Survey highlights political apathy

Almost a fifth of the UK population say they are "not interested at all" in politics, a new study has found.

And in another sign of collapsing trust in the political process some 71 per cent say they trust politicians 'not very much' or 'not at all'.

Eleven per cent claim they are absolutely certain not to vote in an immediate general election, while 15 per cent would not be willing to take any action to express their opinion on issues that are important to them.

But Tuesday's survey by the Hansard Society and Electoral Commission paints a mixed picture for Britain's politicians.

While a significant minority remain resolutely uninterested in the activities of government and parties, there are some signs of increased interest amongst the rest of the population.

Some 54 per cent of the public say they are either 'very' or 'fairly' interested in politics, up from 50 per cent in 2003.

And 49 per cent say they know 'a great deal' or 'a fair amount' about politics compared to 42 per cent three years ago.

Thirty-two per cent say a lack of time and other commitments prevents them getting involved in politics, while 22 per cent point to a lack of interest in politics or a lack of motivation.

Lord Holme, chairman of the Hansard Society, said: "The sad thing is that 'politics' has obviously become a pejorative term.

"For instance, the latest audit demonstrates that, even when discussing unmistakably ‘political’ issues such as the leadership of the political parties, people do not describe that as having discussed 'politics'.

"It seems that it is the concept of 'politics' itself which is off-putting to most people. This poses a major challenge to everybody working in our democratic political life to make better connections between this work and the important issues which affect people's everyday lives."