The Hansard Society launched the Audit of Political Engagement 2014 report at an event in the House of Commons last night. The report illustrates how far politicians and political parties still have to go in order to restore faith and confidence in the political system. 

The Audit, which has tracked public attitudes to politics and Parliament since 2004, demonstrates the level of public concern with the culture and conduct of politics and politicians. Just 21% think that ‘politicians are behaving in a more professional way than they were a few years ago’; 67% say ‘politicians don’t understand the daily lives of people like me’; and 74% believe ‘politicians should be prepared to make personal sacrifices if they want to play a role in running the country’. That said, MPs can at least take heart from the fact that 62% of the public agree that ‘politicians in the past were no better than today; they just didn’t face the same media scrutiny’.

For more information, please visit the Societys website.