84 per cent of Brits want Iran blocked from developing nuclear weapons
A huge 84 per cent of Brits say that Iran should be stopped from developing nuclear weapons, with 44 per cent supporting UK military efforts to intervene, according to polling from think tank More in Common.
The overwhelming strength of public concern and the relative backing of intervention is at odds with Sir Keir Starmer’s stance on the issue.
On Sunday, the PM called for “restraint and de-escalation” of the conflict between Israel and Iran.
Israel and Iran have been engaged in an exchange of missile strikes since Netanyahu’s government first attacked the Iranian nuclear programme on Thursday night.
So far, the markets have been broadly un-spooked by the conflict, with the FTSE 100 up 0.2 per cent after the first hour of trading.
Generational divide
Luke Tryl, More in Common’s UK director, says that the support “extends across voter groups”.
However, with “somewhat important” taken into account, that number is 97 per cent of the oldest voter segment and 65 per cent of the youngest.
Along party political lines, supporters of parties on the political right are broadly more supportive of the UK playing a role in the efforts, though there is only 21 points between the most and least interventionist parties.
Of Conservative and Reform supporters, 55 per cent support UK involvement in military efforts, with a still substantial proportion of Lib Dem and Green backers – 38 and 35 per cent, respectively – supportive despite both parties being more closely associated with anti-war sentiment.
A majority of those surveyed across all political parties said that preventing an Iranian nuclear weapon is “very important”, with Conservatives feeling the strongest – at 65 per cent – but the Greens still backing the statement by 50 per cent.
There is more division along age-based lines, with 76 per cent of those aged 75+ supportive of Israel’s efforts compared to just 31 per cent of 18-24s.
35 per cent of 18-24s believe that it is “not particularly important” or “not important at all”, marking a striking contrast with the public at large.
More than seven in ten Brits are worried about the prospect of escalating conflict, including almost three in ten who are “very worried”.