Polling on Lucy Connolly tweet following her release finds that 35% think her sentence too harsh, but the majority of Brits: 52% say it was about right or too lenient. Most 2024 Reform voters say too harsh, Tory voters split harsh or lenient/about right. Most Labour/LD/Green the latter
There's also a warning for politicians – just 18% of the public think that politicians should associate themselves with Connolly, 51% say distance. Lab/LD particularly but also 2024 Tory voters twice as likely to say distance than associate.
So this a chunk (about a third) think her sentence too harsh, but (in contrast to what it sometimes seems) online most don't. There may be space for debates on sentencing rules/quality of legal advice. But on content of tweet most are appalled & v.few Brits want politicians making a hero of the case
Nigel Farage has gone out of his way to avoid associating with members of the BNP and Tommy Robinson because the polling in the past has shown those two have toxic ratings and this More In Common poll shows the risks of the Tories and Reform making Lucy Connolly a martyr.
If Labour are to win the next election they are going to win the next election they are likely to need centre left voters to tactically vote for them to stop Farage. Associating with Connolly will make the decision for centre left voters easier.