[Menydh]

The Harris Polls are made over the internet, and the public that it reaches for a media like FT is selective. The opinion of the effect of immigration on the Economy is not an indicator of the general feeling of the population towards the immigration. See this survey made by Harris on November 20th, 2006, only 3 months ago, where it claims that it is France the country with more support towards immigration:

Are there too many, too few or about the right number of immigrants in your country?


Approximately what percentage of your country’s population is made up of legal immigrants?


Does your country’s policy towards immigration make it too easy or too difficult for migrants to enter the country legally, or is the policy about right?


Should your country admit migrants only if they have special skills, admit just about anyone who applies, or regulate the flow of migrants into the country based on the state of the domestic economy?


In general, have immigrants made a positive, negative or neutral impact on your country’s economy?


Have recent migrants from new EU member states in central and eastern Europe made a positive, negative or neutral impact on your country’s economy?


Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The government of your country has immigration under control.


In the future, should the European Union play an increased, decreased or about the same role in regulating the flow of migrants to member states?


Do you regard illegal immigration as a problem for your country? Or is it not a problem?


Approximately what percentage of your country’s population is made up of illegal immigrants?


[source]

As you can see, what you are infering from the article in the Financial Times is not what you may infere from the poll results above.

When people are asked if they believe that immigration has had a positive incidence on the economy, they answer positively (39% vs 30% negatively). However, on the other polls immigration is still identified as a problem by a large sector of the population.

It is the conclusion by the FT that should be given much thought:

"If immigration can be shown to boost economic growth for everyone, social tensions can be managed. It is a story that political leaders in other European countries"

This is about right everywhere. Althought the FT gives it the simplest reading,, that ethnic conflict can be avoided under economic stability, this is like saying that ethnic conflict is pending over a very thin line.