British public opinion towards the Labour government’s approach to the Rhodesia crisis, 1964–70: the use of force, economic sanctions and diplomacy

Rhodesia’s Universal Declaration of Independence was a difficult issue for the 1964–70 Labour governments, and public opinion was one of prime minister Harold Wilson’s ‘four constituencies’ requiring consideration. This study provides a detailed analysis of attitudes towards the Labour government’s approach to the crisis. It finds widespread opposition to the use of force and situates this in an argument regarding a wider climate of opinion inclined towards retrenchment in Britain’s international role and showing growing concern over the economic situation. On the use of force, the ‘public mind’ seemed aligned with the thinking of the ‘official mind’ of the British government on the issue. Public opinion was more amenable to sanctions, but the study shows divisions among party supporters on this, emphasising the role of party cues in guiding opinion. Labour supporters were more likely to countenance the use of force than other voters but also backed the government’s approach of economic sanctions. Older people to some extent opposed the use of force and the imposition of sanctions, probably reflecting the appeal of ‘kith and kin’ arguments made by Conservative politicians and right-wing newspapers. The findings advance arguments that public opinion was a significant part of the domestic political factors influencing the parameters of the Labour government’s approach to UDI.