It is almost impossible to overstate how decisive immigration has been to recent British politics. Concern about immigration led David Cameron to hold the EU referendum, gave the Leave campaign its winning trump card, and then led Theresa May to decide that Britain must leave the single market, because the greatest requirement for Brexit is to end freedom of movement and control European migration.

At the Social Market Foundation, we see the positives in immigration. We’re also committed to policy based on evidence, and mounting evidence suggests that immigration policy (and thus, the whole approach to Brexit) is being made on a mis-reading of public opinion.

Numerous surveys have shown that since the 2016 referendum, voters have relaxed about immigration: they say the issue is