Voters oppose Boris Johnson plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, new poll finds

Voters oppose Boris Johnson’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, a snap poll has suggested.

The YouGov survey, conducted within hours of the prime minister’s confirmation of the £120m scheme, found that 42 per cent of those questioned oppose it against just 35 per cent who were supportive.

But the plan was much more popular among Conservative voters, with 39 per cent giving it “strong” backing and 20 per cent saying that they “tend to support” it, for a total of 59 per cent, against just 22 per cent who were opposed.

Removals to the African country were overwhelmingly rejected by Labour voters, by a margin of 68 to15 per cent, by Remain supporters (59 to 18 per cent) and Liberal Democrats (65 to 21 per cent). But they were backed by Brexit supporters by 57 per cent to 23.

YouGov asked: “The government has proposed a deal where some people who have entered Britain and applied for asylum will be flown to Rwanda, in Africa, for their asylum applications to be processed. Do you support or oppose this proposal?”

The findings suggest that the policy has more chance of helping to shore up Mr Johnson’s position among existing supporters than to attract voters from other parties.

However they indicate that the PM’s tough line on immigration may pay dividends in the former Labour strongholds in the Red Wall of the Midlands and north of England which delivered his 80-seat majority in 2019.

It was in these areas that support for the policy was strongest - with 39 per cent backing in the Midlands and Wales and 37 per cent in the North, though in both regions supporters were outnumbered by the 40 per cent who were opposed.

Fiercest opposition was recorded in Scotland (57 per cent) and London (54 per cent).

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has denounced the plans as a “desperate” distraction from Mr Johnson’s Partygate woes, which he said would be “unworkable and extortionate”.

But Mr Johnson insisted that the scheme would help “demolish” the businesses of people-smugglers who exploit migrants willing to attempt the perilous crossing of the English Channel by small boat, and would stop young male economic migrants from “jumping the queue” ahead of women and children seeking to reach the UK by safe and legal means.

The PM’s plans were most popular among the over-65s, with 50 per cent in favour and 37 per cent opposed, with 50-64 year-olds also backing them, but majorities in younger age groups coming out against.

- YouGov questioned 2,943 GB adults on 14 April.