A new poll from King's College London and Ipsos reveals a sharp increase in perceived national division, with 86% of Britons now sensing tension between immigrants and UK-born citizens, up from 74% in 2023. The survey, conducted in August, also shows that national pride has fallen below half for the first time, dropping from 56% to 46% over five years.
The proportion of people who believe transgender rights have gone 'too far' has more than doubled since 2020, reaching 39%. Meanwhile, 48% of respondents view being called 'woke' as an insult, compared to 24% five years ago. Half of those polled feel UK culture is changing too fast, and 48% wish the country could return to how it used to be.
Professor Bobby Duffy, director of the policy institute at KCL, described the findings as showing a 'frightening increase in the sense of national division and decline'. He noted that post-Brexit divisions appear to have 'morphed into party political and other splits', particularly around immigration and culture wars.
The research, which began in 2020, polled 4,027 people aged 16 and older. Gideon Skinner of Ipsos cautioned that while perceptions of disharmony are growing, many people hold moderate views not captured by headline figures.
