Three quarters of people 'cannot name their local MP'

[Omah]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22555659

Three quarters of people are unable to name their MP, according to an annual Hansard Society survey.

Interviews with 1,128 people found that 22% of people could name their own MP, compared with 38% in 2011.

The report suggests many people were "disenchanted" with politics, with the proportion saying they would not vote doubling from 10% in 2011 to 20%.

The public's self-declared likelihood to vote is the lowest recorded since the audit series began 10 years ago.

Despite the prominence of the eurozone crisis and the debate on the UK's EU membership, 57% of people did not correctly identify the fact that Britons elect members to the European Parliament.

The report from the Hansard Society - a charity which aims to strengthen parliamentary democracy and encourage greater public involvement in politics - also suggests that 33% of people believed peers were elected.

The society said "fewer and fewer people are convinced about the value of voting than at any point in the last decade", raising "serious questions" about the system of government in this country.

Quelle surprise .... :rolleyes:

[Shaun]

I don't know the MP for Bath, but I know the one from home.

[Cherie]

No idea who my MP is.

[Saph]

I think mines called David Rendall or something

[Z]

I don't really see why you would need to know who your local MP is unless you need to contact them regarding a constituent issue. Obviously, if you voted in the last local election, you'll know who the MP is anyway, and because people are so apathetic towards politics in this country, not many people vote in local elections. I think voting should be made compulsory in this country - too many people moan about the state of the country and not enough people do something about it. Compulsory voting and a proportional representation voting system are what this country needs.

[Marsh.]

Forcing them to vote will end up with a load of people just putting a random mark on the ballot paper. It won't force them to make an informed decision, they'll just choose at random.

[Shaun]

far too many idiots not voting for compulsory votes to be considered

[MTVN]

If voting was compulsory there'd need to be a 'none of the above' option I think

[Marc]

I don't know :laugh:

I knew mine was/is David Cameron.. not sure LUL

[Marc]

Nicola Blackwood.

[GiRTh]

Ken Clarke.

[Marsh.]

Dave Watts. I think... or might be Shaun Woodward. I'll have to check.

[MTVN]

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown is mine, a proper old school, countryside Tory. He came in to give a talk to us during sixth form once and someone started heckling him about some expenses abuses he'd allegedly committed :laugh:

[Marc]

David Cameron came to my school once :bored:

[Marsh.]

What for? To hire staff?

[Marcus.]

Catherine McKinnell