Britons Have More Trust in Jimmy Carr than The Chancellor of The Exchequer
Press Release - 20 July 2012
George Osborne, the man responsible for the public purse, simply cannot be trusted – that’s the feeling among more than 13 million Britons, who voted the Chancellor of the Exchequer the least trust-worthy in a poll of public figures.
New research from Amigo Loans, the UK’s largest guarantor loan company, shows Britons harbour less scepticism towards the likes of Wayne Rooney, or known tax-evader Jimmy Carr than the austerity-enforcing politician.*
Yet standing strong throughout the downturn, it is the Royals in which we place our trust. With the Cinderella marriage of Kate and Will, followed swiftly by the Queen’s Jubilee, the Royals have instilled a sense of pride on which the nation can rely in times of economic hardship. Of all the celebrities trusted to lend a tenner to, the Duchess of Cambridge came out top, with one in three (33%) admitting they would feel most confident about getting their money back from Kate Middleton. A similar number (27%) stated her father-in-law, Prince Charles, would be their most trusted choice.
Politicians, on the other hand, hold the least public confidence as a group, with 40% of respondents voting them the most untrustworthy people, followed by bank managers (29%) and footballers (28%).
James Benamor, founder and Managing Director of Amigo Loans which commissioned the research, comments:
We’re not a sceptical nation, but it is evident we have developed a sense of wariness when it comes to public figures which people feel may have let them down in the past – especially in terms of money. Family and friends are some of Britons most-trusted, and in times of financial hardship, many would rather turn to those they know best and can rely on for support.
While many Brits question the integrity of public figures in politics and banking, confidence is high in those closer to home. The same number of people would turn to their parents to borrow money, as those who would turn to the bank (29%). If required to lend money, one in 10 (11%) would place their friends as the most trust-worthy in terms of repayment.
