http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/2220
21 Aug 2009
...the Sunday Times last weekend reported a Cello mruk poll of Scottish opinion on Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi last weekend. The poll was actually carried out way back in June, but “could not be reported for legal reasons” (presumably in case it influenced his appeal or any future retrial).
Firstly, 60% of people in Scotland said they thought that Megrahi was guilty, with 9% saying he was innocent and 31% unsure. 51% thought he received a fair trial, 10% thought he didn’t.
Asked what should be done with him, of those who expressed an opinion (meaning we don’t know how many people said they didn’t know), 49% said he should remain in gaol, 40% that he should be transferred to a Libyan gaol and 11% that he should be freed on compassionate grounds. So, releasing him was the preferred option for only a tiny minority of Scots…though a majority of those with an opinion did want him sent back to Libya one way or another.
I found several other Scottish polls on Megrahi's release, which were not favorable.
I find it hard to reconcile these results with the assertion that "Scottish opinion... considers by and large Magrahi was framed" -- although "opinion" is notoriously elastic. You may feel that people who actually followed the case overwhelmingly think that Megrahi was framed. Logically, you might even be right. But as things stand, we would have to follow Charles Norrie's opinion on that, not "Scottish opinion."
In arguable partial contrast:
http://www.politicshome.com/uk/public_disapprove_of_lockerbie_decision.html
24th August 2009 (emphasis added)
A new
UK-wide PoliticsHome poll suggests 53% of the public disapprove of the decision to release the only man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing on compassionate grounds. Overall, 35% of voters approved of the decision....
The public were split in their opinion as to whether Mr al-Megrahi’s original conviction was sound or suspect. 37% of voters think that the original conviction was suspect, while 34% believe it was sound. 29% of the public have no opinion on al-Megrahi’s original conviction.
The numbers for Scottish respondents would be somewhat different. However, considering that the SCCRC itself considered the original conviction suspect -- yet explicitly dismissed the theory that Megrahi was framed -- I would expect that latter opinion to be very much a minority opinion, consistent with the small proportion of Scottish people who thought Megrahi should be freed (even on compassionate grounds).
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