Poll Reveals Disconnect on Immigration, as Reform Party Makes Local Election Gains

2 days ago7 min read

A stark divide in public perception of immigration has been exposed by a new YouGov poll, revealing a chasm between local experience and national anxiety. While just over a quarter (26%) of the public see it as a major issue in their own area, this figure surges to more than half when respondents consider the country as a whole.Charities have labelled this national concern a 'manufactured panic,' arguing the data shows fears are driven by political narrative, not lived reality. However, this perceived crisis proved politically potent in the latest council byelections, where the Reform party capitalized on the national mood to secure two key gains.According to Election Maps UK, Reform took one seat from Labour and another from a local independent group, signalling that national-level anxieties can decisively influence hyper-local contests. This strategy mirrors the Brexit playbook, where broad themes of sovereignty overrode specific local concerns.The results serve as a warning flare for the Labour party, indicating vulnerability to cultural and immigration-based attacks even on its traditional turf. For Reform, the wins validate a strategy of leveraging top-down national narratives to build ground-level political power, while simultaneously threatening the Conservative party's hold on the anti-immigration vote. The political landscape is being reshaped by a potent narrative that can compel voters to act on a problem they don't personally encounter, turning local council seats into proxies for national ideological battles.

#lead focus news

#UK politics

#immigration poll

#council by-elections

#Reform UK

#YouGov

#local concerns