The Essential Report Archive Read the latest report

  • Oct, 2012

    , , ,

    Attitudes to politics

    Q. Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements:

     

    Total Agree

    Total Disagree

    Strongly Agree

    Agree

    Disagree

    Strongly Disagree

    No opinion

    Political action can change the world

    74%

    16%

    20%

    54%

    12%

    4%

    11%

    There is a difference in the values of the major political parties

    66%

    25%

    17%

    49%

    21%

    4%

    10%

    I have never attended a political event

    66%

    26%

    37%

    29%

    16%

    10%

    8%

    All politicians are basically the same

    53%

    39%

    14%

    39%

    30%

    9%

    7%

    I have strong views about politics

    47%

    43%

    13%

    34%

    30%

    13%

    10%

    I have attended a political rally or meeting in the 3 years

    12%

    80%

    4%

    8%

    25%

    55%

    9%

    I am, or have been, a member of a political party

    11%

    80%

    3%

    8%

    24%

    56%

    9%

    A vast majority of respondents believe that ‘political action can change the world’ (74%).   A majority also believe that ‘there is a difference in the values of the major political parties’ (66%), state that ‘I have never attended a political event’ (66%) and believe that ‘all politicians are basically the same’ (53%). In terms of political activity, only 12% of respondents had attended a political rally or meeting in the last 3 years and only 11% are, or were, a member of a political party.

    Looking at the results by age, older respondents are more likely to agree that ‘political action can change the world’ (83% total agree 55-64 and 65+).  Those aged 65+ are also the most likely to agree that ‘there is a difference in the values of the major political parties’ (82% total agree).

    Older respondents are also more likely to consider themselves as having strong views about politics, with 53% of those aged 55-64 agreeing with this statement and 63% of those aged 65+ agreeing. Attendance of political rallies or meetings declined with age, with respondents aged 18-24 the most likely to have attended a rally or meeting (17%), moving incrementally down at each age bracket to 6% of respondents aged 65+.

Error: