RELIGION may be waning in Southampton, as a new survey shows most people in the area do not agree that religion is the basis of morality.

A survey of 21,000 people carried out by the publisher UnHerd and pollster FocalData has uncovered deep religious divides between city and country, with diverse urban areas home to stronger religious sentiments.

Participants were asked whether they agreed or disagreed with the statement "all morals are grounded in religious teachings", which UnHerd said may correspond to religiosity.

The responses were then analysed to create a model for each constituency based on the demographics of their populations.

More people disagreed with the statement than agreed in each of the three parliamentary constituencies that are in or cross over into Southampton.

Of these constituencies, Romsey and Southampton North was deemed to be the least religious – 23% agreed, compared to 42% who did not, with the rest undecided.

This placed it 608th out of 632 areas, with UnHerd linking a higher ranking to more widespread religious belief.

At the other end of the scale was the constituency of Itchen, which came in 190th place.

Here, 28% of people backed the idea of faith-based morality, compared to 36% who did not.

Across Britain, 34% of people agreed with the statement while 32% disagreed, with the rest undecided.

Westminster North in London came in at number one, with 41% agreeing with the statement, and just 29% disagreeing.

The area with the least faith was Edinburgh South, where 23% of residents agreed compared to 49% who disagreed.

Canon Giles Fraser, rector at St Mary’s Church in London’s Newington, said it was “no surprise” that faith was more rigorous in cities, especially those heavily shaped by immigration.

This is partly responsible for the more rapid decline in Christian congregations in rural areas, he said, while immigration from former colonies returned Christianity "back to the places that first sponsored its evangelisation".

He continued: “One familiar explanation for the religiosity of migrants is that faith is a way of maintaining a connection with the places and culture from which people have travelled.

“There may be something to this, but the bigger story is surely that the world is a much more religious place than the western secular imagination often recognises.

“If Brexit happens, and the UK is forced to face more towards a world outside of Europe, it will be engaging with a world that is far more religious than it is used to and perhaps comfortable with.”

The results and rankings for each constituency in Southampton are:

190) Itchen: 28% agree, 36% disagree

293) Test: 27% agree, 38% disagree

608) Romsey and Southampton North: 23% agree, 42% disagree