The human rights group has published the findings of the survey as the House of Lords continues to debate the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill at report stage.

Amnesty, in response to the significant opposition to the bill in Northern Ireland, commissioned Savanta to conduct a poll across England, Scotland and Wales, which revealed that:

• seven in 10 (68 per cent) said people accused of serious crimes, such as murder, should not be able to receive immunity from prosecution in exchange for providing information about the crimes, while only one in five (19 per cent) say they should (13 per cent didn’t know);
• two-thirds (65 per cent) said victims and/or the families of victims of serious crimes, such as murder, should have access to an independent inquest;
• nine in ten (87 per cent) say that people should still be prosecuted for serious crimes, such as murder, even if they were committed decades ago, while only 6% say they should not (seven per cent didn’t know);
• more than half (53 per cent) say that those accused of killings in relation to the Troubles should not be able to receive immunity from prosecution in exchange for providing information about the crimes, while only one in five (22 per cent) say they should (25 per cent didn’t know); and
• six in ten (58 per cent) of Tory voters said that those accused of killings in relation to the Troubles, should not be able to receive immunity from prosecution in exchange for providing information about the crimes.

Grainne Teggart, Amnesty’s Northern Ireland deputy director, said: “These figures could not be clearer: the majority of the UK public is opposed to this bill. It is out of step with victims, out of step with the Government’s own electorate and – as this poll shows – at odds with public opinion across the UK.

“These morally repugnant plans are an affront to decency, human rights and the rule of law and must be scrapped.

“The government has continued to ignore widespread concern from the UN, Council of Europe bodies, US Congress, Irish Parliament, Amnesty and many others.

“If they push this bill through, they will also now be ignoring their own voters. These figures must give the government pause – it is, quite frankly, reckless to proceed with a bill so strongly opposed.

“Parliament has a significant decision to make in the weeks that lie ahead: will they stand with victims, or will they join the UK government in this act of betrayal and sacrifice victims’ rights to protect perpetrators?”