If so, then why are so many still resistant? There is a straightforward economic analysis: austerity has shrunk the space we might share, be that schools, parks or hospitals, while growing inequalities supply people with new opportunities to scapegoat minorities. Then there is a barrage of claims about a government policy of encouraging cultural difference at the expense of national cohesion. There is no state-led segregation policy today. British governments are not in the habit of sacrificing the nation on the altar of imaginary cultural preferences. Yet years of anger stoked around this falsehood found, unfortunately, an outlet in the Brexit referendum. The thinktank British Future, which commissioned the poll and produced an in-depth study looking at immigration and integration, should be congratulated for engaging the public in a debate about their views and concerns on these subjects. It is no surprise that nine out of 10 respondents either strongly agreed or tended to agree that, in order to integrate, migrants ought to learn English, pay their taxes and respect democracy. There is nothing controversial about such opinions. Immigrant communities as a whole are hardly likely to disagree with any of them. What this research does not do is expose tensions between the demands of integration into wider society and the measures required to preserve cultural diversity.

Hvis ja, hvorfor er så mange stadig resistente? Der er en ligetil økonomisk analyse: stramninger har skrumpet ind på det rum, vi måtte dele, det være sig skoler, parker eller hospitaler, mens stigende uligheder giver mennesker nye muligheder for at syndebukke minoriteter. Så er der en spærre af påstande om en regeringspolitik om at tilskynde til kulturel forskel på bekostning af national samhørighed. Der er ingen statsstyret adskillelsespolitik i dag. Britiske regeringer har ikke for vane at ofre nationen på alteret af imaginære kulturelle præferencer. Alligevel fandt mange års vrede omkring denne usandhed desværre en afslutning i Brexit -folkeafstemningen. Tænketanken British Future, der bestilte afstemningen og lavede en dybdegående undersøgelse af immigration og integration, bør lykønskes for at have engageret offentligheden i en debat om deres synspunkter og bekymringer om disse emner. Det er ingen overraskelse, at ni ud af 10 respondenter enten var meget enige eller tilbøjelige til at være enige om, at for at integrere migranter burde de lære engelsk, betale deres skat og respektere demokratiet. Der er intet kontroversielt om sådanne meninger. Indvandrersamfund som helhed vil næppe være uenige med nogen af ​​dem. Hvad denne forskning ikke gør, er at afsløre spændinger mellem kravene om integration i et bredere samfund og de foranstaltninger, der er nødvendige for at bevare den kulturelle mangfoldighed.