WE ARE A MAGAZINE ABOUT LAW AND JUSTICE | AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO
February 07 2025
WE ARE A MAGAZINE ABOUT LAW AND JUSTICE | AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO

Poll reveals majority of Britons want to reinstate the death penalty

Poll reveals majority of Britons want to reinstate the death penalty

Old Bailey: the central criminal court of England and Wales

Polling has revealed that public support for bringing back capital punishment for certain crimes has increased from 50 to 55%, compared to its last poll in autumn 2023.

The data, gathered by More in Common, outlines that the most in-favour generation with 3 in 5 in favour are Millennials, whilst the generation with the biggest shift in support is Generation X, ‘whose net support for the death penalty has increased by 16 points’.

The polling was based on a sample of just over 2,000 adults in Great Britain, and weighted by age range.

This follows an increasing trend in support of bringing back capital punishment, fuelled by the recent sentencing of Axel Rudakubana, convicted of murdering three young girls in July, and the attempted murder of 10 others.

Rudakubana evaded a whole life order due to being 17 at the time of his offences. Instead he was given 13 life sentences and a minimum of 52 years in prison. This sentencing has led to widespread public discussion about sentencing and punishment in the UK, with 6 in 10 thinking the sentence ‘was too soft’.

Valdo Calocane’s sentencing also sparked a change in the public’s narrative. Calocane stabbed three people to death in Nottingham in June 2023 and was given an indefinite hospital order after admitting to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

The public voiced outrage towards this sentencing, viewing the punishment as ‘unduly-lenient’ and calling for a review, to which judges eventually ruled was not the case.

Southport MP Patrick Hurley states he believes Rudakubana’s sentencing is ‘not severe enough’ and called for the sentencing to be reviewed.  Reform UK MP Lee Anderson posted a picture of a noose captioned ‘No apologies here. This is what is required!’.

Downing Street has clarified whole life orders will not be amended to be applicable to those under 18. The Government previously responded to a 6 month poll conducted during the 2019-2024 parliament to reinstate the death penalty outlined that there are ‘no plans to bring back capital punishment.’

Families of Calocane’s victims have remarked how ‘true justice has not been served’. Families of victims of Rudakubana however say that ‘knowing that he will never be free to cause any harm to vulnerable children again, would give us a small measure of justice.’

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