Eight out of 10 voters want a cap on the number of immigrants allowed into Britain, a Government survey has revealed

The findings of the opinion poll conducted by Mori will come as an embarrassment to ministers, after Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary, ruled out imposing a cap. Just 13% of those asked for their views on whether a "strict limit" on immigrant numbers should be introduced said that they opposed the move. Another 81% were in favor, according to the poll by Ipsos MORI for the UK Border Agency. There was also a sharp increase in the number who feared that immigration could have an impact on their own job prospects. More than two-thirds of those surveyed, 69%, said that they considered immigration to be a big or fairly big problem. Among this group, there was a 20% increase since the start of the recession in the number who considered that their position was at risk from immigrants. Two-thirds of respondents described themselves as fairly or very dissatisfied with the Government's handling of the issue of immigration, with a slightly smaller number, 64%, saying that laws should be tougher.