You have to earn trust, say voters (From Bournemouth Echo)

You have to earn trust, say voters

8:00am Tuesday 13th April 2010 in

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WHO can you trust? Apparently not politicians, who now rank lower than bankers, estate agents, used car dealers and journalists in the esteem of the great British public.

More than a third of those surveyed for a new poll chose politicians as their least trusted profession, the highest proportion of any of the 10 listed. The most trusted were police officers, followed by professional sportspeople and social workers.

We put the results of the survey, carried out for search engine FindsYou Cars.com to residents here.

Recruitment consultant Daniel Hofmann, 25, of Poole Quay, said: “I don’t have a lot of trust in the government. No matter what happens, I think Labour needs to go and give someone else a chance. With the whole expenses scandal, I don’t think we can trust them.”

Janet Anstee, 65, of Boscombe, whose late husband Gordon stood for MP in the West Midlands in the 1964 general election before going into local government, said: “I think it depends to a large degree which part of the country you come from. I was married to a politician. It used to be a huge honour to be invited to stand for the council. I think standards were much higher.”

Retired concierge Norman Marshall, 63, of Moordown, said: “I would still trust a policeman, but not a politician. They don’t come across as genuine.”

His wife, retired sales assistant Linda Marshall, 61, said: “We don’t like any of the politicians at the moment and trust nothing they say. We would normally be Labour supporters, but we don’t see any of the others as an alternative. No-one says anything we feel will help us. They’re definitely out for themselves.”

Retired Bettina Darby, of Branksome Park, said: “I trust the Conservatives, but not all of them. I hope I can trust Cameron. I don’t know yet – he’s untried.

“I think it’s time for a change. I would like a coalition government. I think there’s a lot of good in the Liberal Democrats – Vince Cable is excellent and Nick Clegg comes across as a good person. How do you know how they are going to react in a dire situation?

“It’s going to be very interesting. I think it’s going to rest on the TV debate.”

Property and band manager Neil Deeks, 29, said: “Politicians are only human. They’re selling their party. Every party that gets into power is going to do the same thing.”

The 10 professions ranked on their trustworthiness.

1. Policemen 2. Professional sportspeople 3. Social workers 4. Bankers 5. Builders 6. Estate agents 7. Journalists 8. X Factor judges 9. Used car dealers 10. Politicians

Read our profiles of each constituency, see results from previous years and tell us what you would like to ask your candidates - just click here