British public sees opportunities for closer Middle East links

The British public sees opportunities to forge closer links with the Middle East in areas such as clean energy and sport, an exclusive poll for The National has found.

Polling on the UK’s place in the world shows UAE investment in Britain’s energy sector is viewed positively, as the two countries look to work together on the path to net zero.

Asked for their view on the UAE investing in the UK energy sector, 47 per cent of adults in Britain expressed support while 23 per cent were opposed.

The survey of British adults by Deltapoll found Saudi Arabia's investment in sport, including the takeover of Newcastle United, is seen as a good thing more than a bad thing – especially by younger people.

Artificial intelligence – for which the UAE has the world’s first dedicated ministerial post – is regarded as a good thing to date but there are concerns over how it will develop.

In a poll which generally gave a scathing verdict on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, 36 per cent said his government had the right policy on securing international investment, a positive figure compared to 33 per cent who objected.

While many expressed no view on foreign policy, most of those who did had a positive take on the UK's relationships with the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

“New opportunities for the Middle East in the UK are seen in green sector investment, in sport and AI,” said Martin Boon, Deltapoll’s co-founder, although the British public are “uncertain about the potential impact in each area”.

In other findings, the poll results showed:

• UK voters back Keir Starmer over Rishi Sunak on foreign policy, with four in 10 (40 per cent) believing the Leader of the Opposition would do a better job than the Prime Minister representing the UK on the world stage
• Rishi Sunak is doing the wrong thing when it comes to a host of policies, including the economy (62 per cent), cost-of-living crisis (68 per cent), making the most of Brexit (53 per cent), immigration (67 per cent) and crime (54 per cent)
• The UK government has majority support for revised plans for achieving net zero by 2050. Two-thirds (66 per cent) supported an increase in renewable energy production, though the vast majority of this support was only if it lowers household energy costs
• A narrow majority (51 per cent) do not trust Joe Biden to be the leader of the free world. When it comes to Donald Trump, nearly seven in ten (68 per cent) think he would do a bad job, compared with 23 per cent who believe he would do a good job.

Energy links

The UAE’s investments in the UK include the London Array wind farm, one of the world’s largest. It is part-owned by renewable energy company Masdar, which listed its first $750 million green bond on the London Stock Exchange last month.

UAE investment had 47 per cent support overall and clear positive ratings across social and political groups.

On clean energy more broadly, a clear majority of adults (57 per cent) said Britain’s 2050 net-zero target should be kept in place, with 27 per cent wanting it abolished.

However, about half (48 per cent) said renewable energy production should be increased only if it lowers costs. Only 18 per cent were willing to pay higher prices for clean energy.

Responses on foreign relations tended to show large swathes of uncertainty or apathy above clear-cut choices, especially beyond core European and US interests.

Almost half (45 per cent), for example, think the UK government has done as much as can reasonably be expected to help solve the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians. On Saudi Arabia, 25 per cent said the UK had a good relationship while 17 per cent regarded it as bad. In each case a majority expressed no view. Asked about the UK’s relationship with the UAE generally, 29 per cent said it was good and 14 per cent bad.

Saudi investment in sport, including in Newcastle United FC, its own football league and a professional golf tour, was seen as “generally a good thing” by 39 per cent and a bad thing by 33 per cent.

Support was strongest among younger people, with 46 per cent of millennials welcoming Saudi investment. This fell to 33 per cent among the baby boomer generation.

The UK has held four rounds of talks with the Gulf Co-operation Council on a trade deal with its six members, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

A UAE diplomat told a London conference this week that co-operation with the UK on clean technology demonstrates “our shared commitment to environmental responsibility”.

The alliance “has already, and will continue, to significantly advance investment” in technology, infrastructure and energy transformation, said Khaled Al Qasimi, the deputy head of mission at the UAE's London embassy.

The UK and UAE also have a memorandum of understanding on AI, which has gained ground in the public consciousness thanks to the rise of software such as ChatGPT.

Among British adults, 36 per cent said the development of AI was a good thing while 33 per cent saw it as bad.

However, the view was more pessimistic when people were asked about the future of AI. There were 42 per cent who said its development in the coming years would be a bad thing, with 32 per cent expecting good news.