Just one in five believe Conservative pledge to cut net migration

Just one in five (21%) of the UK public say they believe the Conservative Party’s pledge to cut migration if elected, according to new research from Savanta for Channel 4 News.

The new polling, commissioned ahead of Channel 4’s special programme – The UK Decides: Immigration, Law and Order – suggests the public is distrustful of both major parties’ pledges on migration and small boats, with particular ire held for the Conservative Party.

One in seven (15%) say they only trust the Conservative Party’s pledges to cut net migration, while only 6% say they believe both Labour and the Conservatives. Three in ten of the public (28%) say they only believe Labour’s pledges, with the largest proportion saying “I don’t believe either of them” at 43%.

Voters feel broadly similar to the major parties’ pledges to stop small boats crossings, with 16% saying they only trust the Conservatives’ pledges, just 7% saying they trust both parties and one quarter (27%) saying they only trust Labour. Once again, “I don’t believe either of them” was the most commonly chosen answer, at 44%.

Chris Hopkins, Political Research Director at Savanta said, “Our research for Channel 4 News suggests voters feel like migration is an impossible riddle for politicians of all parties to solve. However, there’s a sense from our findings that the public feels the Conservatives have had their chances to deliver and now it’s someone else’s go.”

Savanta’s polling also suggests that Labour (35%) is seen by more voters as having the best policies for reducing crime, over the Conservatives (20%) and Reform UK (12%). There is strong opposition (50%) to government plans to release some prisoners early to ease prison overcrowding, in particular among Reform UK (67%) and Conservative (53%) voters.

Further research suggested that four in ten (42%) of public don’t “trust the police’s ability to keep women safe in public”, with men (58%) significantly more likely to trust police than women (46%).

The findings come ahead of a 7-way debate tonight from Channel 4 News focussed on immigration, law and order, featuring senior politicians from the main parties.