Brits more divided over coronavirus than Brexit: Poll

LONDON

The novel coronavirus is more divisive among Brits than Brexit, a survey by Demos think-tank suggested.

Demos polled over 10,000 people and found deep social divisions.

As many as 58% of mask wearers had severely negative attitudes towards non-mask wearers, and 68% of people who did not break lockdown rules had strongly negative attitudes towards those who did break them.

Sixty percent of respondents said they hated or resented stockpilers, as well as 54% who said fake news, including about vaccines, had got worse.

Over half, 51%, felt the coronavirus pandemic had a negative impact on their children’s education, but 63% did say it has been good for their relationship with their children.

The percentage of people who wanted to continue working from home rose to 19%, up from 11% before the pandemic.

Polly Mackenzie, chief executive of Demos, told Sky News: “We must work to ensure that these divisions don't fracture society in the long-term.”

“When the pandemic first hit, the whole country was united against a common enemy,” she said.

“As furlough starts to come to an end, people's stress levels go through the roof and they're starting to feel like it's safer to blame other people, and that is fermenting a social division.”