Coronavirus: who the public trust on the pandemic
Thursday 18 February 2021
Supported by: Introduction
This report includes findings from a survey of 4,860 UK residents aged 18-75 by There is also a link with different behaviours and beliefs related to the crisis: the University of Bristol and King’s College London, conducted between 21 November and 22 December 2020. • 35% of people who say they trust David Icke on the pandemic report arguing with friends or family about getting a coronavirus vaccine – three and a half The research finds that there are big differences in who is trusted on coronavirus times higher than the 10% of the general public who say the same. Those and the response to it. Aside from the leaders of Scotland and Wales – who are who trust Icke are also more than five times as likely to say they’re no longer trusted on coronavirus by a majority of those in their respective countries – only speaking to a loved one because of disagreements about getting vaccinated Chris Whitty (62%) and Patrick Vallance (60%) are trusted by more than half the (28% vs 5%). The same pattern is seen, albeit to a lesser extent, with trust in UK on the crisis and response. other lockdown-sceptic commentators, such as Laurence Fox. Trust in those who doubt the necessity of lockdown measures to combat • Those who say they trust David Icke on coronavirus (56%) are more than coronavirus – such as Nigel Farage (17%) and Laurence Fox (15%) – is lower, twice as likely as the population overall (27%) to believe the real truth about although around one in seven say they trust them on the pandemic. the pandemic is being kept from the public. Trusting lockdown sceptics such as Denise Welch (47%), Nigel Farage (45%) and Laurence Fox (44%) is also Trust is lowest in conspiracy theorist David Icke – who has spread misinformation associated with a much greater likelihood of believing this. about coronavirus vaccines – with one in 11 (9%) reporting that they trust him on the virus. Ethnic minorities (20%) are twice as likely as white people (8%) to say Finally, which professions people trust more generally, and their views of the UK they trust Icke on this issue. government, are also associated with different vaccine intentions. Trust in certain sceptics is associated with some forms of vaccine hesitancy: The minorities of the population who say they don’t trust otherwise well-regarded groups have high levels of vaccine hesitancy. For example, those who say they • 40% of those who trust David Icke on the pandemic say they’re certain or very do not trust doctors and nurses (21%) are less than half as likely as the likely to get a coronavirus vaccine – much lower than the proportions who say population overall (55%) to say they’re certain or very likely to get a coronavirus the same among those who trust Keir Starmer (68%), Patrick Vallance (68%), vaccine. Chris Whitty (67%) and Boris Johnson (64%). And among those who say they trust the information provided by the UK • Half (52%) of those who trust David Icke say that opposition to vaccines in government on coronavirus a great deal, 74% are certain or very likely to get a general is very or fairly likely to persuade them not to get vaccinated against vaccine against coronavirus – compared with 36% of those who say they have no coronavirus, as do significant minorities of people who trust other lockdown trust in this information. sceptics such as Denise Welch (40%), Laurence Fox (33%) and Nigel Farage (31%). By contrast, 15% of the population overall say opposition to vaccines could deter them. How trust in public figures is linked to beliefs about coronavirus and vaccines Aside from the leaders of Scotland To what extent, if at all, do you trust the following people on issues related to and Wales – who are trusted on coronavirus and how we should be responding to it? coronavirus by a majority of those in their respective countries – only Chris Whitty (62%) and Patrick Vallance A great A fair Not very Not (60%) are trusted by more than half deal amount much at all the UK on the crisis and response. Nicola Sturgeon [SCOTLAND ONLY] 33% 34% 14% 16% They come far ahead of the leaders of the two main political parties, Chris Whitty 23% 38% 16% 10% Prime Minister Boris Johnson (38%) and Keir Starmer (34%). Patrick Vallance 21% 39% 14% 10% Trust in those who doubt the necessity of lockdown measures to Mark Drakeford [WALES ONLY] 20% 36% 20% 18% combat coronavirus – such as Nigel Farage (17%) and Laurence Fox (15%) – is lower still, although around Boris Johnson 10% 28% 27% 30% one in seven say they trust them on the pandemic. Keir Starmer 7% 27% 29% 22% Trust is lowest in conspiracy theorist Piers Morgan 4% 19% 26% 39% David Icke – who has spread misinformation about coronavirus vaccines – with one in 11 (9%) Nigel Farage 5% 12% 20% 51% reporting that they trust him on the virus and response to it. Laurence Fox 4%11% 19% 33%
Some figures differ from charts due to Denise Welch 2%10% 21% 33% rounding. David Icke 3%6% 14% 50%
Base: 4,860 UK residents aged 18-75 interviewed online, 21 November and 22 December 2020 There is an ethnic divide in % who trust the following people a great deal or fair amount on levels of trust in some public coronavirus and how we should be responding to it figures on coronavirus and the response to it. White ethnic groups Other ethnic groups White people are more likely than ethnic minorities Chris Whitty 63% to say they trust Chris 49% Whitty and Patrick Vallance Patrick Vallance 61% on the pandemic. 49% 39% And while levels of trust in Boris Johnson various lockdown sceptics 32% are similar across Keir Starmer 34% 36% ethnicities, those from ethnic minorities (20%) are Piers Morgan 23% 26% twice as likely as those from Nigel Farage 17% white ethnic backgrounds 18% (8%) to say they trust David 15% Laurence Fox Icke. 19%
Denise Welch 12% 18%
David Icke 8% 20%
Base: 4,860 UK residents aged 18-75 interviewed online, 21 November and 22 December 2020 Likelihood of getting % who say they are a certain or very likely to get a coronavirus vaccine vaccinated against coronavirus varies with trust Trust a great deal or fair in different public figures. amount on coronavirus… People who say they trust Keir Starmer (68%), Patrick Total 55% Vallance (68%), Chris Whitty (67%) and Boris Johnson Keir Starmer 68% (64%) on the pandemic are more likely than the public Patrick Vallance 68% overall (55%) to say they’re certain or very likely to get a Chris Whitty 67% coronavirus vaccine. Boris Johnson 64% And while, by comparison, people who trust various Piers Morgan 56% lockdown sceptics are less likely to say they’ll get vaccinated, it is only among Laurence Fox 52% those who trust David Icke (40%) where a minority say Denise Welch 52% they’re certain or very likely to get a vaccine. Nigel Farage 51%
David Icke 40%
Base: 4,860 UK residents aged 18-75 interviewed online, 21 November and 22 December 2020 People who trust % who say opposition to vaccines in general is very or fairly likely to persuade lockdown sceptics are them not to take the coronavirus vaccine if one was made available also much more likely to Trust a great deal or fair say that opposition to amount on coronavirus… vaccines in general could persuade them not to get Total 15% vaccinated against coronavirus. David Icke 52% Half (52%) of those who Denise Welch 40% trust David Icke on the Laurence Fox 33% pandemic say this is a possibility, as do Nigel Farage 31% significant minorities of people who trust other Piers Morgan 26% sceptics such as Denise Keir Starmer 17% Welch (40%), Laurence Fox (33%) and Nigel Boris Johnson 17% Farage (31%). Chris Whitty 13%
Patrick Vallance 12%
Base: 4,860 UK residents aged 18-75 interviewed online, 21 November and 22 December 2020 Trust in some lockdown sceptics is % who have had arguments or fallen out with linked with a much higher likelihood of being involved in others over getting a coronavirus vaccine disputes about getting vaccinated. Had arguments with friends or No longer speaking to a friend or family 35% of people who say they trust family members about getting member because of disagreements about David Icke on the pandemic report vaccinated against coronavirus getting vaccinated against coronavirus arguing with friends or family about getting a coronavirus vaccine – three and a half times higher than the 10% of the general public who Trust a great deal or fair say the same. Those who trust amount on coronavirus… Icke are also more than five times as likely to say they’re no longer speaking to a loved one because 35% of disagreements about getting vaccinated. 28% The same pattern is seen, albeit to a lesser extent, with trust in other 22%23% 22% lockdown-sceptic commentators, 19% 20% such as Laurence Fox. People 18% 17% who trust him are twice as likely as the population overall to have 13% 13% 12% 10% 10% 10% 10% argued about the vaccine and 8% almost four times as likely to no 5% 6% 6% longer be on speaking terms with someone because of it. Total David Icke Denise Laurence Nigel Piers Keir Boris Patrick Chris Welch Fox Farage Morgan Starmer Johnson Vallance Whitty
Base: 4,860 UK residents aged 18-75 interviewed online, 21 November and 22 December 2020 Those who say they trust David % who believe the real truth about coronavirus is being kept from the public Icke on coronavirus (56%) are more than twice as likely as the population overall (27%) to believe Trust a great deal or fair the real truth about the pandemic amount on coronavirus… is being kept from the public. Trusting lockdown sceptics such Total 27% as Denise Welch (47%), Nigel Farage (45%) and Laurence Fox David Icke 56% (44%) is also associated with a much greater likelihood of Denise Welch 47% believing this.
And while Piers Morgan has Nigel Farage 45% different views on the pandemic and the measures needed to Laurence Fox control it, people who trust him are 44% more likely to have this conspiracy suspicion, too. Piers Morgan 38% By contrast, those who trust political leaders and government Boris Johnson 22% scientific experts such as Chris Whitty (18%) are much less likely Keir Starmer 21% to believe a cover-up is taking place. Patrick Vallance 18%
Chris Whitty 18%
Base: 4,860 UK residents aged 18-75 interviewed online, 21 November and 22 December 2020 The same dynamic can % who believe the authorities want us to think that be seen when it comes coronavirus is much more dangerous than it really is to belief in the conspiracy claim that the authorities Trust a great deal or fair want us to think amount on coronavirus… coronavirus is far more Total 20% dangerous than it really is, with those who trust David Icke 45% lockdown sceptics much more likely than the Nigel Farage 37% public overall to believe Laurence Fox 35% this is true. Denise Welch 33%
Piers Morgan 25%
Boris Johnson 17%
Keir Starmer 14%
Patrick Vallance 11%
Chris Whitty 11%
Base: 4,860 UK residents aged 18-75 interviewed online, 21 November and 22 December 2020 Believing that the % who believe the government is deliberately allowing vulnerable people to die government is deliberately letting the Trust a great deal or fair vulnerable die is also amount on coronavirus… linked with greater trust in lockdown sceptics. Total 19% For example, while 11% David Icke 40% of those who trust Boris Denise Welch 30% Johnson on the pandemic think this is Laurence Fox 27% true, 40% of those who trust David Icke and 30% Piers Morgan 26% of those who trust Denise Nigel Farage 25% Welch believe it. Keir Starmer 17%
Patrick Vallance 13%
Chris Whitty 12%
Boris Johnson 11%
Base: 4,860 UK residents aged 18-75 interviewed online, 21 November and 22 December 2020 How trust in different professions and government is linked to vaccine hesitancy Doctors and nurses are by To what extent, if at all, do you trust the following? far the most trusted group in the UK, with 92% having A great A fair Not very Not confidence in them. deal amount much at all Various types of scientists Doctors and nurses in the UK 59% 33% 5%1% also command high levels of trust, and the Scottish (67%) and Welsh (63%) Scientists working at universities in the UK 42% 45% 8%2% governments are trusted by significant majorities of Scientists working with the government in the UK 31% 47% 14% 5% people in their respective nations. Scientists working at private companies in the UK 24% 53% 15% 4% The UK government (44%) The Scottish government [SCOTLAND ONLY] 27% 40% 19% 13% is trusted far less by comparison, but journalists come bottom of the ranking, The Welsh government [WALES ONLY] 24% 39% 25% 10% trusted by a third of the country (33%). The people in your neighbourhood 8% 47% 31% 8%
Some figures differ from charts due to The UK government 9% 35% 34% 21% rounding. Journalists in the UK 3% 29% 44% 21%
Base: 4,860 UK residents aged 18-75 interviewed online, 21 November and 22 December 2020 Across different ethnicities, % who trust the following groups a great deal or fair amount there are relatively similar levels of trust in doctors and White ethnic groups Other ethnic groups nurses, scientists working at universities and scientists working with the UK 93% Doctors and nurses in the UK government. 86%
But there is more of a 87% Scientists working at universities in the UK difference when it comes to 80% scientists working at private companies, who are trusted 79% Scientists working with the government in the UK by 77% of white people and 71% 66% of ethnic minorities. 77% Scientists working at private companies in the UK Of the different groups 66% listed, it is only journalists in the UK who are trusted 56% The people in your neighbourhood more by ethnic minorities 54% (45%) than they are by 44% white people (32%) The UK government 43%
32% Journalists in the UK 45%
Base: 4,860 UK residents aged 18-75 interviewed online, 21 November and 22 December 2020 The minorities of the % who say they are a certain or very likely to get a coronavirus vaccine population who say they don’t trust otherwise well- Do not trust very regarded groups have much or at all… high levels of vaccine hesitancy. Total 55% For example, those who say they do not trust doctors and nurses Scientists working at private companies in the UK 31% (21%) are less than half as likely as the population overall (54%) Scientists working with the government in the UK 28% to say they’re certain or very likely to get a coronavirus vaccine. Doctors and nurses in the UK 21%
Scientists working at universities in the UK 21%
Base: 4,860 UK residents aged 18-75 interviewed online, 21 November and 22 December 2020 Trust in government is % who say they are certain or very likely to get a coronavirus vaccine linked with a greater Trust the information provided by likelihood of getting the UK government on coronavirus vaccinated. Trust a great deal 74% Among those who say they trust the information Trust a fair amount 61% provided by the UK government on Do not trust very much 49% coronavirus a great deal, Do not trust at all 36% 74% are certain or very likely to get a vaccine against coronavirus – % who say they are a certain or very likely to get a coronavirus vaccine compared with 36% of Trust the UK government to those who say they do control the spread of the virus not trust this information Trust a great deal 74% at all. Trust a fair amount 62%
Do not trust very much 50%
Do not trust at all 47%
Base: 4,860 UK residents aged 18-75 interviewed online, 21 November and 22 December 2020 Daniel Allington Siobhan McAndrew Senior Lecturer in Social and Senior Lecturer in Cultural Artificial Intelligence Quantitative Social King’s College London Science University of Bristol Bobby Duffy Director George Murkin The Policy Institute Acting Head of King’s College London Communications The Policy Institute Vivienne Moxham-Hall King’s College London Research Associate The Policy Institute King’s College London
@policyatkings www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/policy-institute