Channel 4 Britishness Poll

Posted on March 25, 2012 by Clive D. Field

Although, as reported by BRIN on 18 February 2012, 56% of adults think that Britain is a Christian country and 61% that it should be, only 4% (and no more than 8% in any demographic sub-group, the peak being among over-65s) consider that not being a Christian stops people from being fully British.

This compares with not speaking English (59%), being born outside the UK (26%), not mixing with other groups (25%), not living in Britain (18%), having foreign-born parents (11%), not being white (9%), dressing differently (8%), and having an accent (7%).

This new finding is from an Ipsos MORI survey for Channel 4 in connection with the latter’s recently-broadcast two-part documentary Make Bradford British. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 998 Britons aged 18 and over between 27 January and 5 February 2012. Data tables have now been posted online at:

http://www.ipsos-mori.com/Assets/Docs/Britishness%20tabs.PDF

Two other questions from the poll will also be of interest to BRIN readers:

  • During the past year 68% of respondents claimed to have regularly (monthly or more) mixed socially (outside work or school) with persons of a different religious belief, against 66% in the case of people from a different ethnic background, 90% from a different generation, and 62% of a different sexuality – inter-religious mixing was most pronounced among the 15-34s (74%), non-manuals (73%), graduates (75%), readers of broadsheet newspapers (79%), non-whites (83%), Londoners (88%), and those disagreeing that there were too many immigrants (80%).
  • 62% of Britons correctly identified the date of St George’s Day, when England’s patron saint is commemorated, albeit the proportion fell to only 49% of the 15-34s, 48% of the lowest (DE) social grade, and 32% of non-whites.

 

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Loch Ness Monster

Posted on March 25, 2012 by Clive D. Field

Although 78% of Britons have heard a great deal or a moderate amount about the Loch Ness Monster over the course of their lives, only 17% believe that it is definitely or probably real, rising to 24% among Scots and 27% of Scottish National Party voters.

This is according to an online poll into myths conducted by Angus Reid Public Opinion (ARPO) between 15 and 29 February 2012 among a sample of 2,011 adults aged 18 and over. Results were published on 4 March at:

http://www.angus-reid.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/2012.03.04_Myths.pdf

3% of Britons said that Nessie was definitely real, 14% probably real, 41% probably not real, 33% definitely not real, with 8% unsure. Women (18%) were rather more likely than men (15%) to believe in the Monster, but no differences were detected by age cohorts.

ARPO undertook simultaneous comparative research in the United States and Canada, where respondents were questioned instead about their belief in Bigfoot (also known as Sasquatch). This ran at 29% for Americans and 21% for Canadians, thus surpassing Britons’ belief in Nessie.

 

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Sunday Trading and the Olympics

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Clive D. Field

Chancellor George Osborne is expected to use his budget speech today formally to announce Government plans to introduce emergency legislation to suspend the Sunday Trading Act 1994 for eight weeks from 22 July 2012, during the period around the Olympic and Paralympic Games, in a move designed to signal to the world that Britain is ‘open for business’.

Sunday shopping hours would thus be deregulated in England and Wales, permitting large shops to open for more than six hours on Sundays for the first time. No public consultation on the matter is mooted. Although the relaxation would be temporary, the Treasury has indicated that it will regard the suspension as an experiment, quantifying the economic effects of deregulation.

In the first test of public opinion on the proposal, an online YouGov poll of 676 adults on 19 March has revealed that 31% of Britons support the temporary suspension of restrictions on Sunday shopping, but that an additional 35% wish to go one stage further and abolish them permanently. That leaves just 27% endorsing the status quo and opposing any temporary change for the Games, with 7% undecided.

The strongest advocates of total, long-term deregulation are the Scots (46%), even though they already enjoy deregulated Sunday shopping themselves (since the Act only applies to England and Wales). Then follow residents of the Midlands and Wales (44%) and the 25-39s (41%).

Proponents of the current position, and thus resisting suspension of the Act for the duration of the Games, are particularly to be found among men, the over-40s, and Londoners. Of course, the attitudes of these demographic sub-groups may not only be conditioned by Sabbatarian principles but by a dislike of shopping (in the first two cases) and by anxiety about the extra disruption on the life of the capital (in the case of the third).

The full data table is available at:

http://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/k8huwhvfnq/Results%20120320%20Sunday%20retail.pdf

The results of this survey are broadly consistent with a OnePoll study for The People on 23 and 24 February 2012, in which 33% elected for unrestricted Sunday trading, with, at the other end of the spectrum, 22% wanting to turn the clock back to the ‘old days’ when most shops were shut and a further 12% requesting large stores to be open for less than six hours.

However, a GfK NOP poll for the Association of Convenience Stores (which defends the status quo) on 26-28 March 2010 revealed 76% endorsing the current six-hour limit on large shops, and only 19% opposing it. Moreover, 52% of those opponents actually wished to see no Sunday opening at all.

Lovers of statistics (hopefully, we have a few reading this site) may like to note that this is the 500th post on the BRIN blog since the service was launched on 4 January 2010.

 

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Honour Crimes

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Clive D. Field

Almost two-thirds (69%) of young British Asians aged 16-34 consider that families should live according to the concept of ‘honour’ or ‘izzat’. The proportion is lowest among Asian Christians (62%) and Hindus (64%) and greatest for Muslims (70%) and Sikhs (79%).

This is one of the findings of a ComRes poll undertaken on behalf of the BBC as background for a Panorama special on ‘Britain’s Crimes of Honour’, being broadcast tonight (BBC One, 8.30 pm). 500 young Asians living in Britain were interviewed by telephone between 23 and 27 February 2012. Data tables are available at:

http://www.comres.co.uk/polls/BBC_Blakeway_Honour_Crime_Feb12.pdf

A similar number of respondents (66%) argued that, while ‘izzat’ exists in some sections of society, its extent has been exaggerated by the media. This was particularly felt by young Asian Muslims (73%) and Sikhs (72%), less so by Christians (65%) or Hindus (53%).

Backing for the extremer manifestations of ‘izzat’ was small. Thus, only 6% of all young Asians believed that, in certain circumstances, it could be right to punish physically a female member of the family if she brought dishonour to it or the community. No Sikhs agreed with this, but 9% of Hindus, 8% of Christians, and 6% of Muslims did so.

Notwithstanding, three times this number (i.e. 18%) in the entire sample selected one or more of five ‘reasonable justifications’ for physical punishment of female members of the family. The figure was highest among Asian Christians (23%), followed by Muslims (20%), Sikhs (14%), and Hindus (13%).

The relative weight attached to each of the five justifications varied somewhat, but generally disobeying paternal wishes was the top concern for Asian Christians (10%), going out in the evening unaccompanied most perturbed Muslims (9%), and wanting to terminate an existing or prearranged marriage preoccupied Sikhs (9%).

The ultimate punishment of ‘honour killing’ was sanctioned by 3% of young Asians, including the same number of Muslims and Hindus, but rising to 4% of Sikhs and Christians. Support for ‘honour killings’ has thankfully fallen since 2006 when, in a similar survey of young Asians aged 16-34, 8% overall justified such killings, peaking at 14% among Hindus and Christians.

‘Izzat’, therefore, does not appear to be the preserve of any particular faith but seems to reflect the wider cultural inheritance of many young British Asians. Presumably, the same is likely to be true of older Asians, among whom the concept may be stronger, and perhaps endorsement of ‘honour killings’ slightly higher.

However, the ComRes poll strikingly illustrates that ‘izzat’ is not just a generational attitude, which will eventually die out as the older and less ‘westernized’ British Asian cohorts pass on. It is clearly a concept which has been successfully transmitted by their parents to young British Asians of all faiths, albeit in a somewhat attenuated form.

The Crown Prosecution Service is quoted as saying that there are between 10 and 12 honour killings a year in this country. A recent analysis of police force statistics identified over 2,800 honour crimes annually, but experts suspect this to be a significant underestimate.

 

 

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Western European Religion

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Clive D. Field

There is no real consensus of public opinion in matters of religion, according to a new multinational poll from YouGov@Cambridge, published in connection with a symposium on the future of Europe, held at the British Academy on 15 March 2012.  

Fieldwork was conducted online among representative samples of around 1,500 adults in each of seven Western European nations (Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark) between 24 February and 6 March 2012. Topline data are at:

http://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/6xufjlailj/Eurozone%20Crisis%20-%20Cross-Country%20Report_06-Mar-2012_F.pdf

The religion-related questions amounted to something of a pot-pourri, certainly in relation to the more systematic questions about membership of the European Union and the European economic crisis, but are nevertheless not without interest.

Of the seven countries Italy generally emerged as the most ‘religious’ nation and Sweden as the least. Britain’s position fluctuated, with one-quarter or more of its citizens sitting on the fence on religious issues and others holding seemingly inconsistent views.

The three matters on which an absolute majority of Britons agreed were all rather negative: that organized religion is in terminal decline, that Christians and the Church should not be permitted to have more influence over domestic politics, and that Muslims are poorly integrated into mainstream society. Here are the headlines:

  • 24% of Britons agreed that there are some things in life which only religion can explain (France 21%, Germany 24%, Italy 36%, Norway 22%, Sweden 18%, Denmark 18%), but 49% disagreed and 23% were undecided 
  • 30% of Britons believed in a personal God (France 22%, Germany 34%, Italy 55%, Norway 28%, Sweden 19%, Denmark 26%) and a further 10% in a higher spiritual power, with 21% disbelieving, 17% agnostic and 22% uncertain 
  • 39% of Britons felt that it is good for children to be brought up within a religion (France 46%, Germany 44%, Italy 59%, Norway 27%, Sweden 19%, Denmark 31%), more than who said the opposite (23%) or who expressed no opinion (34%) 
  • 55% of Britons agreed that organized religion is in terminal decline in their country (France 38%, Germany 26%, Italy 54%, Norway 33%, Sweden 49%, Denmark 33%), with only 13% disagreeing and 26% uncertain 
  • 35% of Britons contended that the decline of organized religion has made or would make the country a worse place (France 24%, Germany 20%, Italy 32%, Norway 22%, Sweden 17%, Denmark 15%), against 32% who disagreed and 27% who did not know 
  • 25% of Britons thought that some religions are better than others (France 20%, Germany 19%, Italy 21%, Norway 37%, Sweden 29%, Denmark 29%), compared with 39% who disagreed and 31% undecided 
  • 15% of Britons wanted Christians and the Church to have more influence over domestic politics (France 14%, Germany 13%, Italy 16%, Norway 11%, Sweden 9%, Denmark 5%), but 58% disagreed and 23% were neutral 
  • 19% of Britons thought that most Muslims were integrated with national customs and way of life (France 24%, Germany 12%, Italy 19%, Norway 14%, Sweden 18%, Denmark 19%), while 56% disagreed and 19% were unsure

 

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Gay Marriage and the Church

Posted on March 11, 2012 by Clive D. Field

The debate about gay marriage has become more charged during recent weeks, as the Government’s plans for its legalization in England and Wales approach the public consultation stage. In particular, there has been heavyweight opposition to same-sex (gay) marriage from the serving Archbishops of the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches, albeit declarations of support from some other leading Anglicans. 

In its regular weekly poll for The Sunday Times, conducted online on 8 and 9 March 2012 among a sample of 1,707 Britons aged 18 and over, YouGov included several questions about gay marriage, one of which was: ‘Do you think the Church of England is right or wrong to defend marriage as an institution for just heterosexual couples?’ Results can be found on page 8 of:

http://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/8xrr8zjqs7/YG-Archives-Pol-ST-results-09-110312.pdf

In reply, 47% of Britons said that the Church was right to oppose gay marriage, peaking at 69% of the over-60s and 66% of Conservative voters (notwithstanding that the Conservative Prime Minister, David Cameron, is backing gay marriage). 37% criticized the Church, including 54% of Liberal Democrats and 50% of the 18-24s. 16% expressed no views on the subject (disproportionately Scots and the under-40s).

In most demographic sub-groups the balance of committed opinion was in favour of the Church. However, among Labour and Liberal Democrat voters, the under-40s, and Londoners pluralities were hostile to the Anglican stance, by margins of between 1% (in London) and 22% (18-24s).

The 47% who supported the Church’s defence of marriage as a heterosexual partnership only was consistent with the 47% who, in the opening question, said that they were opposed to gay marriage. But it is perhaps harder to square with the fact that 62% claimed that same-sex relationships are just as valid as heterosexual ones.

 

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Religious Education in Schools

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Clive D. Field

Fewer than one in seven Britons believe that religious education (RE) should not be taught at all in schools, and the proportion does not rise beyond 24% even for those who do not belong to a religion or 28% among persons describing themselves as not at all religious.

The finding – yet another contribution to the ongoing debate about whether Britain is or should be a ‘Christian country’ – comes from a YouGov survey undertaken online on 22 and 23 February 2012 among a sample of 1,690 adults aged 18 and over. Results were posted on the internet on 8 March at:

http://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/juzpkudtij/Results%20120223%20RE%20in%20Schools.pdf

At the other end of the spectrum, a mere 6% argued that RE in schools should be solely about Christianity, with 10% being the largest figure for any demographic sub-group (the over-60s).

However, a further 42% thought that RE in schools should be primarily about Christianity (the legal position), albeit with coverage of other faiths. The proportion developed into an absolute majority among Conservative voters (52%), the over-60s (53%), professing Christians (65%), and the very or fairly religious (58%).

Just under one-third (31%) wanted RE in schools to teach about all the major world faiths equally. This was especially the view of Liberal Democrats (45%), the young (48% for the 18-24s, 43% for the 25-39s), Londoners (39%), and the religiously unaffiliated (39%). 7% elected for none of the foregoing options or expressed no opinion.

 

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Occupy London Impact

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Clive D. Field

Almost three-quarters (71%) of Britons believe that the Occupy London anti-capitalist campsite outside St Paul’s Cathedral, evicted by police and bailiffs in the early hours of 28 February 2012, did not achieve much or anything at all, against 18% who consider that it did accomplish a lot or quite a lot.

This is the finding of a YouGov survey conducted online on 28 and 29 February 2012, in the immediate aftermath of the eviction, among a sample of 1,778 adults aged 18 and over. Detailed data tables were posted on the internet on 8 March at:

http://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/vb5ebifzi7/Copy%20of%20Results%20120229%20Occupy%20London.pdf

Conservative voters (86%), Liberal Democrats (79%), and the over-60s (78%) were most likely to dismiss the protest as ineffective. Labour voters (29%) and Londoners (25%) were most inclined to think it had achieved something, in terms of raising awareness or influencing opinions and policies.

Two-thirds (66%) of respondents considered that the Corporation of London had been right to take legal action to evict the protestors, rising to 89% of Conservatives and 80% of the over-60s. 21% disapproved of the action, including 36% of Labour voters and 34% of the 18-24s. 13% expressed no opinion.

Notwithstanding these verdicts, 43% of the sample said that they supported the aims of the protestors (as opposed to their actions), 4% more than in late October 2011, when the St Paul’s campsite had been newly established. Such support was very strong among Labour voters (62%). 26% opposed the aims, with 32% unsure what to think.

 

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Far Right Britons

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Clive D. Field

The negativity of far right political parties, and particularly the British National Party (BNP), towards Islam and Muslims has been reaffirmed in a new report by academics at Nottingham and Salford Universities which was launched at Chatham House on 8 March 2012. Distributed by Searchlight Educational Trust, it is available online at:

http://www.channel4.com/media/c4-news/images/voting-to-violence%20(7).pdf

The research for Matthew Goodwin and Jocelyn Evans, From Voting to Violence? Far Right Extremism in Britain was funded by the British Academy. It is based on online interviews with 2,152 supporters of far right parties pre-screened from YouGov’s panel of 350,000 adults aged 18 and over. Fieldwork was presumably conducted in 2011.

Supporters exhibited a range of attachments to their parties: members, former members, identifiers, voters, and prospective voters. There were 485 supporters of the BNP (formed in 1982) in the sample, 1,505 of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP, 1993), and 210 of the English Defence League (EDL, 2009). Some support overlapped.

74% of BNP supporters and 46% of UKIP supporters cited immigration or Muslims as the most important issue facing Britain today, and a minority (22% and 8% respectively) even suggested that the position of Muslims already in British society was the most significant challenge faced by the country.

88% of BNP and 85% of UKIP supporters disagreed with the statement that Islam did not pose a serious danger to Western civilization; just 7% and 9% agreed. In the case of the BNP, core supporters (members and identifiers) felt more strongly about this than those on the periphery (voters or potential voters), but the distinction did not hold true for UKIP.

92% of BNP and 84% of UKIP followers said that they would be bothered by the prospect of a mosque being built in their community, considerably more than the 55% recorded by the British Social Attitudes Survey in 2008. Again, BNP’s core supporters were especially concerned.

Perhaps the most worrying finding of all was that 92% of BNP and 75% of UKIP supporters felt that violence between different ethnic, racial or religious groups in Britain is largely inevitable, with the core of both parties most likely to agree with this forecast.

Although far right parties often try to galvanize public hostility towards minorities by emphasizing Christian themes, respondents to this poll were not unduly religious relative to the population as a whole. The proportion professing no religion was 46% for BNP, 42% for EDL, and 39% for UKIP supporters. However, there were fewer non-Christians in the sample than the norm.

The number of EDL interviewees in this survey was small. Therefore, BRIN readers might like to be reminded of our coverage of another investigation of EDL supporters at:

http://www.brin.ac.uk/news/2011/inside-the-english-defence-league/

 

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Occupy London Eviction

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Clive D. Field

56% of British Christians believe that the anti-capitalist Occupy London protestors at St Paul’s Cathedral should not have been evicted by police and bailiffs, according to a poll from the Bible Society. 29% backed their removal, with 15% unsure what to think.

The results were released on 28 February 2012, in the early hours of which the eviction occurred, following judgment against the protestors in the Court of Appeal on 22 February. The fieldwork was almost certainly undertaken online between the two dates but this is not clearly stated.

The Bible Society’s sample was probably unrepresentative, in the sense of not being constructed according to recognized quota or random methods and of being unweighted. It may have been, at least in part, self-selecting.

All that was reported is that ‘a range of Christians from various organisations including our own supporters’ were interviewed, and that ‘over 800 people replied’. The Society’s press release is at:

http://www.biblesociety.org.uk/news/133/284/First-poll-of-Christians-across-Britain-finds-56-per-cent-think-the-St-Paul-s-protestors-should-be-allowed-to-stay/

The survey also asked Christians whether the Church should have been on the side of the protestors or the City of London, to which 40% responded the protestors, 2% the City and 59% neither. Questioned ‘where would Jesus be?’ the answers were as follows:

Preaching in the City – 14%
In a TV studio – 0%
In a tent outside with the protestors – 13%
In the Cathedral praying – 3%
Acting as a mediator – 10%
None of the above, He would do something none of us expected – 60%

The Bible Society claims that this is the first survey of Christian opinion about Occupy London since the protests began on 15 October 2011. This is incorrect.

As BRIN has noted, the topic was covered in some detail in the December 2011 CPanel of practising UK Christians, albeit 56% (the identical proportion to that in the Bible Society poll) then opposed forcible eviction. See:

http://www.brin.ac.uk/news/2011/december-2011-cpanel/

 

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