Most think UK is going in ‘wrong direction’

People are pessimistic, wary of Government and disdainful of politicians, according to a new study of trust in politics.

Three-quarters of 3,000 people surveyed for communication firm Edelman's annual Trust Barometer said they thought the UK was heading in the wrong direction - a record figure since the survey started in 2001.

For the first time in eight years, a majority of people also said they expected their standard of living to get worse over the next year while less than a quarter thought their situation would improve in the next five years.

The survey, carried out at the end of January, also found that pessimism about the state of the UK was widespread among all age groups, income levels and regions, with only supporters of the Conservative Party more likely to say the country was heading in the right direction than not, by a margin of just 52% to 48%.

The Trust Barometer also found widespread "disdain" for politicians, with trust in Government at its lowest level since 2016 at just 27%.

Trust in individual politicians was also limited, with Rishi Sunak seeing his score drop 10 points to 25%, while Chancellor Jeremy Hunt scored 18%. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was more trusted than other politicians, but still scored only 31%.

The Trust Barometer also found widespread "disdain" for politicians, with trust in government at its lowest level since 2016 at just 27%.

Edelman's president and CEO Ed Williams said: "This year's study exposes a public thirst for change, new ideas to restore trust, and shying away from resorting to old answers to stale debates.”