UK On Europe: Low On Knowledge, Low On Trust
MORI's latest research for The Institute for Citizenship's A Vision of Europe project shows that the British public have low awareness of, low knowledge about, and low trust in, the institutions of the European Union. Furthermore, they do not feel they have enough information to make a considered vote in the referendum on the European Constitution. Few people trust any institution to represent the views of ordinary people, and many do not know the name of any of their MEPs.
MORI's latest research for The Institute for Citizenship's A Vision of Europe project shows that the British public have low awareness of, low knowledge about, and low trust in, the institutions of the European Union. Furthermore, they do not feel they have enough information to make a considered vote in the referendum on the European Constitution. Few people trust any institution to represent the views of ordinary people, and many do not know the name of any of their MEPs.
Technical details
MORI interviewed a representative quota sample of 1,036 adults aged 15+, face-to-face, on 12-16 August 2004. Data are weighted to match the profile of the population.
Topline Results
- MORI interviewed a representative quota sample of 1,036 adults aged 15+ at 200 sampling points across Great Britain
- Interviews were conducted face-to-face on 12-16 August 2004
- Data are weighted to match the profile of the population
- Where results do not sum to 100% this may be due to multiple responses, computer rounding or the exclusion of 'don't know/not stated' response categories
Q1 Here is a list of people who can influence the decisions of the EU (the European Union). Which, if any, of the following would you TRUST to make decisions in the best interests of ordinary British people?
| % | |
|---|---|
| Members of Parliament (MPs) in Westminster | 29 |
| British Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) | 20 |
| British Cabinet Ministers | 13 |
| The European Court of Justice | 11 |
| British appointed European Commissioners | 10 |
| The European Parliament as a whole | 5 |
| The European Council of Ministers (which includes British Cabinet Ministers) | 4 |
| The European Commission as a whole | 3 |
| None | 19 |
| Don't know | 16 |
Q2 And which, if any, of the following would you NOT TRUST to make decisions in the best interest of ordinary British people?
| % | |
|---|---|
| The European Parliament as a whole | 36 |
| The European Commission as a whole | 34 |
| Members of Parliament (MPs) in Westminster | 21 |
| British Cabinet Ministers | 20 |
| The European Court of Justice | 20 |
| The European Council of Ministers (which includes British Cabinet Ministers) | 19 |
| British appointed European Commissioners | 17 |
| British Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) | 15 |
| None | 8 |
| Don't know | 20 |
Q3 Do you happen to know the name of any of the MEPs that represent your region?
| % | |
|---|---|
| Yes | 13 |
| No | 80 |
| Don't know | 6 |
Q4 Here is a list of things that might have an impact on people living in Britain today. Please look at the list, and tell me which, if any, of these things you think the EU has power over?
| % | |
|---|---|
| How the food we buy is labelled | 56 |
| The number of hours people work | 55 |
| Environmental protection | 51 |
| What rights we have as consumers | 41 |
| How clean our local beaches are | 39 |
| Where our armed forces are deployed | 24 |
| How banks & businesses operate | 23 |
| The level of income tax we pay | 17 |
| How much money the NHS gets | 15 |
| How expensive our postage stamps are | 4 |
| None of these | 4 |
| Don't know | 10 |
Q5 As you probably know, there is much debate in Britain about the future direction of the European Union (EU). There will probably be a referendum within the next couple of years on whether Britain should adopt the EU Constitution. Personally, do you feel that you have enough information about these issues to make a considered decision about the EU constitution?
| % | |
|---|---|
| Yes | 14 |
| No | 82 |
| Don't know | 4 |
Q6 Which of the following statements comes closest to your own view about the relationship between Britain and the European Union?
| % | |
|---|---|
| Britain needs the EU more than the EU needs Britain | 10 |
| The EU needs Britain more than Britain needs the EU | 32 |
| Britain and the EU need each other equally - they both need each other similarly | 32 |
| Britain and the EU do not need one another | 14 |
| None | 2 |
| Don't know | 9 |
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