# life: oops! trust in (British) politics

<< In previous British elections, to say that trust was the main issue would have meant simply that trust is the trump card – whichever leader or party could secure most trust would win. Now, the emerging question about trust is whether it even matters anymore. >>

<< Even many Labour voters don’t rate their leader as trustworthy. Neil Hall/EPA >>

<< These are moral judgements of the utmost significance. So it suggests that British democracy is in some moral jeopardy, when the leaders of the two major parties, the only likely candidates for the premiership, were rated so low on trustworthiness by the public, including supporters of their own party. For example, according to one YouGov poll, 53% of respondents thought Johnson untrustworthy, while for Corbyn the figure was 57%. (..) These figures suggest not only seriously depleted trust but also a substantial readiness amongst voters to separate trustworthiness from electability.  (..) A lack of trustable people creates insecurity, and in this anxious environment some people will want to convince themselves, whatever the evidence, that they have found a trustworthy leader.  (..) On that front, the most significant outcome may not be the seats won by the competing parties, but the national profile as expressed in the popular vote, and what it tells us about whether trust matters. >>

Barry Richards. We should look closely at Britain’s decision to elect a man so renowned for his untrustworthiness. 

Bournemouth University. Dec 13, 2019. 

https://theconversation.com/we-should-look-closely-at-britains-decision-to-elect-a-man-so-renowned-for-his-untrustworthiness-128733

<< Johnson is regularly accused of hiding who he really is, but maybe that’s not actually the case at all. He has left enough clues along the way for us to build a picture of the man he is – and the British public has decided they are fine with it. >>

Laura Hood. Boris Johnson’s big election victory: academics on what it means for the UK and Brexit. Dec13, 2019.

https://theconversation.com/boris-johnsons-big-election-victory-academics-on-what-it-means-for-the-uk-and-brexit-128850