Fixed notion of “Britishness” will not work ... many British people value the UK for being multi-ethnic and multicultural, poverty and lack of opportunities undermine social cohesion ... Professor Mary Hickman, London Metropolitan Univer

Addressing deprivation and how people connect is more important for social cohesion than trying to get everyone to adhere to the same fixed notion of “Britishness”, says research published last week by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Not a day goes by that you would not hear, watch or read a story about the consequences of recent immigration on everyday life in the UK. Some commentators point to migrants' economic contribution, others say too much pressure is brought to bear on welfare, labour and housing markets, while some blame it on the cohesiveness of everyday life.

Of late, the country has privy to government miscalculation of immigration, allowing fervent media speculation about numbers and consequences. And the enlargement of the European Union in 2004 has lead to inflows into the UK than the country can cope with.

Drawing on original material gathered from six UK areas with different experiences of migration, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation research entitled “Immigration and social cohesion in the UK” also found that limited opportunities for British people in parts of the UK are undermining attempts to ensure new migrants are well received. It found “a stark divide between places that are equipped to adapt to new migrants, and places that are not.”

It also found that many people valued their children growing up with cultural diversity. However, some felt that theirs’ and their children’s, prospects were reduced because of immigration – particularly when it came to housing and education.

Many interviewees – both new arrivals and settled residents – felt that families were increasingly under pressure from the demands of work and consumerism, which could also undermine parental authority. Some recent arrivals felt that family values were particularly under pressure in the UK. A long-term settled minority ethnic woman, from Leicester said:

"I'll take work home sometimes … and then I've got the kids and we're doing things with them … and making sure they do their homework, then I'm doing my Masters as well … my husband he goes to work all day and we're both tired at the end of the day and there's tea to get on the table."

Some new arrivals felt exploited by their status as casual, migrant workers.

"People have to phone every day and ask if there is work. So still they do not know they are working at seven or even six o'clock … And sometimes they are working for 15 hours …" said a new arrival in Peterborough.

Professor Mary Hickman. Pic courtesy of London Metropolitan University

Lead Researcher Professor Mary Hickman, Director of the Institute for the Study of European Transformations (ISET) at London Metropolitan University, said:

“We found that although many British people value the UK for being multi-ethnic and multicultural, poverty and lack of opportunities undermine social cohesion especially in certain parts of our towns and cities. A key factor influencing whether new migrants are accepted is the dominant story in each locality about who belongs there.”

Communities who saw their locality as belonging to everyone tended to be more open to new arrivals. Whereas communities who thought of a locality as belonging to them in particular were more likely to blame new arrivals for problems that often already existed.

The report also looked at feelings of Britishness among both the settled UK population and new migrants in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It found that minority ethnic long-term residents and new arrivals were the most positive about what was good about Britain.

White English people who were questioned often found it difficult to reflect on their feelings of belonging to Britain, because they had not previously considered it. Whereas people in Scotland and Northern Ireland felt they belonged more to their respective nations than to Britain.

The research concluded:

“The findings of this research go against the grain of the idea that we need a fixed notion of Britishness and British values. Rather, ‘cohesion’ is about negotiating the right balance between difference and unity.”