Immigration now just one point behind the economy as most important issue facing UK

[-:Undertaker:-]

wat happens if we r no longer a part of the EU and u fancy going to disneyland paris we can get there so fast

We can. Just as you can get to Switzerland or Turkey very fast.

Polls are always poor representations for the simple fact that people only take part if they want to, and someone who thinks having an Indian family live across the road from them is an invasion of Britain is clearly going to be more likely to complain than someone who's fairly satisfied with how things are. I can't see what type of polling was done here because there's no source link or anything but the last one you posted was a telephone interview that hand-picked their participants

They are not poor representations, this is what people who don't like poll results or who don't understand polling always say. Polls with a sample of 1,000+ have an error margin of something like 3%, they're remarkably accurate hence why so much money is spent on the betting markets with them and hence why political parties, focus groups and newspaper commission polls - they paint a picture of public feeling.

Immigration has steadily been rising as an issue for the public for some time, whether you like it or not.

I've took part in a survey for the National Office of Statistics or w/e they're called. In fact, I believe that it was the Happiness Index that David Cameron was mocked about. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...rly-happy.html
As for how much you know about the subject, clearly that's irrelevant as the whole point of polls is to find out public opinion even if that opinion is misguided or statistics do not back it up.

I mean sure we have to be wary of them and aware of their failings. I do not think it's a coincidence that the minute The Sun starts a campaign to make immigration their 'red line' issue, there's a poll that suggests public opinion is the same. I don't think the issues are as close as this poll suggests but I'd say it was in the public's top 5.

Well that's because The Sun are publicising a part of their poll which is relevant to their campaign. The poll in question known as the YouGov tracker is a poll that is taken throughout the year, it is not a one off dodgy poll that The Sun has commissioned in order to support it's campaign. You'd be right in saying that The Sun is publicising the poll results more - as whenever unfavourable poll results are found you'll often find them in the back pages rather than on the front cover.

Political parties are reacting to this real shift in public opinion. Just look at the news.

[Inseriousity.]

My apologies then, it does say in the first tweet YouGov/Sun poll though

[Chippiewill]

News outlets are portraying immigration as the most serious issue and a survey identifies that people think immigration is the second most serious issue? SHOCK AND AWE.

All this shows is people are sheep and believe everything they read.

[-:Undertaker:-]

News outlets are portraying immigration as the most serious issue and a survey identifies that people think immigration is the second most serious issue? SHOCK AND AWE.

All this shows is people are sheep and believe everything they read.

That's strange because for the past decade people have wanted to talk about immigration having never been consulted on it yet everytime they raised ANY type of concern over uncontrolled borders they were labelled as racist, bigot etc hence why politicians were so afraid to talk about it too. Now the minute the media and political classes start responding to people's concerns, it's all a media inspired scare.

Well now it's payback time and the public are going to demand action on the issue.

[Ardemax]

EU followed by immigration, followed by economy, followed by inflation, followed by crime.... and the rest.

EU is the most important political issue because it's at the heart of everything: who governs Britain?

So EU > Unemployment and lack of jobs?

[-:Undertaker:-]

So EU > Unemployment and lack of jobs?

In terms of regulation, yeah absolutely. But also EU > mass immigration > unemployment.

[Ardemax]

In terms of regulation, yeah absolutely. But also EU > mass immigration > unemployment.

Let me just get this correct: you believe that the EU and 'mass' immigration are bigger issues than the current state of unemployment?

[Adam]

I propose we trade for the useless waste of ******* air that star in Benefits Street.

I'd much rather have 100,000 Bulgarians than 100,000 dole dossing *****.

[FlyingJesus]

Polls with a sample of 1,000+ have an error margin of something like 3%

How on earth can you possibly know that unless you also poll 100% of the people to see what they think? That's just a nonsense figure pulled from nowhere

[Chippiewill]

How on earth can you possibly know that unless you also poll 100% of the people to see what they think? That's just a nonsense figure pulled from nowhere

Agreed. You can only determine that if you have a statistical test to base it against or just check everything.