Agents trusted to tell truth more than politicians (or journalists)

Oh no, it’s another of those polls. And frankly, EAT is slightly less than enthusiastic.

According to an Ipsos MORI survey earlier this month of 1,018 adults aged 18-plus across Britain, estate agents are among the least trusted professionals in the UK.

In fact, they come close to the bottom in a league table headed by those who are most trusted to tell the truth – who are doctors, teachers, scientists and judges.

However, despite coming fifth from last in terms of untrustworthiness, people do trust estate agents more than MPs, bankers, journalists (I am not lying) and politicians generally.

Of course, journalists haven’t done themselves any good with the phone hacking scandal, the sins of bankers are well known, and politicians can’t always be trusted with driving points.

However, it is perhaps slightly surprising how many people put so much trust in doctors given the death toll at the Mid-Staffordshire Hospital and the subsequent revelations over whistle-blowing and cover-ups.  

Anyway, the poll was refreshingly simple. People were simply asked which professions they would trust to tell them the truth.

In descending order, the results are: doctors, teachers, scientists, judges, TV news readers, clergymen, police, the ordinary person in the street, civil servants, pollsters, trade union officials, business leaders, estate agents, MPs, bankers, journalists, and politicians generally.