Trust in politicians hits an all-time low

Poll sees MPs plummet into last place in public confidence, with business leaders close behind

Denis Campbell
The Observer, Sunday 27 September 2009

"Public trust in politicians, ministers and business leaders has plummeted following the MPs' expenses scandal and the multi-billion pound bailout of leading banks, an opinion poll reveals.

Politicians are now the group of professionals least likely to tell the truth, the public believes, while trust in captains of industry has fallen to an all-time low, found the survey by Ipsos MORI.

Only 13% of people trust politicians to tell the truth, down from 21%, while 82% think they do not tell the truth, up from 73% last year, the polling firm found in its latest Trust in Professions annual survey (pdf),.........

Government ministers fared little better. Just 16% of the 2,023 people questioned believe they are truthful, down from 24%.......

Cynicism also surrounds business leaders. They registered their worst net trust score – the percentage of people who trust them minus those who do not – since the yearly veracity index began in 1983. The proportion who said they did think bosses told the truth fell from 30% to 25%, putting them fourth bottom among 16 different groups about whom opinions were sought............."