Press Story

Majority (51 per cent) of voters still believe being British is something you can become with effort, rather than something you are born with
Only 3 per cent say you need white skin to be a good British citizen
But ethno-nationalist views of British identity have almost doubled, to 36 per cent, since 2023 – meaning progressives must act urgently to create alternative vision, says IPPR

Exclusive new polling for IPPR finds that the majority of people still see Britishness as something based on shared values, interests and behaviours, despite a small but growing share of the public who believe that being “truly British” is rooted in ancestry, birthplace and ethnicity.

When asked, by YouGov, to pick up to five qualities that make a good British citizen, the most popular answers were obey the law (64 per cent), raise children to be kind (62 per cent) and work hard (48 per cent), compared to sticking up for British-born people above other groups (8 per cent) or having white skin (3 per cent).

Likewise, when asked what would make them proud of the UK in 10 years’ time, people prioritise a well-functioning NHS (69 per cent), daily affordability (53 per cent), and affordable housing (36 per cent), above reductions in the immigrant population (28 per cent) or in the ethnic minority population (13 per cent).

However, the proportion of people who think you must be born British to be truly British has almost doubled, from 19 per cent in 2023 to 36 per cent in 2025.

This shift is most pronounced among people intending to vote for Reform UK, 59 per cent of whom believe British identity is an ethnic, not civic, concept. Seven in ten (71 per cent) Reform supporters think it is important to have British ancestry to be truly British, one third (37 per cent) say they would be prouder of Britain if there were fewer people from ethnic minority backgrounds in 10 years' time, and one in ten (10 per cent) think it is important to have white skin in order to be a good British citizen.

The research finds evidence that right-wing parties are making inroads in their attempts to remould the nation from a civic to an ethnic community. Proposals for mass deportations by Reform UK and the Conservative party, the rise in far-right protests, and an increase in hate crime point to ethno-nationalism moving from the fringes to the mainstream of British politics.

Given that ethno-nationalist views are still in the minority, though growing, the report says progressive parties must act urgently to tell new stories about who we are, and build a clear, forward-looking sense of national identity.

The report calls on government to build on the Prime Minister’s party conference speech and develop a more confident project of national renewal that runs across economic, social and democratic reform – making clear not only what policies will deliver, but what kind of country Britain is trying to become and what it is that binds us together.

IPPR argues that these findings underline the need for a renewed, hopeful vision of the nation. Progressives must articulate a future-facing national project grounded in collectivism, equality and a sense of agency, as an alternative to the backwards-looking, nostalgic, cynical nationalism of the right.

Dr Parth Patel, associate director at IPPR, said:

“Politicians and activists on the right are trying to change how we think about ourselves and one another. They believe belonging to this nation is defined by ancient rights and historical claims, and want the rest of us to believe that too. Worryingly, they are starting to change the hearts and minds of some people in Britain.

“No longer consigned to the fringes of British politics, rising ethno-nationalism is redefining what the left is for. Having become used to opponents who challenge them mainly on grounds of economic equality, progressives now find themselves locked in conflict with those who reject far more basic tenets of human equality. We should be meeting this contest with confidence and conviction, not intimidation or inevitability. The future depends on what we do now.”

Dr Nick Garland, associate fellow at IPPR and former political speechwriter to Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, said:

“A majority of the public still believes in a nation built on shared values and common interests, not birthplace or background. When asked what would make you proud of the country in a decade’s time, Britons overwhelming choose inclusive goals over ethnic solidarities. The urgent task for the government – and for progressives more broadly - is to give voice to this belief by setting out a compelling alternative vision of the nation: a story of who we are that looks forward, not back. The fight over what it means to be British must be met by rejecting division and reclaiming a shared, inclusive national project.”

ENDS

Dr Parth Patel and Dr Nick Garland are available for interview

CONTACT

Liam Evans, head of news and media: 07419 365 334 l.evans@ippr.org

NOTES TO EDITORS

Advance copies of the report are available under embargo on request
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,370 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 9th - 10th December 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+). Where any historical comparison are made, that is relative to the British Social Attitudes survey. Any questions re-fielded are word-for-word identical. However, the methodology between the two studies is different, with YouGov making use of online fieldwork as compared to the face-to-face methodology of the BSA. Some degree of the noted change is therefore likely to be attributable to the change in mode.
The data relating to civic or ethnic conception of British identity re-fields the exact question from the 2023 British Social Attitudes survey. The question, considered gold-standard in distinguishing people with primarily civic from ethnic conceptions of British identity, is as follows. Some people say that it is possible to become truly British if a person makes an effort. Others say a person has to be born British to be truly British. What is your position?
Statement A: It is possible to become truly British if a person makes an effort.
Statement B: A person has to be born British to be truly British.
IPPR (the Institute for Public Policy Research) is the UK’s most influential think tank, with alumni in Downing Street, the cabinet and parliament. We are the practical ideas factory behind many of the current government’s flagship policies, including changes to fiscal rules, the creation of a National Wealth Fund, GB Energy, devolution, and reforms to the NHS. As an independent charity working towards a fairer, greener, and more prosperous society, we have spent almost 40 years creating tangible progressive change - turning bold ideas into common sense realities. www.ippr.org