BASIC Comment

Britons begin to turn away from alliance with America

By Peter Riddell, The Times, 7 June 2006.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-2214325,00.html

THE British public has become increasingly cool towards American policy and critical of its role in the world after the sustained violence in Iraq.

A Populus opinion poll in The Times indicates that fewer than half the public believe that America is a force for good in the world, and nearly two thirds believe that Britain’s future lies more with Europe than with the US.

There is also evidence of a longer-term shift in views about the US. However, while President Bush and his Administration remain unpopular in Britain, Americans as a people remain popular.

The poll was undertaken between last Friday and Sunday, when there were several news reports about a high level of killing in Iraq, and particularly in Basra, the main area of operation for British forces.

There has been a marked fall in the number of voters who say that British troops should stay in Iraq for as long as it takes to make sure that the country is a stable democracy, to 32 per cent, from 38 per cent in February and 49 per cent in October 2004. By contrast, 58 per cent believe that British troops should be “withdrawn from Iraq as soon as possible, even if Iraq is not completely stable”. Although this is slightly down from 62 per cent in February, it compares with 42 per cent in October 2004. With don’t knows at 10 per cent, there is a big margin in favour of early withdrawal, particularly among women, unskilled workers rather than professionals and managers, older rather than younger voters and Liberal Democrats rather than Labour supporters.

This shift in opinion on Iraq has also been reflected in views about the US. Fewer than three fifths (58 per cent) believe that it is important for “Britain’s long-term security that we have a close and special relationship with the US”. This compares with 71 per cent as recently as two months ago. Fewer than half of Lib Dem voters (46 per cent) now agree.

Slightly less than two thirds (65 per cent) believe that “Britain’s future lies more with Europe than America”. In March 2003, before the invasion, about 71 per cent believed that “the conduct of the US towards Iraq makes it more important than ever that Britain is at the heart of Europe”.

Equally striking is that Britons are evenly divided (44 to 45 per cent) about whether “America is a force for good in the world”. This reveals the extent of the cooling in attitudes towards the policies of the US Government. There is a clear gender divide: 48 per cent of men agree; 39 per cent of women do so. Positive views of America’s role in the world are highest among professionals and managers, at 49 per cent, and Tory voters, at 56 per cent; they are the lowest among Lib Dems, at 33 per cent.

Moreover, more than three fifths of British voters (62 per cent) believe that “if Gordon Brown takes over as Prime Minister, he should be much less close to President Bush than Tony Blair has been”. Significantly, this is the view of 65 per cent of Labour voters.

However, earlier analysis by Professor Sir Robert Worcester, of Ipsos/MORI, highlights the distinction between attitudes towards the policies of the US Administration and the country and its people. Consequently, more than two thirds of British voters say that they like Americans and would like to go on holiday in the US.

Populus interviewed a random sample of 1,505 adults older than 18 by telephone between June 2 and 4. For more details see www.populuslimited.com.