The majority of people living in Britain, from all political and ethnic backgrounds, think too many people are settling in the country and favour tougher immigration policies according to a recent poll.

According to the YouGov poll, 57 per cent of adults think there should be less immigration than emigration and 28 per cent favour keeping the number of people moving to Britain the same as the number leaving, so-called balanced migration.

With immigration high on the political agenda following an influx of workers from eastern Europe, a British parliamentary cross-party committee asked pressure group Migrationwatch to commission the survey on balanced migration.

According to the Office of National Statistics, more people have moved to Britain than left every year since 1993, when there was a net outflow of 1,000. The net inflow was 223,000 in 2004, 185,000 in 2005 and 191,000 in 2006.

The YouGov survey showed there was overwhelming support for lower immigration from backers of Britain's three main political parties, as well as among black and minority ethnic respondents.

Among supporters of the ruling Labour Party, 36 per cent said balanced migration was about right and 45 per cent said that would still mean immigration was too high.

For Conservative voters, 23 per cent supported a balanced approach while 66 per cent wanted tougher limits.

Among black and minority ethnic respondents to the YouGov survey, 36 per cent favoured balanced migration and 39 per cent wanted tighter immigration policies.

"Balanced migration is the only policy on the table which accommodates both the needs of business and the growing concern of voters about the impact of immigration," said Migrationwatch chairman Andrew Green, a former British diplomat who supports curbs on immigration. The survey also showed 33 per cent of the electorate would be more likely to vote for David Cameron's opposition Conservative Party if it introduced a balanced migration policy, with only five per cent less likely to support him. Among Labour voters, 13 per cent would be more inclined to vote Conservative, with nine per cent less inclined. For Liberal Democrats, 24 per cent would be more likely to vote for Mr Cameron and eight per cent less inclined.

The survey did not ask whether voters would be more inclined to vote for the Labour Party if it adopted a balanced migration policy. Migrationwatch said it opted not to pay the £300 it would have cost to include the question in the poll.

"The results show not only overwhelming support but that newly arrived black and white British citizens wish to be given an opportunity of supporting a balanced migration approach at the next election," said Labour parliamentarian Frank Field. The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants insisted immigration controls were divisive.