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You are here: Home The FreeThink Blog Archive 2008 January 23 Britain's increasing liberality

Britain's increasing liberality

by Russell Eagling last modified Wednesday, 23 Jan, 2008 11:03

Most of today's papers cover the results of the latest British Social Attitudes Survey.  The FT does the best job at summarising the findings:

"Britain is a country with more liberal views on marriage and family life, but less sympathy for the poor than it used to have – marked by a growing concern about the environment and a male population that thinks it does more of the housework despite the disbelief of its womenfolk." UK survey shows rise in liberal views - FT

There are virtually identical summaries in the Guardian and Times - whilst The Daily Mail focuses on what the survey says about women "A woman's place is in the office"

Generally the papers welcome the findings.  Only the Telegraph really decries the picture that is painted:

"[The survey] suggests that public opinion has been formed by media fashion and anti-marriage government policies: so much so that all the statistical evidence now in the public domain showing marriage to be by far the most stable and secure form of union in which to raise children is scarcely having an impact. Politicians who wish to change this perception are going to have to be braver and bolder in speaking the truth."

Good to see some parts of the right wing media are still able to lay the blame of all manner of British problems at the door of the left wing media.

Aspiring politicians wanting to get some free polling data on attitudes towards public services would also be well advised to dip into "Smells like public spirit" and "Hail to the halo effect" in The Guardian or "Public service ethos thrives amongst the young" in the FT.

Perhaps the most sage advice though comes from the Independent:

"You don't need a highly-trained social researcher to tell you what every woman can tell you for free: that men say one thing in talking principle and do something entirely different when it comes to practice." Unequal Rights - The Independent

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