George Bush says he is ready for the hostility he will encounter this week from Britain’s anti-war protesters. He may not be quite so prepared for the animosity across the nation’s living rooms.

The president’s poll ratings have fallen at home and they are close to rock bottom in Britain, a Sunday Times-YouGov poll of nearly 2,000 people shows. Asked which characteristics they most associated with him, 60% said he was a danger to world peace, 37% said “stupid” and 33% said “incoherent”.

Only a minority saw positive characteristics in Bush, with just 7% regarding him as a good world leader, 6% as articulate and 10% as intelligent. The omens are not good for the first president to come to Britain on a state visit since Woodrow Wilson in 1918.

Respondents were opposed to this week’s state visit by 26% to 21%. Half, however, did not care. Perhaps surprisingly, given the record of violence associated with anti-globalisation protests, there was sympathy with those who plan to protest against Bush’s visit and the war. By 53% to 41%, respondents said they had sympathy with the protesters.

The poll verdict on Bush appears to be driven by an increasingly gloomy view of Iraq, as well as the doubts that have persisted since his narrow election victory three years ago. By 45% to 43% respondents thought that Britain and America were wrong to go to war to depose Saddam Hussein. This is the first time there has been net opposition to the war in a regular series of questions going back to early March.

When American troops entered Baghdad in April, voters were in favour of the war by 66% to 29%. Now concern over the prospects for Iraq goes deep. Nearly three-quarters, 73%, expected the security situation to get worse over the next few months, following the recent escalation in attacks on allied troops. Only 15% believed that things would get better in Iraq.

Even looking to the longer term, there is little optimism about restoring Iraq to democracy. Fewer than a fifth of respondents, 18%, believed the country’s future would be as a peaceful democracy. Overwhelmingly, by 70%, voters thought there was little hope for the people of Iraq and that it would be a permanently unstable country.

Despite this, there is not a clamour to bring Britain’s troops home. While 20% said UK forces in Iraq should be withdrawn immediately, and 26% said they should return home within six months whatever the security situation, they were outweighed by the 47% who believed Britain had a duty to retain forces there.

There is little confidence in the president’s ability to handle the continuing problems in Iraq, following last week’s move to speed up the handover of power to Iraqis. Fewer than a quarter, 24%, had confidence in Bush on Iraq, while 74% did not. Polls in America have shown a sharp decline in confidence in the president on the Iraq question, with his approval ratings down from a peak of 75% tio just over 50%.

Tony Blair fares slightly better. Even so, the proportion of people who said that they had confidence in him over Iraq and its problems, 38%, contrasts with the 59% who did not.

The continuing difficulties in Iraq, combined with public doubts over Bush, have resulted in voters questioning the value of Britain’s “special relationship” with America. Blair is not seen to be benefiting from it. Only a third, 34%, thought the relationship should continue as at present with Britain remaining America’s closest ally.

A larger proportion, 47%, said that Britain should continue as one of America’s allies but should be ready to pursue a more independent line. Some went further, with 14% saying Britain should no longer regard America as a close ally and should pursue its own interests irrespective of what Washington thinks.

A NATION IN TWO MINDS

Ken Loach, film director: "I'm not surprised Bush has been invited by Blair, because they are both in the same gang. As architect of an illegal war he should not have been invited."

Paul Foot, left-wing journalist: "I think it is absolutely incredible that they invited Bush. I cannot understand how the invite could have been proffered. I think the demonstrations will be absolutely enormous given the size of the previous ones, which were even bigger than the Vietnam war demonstrations."

Alexei Sayle, comedian: "He is welcome so that we have the opportunity to show our hatred
of him."

Julie Burchill, journalist: "I think President Bush is doing a great job and should keep it up. I think he will probably just ignore the protesters, they're just the usual suspects."

Philip Pullman, author: "This is something I feel strongly about. We have to give Bush the very strong message, and through him the rest of the US, that there are a large number of people in this country who are not happy at the speed they galloped into Iraq."

Digby Jones, director-general of the CBI: "I am very pleased President Bush has been invited, but I do wish the American security services don't go over the top with demands for security. London is the biggest city in Europe and needs to get on with its business. There has to be proportion and I hope they keep a sense of perspective."

Arnold Wesker, playwright: "All heads of state have to be welcome otherwise there will be no progress. If we want Arafat and Sharon to meet I see no reason why President Bush should not visit."

Catherine Meyer, wife of Sir Christopher Meyer, head of the PCC and former British ambassador to Washington: "It might be a difficult visit in some ways but it is a very good thing for President Bush to come over. I think the US is sometimes over-criticised because people don't fully understand their position. I think the affinity between Blair and Bush is something that is so important."