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Britons oppose military action in Iran, back energy price support, YouGov poll shows

A new survey suggests most Britons oppose military intervention in Iran, while an overwhelming majority demands government action to shield households from resulting energy price hikes.

by TODAY

Updated 18-Mar-2026

What you need to know

🔹 Most Britons oppose joining the USA in offensive military actions.
🔹 Only 18% believe American military action was correct.
🔹 Public opinion on Keir Starmer’s response remains deeply divided.
🔹 84% demand government intervention to reduce energy prices.

A new YouGov / Sky survey, conducted between 15 and 16 March 2026 (2,104 GB adults), reveals a significant shift in British public sentiment regarding military intervention in Iran and domestic energy support. The data indicates that while the public is overwhelmingly opposed to joining offensive military actions, there is a powerful consensus across all political and demographic divides for government intervention in the energy market.

Public Sentiment on Military Action

The British public remains deeply sceptical of military involvement in Iran. A majority (57%) believe the United States were wrong to take military action, compared to just 18% who believe it was right.

Offensive Action: Only 17% of respondents support the UK joining the US in offensive military actions, while a total of 70% are opposed.
Political Divide: Opposition to military action is highest among 2024 Labour voters (84%) and Green Party supporters (85%). Even among Conservative voters, opposition stands at 67%, highlighting a rare moment of cross-party agreement.
Regional Variation: Londoners expressed the strongest opposition to military intervention, with 77% against joining offensive actions.

Keir Starmer’s Performance

The public’s view of PM Keir Starmer’s response to the situation is notably split.

Overall Rating: 37% believe he has responded well, while 41% believe he has responded badly.
Partisan Breakdown: While 74% of 2024 Labour voters approve of his response, 74% of Reform UK supporters and 54% of Conservative supporters view it negatively.
Demographics: Starmer finds his strongest support among those aged 65 and over (46% well) and those in higher socioeconomic classifications (42% well).

Demands for Energy Price Intervention

Perhaps the most striking finding is the overwhelming support for government action to mitigate energy price hikes caused by the conflict.

Universal Support: 84% of the public supports the government taking action to reduce energy prices for all households.
Targeted Support: 73% support specific action to reduce prices for the least well-off households.
Cross-Demographic Consensus: Support for universal energy price reduction does not drop below 80% in any age group, region, or socioeconomic class.

The survey underscores a nation wary of foreign entanglements but unified in the expectation that the government must shield citizens from the economic fallout of international instability.