Politicians at bottom of the pile, and falling, in trust index

The annual index carried out jointly with parenting network, Mumsnet, explored which jobs and professions are most trusted by the public and included economists for the first time, in light of the UK’s Brexit vote.

Nurses remain more trusted than any other profession ( 93%) followed by doctors ( 91%). Scientists also come out well with 80% while economists sat in the middle of the index, trusted by 48%.

As election predictions have taken a hit, trust in pollsters dropped to 42%.

At the bottom of the table sat politicians trusted by just 15%, government ministers on 20% and journalists on 24%.

Gideon Skinner, head of political research, Ipsos MORI, said: “There’s been much discussion about the dawn of a ‘post-truth’ era in politics, but our long-term trends show that politicians have never exactly been the most trusted of professions. Even so, lack of trust clearly played an important part in the EU referendum, with big differences between who remain and leave voters trusted, and the leave campaign mostly winning the argument.”

Mumsnet CEO Justine Roberts said: “You have to have some sympathy with politicians: it’s difficult to be straightforward, honest and transparent – key components of trust – whilst simultaneously toeing the party line. In today’s world of social media and instant fact-checking the challenge is to find a new mode of political communication with the prospect of big rewards for those who crack it.”