Public suspicion of ministers deepens
Monday, 10 November 2008 12:00 AM
Public trust in government ministers has declined in recent years, a survey suggests.
The Commons' committee on standards in public life today published the results of its third biennial national survey on attitudes to conduct in public life.
Its chairman, Sir Christopher Kelly, says the results show "worrying trends".
The proportion of people thinking that all or most government ministers tell the truth fell from 27 per cent in 2006 to 22 per cent in 2008.
But a bigger fall was registered on the number thinking all or most do not use their power for their own gain. Forty-nine per cent agreed with this in 2006, compared to 38 per cent in 2007.
A wider fall in confidence was registered, however, as the number who think standards had deteriorated in the past few years rose from 30 per cent in 2004 and 2006 to 41 per cent this year.
"The public continue to show high levels of confidence in the honesty of front-line
professionals such as doctors and teachers," Sir Christopher wrote in the report's foreword.
"National politicians whether MPs or ministers continue to languish near the bottom, along with estate agents and tabloid journalists."
Mistrust of journalists as well as politicians shows consumers do not accept everything they read, however.
"While those who read only tabloids have a tendency to be more critical about politicians, they are also quick to distance themselves from their newspaper's treatment of politics."
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