LABOUR’S failure to tackle the “manufactured panic” around immigration was exposed today as new polling showed just one in four people think it’s important in their community.

Only 26 per cent of people included immigration and asylum among the three most important issues facing them locally.

This was half the 52 per cent who ranked it as one of the biggest issues facing the country as a whole.

The cost of living was confirmed as the top issue for people both nationally and locally, with immigration ranking seventh on the list of important local problems behind health, crime and housing.

Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants’ Saeema Syeda said that the YouGov poll “proves what we’ve been saying all along — there is no immigration crisis.”

“It’s a manufactured panic, pushed by some politicians and parts of the media to distract from what actually matters to people,” she added.

“Across our communities, we share the same priorities — making ends meet, accessing healthcare, decent schools and secure homes. We need to end scapegoating and look for solutions.”

Campaign group Best for Britain, which commissioned the survey, added that the findings showed that “for most people, including those vital to Labour’s electoral coalition, concerns around immigration are not based on personal experience.”

The poll surveyed 4,368 British adults between September 5 and 10.

While immigration was the second most important issue for people nationally, health was ranked second locally, followed by the economy, crime, housing and jobs.

Among those who voted Labour last year, 56 per cent of people mentioned the cost of living as a major national issue.

Just under four in 10 mentioned the economy, compared with 34 per cent who said immigration was a major problem.

Best for Britain’s Tom Brufatto said: “The data clearly demonstrates that media exposure and political discourse are fanning the flames of anti-immigration sentiment in the UK, causing the government to lose support both to its right and left flank simultaneously.

“Measures designed to tackle the cost of living, such as undoing the economic damage caused by Brexit through closer trading relations with the EU, will instead draw support from across the political spectrum,” he claimed.

Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “PCS members are proud to challenge the anti-immigrant lies peddled by [Reform UK leader Nigel] Farage and his clickbait cronies. 

“This government has failed to challenge racist statements from the Tories and Reform. But we, like the majority of British people, won’t allow our communities to be divided by hate.”

Stand up to Racism co-convener Sabby Dhalu said: “We agree that concern about immigration is manufactured panic.” 

She said the fact it ranks second nationally is “is a product of the toxic political discourse over the summer,” warning: “Public opinion is often a reflection of views expressed by politicians, not the other way round.

“There is no doubt that by far the biggest issues facing people are cost of living, health, housing, jobs, and refugees and migrants are not to blame for the crisis.

“We need urgent action on these pressing issues, not scapegoating.”

CEO of Care4Calais Steve Smith added: “Migration is being used to sow division by politicians who offer no solutions to the real issues facing the country — the cost of living, housing, the NHS and local services.

“Sadly, that includes the Labour government, who, by attacking the rights of people fleeing persecution, are fanning the flames of Reform and the extreme far right.

“As this poll shows, people deserve much better, with a government focused on tackling the real issues, not parroting the anti-refugee rhetoric of the far right.”