The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Sir David top pick in poll for celebrity UK premier Attenborough gets 37% vote
Sir David Attenborough has been urged to swap Planet Earth for the political front benches after he came top in a poll to find Britain’s favourite celebrity prime minister.
The TV veteran ran out ahead of Harry Potter creator JK Rowling and actor Emma Watson, according to research by pollsters YouGov and campaigners 38 Degrees.
Documentary maker Louis Theroux, inventor Sir James Dyson, actor Sir Ian McKellen, presenter Jeremy Clarkson, comedian Rowan Atkinson, journalist Piers Morgan and outspoken columnist Katie Hopkins also made up the top 10 public figures whom British people would like to see as premier.
The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry were among famous faces lined up for a role on the front benches, alongside the likes of writer Stephen Fry and presenter David Dimbleby. The survey of 1,851 British adults found 37% of respondents aged 25 and over preferred Sir David, while Ms Watson was favourite among 39% of 18 to 24year-olds.
The research highlighted that the British people value honesty (67%) as the most desirable attribute among politicians and when thinking about their dream premier respondents cited “answering questions directly” (24%) and trust (15%) as important traits when considering their selection. Laura Townshend, 38 Degrees di- rector, said: “This is a lighthearted look at which public figures Britain would most like in a fantasy front bench – but it proves that trust, honesty and answering questions directly play a big part in the public’s choice of leader.”