As the conflict in Iran enters its second week, a recent poll by Opinium reveals that over 40% (45%) of the UK public opposes the ongoing military action by the US and Israel in Iran, while only 22% support the strikes.
Concerns about escalation and economic repercussions are rising; more than three-quarters (76%) of UK adults are anxious that the UK may be drawn more deeply into the conflict.
There is little desire for direct military involvement, with only 18% believing that the UK should participate in military action against Iran.
This includes 6% who support joining the US-Israeli offensive airstrikes and 12% who endorse defensive airstrikes aimed at neutralising Iran’s military threat.
Many people prefer non-military responses. More than one in five (22%) believe the UK should not get involved at all, while 11% think the government should focus solely on diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation, and another 12% support providing humanitarian assistance only.
Support for military action increases significantly if UK interests are directly targeted. While only a quarter (24%) of the public would back the use of UK facilities for offensive airstrikes, two in five (42%) would approve of their use for defensive strikes to prevent imminent attacks.
Nearly half (47%) believe the UK should conduct offensive airstrikes if Iran attacks UK overseas territories, and 42% support such action if UK forces abroad are targeted.
A significant majority (80%) of the public is concerned about the potential impact of the conflict on global oil prices and energy supplies. Most (73%) also expect the conflict to affect the UK economy, with three in ten (30%) anticipating a significant impact.
The UK public is most likely to hold the US responsible for the conflict (32%), compared to 18% who blame Iran, 13% who blame Israel, and 16% who believe all parties are equally responsible.
Only 9% of UK adults think the action was legal, while two in five (39%) assert it was illegal, and a quarter (26%) say the legality is disputed and open to interpretation. Nearly half (49%) of UK adults believe Iran’s retaliatory strikes against US sites in the region are at least partly justified, while 46% think strikes against Israel are at least partly justified.
A quarter of voters (25%) approve of Keir Starmer’s handling of the crisis, while 36% disapprove, resulting in a net approval rating of -11.
Almost half (49%) feel the UK was poorly prepared militarily to respond to a potential conflict in the Middle East, and a majority (56%) believe the government could have better prepared for the unfolding events. Over half (55%) of the public also thinks the UK government is doing a poor job at managing relations with Donald Trump, compared to only 26% who approve.
Despite these concerns, Starmer’s overall approval rating improved slightly this week (net -42) as the crisis unfolded, although it remains well below those of other leaders.
James Crouch, head of policy and public affairs at Opinium, said: “The public are clearly wary of the UK being pulled into another conflict in the Middle East. While Keir Starmer appears to be treading a careful line that broadly reflects public opinion, widespread doubts about the UK’s preparedness for a potential escalation may undermine any political advantage from his response.”
