Women and low earners have lower trust levels in governments and BBC

Women and people on low incomes have less trust in the government and key institutions such as the BBC, courts and police, according to new research.

Glasgow University’ s John Smith Centre said the “income gap” in trust could cause difficulties amid the economic down turn and a possible second wave of Covid-19.

However, young people were more likely to report higher levels of trust, with the research suggesting those aged 18 to 34 were more trusting than older people in general.

The centre’s Trilogy on Trust reports looked at trust gaps in gender, income and age. and are based on a field study on UK opinion designed by experts from the University of Glasgow and new analy - sis by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) thinktank.

Researchers surveyed 1,424 people living in Scotland, Wales and England in 2019.

Findings included 12 per cent of women reporting high levels of trust in elected politicians, compared to 16 per cent of men.

Those aged between 18 and 34 were the most likely to express high trust in elected politicians, while around 55 per cent of under-30s said they trusted the police.

Respondents with personal incomes above £60,000 were three times more likely to report high levels of trust in politicians than those with personal incomes of £10,000 to £20,000.

Former Scottish Labour le ad erKeziaDugd ale, who is now director of the John Smith Centre, said the views of young people offered hope for the future.

She said :“There’ s little comfort in the truth that trust in politicians and in institutions has always been low.

“This is particularly so when you acknowledge a further significant decline after the 2008 economic crash, which is now relevant once again in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Women, people on low incomes and the young represent the three groups most exposed to the economic crisis that will follow Covid-19. How institutions, government sand elected officials respond to that crisis will affect their lives more than most.”

She continued :“Where there is optimism, it lies with the young. But the more that young people read about or engage in politics, the more sceptical they become of it.

Rachel St at ham, senior research fellow at IPPR, said: “At a time when young peo - ple,wo men and people on lower incomes are amongst the hardest hit by thee conomic fall-out from Covid-19, new evidence of low levels of political trust among these groups ought to be cause for concern.”