Almost half of Britons feel less safe as a result of British airstrikes in Syria, an exclusive Sky Data Snap poll has revealed.
Following Wednesday's parliamentary vote in favour of airstrikes targeting Islamic State in Syria, 43% of those surveyed said the strikes make them feel less safe.
Only 20% of participants feel safer, despite David Cameron's claim that strikes will "keep the British people safe" - while 38% think the airstrikes will make no difference to their safety.
In London, where high-profile terror attacks such as 7/7 and the 2013 murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby took place, 57% of respondents feel less safe because of the strikes.
This is the first Sky Data Snap poll to be conducted by text message, in collaboration with Rant and Rave. A nationally representative sample of 2,073 Britons were interviewed, with data weighted to the profile of the UK population.
Despite fears for their safety, the majority of Britons still back the military taking part in airstrikes against IS in Syria.
When asked to choose between supporting and opposing the strikes, 54% back the strikes - with 46% opposing.
There are stark divisions in the opinions of different groups, however:
- In the 18-34 age group, 56% of those questioned oppose the strikes, while 61% of those aged 55+ strongly support them
- The majority of Londoners (61%) and Scots (52%) oppose the strikes
- And 54% of women oppose the strikes, while 63% of men strongly support them
Sky Data polling in September showed that, despite support for strikes against IS in Syria - and indeed putting British soldiers on the ground in the area - most did not think such an intervention would be good for Britons, but that it would be good for Syrians.
Some 47% of Britons said military intervention in Syria would be bad for people in Britain, compared with 27% who said it would be a good thing.
However, 56% thought it would be beneficial to Syrians, compared with 19% who thought it would be bad.
