Lucy Letby this week became only the third woman alive to be handed a whole-life jail term after being sentenced for murdering seven babies and trying to kill another six. But for an outraged British public it seems that sentence is not enough. A new poll for The Spectator by Redfield & Wilton show that 66 per cent of them favour the death penalty as just punishment. Polling of 1,500 people was conducted on Wednesday.
It comes at a time when support for capital punishment has risen across the board. Half the public (49 per cent) would support reinstating the death penalty for ‘any murder’, a figure that has risen by eight points since February. More than half (52 per cent) back capital punishment for anyone who assassinates a Royal, a figure that rises to 54 per cent for those who kill a police officer, 59 per cent for a multiple murderer and 63 per cent for a child murderer. This last figure is up by six points since February. Other crimes have also been affected by this surge in support for the noose, with 59 per cent of the public saying they back the death penalty for those convicted of terrorism or multiple rapes.
The immediate impact of Lucy Letby’s crimes can also be seen in Britain’s changed attitude to the NHS. More than a third (37 per cent) saying they now have less faith in the health service compared to just 39 per cent who say it remains unchanged. Perhaps such polling might make ministers think again about a statutory public inquiry…
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