UK voters value ’honesty’ most in political leaders

The UK public want politicians who are honest, have integrity, and operate within the rules, over and above delivering outcomes, finds a new report by the UCL Constitution Unit. Published today, What Kind of Democracy Do People Want? details the response of 6,500 people, representative of the voting age population across the whole of the UK, who were surveyed in July 2021. The report, which is the most in-depth to date in terms of asking people about what roles institutions should play, shows that UK voters care about how those in power are held to account and that there is notably higher support for judicial interventions than is often supposed. It reveals that people do not want power concentrated in the hands of a few but would like it shared among parliament, judges, regulators, civil servants, and the public. When asked to 'imagine that a future Prime Minister has to choose between acting honestly and delivering the policy that most people want', 71% chose honesty and only 16% delivery. When asked about a range of characteristics that politicians should have, 'being honest' came top, followed by 'owning up when they make mistakes'. 'Getting things done' and 'being inspiring' were far behind.