Quarter of people believe Scotland should welcome more refugees, according to poll

A quarter of Scots believe the country should welcome more refugees, according to a survey.

Around 25 per cent said Scotland should welcome more refugees. Picture: John Devlin

The poll, commissioned by the Scottish Refugee Council (SRC), found positive attitudes towards people seeking refugee protection in Scotland.

More than two-thirds of people in Scotland feel empathy for refugees, according to the poll, while some 69 per cent of the 1,000 respondents agreed with the statement “refugees are ordinary people just like us”.

Support for diversity was also said to increase, with 44 per cent agreeing new refugee communities make Scotland a more vibrant place to live, with the figure rising to 57 per cent among 18- to 24-year-olds.

A quarter said Scotland should welcome more refugees, while 40 per cent believe the country should continue to welcome the same number as previously.

SRC chief executive Sabir Zazai said: “These findings match my own experience of life in Scotland and I see friendliness and solidarity towards newcomers every day.

“This survey doesn’t suggest life is perfect here or that ­people don’t have problems or experience racism. But friendliness and a sense of welcome is definitely a feature of life in Scotland.”