ITV News Index

ComRes interviewed 2,031 British adults online between 14^th and 16^th February 2014 on the issue of the recent flooding across the UK.

Date Published: 17 Feb 2014

Categories: Politics | Public and communities | Social | UK

Description

COMRES / ITV NEWS POLL: ALMOST TWO THIRDS SAY GOVERNMENT REPUTATION HAS BEEN BATTERED BY FLOODS

 

 

 

As severe flooding and storms continue to hit the UK, the latest News Index poll conducted by ComRes for ITV News reveals that nearly two thirds of Brits (63%) think the Government is emerging from the current extreme weather situation with a worse reputation for crisis management.

 

Just a quarter (26%) believe that the flooding has made no difference and only 7% think that the Government is emerging from the situation with a better reputation.

 

A majority of every single demographic group thinks that the Government is emerging from the flooding with a worse reputation for crisis management - this includes all age groups, genders, social grades, regions, those in and out of work, and working in both private and public sector.

 

Nearly three quarters of Brits (72%) now think that that the Government does not appear to be in control of the flooding situation in Britain, while only a fifth (20%) agree that the Government is doing enough to help those affected by the flooding and storms.

 

The number of those who disagree that that Government and environmental agencies have responded well the recent flooding has increased dramatically from 39% when the floods first hit in the new year, to 62% today.

 

There has also been an eleven percentage point rise in the number of people who do not think that Britain is well equipped to deal with the weather it is likely to face over the next five years (from 68% in January 2014, to 79% today).

 

Findings in detail:

 

Q: Do you think the Government is emerging from the current flooding situation in Britain with a better reputation for crisis management, a worse reputation, or has it made no difference?

 

Option	%
Better reputation	7%
No difference	26%
Worse reputation	63%
Don’t know	4%

Base: All respondents (n=2,031)

 

 

Q: Do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?

 

Option	Agree	Disagree	Don’t know
The Government and environmental agencies have responded well to the recent flooding across the country (change since January 6th)	22% (-15)	62% (+23)	16% (-8)
Britain is well equipped to deal with the weather it is likely to face over the next five years (change since January 6th)	8% (-5)	79% (+11)	13% (-6)
The recent storms and flooding in the UK are probably a result of climate change mainly caused by human activity (change since January 6th)	41% (+3)	30% (-2)	28% (-2)
There is little the Government can do to minimise the effect of something as powerful as the weather (change since February 3rd)	38% (-5)	49% (+5)	13% (0)
The Government does not appear to be in control of the flooding situation in Britain (change since February 3rd when “flooding situation in Somerset” was asked)	72% (+5)	16% (+2)	13% (-6)

 

Base: All respondents (n=2,031)

 

 

Option	Agree	Disagree	Don’t know
The Government is doing enough to help those affected by the flooding and storms	20%	62%	19%
The Government has responded to the flooding across Britain as quickly as it could be expected to	24%	61%	14%
£5,000 is about the right amount of money to offer businesses and homeowners hit by floods to better protect their properties in the future	23%	38%	39%

 

Base: All respondents (n=2,031)

 

 

Results will run on ITV News at 6.30pm and Ten and can be found online at www.ComRes.co.uk

 

METHODOLOGY: ComRes interviewed 2,031 British adults online between 14^th and 16^th February 2014. Data were weighted to be demographically representative of all GB adults aged 18+. ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.