Policy area: Migration

Reports

Rethinking migration 01

This report from UK think tank the Future Governance Forum makes the case for a new progressive deal with Europe. The Rethinking Migration 01 report is written by Senior Policy Associate and former Yvette Cooper advisor, Beth Gardiner-Smith and Policy Associate, Emily Graham. The report sets out fresh ideas for fixing our broken asylum system at home,...

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Masculinities and violence in the Horn of Africa borderlands

This report from UK think tank RUSI reveals how masculinity norms fuel conflict, violent extremism and gender-based violence in the Kenya-Somalia-Ethiopia borderlands. This paper reveals how masculinity norms fuel conflict, violent extremism (VE) and gender-based violence (GBV) in the Kenya-Somalia-Ethiopia borderlands, shaping Al-Shabaab's recruitment and deepening insecurity. It offers actionable recommendations for defence and security...

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Discussion paper: The 1951 refugee convention and a crisis of credibility

This report from UK think tank the Coalition for Global Prosperity asks why the system now commands so little political legitimacy and what it might take to restore it. In the aftermath of the Second World War, Europe was confronted with a crisis of staggering proportions: 55 million people had been forcibly displaced across the...

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After the fall: Why hasn’t falling immigration changed public attitudes?

This report from UK think tank British Future explores findings from the British Future immigration attitudes tracker. ‘After the fall: Why hasn’t falling immigration changes public attitudes?’ is the 2026 report from the British Future Immigration Attitudes Tracker, which has followed public attitudes to immigration for over a decade since 2015. The new research reveals...

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Swiss role model? What the UK can learn from how Switzerland rebuilt public trust in its asylum system

This report from UK think tank the Social Market Foundation looks at the Swiss asylum reforms and key takeaways for the UK. The UK is suffering a downward spiral, with collapsing public confidence in the government’s ability to deliver an effective asylum system. This report investigates reforms to the Swiss asylum system designed to address...

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Settling up: A new deal to unlock immigration reform and build trust

This report from UK think tank Demos sets out a practical route to detoxify one of the most polarised policy issues of our time – immigration. This paper presents opportunities to upgrade democracy – to address the ‘democratic doom loop’ of mistrust, disengagement and political ineffectiveness – through setting out a practical route to detoxify...

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Far from settled: The government’s ‘earned settlement’ consultation

This report from UK think tank IPPR examines the government's 'earned settlement' consultation. How long should people have to wait until they can permanently settle in the UK? This is the core question underpinning the Home Office’s ‘earned settlement’ policy, currently out for consultation. While the measures have received surprisingly little attention compared to some...

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Reclaiming Britain: The nation against ethno-nationalism

This report from UK think tank IPPR argues that British politics is undergoing a profound shift as ethnonationalist ideas move from the fringes into the mainstream of the right. The report argues that British politics is undergoing a profound shift as ethnonationalist ideas move from the fringes into the mainstream of the right. Anti-migration politics...

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Properly protected

This report from UK think tank Bright Blue analyses the relationship between the asylum and modern slavery systems before proposing new policies to lessen modern slavery cases. ‘Modern slavery’ is a hidden but pervasive crime that disproportionately affects vulnerable people, especially asylum seekers, who become trapped in cycles of coercion and abuse. While exact numbers...

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Noise and nuance: What the public really thinks about immigration

This report from UK think tank British Future explores what the public really thinks about immigration. The British Future/Ipsos Immigration Attitudes Tracker has followed public attitudes to immigration for a decade since 2015. Research for this 18th wave of the tracker surveyed 3,003 adults across Great Britain, from 16 June to 2 July 2025. The report...

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Restoring order and reducing costs: How to close asylum hotels and save up to £5 billion

This report from UK think the Future Governance Forum puts forward a three step plan for the government to end use of asylum hotels by 2026. Published by The Future Governance Forum with contributions from Nesta, Labour Together, the Refugee Council and housing expert Kate Wareing, Restoring Order and Reducing Costs puts forward a three...

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The cost of strangers

This report from UK think tank Onward explores the removal of foreign national offenders and prison capacity. The report highlights a deepening prison capacity crisis in England and Wales, where adult male prisons are operating at around 98 % occupancy. Around one in eight prisoners is a foreign national offender (FNO) — roughly 10,800 people...

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Russia’s malicious migration: Predicting the use of instrumentalised migration against NATO and the EU

This report from UK think tank the Henry Jackson Society examines whether there are conditions under which instrumentalised migration is more likely to be used. Russia’s war in Ukraine has unleashed brutality that Europe has not seen for decades. In addition to conventional war, new tactics and technologies have been used, such as drones and...

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The Future of Asylum – A vision for renewal

This report from UK think tank the Future Governance Forum considers how the government can reform and renew the asylum system. The Future of Asylum – A vision for renewal considers how the government can reform and renew the asylum system. This essay collection features leading progressive voices and sets out bold ideas for the...

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Jordan and the UK: An anchor of stability in a volatile region

This report from UK think tank the Coalition for Global Prosperity sets out why supporting Jordan is a strategic necessity for the UK. Jordan has long been one of the UK’s most important allies in the Middle East. Despite immense pressures – from hosting millions of refugees and coping with water scarcity, to confronting regional...

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Related Articles

Post Covid-19, what should be the primary focus for UK immigration policy

After the coronavirus crisis and the recognised contribution of key workers, many of whom are immigrants, has this changed the immigration debate? A points-based system will prevent migrants from working in many key roles By Cameron Boyle (The Foreign Policy Centre) One positive to emerge from the COVID-19 era has been the increased appreciation for...

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