UK has become socially liberal on drugs, abortion and LGBT+ rights over past 30 years, study shows – The Independent

Britain has seen dramatic shifts in attitudes towards the socially liberal end of the spectrum in just 30 years on issues ranging from drugs and abortionto gay relationships, a survey suggests.

Remain backers are much more supportive of gay rights than Leavers, the findings show. But the public is much more cynical about politicians today, with only half as many people having positive views of them.

Researchers at the Policy Institute at Kings College London compared a survey on moral beliefs in 1989 with results to the same questions now and found huge changes, including:

From 15p 0.18 $0.18 USD 0.27 a day, more exclusives, analysis and extras.

Capital punishment is the only issue to see an increase in disapproval 22 per cent said it was morally wrong in 1989, while now 37 per cent do.

Thirty-nine bodies have been found in a lorry container in Essex, police have said.The discovery of 38 adults and one teenager was made at an industrial estate in Thurrock.Police said they believed the lorry had come from Bulgaria and entered the UK at Holyhead, in Wales, on Saturday.Essex Police said it had launched a murder investigation after its officers were called to Waterglade Industrial Park, in Grays, in the early hours of Wednesday morning.A 25-year-old-man from Northern Ireland has been arrested on suspicion of murder

PA

Ships out at sea before the sun rises off the coast of Whitley Bay, Northumberland

PA

Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife. The messy display is the culmination of a weekend of festivities where first years say thank you to their more senior student "parents" for mentoring them

PA

Wales players celebrate after beating France in their Rugby World Cup quarter-final in Japan. Warren Gatlands side had to battle after Frances fast start but capitalised on their rivals ill discipline to squeeze into the semi-finals, 20-19

Reuters

People gather in London to join the Final Say march for a people's vote

Angela Christofilou/The Independent

Protesters on Whitehall in London during an Extinction Rebellion climate change protest

PA

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson shake hands during a news conference after agreeing on a Brexit deal, in Brussels

Reuters

A man walks his dog through the fallen leaves in Clarkes Gardens, Allerton in Liverpool

PA

Police officers carry away an activist as Extinction Rebellion protesters block a road with a caravan in central London

Reuters

Queen Elizabeth II sits with Prince Charles on the Sovereign's throne ahead of delivering the Queen's Speech at the State Opening of Parliament

AFP

Great Britain's Joe Fraser competes on Parallel Bars during the World Gymnastics Championships in Stuttgart, Germany. He claimed GB's second gold with his victory. The 20-year-old from Birmingham nailed his routine to score 15.0 then watched as a series of rivals failed to live up to his total

Getty

St Helens players celebrate with the trophy after they won the Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford in Manchester. They beat Salford Red Devils 23-6

PA

Richard Ratcliffe, husband of British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe jailed in Tehran since 2016, holds his daughter Gabriella during a news conference in London. Their five-year-old daughter has arrived back in Britain, after making the "bittersweet" decision to bring her home

AFP via Getty

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at Thornton Manor. Their meeting focused on further Brexit proposals

EPA/Noel Mullen

Wales survived an almighty scare against Fiji to secure quarter-final spot at the rugby world cup. Warren Gatlands side recovered from a 10-0 deficit thanks to a hat-trick from Josh Adams

AFP/Getty

Protesters dubbed the Red Rebels at Millbank at the junction with Great College Street, during an Extinction Rebellion protest in Westminster

PA

Final preparations are made in front of a reproduction of Michelangelo's 'The Last Judgement', ahead of the opening of for the 'Michelangelo: A Different View' exhibition at Hull Minister

PA

A car drives through a flooded street in Whitley Bay in Northumberland

PA

Thousands took to the streets of Edinburgh today to march in support of a second Scottish independence referendum

EPA

A 12ft sculpture of a gorilla, entitled 'Gorilla Apocalypse', created by Luke Kite entirely from scrap car bumpers and panels discarded in the last decade is on display at the British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry, Shropshire

PA

Police stands in front of the Treasury building during an Extinction Rebellion protest in London

Reuters

Ex-Thomas Cook employees demonstrate in London after delivering a petition calling for a full inquiry into Thomas Cook's collapse and for the company's directors to pay back their bonuses

AFP/Getty

A road in Alum Rock, Birmingham is flooded after persistent heavy rain

PA

Two tourists pose for pictures in front of Union and EU flags outside the Houses of Parliament in London

PA

A sheep on London Bridge as Freemen of the City of London took up their historic entitlement to drive sheep over the bridge, which was once London's only river crossing

PA

An Aldabra giant tortoise is fed watermelon as a treat at the Malvern Autumn Show, at the Three Counties Showground near Malvern in Worcestershire

PA

Gallery assistants pose with an artwork entitled 'Devolved Parliament' by British artist Banksy, during a press view in London ahead of Sotheby's contemporary art sale, as part of the Frieze Art Fair

AFP/Getty

England's Jonathan Joseph is tackled by United State's Marcel Brache during their group match at the Rugby World Cup in Japan. England scored seven tries on their way to winning 45-7

Reuters

Tributes for former Rangers player Fernando Ricksen at Ibrox Stadium. Today, the funeral procession will pass Ibrox Stadium before making the journey to Wellington Church

PA

A person dressed as a caricature of Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a prison uniform stands outside the Supreme Court after it ruled that his decision to suspend Parliament was illegal

AFP/Getty

Thomas Cook aircraft are parked up at Manchester Airport on the day they collapsed after rescue talks failed. A total of 22,000 jobs - including 9,000 in UK - are to be lost following administration. More than 150,000 British holidaymakers need to be brought home, with the government and CAA hiring dozens of charter planes to fly customers home free of charge

Getty

Fire performer Penella Bee performs before people take part in the North East Skinny Dip at Druridge Bay in Nothumberland, an annual event that marks the Autumn Equinox and raises money for MIND - the Mental Health Charity

PA

Protesters gather for a march and rally organised by "The People's Vote" in Brighton, to call for politicians to give the public a final say referendum on Brexit

AFP/Getty

Protesters in London joined millions across world to demand urgent action to save planet in the largest environmental protest in history

Angela Christofilou/The Independent

Rapper Dave poses with the Mercury Prize: Albums of the Year Award at Apollo

Getty

A surfer in action during sunrise at Tynemouth on the north east coast

PA

Protesters dressed as the Incredible Hulk and Robocop outside the Supreme Court in London where judges are due to consider legal challenges to Prime Minister Boris Johnson's decision to suspend Parliament. The Supreme Court will hear appeals over three days from two separate challenges to the prorogation of Parliament brought in England and Scotland

PA

Farmer Tom Hoggard harvests pumpkins at Howe Bridge Farm in Yorkshire, ahead of Halloween

PA

Team Europe celebrate winning the Solheim Cup at Gleneagles in Auchterarder, Scotland. Europe won the last three singles matches to claim victory 14-13

Getty

Sunset at St Mary's Lighthouse in Whitley Bay

PA

Activists from PETA stage a demonstration outside a venue during London Fashion Week in London, Britain

Reuters

Australia's Marnus Labuschagne attempts to stop a boundary in the fifth Test

Action Images via Reuters

Storm clouds gather over the pier just off the North East coast at South Shields

PA

The peloton rides past the Angel of the North during stage four of the Tour of Britain from Gateshead to Kendal

PA

A penny farthing cyclist rides past St. John's, Smith Square, Westminster, London

PA

Australia celebrate the wicket of England's Craig Overton, which meant they won the fourth test and retained the Ashes

Action Images via Reuters

Manchester City celebrate after Caroline Weir scored during their Women's Super League match against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. The WSL attendance record was smashed with 31,213 people watching the first Manchester derby of Womens Super League era nearly six times the previous WSL record

Getty

A bull bumps into a plain clothes police officer (left) while being walked by Prime Minister Boris Johnson during his visit to Darnford Farm in Banchory near Aberdeen. It coincided with the publication of Lord Bew's review and an announcement of extra funding for Scottish farmers

Read more from the original source:

UK has become socially liberal on drugs, abortion and LGBT+ rights over past 30 years, study shows - The Independent