'Most Brits would be more prepared to live in lockdown if they knew exit plan'

22 April 2020, 16:31

Sixty per cent of people would be more prepared to live in lockdown if they knew what the exit plan was, according to a new poll.

The study by pollsters Ipsos Mori comes as the government is facing pressure to explain its strategy for ending lockdown, after it was extended by three weeks until May 7.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock today said the UK had reached the peak of the disease

The survey also found that nearly half of Brits (49%) believe that the government has not devised any strategy for bringing the UK safely out of the coronavirus lockdown.

Forty five per cent of people do think it is ‘likely’ the government has a plan, but only ten per cent thought it was ‘very likely.’

The majority of Conservative voters (57%) believe it is likely the government has an exit strategy, compared to one in three Labour voters.

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Sixty-six per cent of 18-34 year-olds said they would be more prepared to stay in if they knew what the plan was, and 59 per cent of people said if the government did not have a plan, it should be honest and admit as much.

Gideon Skinner, Head of Political Research at Ipsos MORI, said: “The British public are split on whether the Government currently has an exit strategy to get the country out of lockdown (with the Conservatives’ own supporters more confident), but the majority (especially young people) claim that we would be more prepared to stay in lockdown for a prolonged period if we knew what the exit plan would be in the future – although remember these are just perceptions at this stage.

“These findings do suggest that the Government could secure support for continuing the lockdown further, but they would also need to provide some reassurance that they have a plan for the future.”

Ipsos MORI interviewed 1,085 British adults aged 18-75. Data are weighted