Political Conduct and Misconduct: Probing Public Opinion

The media and public responses to the expenses scandal of 2009 demonstrated the enduring importance of standards of conduct in British public life. This article addresses some basic questions concerning citizens' attitudes towards political wrongdoing, including how much notice people actually take of politicians' misbehaviour, how much importance citizens attach to politicians' integrity and how big a problem in politics political misconduct is thought to be. Drawing on responses to a representative survey of the British public, this article finds that most people do take some notice of scandals, and that most people, when forced to choose, prize honesty in their politicians over competence. It also finds that these factors influence how big a problem certain types of behaviour are perceived to be.