ABSTRACT
This chapter examines public opinion in Britain towards some key areas of defence policy involving the projection of ‘hard power’ within a country’s foreign affairs. It identifies the key areas of change and continuity in overall opinion across time, looks at the views of party supporters and demographic groups in long-term perspective and provides a detailed assessment of contemporary public opinion. A key area of ‘hard power’ projection where the public can express their support or opposition in the international arena is that of national defence expenditure. Britain’s defence expenditure levels have fallen significantly across recent decades, reflecting the changes in its post-war role and transformation from a global to a regional power. The British Election Study surveys also featured a question on defence spending between 1983 and 1997, though it did not encompass areas of domestic expenditure. Health and education have been far and away the most important areas over recent decades for additional spending.
