CHANNEL 4 POLL Reveals 70 Per Cent support for the Death Penalty

Channel 4 has revealed the results of an exclusive survey examining attitudes towards the death penalty in the UK. The Ipsos MORI survey has been commissioned by Channel 4 to coincide with a new hard-hitting drama, The Execution of Gary Glitter, which will air in November this year.

The survey results among British adults include the following:

70 per cent think the UK should still have the death penalty as the maximum possible penalty for at least one of the 12 different types of crime surveyed
73 per cent agree (50 per cent strongly agree) that the views of the public are being ignored by politicians and the Government when setting maximum sentences and penalties for serious crimes.
76 per cent agree (51 per cent strongly agree) that there should be more open debate in the UK about the penalties for serious crimes, including the death penalty.
77 per cent agree (56 per cent strongly agree) that they are concerned that the maximum penalties (or sentences) that are set in the UK for child abuse are not severe enough

The Execution of Gary Glitter, a one-off 90 minute film, will air on Monday 9th November. Set in an imaginary Britain in which the death penalty has been re-introduced, this fictional feature-length drama confronts the viewer with the possible consequences of capital punishment in the UK.

In this alternative reality, the public, sickened by a spate of serious child abuse cases, has demanded the return of the ultimate penalty. The first person to be tried under the new Capital Crimes Against Children legislation is ‘Paul Gadd’, aka 1970s glam rock star Gary Glitter. Charged with sex crimes against children, Gadd faces the possibility that, if found guilty, he will become the first person to be executed in Britain in almost half a century.

A courtroom drama shot in the style of a documentary The Execution of Gary Glitter explores how society deals with its most reviled offenders, and whether capital punishment has a place in modern society.

Head of Documentaries and More4, Hamish Mykura says: “High profile crimes against children often prompt calls for the return of the death penalty – this drama confronts the public with what many say they want.

“Putting a resonant figure like Gary Glitter into a fictional situation helps to engage the viewer as the drama unfolds.

“The debate around the death penalty arouses passions on both sides. This drama, with its compelling and original narrative, is an intelligent and thought-provoking examination of the issue.”

Written and directed by Rob Coldstream, the film is executive produced by Samir Shah and made by Juniper.

The film will be followed by an online debate about capital punishment at channel4.com, chaired by Samir Shah.

 Copyright Channel 4 Television Corporation