Political Correctness Survey

Ipsos interviewed 1,018 adults aged 18+ by telephone between 2-4 March 2007

Weekly Political Commentary

Sleaze And Political Parties

Topline Results

  • Ipsos interviewed 1,018 adults aged 18+ by telephone between 2-4 March 2007.
  • Data are weighted to match the profile of the population.
  • Throughout the volume, an asterisk (*) denotes any value of less than half a per cent.

Q1-23 I am going to read out a number of statements people have made. Please tell me whether you agree or disagree with each statement.

  Agree Disagree Neither / nor No opinion Don't know NET AGREE
  % % % % % ±%
Q1 Marriage is very important in bringing up children 69 27 3 1 * +42
Q2 Gay couples should be allowed to get married 68 25 3 3 2 +43
Q3 Gay couples should be allowed to adopt children 46 42 6 4 3 +4
Q4 It is sometimes justified for parents to smack or slap their children 78 18 2 1 * +60
Q5 Smoking should be banned in all enclosed public places including offices, factories, pubs and bars 73 24 2 * * +49
Q6 Teachers should have the right to use the cane in secondary school 42 54 2 1 1 -12
Q7 There are too many immigrants in Britain 64 26 5 3 3 +38
Q8 I feel that Britain needs nuclear weapons to increase my sense of security 27 64 4 3 3 -37
Q9 There should be more respect in this country for the beliefs of Christian people 72 18 5 3 1 +54
Q10 There should be more respect in this country for people from non-Christian faiths 70 19 5 3 2 51
Q11 Not all Muslims are terrorists 92 6 * 1 * 86
Q12 Most terrorists threatening Britain now are Muslims 41 43 5 5 7 -2
Q13 The Government is too involved in telling us how to eat healthily 51 44 3 1 1 7
Q14 If a woman wants an abortion, she should not have to continue with her pregnancy 74 16 6 3 2 58
Q15 A woman's place is in the home 8 88 3 1 * -80
Q16 Children should be encouraged to be competitive with each other 70 23 5 1 1 47
Q17 Criminals convicted and sentenced to life in prison should never be released 67 25 6 1 2 42
Q18 Schools should be free to demand that Muslim students remove headscarves when at school 62 29 4 3 2 33
Q19 If I had the opportunity to emigrate, I would take it 41 54 2 1 1 -13
Q20 Britain should become part of a Federal European superstate 15 70 4 5 6 -55
Q21 Local people should be told if there is a convicted paedophile in their neighbourhood 79 13 4 1 2 66
Q22 Political correctness has gone too far 85 8 2 3 2 77
Q23 I am unwilling to say what I really think about immigration in case I am seen as a racist 33 61 2 2 2 -28

Attitudes Towards Immigration Trends (back to 1989)

Q24 Should convicted paedophiles be …

  %
Sentenced to death 8
Chemically castrated (a medical treatment to suppress the production of sex hormones) 30
Imprisoned for life 26
Policed in the community 28
Don't know 8

Q25 Do you believe that Britain should have the death sentence for …

  Yes No Don't know
  % % %
Terrorism 58 36 6
Serial murderers 68 30 3
Killing a police officer 54 42 5
Raping a child 57 38 5
Murder 51 43 6

Q26 Do you agree or disagree that the rights of each of the following groups tend to be overlooked in Britain today?

  Agree Disagree Don't know No opinion NET AGREE
  % % % % ±%
Ethnic minorities 30 62 4 4 -32
White people 43 52 2 3 -9
Religious people 31 60 4 5 -29
Non-religious people 34 55 4 7 -21
Disabled people 57 39 2 2 18
Immigrants 28 64 4 4 -36
Criminals 20 73 3 4 -53
People living in cities (rather than the country) 20 69 6 6 -49
People living in the country (rather than in cities) 42 49 5 4 -7
Children 40 53 3 3 -13
Pensioners 68 29 2 1 39
The poor 62 34 2 2 28

Q27 If there were a referendum now on whether Britain should be part of a single European currency, how would you vote?

  %
In favour of a single currency 28
Against a single currency 66
Don't know 6
Refused *

Joining The Euro Trends (back to 1991)

The author(s)

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