A question of trust

The YouGov poll in the Telegraph today ranks various professions/trades in terms of public trust.

It is fascinating to see that firemen come out on top, at 94 percent, with the RAF at 86 percent, the Royal Navy at 84 percent and the Army at 79 percent. Unsurprisingly, "political leaders" come out at eight percent, just below estate agents, at nine. The only surprise is that they ranked that highly.

Speaking of trust, the Today programme this morning did a pretty effective demolition job on Stephen O’Brien’s claims on gold plating. To hear the broadcast, click here. The piece was on just after 08.30.

This whole episode has been a terrible wasted opportunity. Instead of going for the jugular, on excessive EU regulation – and thus putting themselves in the forefront of the argument - the Conservatives tried to take the easy way out, blaming the burden of regulation on the British civil servants adding to the directives.

One again, therefore, the Tories have ducked the issue, and have been found wanting. It is precisely this sort of intellectual dishonesty which, undoubtedly, has led to the loss of trust recorded by the YouGov poll.