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Loaded question: opinion polls and Britain at war
Ian Sinclair speaks to LILLAH FEARNLEY about her research on the power of opinion polls on government decisions such as military intervention against Syria — and how the powerful shape this critical research

IN May, Rethinking Security, a network of organisations, academics and activists working for a just and peaceful world based in Britain, published Lillah Fearnley’s major new report Thinking Inside the Box: How Opinion Polls Shape Security Debates and Policy in the UK.

An independent consultant specialising in research on conflict, peace, security and peacekeeping, Fearnley spoke to me about her key findings, including her analysis of surveys done on British intervention in Syria and her recommendations for future polling.

 

Why is opinion polling important to security debates and policy-making in Britain?

 

How does opinion polling shape the national debate when it comes to security issues?

Can you talk about a real-world example of when polling restricted the debate in Britain on foreign intervention?

You conclude the majority of opinion polls on security issues “are designed and frame their questions in terms of the prevailing discourse.” Why do you think those who commission polls — often newspapers — and the polling companies themselves end up doing this?

How do you think opinion polling should change?

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