Recent Polling Reveals Alarming Attitudes Towards Authoritarianism Among Young People in the UK
Good morning. It is Holocaust memorial day, and the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, while the Westminster politics news is relatively light this morning as broadcasters focus on these events. No 10 has not had a minister conducting a morning interview round. Jakub Krupa, who recently took over the Guardian Europe live blog, is covering all the relevant events.
The notable news from Westminster yesterday involved Keir Starmer and Donald Trump having their first conversation since the inauguration, which lasted 45 minutes. Trump provided a peculiar "very good person" endorsement of Starmer to reporters on Air Force One, which, while slightly patronising, is more favourable from the No 10 perspective than Trump’s usual criticisms.
This morning, the Times reports concerning polling that may alarm those who view Trump's election as indicative of a broader global shift in political thought, suggesting young people are increasingly favouring authoritarianism. Recent polling indicates that one in five Britons aged 18 to 45 prefer strong leaders without elections over democracy, and a new poll reveals a more striking trend.
Alex Farber's Times article highlights a "deeply worrying" study showing a significant acceptance of authoritarianism among Generation Z. The findings indicate that:
- Fifty-two per cent of Gen Z (aged 13 to 27) believe the UK would be better off under a strong leader who does not have to deal with parliament and elections.
- Thirty-three per cent suggested the army should take charge.
- Forty-seven per cent agreed that the entire societal structure must undergo radical change through revolution, compared to 33 per cent of those aged 45 to 65.
The polling was conducted by Craft for a Channel 4 report, "Gen Z: trends, truth and trust," which will be released later this week.
Here is the agenda for the day:
- After 10.30am: Kemi Badenoch gives evidence to the Covid inquiry regarding vaccines and therapeutics.
- 11.30am: Downing Street holds a lobby briefing.
- 2.30pm: Bridget Phillipson, education secretary, takes questions in the Commons.
- Afternoon: Nadhim Zahawi, the former vaccines minister, gives evidence to the Covid inquiry.
- 4.30pm: Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, provides evidence to the environmental audit committee on the outcome of the Cop29 climate conference.
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