51% of Brits have an unfavourable opinion of the just stop oil campaign group following its latest protest at the world snooker championship, finds survey

April 2023

51% of Brits have an unfavourable opinion of the Just Stop Oil campaign group following its latest protest at the World Snooker Championship: A YouGov survey has revealed that following Just Stop Oil's latest high-profile protest at the World Snooker Championship 2023, 51% have an unfavourable opinion of the environmental campaign group, while just 16% have a favourable view.

Just Stop Oil is an environmental activist group which seeks for the British government to commit to halting new fossil fuel licensing and production.

The latest snap survey, which polled more than 4,000 GB adults, was conducted following a recent incident widely reported in the media where a Just Stop Oil protester poured a packet of orange powder paint over a snooker table during a match at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, halting play. The survey also revealed that almost a quarter of respondents have never heard of the campaign group, while one in 10 people are unsure about how they feel about it (10%).

Looking at a further breakdown, the survey found that Labour voters (30%) and respondents aged between 18–24  (27%) are the most likely to feel positively about Just Stop Oil, however in both groups the proportion who have a negative views towards the group are higher (36% and 33% respectively).

More women than men admitted to not knowing of the campaign group (35% vs 12%), while more men than women had a 'very unfavourable’ view of the group (45% vs 26%).

Looking at the results according to respondent ages, the data revealed that 17% of 18–24 year-olds feel favourable (either 'somewhat' or 'very favourable') towards the group, while 16% of 25–49 year-olds said the same. Amongst those ages 50–64, just 13% felt favourable, while just 8% of those aged 65+ said they felt positively towards the group.

A similar survey was carried out in 2022 following the group setting up roadblocks on the M25 around London, which revealed that more than half the 3,000 people polled in the UK had a negative view of the group.