'Send Them Back': 45% of Brits Back Mass Deportations and Zero New Migrants, Bombshell Poll Reveals

Nearly half of British adults support banning new immigration and deporting recent arrivals, according to a new YouGov poll that has sent shockwaves through Westminster.

The survey revealed that 45% of the public favour a hardline approach to immigration, reflecting growing discontent fuelled by viral footage, community tensions, and economic strain.

Rising Public Demand for Immigration Control

The poll, which surveyed thousands of UK adults, showed overwhelming support for the position of admitting no more new migrants and requiring large numbers of migrants who came to the UK in recent years to leave. Support was particularly high among Reform UK voters at 86%, but also notable among 27% of Labour and Liberal Democrat supporters.

Respondents' views on deportation varied by migrant type: 93% backed removing small boat arrivals, 44% supported deporting legal migrant workers, and 39% were in favour of deporting asylum seekers. Even 26% supported deporting foreign students.

This uncompromising stance is driven partly by widespread misconceptions. Nearly half of the respondents wrongly believe illegal immigration exceeds legal arrivals. Yet Home Office data shows just 38,546 irregular entries in the year to March 2024—only 4% of the 948,000 total long-term immigrants.

The Viral Footage That Fanned the Flames

Public anxiety over immigration has been further stoked by a viral video filmed by contractor Aston Knight between October and December 2024. The footage shows asylum seekers living in what was once a luxury spa hotel—now converted into taxpayer-funded accommodation.

Viewers see four-poster beds, buffet-style breakfasts, gaming consoles like PlayStations, music lessons, international phone calls, and what appeared to be bottles of alcohol and drug paraphernalia in some rooms. The video has sparked national outrage, with many critics calling the conditions 'holiday-like' and an insult to taxpayers facing rising living costs.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage condemned the scenes captured in the viral migrant hotel footage, calling it a slap in the face to law-abiding citizens and warning that the UK's social contract is at risk, as taxpayers are left footing the bill for what he described as an unsustainable system.

Local Unrest and Calls for Change

The issue has sparked local tensions. In Epping, Essex, protests erupted outside the Bell Hotel — which is being used to house asylum seekers — after one resident was charged with sexual assault. Hundreds gathered, resulting in disorder and several arrests.

Essex Police Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington warned that inflammatory political rhetoric could inflame unrest. 'We ask politicians and the media to be mindful of the language they use,' he said, urging restraint.

Local authorities, including Epping Forest District Council, have criticised the Home Office for failing to consult them on the use of hotels and have demanded greater transparency and closure of such sites.

Government Response and Ongoing Challenges

The Home Office says it is phasing out hotels, reducing the number used from over 400 to fewer than 210. A target has been set to eliminate the use of hotels by 2029.

In parallel, the UK's 'one-in, one-out' deportation agreement with France aims to remove around 50 small boat arrivals each week. But this falls well short of the widespread removals supported by a growing portion of the public.

The government insists that current housing is secure, regulated, and cost-controlled — though critics claim oversight is inadequate.

Behind the Headlines: The Realities of Asylum Accommodation

While the viral footage highlights some taxpayer-funded luxuries available at select sites, investigations into other asylum housing providers have uncovered overcrowding, poor hygiene, and serious failings—not widespread indulgence.

Claims of asylum seekers misusing taxpayer cash cards to gamble or engaging in organised shoplifting remain largely unverified but continue to fuel public mistrust. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticised such behaviour, calling it a 'slap in the face' to taxpayers.

Yet polling also shows that Britons differentiate between types of migration. While 67% believe overall immigration is too high, many support migration for skilled workers in healthcare, engineering, and caregiving roles.

A Nation Demands Answers

The YouGov poll and viral hotel footage together paint a picture of a nation grappling with immigration—caught between misinformation, genuine concern, and political posturing.

Nearly half of the public's support for mass deportations underscores the urgent need for clear communication and factual transparency about immigration numbers and policies.

As political parties debate future reforms and the Home Office seeks to manage a complex system under intense scrutiny, the UK faces a critical moment to bridge the gap between perception and reality, striking a balance between public sentiment and humane, practical immigration policy.

What's clear is this: nearly half the British public is demanding change — not just in policy, but in how the immigration debate is conducted. Without honest communication and credible data, the risk is a further erosion of trust in institutions and an increasingly polarised public.