Charity brands immigration fears a 'manufactured panic' as poll reveals stark local-national divide

2 days ago7 min read

A stark divide between local experience and national perception is reshaping the UK's political landscape, according to a new YouGov poll. While just over a quarter (26%) of Britons see immigration as a major concern in their immediate community, this figure skyrockets to more than half the population when respondents consider the country as a whole.A leading charity has labelled this disconnect a 'manufactured panic', arguing that a relentless political and media focus has weaponised the issue to distract from systemic governance failures. The political potency of this national narrative was demonstrated in yesterday's council byelections, where Reform UK gained two seats—one from Labour and another from an independent group—by campaigning heavily on national immigration concerns.This success illustrates a modern political strategy: by saturating the public discourse with a singular, emotionally charged national story, parties can override an individual's direct lived experience. The consequence is a political environment where genuine local priorities—such as the state of high streets, housing availability, and NHS waiting times—are increasingly marginalised by a deafening national debate.This forces mainstream parties into a reactive stance and creates openings for single-issue challengers. For both Labour and the Conservatives, the lesson is clear: failing to address this chasm between local reality and manufactured national crisis, or capitulating to the amplified panic, risks a fundamental realignment where elections are won in the nebulous realm of perception rather than on tangible local issues.

#immigration

#UK politics

#YouGov poll

#council byelections

#Reform party

#featured