Survey finds support for proposal that would allow in up to 40,000 a year with strong asylum claims and ties to Britain

Half of the British public would support the creation of visas allowing asylum seekers to travel safely to the UK, rather than in small boats, new polling suggests.

The new government has not yet put forward any proposals for new safe and legal routes for refugees, and is focusing on creating the UK Border Security Command to target people-smugglers. But polling by Focaldata for the British Future thinktank found that 50% of people, and almost two-thirds of Labour voters, back a scheme in which humanitarian visas could be granted to up to 40,000 people a year with strong asylum claims or links to the UK.