British public likes plan to deport small boat migrants – but thinks it will make no difference

Just under half of those surveyed said the plan made them feel ‘proud to be British’

The British public supports the plan to deport small boat migrants to Rwanda – but most think it will make no difference, a new poll has revealed.

The exclusive Savanta ComRes survey for The Independent showed 42 per cent of respondents support the government’s controversial plan to deport those coming to the UK illegally, while 25 per cent opposed the plan.

The poll is based on the government’s immigration deal with Rwanda and was conducted before Suella Braverman unveiled the government’s Illegal Migration Bill this week to turn back all arrivals in small boats. Announcing the bill, Braverman said the legislation was “necessary, proportionate and humanitarian”, despite backlash from civil servants and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).