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Protests begin but majority backs Bush visit as support for war surges
Guardian ^ | 11/18/03 | Alan Travis and David Gow

Posted on 11/17/2003 6:52:12 PM PST by Pikamax

Protests begin but majority backs Bush visit as support for war surges

See the ICM poll in full (pdf)

Alan Travis and David Gow Tuesday November 18, 2003 The Guardian

A majority of Labour voters welcome President George Bush's state visit to Britain which starts today, according to November's Guardian/ICM opinion poll.

The survey shows that public opinion in Britain is overwhelmingly pro-American with 62% of voters believing that the US is "generally speaking a force for good, not evil, in the world". It explodes the conventional political wisdom at Westminster that Mr Bush's visit will prove damaging to Tony Blair. Only 15% of British voters agree with the idea that America is the "evil empire" in the world.

Mr Blair insisted last night that he had made the right decision in inviting Mr Bush to Britain as an unprecedented security operation got under way to prepare for his arrival today. More than 14,000 police officers at a cost of £5m will be on duty during the four-day visit, with tens of thousands of anti-war protesters are expected to take to the streets.

The ICM poll also uncovers a surge in pro-war sentiment in the past two months as suicide bombers have stepped up their attacks on western targets and troops in Iraq. Opposition to the war has slumped by 12 points since September to only 41% of all voters. At the same time those who believe the war was justified has jumped 9 points to 47% of voters.

This swing in the mood of British voters is echoed in the poll's finding that two-thirds of voters believe British and American troops should not pull out of Iraq now but instead stay until the situation is "more stable".

It also may explain the beginnings of a recovery in Tony Blair's personal ratings in this month's Guardian poll. He still remains an unpopular prime minister with 52% unhappy with the job he is doing, compared with 40% who say they are satisfied with his performance. But the prime minister's net popularity rating of minus 12 points is a significant improvement over last month's net rating of minus 18 points.

The detailed results of the poll show that more people - 43% - say they welcome George Bush's arrival in Britain than the 36% who say they would prefer he did not come.

Labour voters are more enthusiastic about the visit than Tory voters. But it is only Liberal Democrats who are marginally more unhappy about his arrival, with 43% against and 39% willing to welcome him. A majority of "twentysomethings" welcome Mr Bush. Hostility is strongest amongst the over-65s. There is a clear gender gap in attitudes with a majority of men - 51% - welcoming the president's arrival, compared with only 35% of women.

Pro-Americanism, as might be expected, is strongest among Tory voters with 71% saying the US is a force for good. But it is nearly matched by the 66% of Labour voters who say the US is a force for good. Anti-Americanism is strongest among Liberal Democrat voters but is still only shared by 24% of them and the majority see the US as the "good guys".

Mr Blair told the CBI national conference in Birmingham yesterday of his support for the war on terrorism, saying: "Now is not the time to waver but see it through."

In unscripted remarks, he said the weekend terrorist bombings in Turkey, the recent attacks in Saudi Arabia and continuing bombings in Iraq, meant Britain should "stand firm with the United States of America in defeating terrorism wherever it is and delivering us safely from what I genuinely believe is the security threat of the 21st century".

But Mr Blair made plain he completely backed the EU's stance against the US over illegal tariffs on steel imports, insisting that Washington must now respond to the World Trade Organisation ruling: "There will be from time to time these disagreements on issues to do with trade and we must stick very firmly to our position."

The prime minister also reaffirmed his vision of Britain as a bridge between the US and Europe.

"I firmly believe we have two big foreign policy pillars, the US alliance and our position in the EU. There's absolutely no reason to yield up either and we will not," he said to loud applause.

· ICM interviewed a random sample of 1,002 adults aged 18 and over by telephone between November 14-16, 2003. Interviews were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: bush43; iraq; polls; proamerican; statevisit; uk; ukvisit; worldopinion
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1 posted on 11/17/2003 6:52:13 PM PST by Pikamax
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To: Pikamax
Just when you think you are all alone, Great Britain comes along and renews your faith. I am grateful.
2 posted on 11/17/2003 7:02:56 PM PST by Liberty Valance (Keep a simple manner for a happy life :o)
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To: Pikamax
Those who will inherit this earth support President Bush!

"A majority of "twentysomethings" welcome Mr Bush. Hostility is strongest amongst the over-65s."

My parents, grandparents, and great grandparents were all Democrats.

My children and their spouses are all Republicans.

3 posted on 11/17/2003 7:04:16 PM PST by Savage Beast (This is the choice: confrontation or capitulation. Appeasement is capitulation.)
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To: Pikamax
Just when I had my doubts about Britain, here they come with support.
4 posted on 11/17/2003 7:05:57 PM PST by Arpege92
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To: Pikamax
"Anti-Americanism is strongest among Liberal Democrat voters"

It's the same in the United States.

5 posted on 11/17/2003 7:08:36 PM PST by Savage Beast (This is the choice: confrontation or capitulation. Appeasement is capitulation.)
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To: Liberty Valance
Just when you think you are all alone, Great Britain comes along and renews your faith. I am grateful.

And in the pages of The Guardian, no less! Amazing!

6 posted on 11/17/2003 7:09:21 PM PST by Timesink
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To: Pikamax
There have been reports that 30% of Britts oppose GW Bush. My first thought was, that means 70% support him but that is not how it was reported...
7 posted on 11/17/2003 7:10:47 PM PST by tubebender (FReeRepublic...How bad have you got it...)
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To: Savage Beast
There's hope for the world.
8 posted on 11/17/2003 7:11:33 PM PST by WVNan
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To: Pikamax
This makes absolutely no sense following the latest articles that have emerged from the Guardian in recent days.

The press has no clue as to the pulse of a nation. Thank god for elections.

9 posted on 11/17/2003 7:11:35 PM PST by zarf (..where lieth those little things with the sort of raffia work base that has an attachment?)
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To: Pikamax
"Britain should 'stand firm with the United States of America in defeating terrorism wherever it is and delivering us safely from what I genuinely believe is the security threat of the 21st century'."

Yes. This is the choice: confrontation or capitulation. Appeasement is capitulation.

10 posted on 11/17/2003 7:11:36 PM PST by Savage Beast (This is the choice: confrontation or capitulation. Appeasement is capitulation.)
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To: Pikamax
Sounds like a few in Britain are remembering PM Churchill's words; (sic) "If your not a Liberal by 20 you have no heart, If you're still a liberal by 30 you have no brains!"
11 posted on 11/17/2003 7:12:26 PM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: Timesink
And in the pages of The Guardian, no less! Amazing!

Isn't it though? I had to check and check again to believe what I was reading.

12 posted on 11/17/2003 7:14:37 PM PST by Dolphy
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To: Pikamax
"There is a clear gender gap in attitudes with a majority of men - 51% - welcoming the president's arrival, compared with only 35% of women."

I'm SURE there's an OPRAH! - like show up ther he can go to! LOL!

13 posted on 11/17/2003 7:16:17 PM PST by BobS
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To: Pikamax
It must have really hurt the pinko slime at the Guardian to write this...
14 posted on 11/17/2003 7:23:56 PM PST by Keith
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To: Keith
Which means their numbers are likely as low as would be presented by the L.A. Times. My 80 YO uncle in Simi Valley is doing cartwheels around his house right now! (After I linked him to this thread)
15 posted on 11/17/2003 7:28:44 PM PST by BobS
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To: Pikamax
A majority of "twentysomethings" welcome Mr Bush

Isn't this similar to the recent news about the majority of US college kids favoring Bush? Interesting.

16 posted on 11/17/2003 7:31:50 PM PST by radiohead
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To: Pikamax
The way the media tells it around here, you'd think the majority of Brits were ready to take arms and join the jihad.

Good to see our friends in the U.K. standing strong.
17 posted on 11/17/2003 7:49:30 PM PST by WhistlingPastTheGraveyard
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To: Pikamax
All I have to say is the next time Argentina tries to take the Falkland Islands, I am rooting for the Argentines! I am frankly sick to the stinking limmies. They can go to hell. We beat their butt twice in wars, and if we had not come to their rescue in WWII, they'd be speaking high German now.
18 posted on 11/17/2003 7:51:32 PM PST by RetiredArmy (We'll put a boot in your ass, it's the American Way! Toby Keith)
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To: Pikamax
I take back 2/3 of all the bad stuff I said about the Brits... it is about time.... this makes me happy.
19 posted on 11/17/2003 7:58:12 PM PST by Porterville (Liberals practice Soft-Nazism)
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To: Pikamax
Only 15% of British voters agree with the idea that America is the "evil empire" in the world.

That would be the approximate percentage of Muslims plus the brain-dead leftists.

20 posted on 11/17/2003 8:00:16 PM PST by spodefly (This is my tagline. There are many like it, but this one is mine.)
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