Poll monitor: State of the nation

Public support for direct action remains ambigious

By the editor of the BBC's Political Research Unit, David Cowling

The State of the Nation poll conducted by ICM for the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust (sampled among 2,401 adults between 23-8 October) provides a veritable Aladdin's Cave of polling treasure on public attitudes to government and constitutional reform.

The subjects covered ranged from whether various types of public protest are justified, through to the powers of the Scottish Parliament.

The firestorm of public anger in September clearly influenced the opinions expressed: 74% of respondents said that the petrol blockade by hauliers and farmers was justified.

However, the underlying ambiguities in public opinion were also in evidence.

Whilst 81% agreed that if government's don't listen, peaceful protest, blockades and demonstrations are legitimate, when it was put to them that governments should not change policies in response to protests and blockades, 35% agreed and 39% disagreed.

Electoral reform

The survey provided encouragement for the advocates of electoral reform: 56% agreed that there should be a referendum on changing the system we use to elect MPs (15% disagreed).

And when asked how they would vote if one were held, 53% said they would support proportional voting, compared with 27% who favoured retaining the present voting system.

But there was no encouragement for ministers in the survey, nor for MPs. Broadly three-quarters of respondents said they did not trust ministers to tell them the truth about safety regarding the food we eat, nuclear installations or GM foods and crops.

Two-thirds of those interviewed thought that ministers not being truthful was a major problem in Britain today.

Parliament's power

As for MPs, 53% of respondents agreed that Parliament does not have sufficient control over what the government does; and 64% believed that the current system of governing Britain could be improved either a great deal or quite a lot.

This widespread level of disenchantment with our current political system led to strong support for change. Some 71% agreed that Britain needs a Bill of Rights to protect individual liberty; and the same proportion also agreed that Britain needs a written constitution. Support for a freedom of information act registered 79%.

The poll reveals a picture of considerable dissatisfaction with our political system and the people who administer it.

Even though 70% thought Britain very or fairly democratic, 54% also think it is becoming less so.

It is hard to believe that these attitudes simply result from discontent over fuel prices. The findings challenge politicians of all parties to confront the evident alienation of many electors from the political system.

If they do not then the worst fears about a significant fall in turnout at the next general election may be realised.