Nearly half of the British public have little or no sympathy for migrants trying to cross the English Channel from France, a survey shows.
Over the last four days more than 670 people have managed to make their way to the UK.
The migrants risk their lives crossing the world’s busiest shipping lane in inflatable craft.
However, despite the perilous journey, a YouGov survey reveals the public has “no sympathy at all” to “not much sympathy”.
Of the 3,163 people questioned 27% had none, and 22% not much.
Only 19% had a “great deal of sympathy” and 25% a “fair amount”.
The poll also showed that nearly three quarters (73%) of Conservative and Leave voters had “no sympathy”.
And of those people, 57% of Conservative voters and 75% of Leave voters say the UK does not have a responsibility to help protect the migrants who are arriving.
More generally, 46 per cent of Britons say that the UK has done more than its fair share to accommodate refugees who have arrived in Europe when compared to other European countries.
