Social attitudes survey makes grim reading for No voters - Angus Robertson

Public attitudes are always in flux, but the annual Scottish Social Attitudes Survey findings are a great way to take the temperature of the nation. Latest findings in the gold-standard of research from the 2021-22 survey show views in key areas such as attitudes to Government, the economy, the health service and political engagement in Scotland.
The annual Scottish Social Attitudes Survey takes the temperature of the nationThe annual Scottish Social Attitudes Survey takes the temperature of the nation
The annual Scottish Social Attitudes Survey takes the temperature of the nation

When it comes to attitudes to Government and the Scottish Parliament a remarkable two-thirds (66 per cent) of people in Scotland trust the Scottish Government to work in Scotland’s best interests, compared with only 22 per cent who trust the UK Government to do so.

In a hammer-blow to supporters of Westminster rule, the level of trust in the UK Government to work in Scotland’s best interests has reached a nine-year low. Almost half of respondents (46 per cent) almost never trust it to work in the long-term best interests of those in Scotland. In contrast, three-quarters (75 per cent) of people in Scotland think the Scottish Government ought to have the most influence over the way Scotland is run, compared with only 14 per cent who think the UK Government should.

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On the views on level of tax and government priorities, it is clear that the public takes a different perspective to the recent calamitous UK Government fiscal event. In the survey conducted before the Liz Truss car crash, the majority of people in Scotland (64 per cent) thought the level of taxation and spending on health, education and social benefits should be increased, 32 per cent thought the level of taxation and spending should stay the same and 3 per cent thought it should decrease. Meanwhile, most people (68 per cent) agreed that income should be redistributed from the better-off to those who are less well-off, while 16 per cent disagreed.

Notwithstanding the massive pressures on the National Health Service in Scotland caused by the Covid pandemic over half (54 per cent) of people in Scotland were satisfied with the way the NHS is run, compared with 28 per cent who said they were dissatisfied.

When looking at the state of the economy and standard of living in Scotland, more people thought that the Scottish economy had got weaker in the previous 12 months (66 per cent) than thought it had got stronger (7 per cent), and 21 per cent thought it had stayed the same. Meanwhile, more people thought that the standard of living had fallen (63 per cent) than thought it had increased (8 per cent), while 27 per cent thought it had stayed the same.

Regardless of people’s different priorities there was general agreement in the need for political engagement and levels of social trust. A large majority thought it important to vote in Scottish Parliament elections (98 per cent), local council elections (95 per cent) and UK Government elections (92 per cent).

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The findings in this survey demonstrate continued faith in the Scottish Government to deliver on behalf of the people of Scotland. They clearly show that despite these uncertain times, people agree with the Scottish Government’s priorities to build a fairer, greener, wealthier Scotland.

All in all, the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 2021-2022 makes for hugely interesting and insightful reading. The survey was conducted by the Scottish Centre for Social Research between 21 October 2021 and 27 March 2022 and is available on their website.

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