Did public opinion support Eden's decision to take military action against Egypt?

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Did public opinion support Eden’s decision to take military action against Egypt?

Occurring just eleven years after the Second World War, the Suez crisis divided Britain into the Right, eager to suppress and destroy Nasser’s dictatorial regime and a more liberal and tolerant Left. The British general public ideally wanted to avoid war, however some thought that an assault on Egypt would recapture the Suez canal, restore Britain’s national pride and halt the fast growing Arab nationalism which was catalysed by Nasser and his party’s ideals. Conversely, others thought that this coercive, imperialistic policy would increase tensions in the Middle East, encourage Arab nationalism and infuriate the already hostile Soviets.  

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There is no doubt that some elements of the British press did not support the authoritarian or at best oligarchic regime that Nasser installed in Egypt. This is demonstrated by source D, an extract from the Daily Mirror portraying Nasser as hostile, aggressive and comparable to ‘Adolf Hitler’. Although this view is reasonably coherent with the British government’s view at the time it can be inferred that due to the democratic political atmosphere this article is not propaganda, rather it is probably a mouthpiece for or even reflects public opinion on the 30th of June 1956 when it was printed. ...

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