Recent events indicate a surge in far-right anti-immigration protests and riots across the United Kingdom, particularly in 2024 and 2025. These demonstrations have been fueled by anti-immigration sentiment and have occasionally escalated into violence, resulting in injuries to police officers and multiple arrests.
The protests often target hotels housing asylum seekers and have been linked to far-right groups such as Britain First, the Homeland Party, and Patriotic Alternative, who are also accused of spreading misinformation. The issue has become a dominant political topic in Britain, with record numbers of asylum claims and arrivals by migrants across the English Channel.
Public opinion on immigration in the UK is divided, with a significant portion of the population wanting immigration numbers reduced. However, the level of opposition varies depending on the specific question asked. There is particularly high concern regarding those seeking refugee or asylum status.
Far-right political parties, such as Reform UK, have gained traction by focusing on anti-immigration stances and pledging to deport large numbers of migrants. According to Ipsos polling data from May 2025, Reform UK is the most trusted party on immigration policies, followed by the Labour and Conservative parties.
The rhetoric surrounding immigration has been linked to real-world consequences, with hate-fueled narratives potentially inciting violence. The government faces the challenge of addressing public anxieties while upholding a fair and effective immigration system. Recent events include:
- Bank holiday weekend protests (August 22-25, 2025): Protests were advertised for at least 26 hotels housing migrants, with Stand Up To Racism organizing 15 counter-protests.
- Court of Appeal ruling (August 29, 2025): The High Court injunction to block asylum seekers from being housed in the Bell Hotel in Epping was overturned.
- Further protests in Epping and West Drayton (August 29-30, 2025): Disorder broke out at the Bell Hotel, injuring two police officers and leading to three arrests. In West Drayton, a group attempted to break into a hotel housing asylum seekers, resulting in five arrests.
Reform UK and Farage most trusted on immigration as confidence in Labour and Conservatives falls
Reform UK enjoys the highest level of trust on having the right immigration policies (37%), handling migrant crossings of the English Channel (39%), and making illegal entry more difficult (42%). Conservatives are the least trusted party on these issues.
A new Ipsos in the UK poll reveals that Reform UK is trusted the most to have the right policies on immigration, and its leader Nigel Farage is the most trusted party leader on the issue. Fieldwork was conducted from the 16th-20th of May, in the aftermath of the release of the government’s immigration white paper.
Key findings
- Trust in political parties on immigration: Reform UK enjoys the highest level of trust when it comes to having the right immigration policies (37%), handling migrant crossings of the English Channel (39%), and making illegal entry more difficult (42%). Around 1 in 4 trust Labour and the Liberal Democrats on these issues, while the Conservatives rank last on all three measures. Trust in both the main political parties – Labour and the Conservatives – has declined steadily since 2023.
- Trust in political leaders on immigration: Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is the most trusted political leader on immigration policies (28%), followed some way behind by Prime Minister Keir Starmer (15%). Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch is on 6%. Notably, a quarter (26%) of the public trusts none of the main party leaders on this issue. Among Conservative 2024 voters, as many trust Farage (28%) as Badenoch (29%).
- Immigration levels: Two-thirds (67%) of British adults believe the total number of people entering the UK is too high, the same percentage as last month. Just 5% think it is too low, while 18% say it is about right.
- Factors contributing to high immigration: Among those who believe immigration levels are too high, welfare benefits available in the UK (60%) are seen by most as a key contributing factor, followed by human trafficking/smuggling networks (50%) and international conflicts and wars (34%).
- Yvette Cooper’s performance as Home Secretary: A third of British adults (33%) disapprove of Yvette Cooper’s performance, while 17% approve (25% neither). These figures are slightly better than James Cleverly’s in January 2024, though in line with former Conservative Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s ratings in May 2023.
