covered up and our own politicians and media who are complicit in the rape.
Peter1959
1 year ago
Too many people don’t understand that immigration on this scale is an existentialist threat to our whole way of life in this country. If not for us, then for our children and grandchildren.
To join in with the discussion please make a donation to The Daily Sceptic.
Profanity and abuse will be removed and may lead to a permanent ban.
Actually no ond would much care if they did get tough in borders just no politician can bear to be screamed at by the BBC.
It is our job to ensure establishment politicians fear the voting public more than the BBC. Until that point is reached then nothing will change.
I have just posted this below the Jewish Life thread but it probably better belongs here:
I do not understand the need to undermine the notion of country / countries. Tribes and nations have been with us throughout recorded history. The most obvious explanation is that tribes developed from the extended family and subsequently developed further in to nations. The most obvious explanation being safety in the group and like-minded views and values.
Some ancestral peoples split from their original tribes and set out on their own and subsequently developed separate and distinct societies.
Countries represent the tribal concept extrapolated. Far from being new, as societal beings the tribe or country is essential to our way of life on this planet. This is why the myth of ‘diversity is our strength’ is complete and utter BS. It is in fact in typical Orwellian speak the complete opposite. Cultural diversity can only ever lead to greater divisions along tribal lines until such time as the stronger tribe becomes top dog.The losers either integrate or get wiped out.
Why is immigration being forced on Western nations by the Davos Deviants? The intention is to sow disharmony, tension, unrest and even violence which of course will lead to ever more restrictve laws and fear.
Why is the West being flooded with muslims? Quite simply they have societal and religious constructs which are the polar opposites of the fundamentally Christian countries into which they are being deposited.
The Davos Deviants couldn’t care less about islam but as a means of gaining control third world people with third world values are the perfect tools for disrupting First world countries. And it is working.
While I expect vitriol for my patriotic views those castigating me must understand that failing to stand for England and St George will simply speed our collapse in to a third world shit hole. We are at war on numerous fronts and preservation of our national identity is just one of those fronts and that is why I support the deportations of those immigrants who have failed to integrate.
It is time to nail our colours to the mast.
Why is immigration being forced on Western Nations? ———Because it is easier to govern as a world government if we are mixed together. We will feel more like citizens of the world rather than citizens of Individual Nations with our own particular cultures. So determined are our own politicians to pander to the world government in waiting at the UN/WEF that they are traitors to their own people and cover up assaults and rapes on women all over Europe incase we interfere in their multicultural world government plans.
The nation state is our only guarantee of a way of life (not that that works any more, regardless….)
Read the late, much lamented Sir Roger Scruton on this very matter…
https://www.civitas.org.uk/pdf/EnglandAndTheNeedForNations.pdf
“Democracies owe their existence to national loyalties—the loyalties that are supposedly shared by government and opposition, by all political parties, and by the electorate as a whole. Wherever the experience of nationality is weak or non-existent, democracy has failed to take root. For without national loyalty, opposition is a threat to government, and political disagreements create no common ground “
Thanks for this.
Well it’s a very exciting day here in the Netherlands as it’s election day. Also the Leftards are getting all sweaty palmed because populist, Geert Wilders’ party ( PVV ), has had a recent surge in popularity. Imagine that, a right-wing PM? Well he’s anti-Islam, so of course he’s my favourite! LOL More here;
”The complicated process of putting together a new coalition, likely to involve at least four parties, will start on Thursday, once the votes have been counted. No party, ahead of Wednesday’s vote, was polling at more than 20% support, highlighting the tightness of the race.
The PVV, the VVD and the GroenLinks/PvdA alliance were level pegging in the final poll of the campaign, with the NSC close behind, and that raises the spectre of a very difficult formation process, political pundits say.
The NRC said in its analysis that there is little chance of a stable government, given all the focus on the “winner” and the potential of Geert Wilders to be the biggest.
Wilders himself told Tuesday night’s final election debate that he planned to be the prime minister of “all the Dutch… whatever your background.”
The comment that was greeted sceptically by the VVD’s Dilan Yesilgöz. “I don’t think there is anyone who believes that,” she said. “His election manifesto shows the opposite. His wish is to eradicate Islam from the Netherlands. And I do not believe he will be prime minister. The Netherlands wants a leader who can bring people together, take a lead internationally and build majorities.”
https://www.dutchnews.nl/2023/11/live-blog-dutch-election-day-as-it-happens/
I hope the result goes your way Mogs.
Well if he could guarantee stopping this happening ( see below link ) then he’d get even more votes. 860 Palestinian refugees destined for Australia. I mean, no bloody Arab country wants them ( with good reason ) so fly them all the way down under instead! What could possibly go wrong? It’s not like they come with a handy ”I’m a Jihadist” lanyard round their necks is it? Scotland won’t be far off, you watch.
”The left-wing Australian government has quietly welcomed hundreds of Palestinian refugee arrivals in the weeks since the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.
The Department of Home Affairs confirmed Tuesday that 860 temporary visas have been approved for Palestinians with connections to Australia seeking to escape the Gaza Strip up to November 20, ABC News reports.
Canberra’s move to approve the Palestinian arrivals comes as none of the Arab countries that claim to love them as brothers are willing to accept them as refugees, as Breitbart News reported.
Security concerns at the prospect of admitting Hamas sympathizers is a wide concern on the matter as opposition immigration spokesman Dan Tehan slammed the government for not openly telling Australians about the visa scheme.”
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2023/11/22/australia-opens-the-door-to-palestinian-refugees-as-arab-countries-still-say-no/
The complicated process of putting together a new coalition, likely to involve at least four parties, will start on Thursday, once the votes have been counted. No party, ahead of Wednesday’s vote, was polling at more than 20% support
Proportional representation at its finest: 4 different parties, each rejected by about 80% of the electorate, form a joint government of universal stasis as the political program of this government will need to be the intersection of all four party programs (minus some concessions made during horse-trading, but excluding anything categorically opposed by a single party). This is not a system of government, especially not of democratic government, but one of mutual neutraliztion in favour of those who really hold the reigns of power.
I agree it is not perfect by a long stretch, but I prefer it to the two party system we have created in the U.K., where each party has multiple fractions constantly at war whilst chasing votes.
Not everything which is not perfect is also good enough. Especially not the structurally immobile party oligarchy designed to accomplish voter disenfranchisement while providing an illusion of democracy at the same time. The effortless grace with which all our so-called human rights were abolished the moment the UN demanded this (to be repeated ASAP, ie, once public finances have recovered to a sufficient degree to make this again possible) should have taught this to anyone.
Which other parties will work with Wilders? How many seats did the “Farmers” Party win? Hopefully this is the start of something in the EU
I think the last sentence in the article sums up the problem.
How can anyone think that immigration hasn’t increased a lot? Even if they are glued to the news from the BBC et al., they just have to look around them and open their eyes. Even if they live in the middle of nowhere, such as the far north of Scotland, where my parents have a house.
Yes. Immigrants are appearing out of thin air in every town and village. Immigration Policy is only about one thing —-Dispersal.
We reap what we sow….Good luck to the dumb fuc@s!
The average British voter is either too stupid or too fearful to vote for anyone other than the Unaparty.
A country always gets the politicians it deserves.
We need to remember that the vast majority of the population are so fucking stupid that they let themselves be injected with experimental untested gunk when even if there was a nasty new virus it was clearly only a threat to the ill and old.
The U.K. politicians should pay attention to the Netherlands.
The PVV (anti-immigration, right of centre party) has become by far the biggest party.
Geert Wilders likely going to become PM.
The irony is that he was denied entry into the U.K. a few years back…
The shift in polls happened after a televised debate, including some of the smaller parties. Wilders had a strong performance.
The Dutch have just had enough.
On a different note I gather the EU has voted to remove countries veto rights on a number of issues… watch that space.
I am watching it. ————-Wilders can’t even leave his house. So the lefts vision of multi cultural open borders has to be defended by violence.
I suspect there are a lot of “quiet” Braverman supporters …. people who are basically scared to say they support stronger immigration controls, for fear of being thought “nasty” or racist.
Maybe they don’t do anything about it because they don’t hear so much on mainstream news about rape gangs all over Europe. They are maybe not aware that sex crimes and rapes in Sweeden are 20 times higher by immigrants than by indigenous Swedes and you can be arrested in Sweeden for pointing that out. They maybe have forgotten about Rotherham , Telford, Oxford etc since mainstream media swept all of that under the carpet not to “offend” Muslims. They cannot maybe see eg that what happened in Cologne in 2015 where the authorities stood by as their own women (500 of them) were raped and assaulted at an xmas market. ——–Perhaps they don’t know what is going on in Holland Belgium and France where Macron has wrung his hands and blamed French people for what immigrants are doing in that country. ———–Wakey wakey. —But actually the horse has bolted. It is too late. —Geert Wilders just won in Holland but he cannot even go out of his house for fear of slaughter.
“They maybe have forgotten about Rotherham , Telford, Rochdale and Oldham since mainstream media swept all of that under the carpet not to “offend” Muslims.”
There have been some convictions in Rochdale but Bunter Burnham, Fuerher of Manchester, is continuing to block the Oldham enquiry which proves how utterly damning this would be.
If the general public knew the extent of this rape culture all over Europe they would truly be shocked. But it is all covered up and our own politicians and media who are complicit in the rape.
Too many people don’t understand that immigration on this scale is an existentialist threat to our whole way of life in this country. If not for us, then for our children and grandchildren.
To the moderator, or other Daily Sceptic readers. ————-Why are no more comments being allowed under the article about Geert Wilders?