On Tuesday 21 January, Edelman launched its 14th annual Trust Barometer Survey in a live event presented by Richard Edelman (Global President) and Ed Williams (UK CEO). The presentation was followed by the inaugural Trust Lecture, delivered by Lord Browne.
The Survey finds that over half of the British population has less belief in the government doing the right thing than it did last year, and that a similar proportion credit Britain’s business community for the recent improvements in the economy.
39% of those who said they trust the government less this year blamed this on the government’s poor performance.
Overall, trust in government among Britons fell from 47% in 2013’s Barometer findings to 42% in 2014’s findings. Trust in business remained stable, with 56% of the population saying they believed companies would behave correctly.
“It has typically fallen to government to create the context for change but it is either incapable or unwilling to do it,” said Richard Edelman. “People trust business to innovate, unite and deliver across borders in a way that government can’t. That trust comes with the expectation and responsibility to maintain it.”
The Survey also explores the difference in public trust of Parties compared to their Leaders. Trust in Prime Minister David Cameron, which stands at 33%, is lower compared with the Conservative Party at 37%; trust in the LibDems outstrips that of its leader Nick Clegg by 31% to 27%; but it is Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, who faces the biggest trust challenge of eight percentage points, from 41% to 33%.
To watch the video of the launch together with the inaugural Trust Lecture from Lord Browne and for more information about the Trust Barometer Survey, visit the website.