Poll: British public pessimistic but unaware of benefits received
7 reported
A new report from Ipsos and the Institute for Social and Economic Research provides a portrait of public attitudes in Britain as Andy Burnham begins his tenure as prime minister, according to a Guardian column by Polly Toynbee. The survey, part of the Understanding Society study, finds that only 20% of people believe politicians are good people in general, down from 33% in 1989. Pessimism is at its worst in 50 years, with 72% expecting a world war within 25 years, yet a clear majority of Britons remain happy with their life at present. The report also highlights a sharpening friction between high expectations for public services and a declining appetite for taxation. Ipsos director Gideon Skinner warned that pessimism risks becoming more embedded in Britons’ sense of national identity. The column notes that many people are unaware of how much they benefit from the state, citing Office for National Statistics data showing 53% of the population gets back more from the state than they pay in, though only 12% think they do.
What’s reported
Only 20% of people believe politicians are good people in general, down from 33% in 1989.
72% of Britons expect a world war within the next 25 years.
A clear majority of Britons remain happy with their life at present, though fewer are “very happy” than in 1991.
Support for a “mainly socialist society” has risen to 57%, 10 percentage points higher than in 1989.
Belief in social mobility has halved since 1989, with only 26% believing the best people rise to the top regardless of their start in life.
53% of the population gets back more from the state than they pay in, but only 12% think they do.
90% of over-65s gain more from the state than they pay in, according to ONS calculations.
Key figures
Andy Burnham, prime minister
Gideon Skinner, Ipsos director of UK politics in public affairs
Polly Toynbee, Guardian columnist
Peter Kellner, political psephologist
Keir Starmer, former prime minister
Rachel Reeves, former chancellor
Sources: The Guardian
