Public want action on 'Sleaze'
Our poll with political experts Electoral Calculus for the Independent shows the public wants action on lobbying and cronyism at the top of Government.
A nationally representative survey of 2,000 conducted on Wednesday 21st of April asked five questions:
Q1. Do you agree or disagree that politicians should be held more accountable for their actions?
Agree / Strongly Agree | 86% |
Neutral | 6% |
Disagree / Strongly Disagree | 5% |
Don’t Know | 4% |
Q2. Do you agree or disagree that politicians who lie should lose office?
Agree / Strongly Agree | 86% |
Neutral | 7% |
Disagree / Strongly Disagree | 4% |
Don’t Know | 3% |
Q3. MPs’ annual salaries are currently £81,932. Do you think this is:
About right | 27% |
Too high and should be reduced | 62% |
Too low and should be increased | 3% |
Don’t Know | 8% |
Q4. Do you agree or disagree that more should be done to prevent cronyism in awarding public contracts?
Agree / Strongly Agree | 73% |
Neutral | 9% |
Disagree / Strongly Disagree | 2% |
Don’t Know | 16% |
Q5. Do you agree or disagree that more should be done to control and limit lobbying of the government?
Agree / Strongly Agree | 69% |
Neutral | 13% |
Disagree / Strongly Disagree | 4% |
Don’t Know | 14% |
Conservative party voters on average have less polarised opinions on all of the issues surveyed.
86% agree or strongly agree politicians who lie should lose office, older people feel more strongly about this than younger people.
62% think MPs’ annual salary is too high: Younger people, lower social economic groups and non-voters feel more strongly about this; Londoners feel less strongly about this.
73% agree or strongly agree more should be done to prevent cronyism in awarding public contracts, older people feel more strongly about this than younger people.
The public are very concerned about MPs’ standards and think that they are unaccountable, overpaid. and at risk from cronies and lobbyists. The strength of public feeling could be a problem for the Government, since some of the poll numbers are nearly off the scale.
Martin Baxter, CEO of Electoral Calculus
The lobbying issue has clearly touched a nerve with the general public. Our research suggests it could become a serious issue at forthcoming elections.
Chris Holbrook, CEO of Find Out Now
About the survey
Find Out Now polled 2,000 GB adults online on 21 April 2021. The sample was chosen to be nationally representative by gender, age, social grade and past voting patterns. Percentages shown exclude those who preferred not to give an opinion, but include don’t knows.
Tabulated results can be downloaded here.
Find Out Now is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.
Photo by Jordhan Madec on Unsplash