Dennis the 'Bloody Peasant'
6th July 2012, 09:34
From a BBC article about public trust in politicians, banks and the media.
The polling organisation Ipsos Mori has just published some research on the reputation of the banking industry. They spoke to people in 24 countries, in the first three months of this year, so before this latest scandal.
Trust in the banks in the UK, it suggests, was already lower than in every one of those other 23 countries, excluding Belgium. It was marginally higher in Spain, which is suffering its own banking crisis. It was significantly higher in America, and even higher still in Turkey, India and China.
Almost 70% of people in the UK, the poll also suggests, would like tougher regulation of the banks.
Add to that, according to a Populus poll for The Times last month this: two thirds of people in the UK say risk-taking by British banks was an important factor in landing the country in its current economic mess.
So, to say bankers need to go on something of a charm offensive is to rather understate their public relations challenge.
Enter next, the politicians. Their task, as ever, is to be seen to be doing something about it, and emerging with a better reputation individually than they had at the outset.
The political class as a whole, on this, starts from a low base.
A ComRes poll for ITV News over the weekend was as depressing for politicians as it was predictable.
Just 10% of us trust bankers to tell the truth, it suggests, while four in five do not and 12% aren't sure.
It is barely any better for our elected representatives. 77% of the population do not trust them to tell the truth and just 10% do, the poll suggests.
For the record, and as a reporter myself I write this sentence humbly, just 13% think journalists can be trusted.
That compares to 85% of people trusting doctors, 73% judges and 59% the police.
(Full article at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18725938)
The polling organisation Ipsos Mori has just published some research on the reputation of the banking industry. They spoke to people in 24 countries, in the first three months of this year, so before this latest scandal.
Trust in the banks in the UK, it suggests, was already lower than in every one of those other 23 countries, excluding Belgium. It was marginally higher in Spain, which is suffering its own banking crisis. It was significantly higher in America, and even higher still in Turkey, India and China.
Almost 70% of people in the UK, the poll also suggests, would like tougher regulation of the banks.
Add to that, according to a Populus poll for The Times last month this: two thirds of people in the UK say risk-taking by British banks was an important factor in landing the country in its current economic mess.
So, to say bankers need to go on something of a charm offensive is to rather understate their public relations challenge.
Enter next, the politicians. Their task, as ever, is to be seen to be doing something about it, and emerging with a better reputation individually than they had at the outset.
The political class as a whole, on this, starts from a low base.
A ComRes poll for ITV News over the weekend was as depressing for politicians as it was predictable.
Just 10% of us trust bankers to tell the truth, it suggests, while four in five do not and 12% aren't sure.
It is barely any better for our elected representatives. 77% of the population do not trust them to tell the truth and just 10% do, the poll suggests.
For the record, and as a reporter myself I write this sentence humbly, just 13% think journalists can be trusted.
That compares to 85% of people trusting doctors, 73% judges and 59% the police.
(Full article at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18725938)