History in the UK Survey

In a new poll conducted for Policy Exchange, we asked the public about their views on Churchill, the British Empire, and other topics. The full tables are available here.

Selected media coverage

Which of the following comes closest to your view of Churchill?

Unweighted Weighted I have a largely positive view of Churchill – for me the good things he did outweigh the bad I have a mixed view of Churchill – for me the good and bad things he did largely balance each other out I have a largely negative view of Churchill – for me the bad things he did outweigh the good Prefer not to say Don’t know Total
Overall
National 1260 1260 36% 19% 7% 6% 32% 100%
Gender
Female 649 641 24% 18% 7% 6% 45% 100%
Male 611 619 49% 19% 8% 5% 19% 100%
Age
18-24 98 133 20% 26% 17% 9% 28% 100%
25-49 550 519 27% 17% 7% 8% 41% 100%
50-64 324 309 38% 20% 6% 5% 31% 100%
65+ 288 298 58% 17% 4% 2% 20% 100%
SEG
AB 286 293 40% 24% 9% 3% 25% 100%
C1 386 383 34% 21% 8% 5% 32% 100%
C2 270 265 37% 14% 6% 8% 34% 100%
DE 318 319 35% 15% 6% 6% 38% 100%
Region
London 150 178 42% 21% 13% 4% 20% 100%
Midlands/Wales 378 338 39% 19% 3% 6% 33% 100%
North 321 343 30% 17% 10% 6% 36% 100%
Rest of South 309 293 40% 17% 4% 6% 33% 100%
Scotland 102 108 27% 23% 8% 6% 36% 100%
2019 General Election
Conservative Party 385 379 61% 11% 2% 2% 23% 100%
Labour Party 272 269 22% 30% 13% 8% 28% 100%
Liberal Democrats 98 99 40% 30% 4% 2% 24% 100%
2016 Brexit referendum
Leave 495 489 52% 14% 3% 4% 27% 100%
Remain 439 442 28% 27% 11% 6% 28% 100%

On balance do you think the British Empire did more good than harm or more harm than good?

Unweighted Weighted Much more good than harm Both good and harm but on balance more good Both good and harm but on balance more harm Much more harm than good Prefer not to say Don’t know Total
Overall
National 1260 1260 12% 26% 15% 14% 5% 28% 100%
Gender
Female 649 641 6% 19% 15% 14% 7% 39% 100%
Male 611 619 19% 34% 14% 13% 4% 16% 100%
Age
18-24 98 133 4% 13% 23% 25% 8% 27% 100%
25-49 550 519 9% 19% 15% 14% 7% 36% 100%
50-64 324 309 14% 29% 14% 15% 5% 24% 100%
65+ 288 298 19% 42% 11% 7% 2% 19% 100%
SEG
AB 286 293 14% 32% 20% 13% 4% 18% 100%
C1 386 383 10% 24% 17% 17% 5% 26% 100%
C2 270 265 13% 25% 8% 13% 8% 33% 100%
DE 318 319 13% 24% 12% 9% 6% 36% 100%
Region
London 150 178 10% 32% 14% 22% 4% 16% 100%
Midlands/Wales 378 338 12% 26% 19% 11% 4% 28% 100%
North 321 343 13% 23% 12% 14% 5% 32% 100%
Rest of South 309 293 13% 29% 13% 10% 7% 29% 100%
Scotland 102 108 12% 18% 12% 17% 6% 35% 100%
2019 General Election
Conservative Party 385 379 24% 39% 10% 3% 3% 21% 100%
Labour Party 272 269 3% 18% 21% 29% 5% 23% 100%
Liberal Democrats 98 99 4% 36% 23% 16% 3% 18% 100%
2016 Brexit referendum
Leave 495 489 22% 38% 8% 5% 4% 23% 100%
Remain 439 442 5% 21% 22% 23% 5% 24% 100%

Do you think the UK should be mostly ashamed of its role in the Atlantic slave trade or proud of its role in abolishing the slave trade?

Unweighted Weighted Much more proud of its role in abolishing the slave trade Both proud and ashamed but on balance more proud of its role in abolishing the slave trade Both proud and ashamed but on balance more ashamed of its role in the slave trade Much more ashamed of its role in the Atlantic slave trade Prefer not to say Don’t know Total
Overall
National 1260 1260 19% 23% 15% 15% 6% 23% 100%
Gender
Female 649 641 12% 21% 15% 15% 7% 32% 100%
Male 611 619 26% 25% 14% 16% 5% 13% 100%
Age
18-24 98 133 8% 16% 22% 23% 9% 22% 100%
25-49 550 519 14% 18% 14% 15% 7% 31% 100%
50-64 324 309 22% 24% 14% 17% 5% 19% 100%
65+ 288 298 28% 33% 13% 10% 3% 13% 100%
SEG
AB 286 293 17% 27% 18% 20% 3% 15% 100%
C1 386 383 15% 24% 19% 15% 5% 21% 100%
C2 270 265 23% 20% 10% 13% 9% 25% 100%
DE 318 319 20% 20% 10% 13% 7% 30% 100%
Region
London 150 178 19% 28% 16% 22% 4% 11% 100%
Midlands/Wales 378 338 18% 21% 16% 14% 7% 23% 100%
North 321 343 18% 22% 14% 15% 6% 24% 100%
Rest of South 309 293 19% 26% 14% 10% 6% 25% 100%
Scotland 102 108 21% 14% 10% 21% 5% 29% 100%
2019 General Election
Conservative Party 385 379 32% 32% 11% 6% 3% 17% 100%
Labour Party 272 269 8% 21% 21% 27% 6% 17% 100%
Liberal Democrats 98 99 9% 28% 27% 17% 4% 15% 100%
2016 Brexit referendum
Leave 495 489 31% 28% 9% 8% 4% 19% 100%
Remain 439 442 10% 22% 22% 23% 6% 17% 100%

Stroud Council voted this year to explore how to remove the Blackboy clock and statue. The clock and statue were created in 1774 and is of a rare type, of which around 20 examples remain in Britain, and depicts a small black boy. It is not known whether or not the boy is intended to be a slave. Do you think the Council should remove or retain the clock and statue?

Unweighted Weighted Should definitely retain Should probably retain Should probably remove Should definitely remove Prefer not to say Don’t know Total
Overall
National 1260 1260 33% 16% 9% 7% 6% 30% 100%
Gender
Female 649 641 22% 15% 9% 7% 8% 39% 100%
Male 611 619 44% 17% 9% 7% 4% 20% 100%
Age
18-24 98 133 11% 15% 17% 15% 11% 31% 100%
25-49 550 519 21% 14% 9% 7% 8% 40% 100%
50-64 324 309 37% 17% 9% 6% 5% 27% 100%
65+ 288 298 58% 19% 4% 3% 2% 14% 100%
SEG
AB 286 293 33% 16% 12% 9% 3% 26% 100%
C1 386 383 30% 19% 9% 10% 5% 27% 100%
C2 270 265 37% 14% 7% 2% 9% 30% 100%
DE 318 319 31% 14% 6% 5% 7% 37% 100%
Region
London 150 178 32% 18% 10% 12% 5% 24% 100%
Midlands/Wales 378 338 31% 20% 9% 5% 6% 29% 100%
North 321 343 30% 11% 8% 9% 7% 35% 100%
Rest of South 309 293 39% 17% 7% 4% 6% 27% 100%
Scotland 102 108 29% 15% 13% 5% 5% 34% 100%
2019 General Election
Conservative Party 385 379 55% 18% 4% 3% 3% 17% 100%
Labour Party 272 269 15% 16% 12% 16% 6% 34% 100%
Liberal Democrats 98 99 25% 29% 15% 4% 3% 23% 100%
2016 Brexit referendum
Leave 495 489 49% 16% 5% 3% 4% 23% 100%
Remain 439 442 22% 19% 13% 11% 6% 30% 100%

Overall, do you think the countries that were colonised by Britain are better off or worse off for being colonised?

Unweighted Weighted Better off Worse off Prefer not to say Don’t know Total
Overall
National 1260 1260 31% 17% 7% 45% 100%
Gender
Female 649 641 18% 17% 8% 57% 100%
Male 611 619 46% 16% 5% 33% 100%
Age
18-24 98 133 13% 26% 15% 45% 100%
25-49 550 519 20% 20% 7% 53% 100%
50-64 324 309 34% 15% 4% 46% 100%
65+ 288 298 58% 7% 3% 32% 100%
SEG
AB 286 293 36% 20% 5% 40% 100%
C1 386 383 28% 18% 6% 48% 100%
C2 270 265 33% 14% 9% 45% 100%
DE 318 319 31% 14% 7% 48% 100%
Region
London 150 178 32% 29% 5% 34% 100%
Midlands/Wales 378 338 32% 14% 7% 47% 100%
North 321 343 29% 17% 7% 47% 100%
Rest of South 309 293 35% 11% 7% 47% 100%
Scotland 102 108 27% 18% 7% 48% 100%
2019 General Election
Conservative Party 385 379 56% 4% 3% 37% 100%
Labour Party 272 269 16% 30% 7% 47% 100%
Liberal Democrats 98 99 30% 24% 4% 41% 100%
2016 Brexit referendum
Leave 495 489 51% 6% 4% 39% 100%
Remain 439 442 20% 28% 7% 45% 100%

Please indicate if you agree or disagree with the following statement: “Children today are taught about British history in a balanced way, with as much about the positive aspects as the negative.”

Unweighted Weighted Completely agree Somewhat agree Neither agree nor disagree Somewhat disagree Completely disagree Prefer not to say Don’t know Total
Overall
National 1260 1260 6% 13% 12% 17% 14% 5% 34% 100%
Gender
Female 649 641 5% 12% 10% 16% 13% 6% 38% 100%
Male 611 619 6% 14% 13% 17% 16% 4% 31% 100%
Age
18-24 98 133 5% 16% 6% 18% 23% 10% 21% 100%
25-49 550 519 3% 13% 11% 15% 14% 7% 36% 100%
50-64 324 309 7% 9% 14% 17% 13% 3% 36% 100%
65+ 288 298 9% 14% 13% 18% 11% 2% 33% 100%
SEG
AB 286 293 5% 17% 11% 17% 14% 3% 33% 100%
C1 386 383 5% 12% 11% 21% 16% 4% 31% 100%
C2 270 265 5% 11% 13% 13% 12% 8% 38% 100%
DE 318 319 7% 11% 12% 14% 14% 5% 36% 100%
Region
London 150 178 7% 17% 11% 13% 19% 4% 29% 100%
Midlands/Wales 378 338 6% 13% 11% 20% 13% 5% 33% 100%
North 321 343 5% 10% 10% 19% 15% 6% 35% 100%
Rest of South 309 293 6% 13% 15% 15% 11% 5% 36% 100%
Scotland 102 108 6% 11% 10% 13% 18% 5% 38% 100%
2019 General Election
Conservative Party 385 379 9% 12% 14% 15% 16% 3% 32% 100%
Labour Party 272 269 4% 13% 11% 22% 18% 6% 27% 100%
Liberal Democrats 98 99 3% 22% 18% 19% 8% 2% 28% 100%
2016 Brexit referendum
Leave 495 489 9% 13% 14% 17% 14% 3% 31% 100%
Remain 439 442 3% 14% 12% 18% 15% 6% 32% 100%

Details

  • Client: Policy Exchange
  • Fieldwork Period: October 13, 2022
  • Sampling Method: Online
  • Population Sampled: All adults (18+) in Great Britain
  • Sample Size: 1,260
  • Data Collection: The data is acquired from a panel provider offering participants the chance to win money. The sampling relies on an online quota approach. Specifically, participants are sampled to meet Office of National Statistics quotas for gender, age, region, socio-economic group, vote in the 2019 general election, and vote in the 2016 Brexit referendum. No criteria are used to over- or undersample respondents. To ensure the polling is representative of the target population, we use official and reliable data sources to match the sample to demographic population targets.
  • Weighting: The sample has been weighted to be representative of the population on the following variables: gender, age, socio-economic group, region, vote in the 2019 General Elections and 2016 Brexit referendum vote.