Institute of Economic Affairs Podcast on UK Immigration Policy

British immigration policy expert Sunder Katwala and I discuss the debate over UK immigration policy, which has notable similarities and differences with that in the US.

The Institute of Economic Affairs—the prominent British pro-free market think tank—posted a podcast on UK immigration policy. IEA Director of Public Policy and Communications Matthew Lesh interviews British immigration policy expert Sunder Katwala and myself about the British debate over immigration, which has notable similarities and differences with that in the United States. I cannot figure out how to embed the podcast in this post. But you can listen to it here.

We covered a wide range of issues, including how the British political right is more divided on immigration than the US right, the determinants of public support and opposition to immigration in the two countries, whether a culturally more confident nation is likely to be less afraid of migration, the relationship between migration policy and zoning restrictions on the construction of new housing (the latter are a serious problem in both countries), and much else.

Katwala is Director of the British Future think tank, and author of the notable new book How to Be a Patriot: Why Love of Country Can End Our Very British Culture War. Some of the ideas in the book were referenced in our discussion, as well as some from my own book Free to Move: Foot Voting, Migration, and Political Freedom.