Just 22% of Scots trust the British government to make decisions in their best interests, survey reveals

November 2022

Just 22% of Scots trust the British government to make decisions in their best interests: A study looking at the views of Scottish people on the UK and Scottish government has uncovered that just 22% of Scottish citizens believe Westminster will make decisions that are in Scotland’s best interests. On the other hand, two-thirds of Scottish citizens trust the Scottish government to make the best decisions for the country.

The annual Scottish Social Attitude study by the Scottish government polled 1,043 Scottish residents between October 2021 and March 2022. The study was first conducted in 1999 with the aim of finding out the opinions  of Scottish citizens on relevant issues.

When looking at who the Scottish public believe has the most influence over them, 58% said they believe it to be the Scottish government, while just under a third (32%) believe the main UK government has the most influence.

Most Scots believe the Scottish government gives Scotland a stronger voice in the UK (64%), rather than a weaker voice (7%). In addition, 63% of those surveyed believe the Scottish government gives more of a say to Scottish people.

The study also looked at the opinions of Scottish people on current political issues in the nation; with almost two-thirds (64%) saying the level of taxation and spending on education, health and social benefits should be increased. Furthermore, just 3% of participants said the level of taxation in these areas should be decreased, with 32% saying it should stay the same

When looking at the cost-of-living crisis and the Scottish economy, two-thirds are of the opinion that the Scottish economy has fallen over the last 12 months, with 7% believing the economy has strengthened, and a further fifth (21%) stating it has remained the same.

Lorna Slater MSP, co-leader for Scottish Greens and minister, said: “The survey shows the positive impact we are having with devolution. With the powers of a normal country, we could do so much more. Independence would allow us to do even more to take a different and better path and to build a Scotland that works for people and the planet.”