Alarming Research Reveals Deepening UK Social Divides
The United Kingdom is experiencing what experts describe as a 'frightening increase in national division and decline' according to recent research from King's College London. The study, published in November 2025, reveals that 86% of people now perceive significant tension between immigrants and British-born citizens, while 84% believe there's a general feeling of division across the country.
Normalisation of Hateful Political Rhetoric
Immigration policy researcher Zoe Gardner told Metro she wasn't surprised by the findings, pointing to the unbelievably hateful rhetoric coming from politicians in recent months. 'This has been ramped up to an extreme degree and it's dominating the news,' Gardner explained. 'What was once shocking to most voters has now become completely normal.'
She emphasised that while people recognise increased tensions, this doesn't necessarily mean they feel hostile themselves toward immigrants. Rather, it reflects a widespread awareness that race relations and immigration discussions have reached fever pitch, causing considerable public concern.
Concrete Evidence of Rising Hostility
The research findings are supported by hard data showing hate crimes recorded by police in England and Wales rose by 2% in the year ending March. This marks the first increase in three years, with 115,990 hate crime offences recorded compared to 113,166 the previous year.
Charities working with migrants have expressed serious concern about the growing anti-immigration sentiment. A spokesperson for Migrant Help revealed they had stepped away from certain social media platforms because they no longer provided safe or constructive spaces for their work.
Post-Brexit Divisions Evolve Into Culture Wars
Professor Bobby Duffy, director of the policy institute at King's College London, described how post-Brexit divisions have transformed. 'We've seen steep rises in the beliefs that the UK is divided, that "culture wars" are real and that things were better in the past,' he stated.
The research found that one in two Britons believe British culture is changing too fast, while 48% said they would like their country to be 'the way it used to be.' Gideon Skinner of Ipsos noted that perceptions of political and cultural disharmony are growing, reflecting a society grappling with nostalgia, rapid change, and polarised views on issues like immigration.
Despite the concerning trends, Skinner emphasised that many people are not on the extremes in their views, suggesting there remains common ground to be found amid the divisions.
