Nigel Farage says 'public have woken up' as immigration tops new poll of issues facing UK
Public say immigration is most important national issue for the first time since 2016 in new poll.
Immigration has topped a new poll of the most important national issues facing the UK.
The YouGov survey found 51% of Britons say immigration is one of the top issues, up 10 points from mid-July.
It is the first time immigration has come first in the pollster's tracker since 2016 and comes in the wake of the Southport stabbings and riots sweeping towns and cities across the country.
Reacting to the poll, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: "The public have woken up and want the kind of action that Labour and the Tories will never deliver.
"This is why politicians and the media are falsely accusing me of being involved in the riots."
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The poll found nine in 10 Reform UK voters said immigration is one of the most important issues facing Britain, along with 75% of Tory voters.
While only 34% of Labour voters said the same, it is the highest level among this group since early 2017.
Concern about crime has also surged by 19 points with 39% saying it is one of the top issues, putting it in third place overall.
The economy is the second most commonly cited top issue facing the country, with 44% picking it.
It comes as the UK has seen a week of violent disorder following the fatal stabbings of three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club in Southport last week.
Incorrect rumours - that the suspect was an asylum seeker who arrived in the UK on a small boat - which spread on social media appear to have fuelled the unrest.
Parts of the UK are steeled for as many as 100 events connected with the disorder on Wednesday.
The poll of 2,163 British adults was carried out on Monday and Tuesday.
