World Immigration News

Educational background key indicator of immigration views in UK, study finds

Release Date
2026-01-20
Media
The Guardian
Summary
NatCen’s Demographic Divides research finds that education is the clearest fault line shaping British attitudes to politics, diversity and immigration, and that right-wing parties struggle to win support among graduates. In the UK, people with qualifications below A-level have about twice the odds of voting Conservative or Reform UK compared with those with a university degree or higher, even after accounting for financial insecurity—making educational background a strong predictor of right-leaning votes.

The study also shows that education polarises views on race, diversity and immigration more sharply in Britain than in the US. For example, far more UK degree-holders say diversity strengthens society, and they are more likely to recognise racial advantage, while lower-qualified Britons are more likely to oppose allowing undocumented immigrants to remain. In the US, education matters too, but right-wing support is better explained by a broader mix of factors such as ethnicity, gender, location and economic precarity, which helps explain why polarisation differs between the two countries.
Tags
United Kingdom

News Articles including "United Kingdom"

Released on
Article Title
Tags