Despite the coronavirus crisis tightening many purse strings across the country, one in five Britons have donated to a charity in the past three months, according to data from YouGov Profiles.

Donors are especially likely to be older people, with 48% being aged 55 and above (compared to 38% of all Britons being this age. They are also more likely to be female (54%) than male (46%).

These donors were more likely to have given money as an ad hoc event (51%) than as part of a regular donation schedule (43%). One in nine (11%) gave ad hoc donations as well as having structured contributions.

Donors’ personal income levels are largely identical to those of the population as a whole. Approaching half of donors (46%) have between £1 and £499 a month in disposable income, compared to 42% of all Britons.

Charity-givers are most likely to have been donating money to health/medicine charities (30%) and animal charities (27%). A further one in five (20%) donate to children and youth charities.

In terms of noticeable attitudinal differences, donors are more likely to agree with the statements “I make an effort to support local business” (75%, compared to 67% of the general population) and “I try to buy products made in my home country (64% vs 56% of all Britons).

(YouGov)

July 30, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/consumer/articles-reports/2020/07/30/one-five-britons-have-given-charity-last-three-mon

648-649-43-33/Country Profile: United Kingdom

SUMMARY OF POLLS

ASIA

(India)

One in 5 in the country jobless after lockdown

The central government had imposed a nationwide lockdown on March 25, while the process of unlocking was started from June 1. After the easing of lockdown in the country, one out of five people has been rendered jobless, as per the IANS-CVoter Covid-19 Tracker conducted among a sample size of 1,723. According to the survey, 21.57 per cent of people have either completely laid off work or are out of work. The survey also indicated that 25.92 per cent of people are still working under regulations and safety measures with the same income or salary while 7.09 per cent people are working from home without having any cut in salary. (C-Voter)

July 23, 2020

MENA

(UAE)

Optimism about personal finances is on the rise among UAE residents

The appearance of the Covid-19 pandemic has turned our familiar world upside down within a span of few months. YouGov’s economic recovery tracker run between 7th May and 2nd July reveals how the crisis has affected the nation’s finances. With the economy gradually reopening, UAE residents are hopeful about their personal monetary situation and a third (33%) think their finances will get better in twelve months’ time while 23% expect them to remain in the same state. The number who think they will get worse stands at 25%. (YouGov)

July 22, 2020

(UAE)

Resuming tourism will benefit the economy, but many worry about sharing public spaces with tourists

As Dubai attempts to return to normal life and resume international tourism and hospitality, YouGov’s latest survey asked respondents about their comfort of sharing public places with international tourists and the areas of concern.When asked about their concerns of sharing public places with tourists, the majority of respondents (56%) claimed to be very or somewhat concerned about sharing shopping spaces with them. Among the different age groups, concern is highest among young adults (between 18-24 years) while it is the least among respondents aged 45+ (64% vs 44%). (YouGov)

July 30, 2020

AFRICA

(Angola)

Majority of Angolans see risk of retaliation if they report corruption, Afrobarometer survey shows

Despite appeals by the president and attorney general to join the national crusade against corruption, a majority of Angolans believe that reporting corruption cases carries risks of retaliation or other negative consequences, according to Afrobarometer’s first survey in the country. Survey findings show that Angolans are divided in their views on other aspects of the fight against corruption, including whether corruption levels have increased or decreased, whether President João Lourenço is using the issue to get rid of political opponents, and whether corruption charges stemming from before 2017 should be dropped to promote the country’s political stability. (Afrobarometer)

July 30, 2020

(Siera Leone)

Majority of Sierra Leoneans like universal free education but call for greater investment, new Afrobarometer study shows

An overwhelming majority of Sierra Leoneans say they or a member of their family have benefited directly from the Free Quality School Education (FQSE) policy by getting free schooling for children or students in their families, a new Afrobarometer survey shows. Sierra Leoneans largely support the FQSE policy for all grade levels, and many oppose the idea of limiting free education in order to save money. A large majority give the government positive ratings for its performance in addressing educational needs (at least before recent school closings due to COVID-19 presented a whole new set of challenges). (Afrobarometer)

July 28, 2020

EUROPE

(Germany)

For the majority of Germans, meat belongs on the grill

Germans are grill fans: almost nine out of ten Germans (87 percent) say they like to eat grilled food. In addition, for the vast majority of Germans, meat belongs on the grill. 71 percent each say that they prefer to eat steaks and (fried) sausages. Every second person (52 percent) likes to eat meat skewers from the grill, 31 percent vegetable skewers and 29 percent paprika. In last place is fruit such as pineapple (10 percent). That is the result of a current YouGov survey in cooperation with Statista. (YouGov)

July 30, 2020

(Germany)

One in six read all Harry Potter books

On July 31, 2020, the character Harry Potter celebrates his 40th birthday. YouGov asked the Germans about the fictional character and the books by British author JK Rowling. Every sixth German (15 percent) has read all seven Harry Potter books. 11 percent have read several, but two thirds of those surveyed (67 percent) have not read any of the British author's books. That the books exert a fascination on their readers is shown by the fact that 36 percent of those surveyed who have read at least one of the Harry Potter books have enjoyed reading it several times. This is what most respondents say between the ages of 18 and 24 (51 percent) and between 25 and 34 years (49 percent). (YouGov)

July 30, 2020

(France)

COVID-19: What are the French plans for 2021?

The state of mind of the French seems to have changed during the health crisis: more than two in three French people (67%) say they want to enjoy life more, 66% are more worried about the future and 65% now give more importance to their family. In addition to having impacted the state of mind of the French, this health crisis has also had an impact on their projects, especially with regard to travel abroad. Thus, 21% of French people have already canceled travel plans abroad due to COVID-19 and 20% are postponing booking future trips. Only 6% plan to maintain their international travel plans. (YouGov)

July 29, 2020

(UK)

More than half of office staff will work from home for the rest of summer while a fifth of bosses plan to bring employees back on a part-time basis, survey of 94 of UK's largest firms reveals

More than half of office workers will carry on working from home despite lockdown restrictions set to ease, a survey has found. The Chartered Governance Institute and the Core Project interviewed 94 of Britain's largest employers and found that 52 per cent of them would continue to operate working from home. The survey of company secretaries across a range of sectors found that only 19 per cent of workers would be heading back to the office full time when the Government's 'work from home' guidance eases next week. (Daily Mail)

July 30, 2020

Bingewatch Britain? Viewers more likely to finish a TV series if it’s released all at once

YouGov Daily data indicates that those who have access to a series all at once are more likely to complete it: three in ten (31%) believe the binge model is more conducive to finishing a show than the week-by-week model – with 17% believing they’re more likely to get to the end of a series that’s released week by week. (YouGov)

July 21, 2020

45% of Brits don’t trust TV ads

YouGov data shows that two-thirds of Brits (67%) feel “bombarded” by advertising – and a plurality (45%) don’t trust them – and of this group, 12% “definitely agree” that they don’t trust TV ads. Our data shows that as Brits get older, they become more wary of TV ads. Those in the 18-24 and 24-39 age brackets are about as likely to trust commercials as they are to distrust them. Those between 40-54 are actually more likely to believe ads than disbelieve them. But Brits over 55 are dramatically more likely to distrust TV commercials: 42% are sceptical compared to 34% who aren’t. Members of this group are more likely to be male than female: 62% of men distrust ads compared to 38% of women. (YouGov)

July 30, 2020

One in five Britons have given to charity in the last three months

We use YouGov Profiles to look at the kind of people who have been donating money in these straitened times. Despite the coronavirus crisis tightening many purse strings across the country, one in five Britons have donated to a charity in the past three months, according to data from YouGov Profiles. Donors are especially likely to be older people, with 48% being aged 55 and above (compared to 38% of all Britons being this age. They are also more likely to be female (54%) than male (46%). (YouGov)

July 30, 2020

Conservative Party members stand by Boris, but would vote for Rishi if it came to it

Talk of changing leaders doesn't wash with Tory members, the vast majority of whom approve of Johnson's record to date. It has now been over a year since the Conservative Party membership delivered Boris Johnson a landslide victory over Jeremy Hunt in the leadership election, and ultimately the keys to Downing Street. To see what they think about that decision with the benefit of hindsight, YouGov has surveyed party members. (YouGov)

July 23, 2020

How do Brits feel about reopened pubs?

In June most Brits told us that they felt uncomfortable about returning to pubs, and the headline figures have not drastically changed since then, despite doors opening again. Overall, 49% of Brits say they would feel uncomfortable returning to a pub now, compared to 54% in June. Currently a quarter of Brits (25%) say they are fairly uncomfortable, and another 24% are very uncomfortable with the prospect. (YouGov)

July 24, 2020

One in five Britons say they’ve done well out of coronavirus

Three in ten also seem to think the outbreak has benefitted key workers. With life in Britain slowly returning to normal now seems like a good time to ask Britons to take stock and assess how badly they think society has been affected by the coronavirus ordeal. While a majority of Britons (57%) feel negatively impacted by the outbreak, staggeringly close to one in five Britons (18%) say that in spite of the stockpiling, lockdown and looming economic crisis, the pandemic has had a positive effect on them. (YouGov)

July 27, 2020

From home life to work and money: the impact of lockdown on the 50-70s revealed

Ipsos MORI conducted research on behalf of the Centre for Ageing Better to understand the impact lockdown has had on those in their 50s and 60s. The findings reveal how the pandemic has changed people’s lives and their plans for the future. Around a fifth of individuals aged 50 – 70 years have seen their physical health deteriorate during the pandemic and over one-third have said that is the case for their mental health. A trend which has been more acute among those who are more vulnerable. (Ipsos MORI)

July 30, 2020

Face masks becoming normal but a flashpoint while ‘COVID-secure’ behaviours sticking

A new UK study by King’s College London and Ipsos MORI finds that while people are getting used to wearing face masks, they have been a source of tension for some. The study also finds that precautionary “COVID-secure” behaviours are sticking, with reported compliance largely unchanged from May. The study is based on 2,237 interviews with UK residents aged 16-75, and was carried out online between 17 and 20 July 2020. This was before the wearing of face masks became mandatory in shops in England, but after the measure was announced by the government. (Ipsos MORI)

July 30, 2020

Get on board the (savings) equality train

Last year, Britain was divided on Brexit. This year, the long-standing inequities faced by ethnic minority populations have been revealed to a wider audience, (which you can read about from a financial perspective in a blog by Flora Vieites, our FRS Director, George Floyd and a fragmented Britain) and today it is a virus that is splitting the country. Office of National Statistics (ONS) data reports more than 600,000 redundancies, with more to come, a 125% increase in unemployment claimants, a 60% drop in job vacancies between March and May 2020 and in-work poverty on the increase. So far, it is younger generations, women and low earners who have been most sharply affected, being several times more likely than average to have lost their job due to lockdown. (Ipsos MORI)

July 24, 2020

NORTH AMERICA

Republicans see China more negatively than Democrats, even as criticism rises in both parties

Americans in both major parties now see China much more negatively than in the recent past, but Republicans are more likely than Democrats to express skepticism across a range of measures, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. The survey, conducted in June and July, comes as Donald Trump and Joe Biden both make China a key campaign issue ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November. (PEW)

July 30, 2020

Amid coronavirus outbreak, nearly three-in-ten young people are neither working nor in school

As COVID-19 cases have surged in the United States, young adults face a weakening labor market and an uncertain educational outlook. Between February and June 2020, the share of young adults who are neither enrolled in school nor employed – a measure some refer to as the “disconnection rate” – has more than doubled, according to a new analysis of Census Bureau data by Pew Research Center. Most of the increase is related to job loss among young workers. (PEW)

July 29, 2020

Four-in-ten who haven’t yet filled out U.S. census say they wouldn’t answer the door for a census worker

As 2020 census workers begin knocking on the doors of millions of U.S. households that have not returned their census questionnaires, four-in-ten U.S. adults who have not yet responded say they would not be willing to answer their door, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Among those who say they have not participated in the census, 40% say they would not be willing to talk to a census worker who came to the door; 59% say they would be at least somewhat willing. (PEW)

July 29, 2020

A look at the Americans who believe there is some truth to the conspiracy theory that COVID-19 was planned

Most Americans (71%) have heard of a conspiracy theory circulating widely online that alleges that powerful people intentionally planned the coronavirus outbreak. And a quarter of U.S. adults see at least some truth in it – including 5% who say it is definitely true and 20% who say it is probably true, according to a June Pew Research Center survey. The share of Americans who see at least some truth to the theory differs by demographics and partisanship. (PEW)

July 24, 2020

Most Americans Say Policing Needs 'Major Changes'

In the wake of widespread protests sparked by the May 25 killing of George Floyd, a majority of Americans (58%) say major changes are needed to make policing better. An additional 36% say minor changes are needed, while 6% say no changes are needed. There are substantial differences by demographic groups. Almost nine in 10 Black Americans (88%) say major changes are needed, compared with 63% of Hispanic Americans and 51% of White Americans. (Gallup USA)

July 22, 2020

K-12 Teachers Worried About COVID-19 on the Job

As school districts around the country begin to announce their plans for educating students this fall, a broad majority of U.S. schoolteachers say they are worried about being exposed to the coronavirus while working. Three-quarters of kindergarten through high school teachers say they are "very" (57%) or "moderately" (18%) concerned about COVID-19 exposure at their workplace. This compares with half of all other workers who are either very (21%) or moderately worried (29%). (Gallup USA)

July 22, 2020

U.S. COVID-19 Outlook Deteriorates as Infections Spike

As COVID-19 infections continue to rise sharply in the U.S., so too has Americans' pessimism about the trajectory of the coronavirus situation. Americans' view that the situation is getting worse has more than doubled to 73%, the highest Gallup has recorded since it began tracking these views in early April. This rise in pessimism comes six weeks after hitting a low of 31%. In Gallup's July 13-19 survey, 73% of Americans said the coronavirus situation is getting worse and 55% believe it is getting a lot worse. Both are the highest recorded measures since trending began in April. (Gallup USA)

July 24, 2020

Two in Three Americans Support Racial Justice Protests

About two in three Americans (65%) support the nationwide protests about racial injustice that followed the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police in late May. Half say they feel "very" (23%) or "somewhat connected" (27%) to the protests' cause. Black Americans, young adults and Democrats are among the most likely groups to support and feel connected to the protests. (Gallup USA)

July 28, 2020

AUSTRALIA

Melbourne enters “Lockdown 2.0” but movement in the CBD higher than during initial stages of first lockdown

Roy Morgan has partnered with leading technology innovator UberMedia to aggregate data from tens of thousands of mobile devices to assess the movements of Australians as we deal with the restrictions imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The interactive dashboard below tracks the movement data for those visiting the Melbourne CBD during 2020 excluding the residents who normally live there. Movement data from a number of key locations around Melbourne, and Sydney, is also available to view by using the interactive dashboard on the website. (Roy Morgan)

July 28, 2020

Satisfaction of Australia’s banks improves amid COVID-19

In May, customer satisfaction with Australia’s banks was at 79.5%, up 0.2% points on April, and up 1.1% points from a year ago in May 2019. The biggest improvement in customer satisfaction over the last year was from Australia’s four major banks, with satisfaction up 1.4% points to 77.2% in May. Commonwealth Bank has the highest satisfaction of the four majors in May closely followed by NAB, ANZ and Westpac in fourth. (Roy Morgan)

July 21, 2020

MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES

A major YouGov study of citizens in 13 member countries looks at attitudes to the EU

In April of this year YouGov conducted a major international survey for the European University Institute’s European Governance and Politics Programme. We surveyed more than 21,000 people across 14 European countries: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. With the exception of the UK, all of these countries are EU member states. (YouGov)

August 04, 2020

Most European travellers would rather cancel their holiday than go into quarantine

British holidaymakers were caught by surprise two weeks ago when it was announced that Britons holidaying in Spain will need to quarantine for two weeks on their return. With the travel industry already reeling, new YouGov Eurotrack polling conducted in Britain, Germany, France, Denmark and Sweden uncovers the impact COVID-19 restrictions have on people’s holiday plans. The results shown are as a % of people in each country who ever travel abroad – i.e. those who the travel industry might consider to be their customer base. (YouGov)

August 04, 2020

U.S. Leadership Remains Unpopular Worldwide

In the third year of Donald Trump's presidency, a new Gallup report shows that despite marginal gains, the image of U.S. leadership started the new decade in a weaker position globally than at most points under the past two presidents. After tumbling to a record-low 30% during the first year of Trump's presidency, the image of U.S. leadership was not much better in the third year of his term. The median global approval rating for U.S. leadership across 135 countries and areas edged up to 33% in 2019. This rating is slightly higher than the previous low under Trump, but it is still one percentage point lower than the previous low of 34% under former President George W. Bush in 2008. (YouGov)

August 04, 2020

ASIA

648-649-43-01/Poll

One in 5 in the country jobless after lockdown

The central government had imposed a nationwide lockdown on March 25, while the process of unlocking was started from June 1.

After the easing of lockdown in the country, one out of five people has been rendered jobless, as per the IANS-CVoter Covid-19 Tracker conducted among a sample size of 1,723.

According to the survey, 21.57 per cent of people have either completely laid off work or are out of work. The survey also indicated that 25.92 per cent of people are still working under regulations and safety measures with the same income or salary while 7.09 per cent people are working from home without having any cut in salary.

The central government had imposed a nationwide lockdown on March 25, while the process of unlocking was started from June 1. This survey was done from June 24 to July 22, focusing on the status of the main wage earner of the family.

According to the survey, income of 8.33 per cent people have decreased but they are working under regulations and safety measures, while 8 per cent people who are working from home also faced salary cuts or a decrease in income.

The survey also indicated that 6.12 per cent people in the country are left with no income after the lockdown was eased, while 1.20 per cent people are still working but not getting any salary.

The current survey findings and projections are based on CVoter daily tracking poll conducted among 18+ adults statewide.

(C-Voter)

July 23, 2020

Source: https://www.indiatvnews.com/jobs/news-coronavirus-lockdown-one-in-5-in-country-jobless-636606

MENA

648-649-43-02/Poll

Optimism about personal finances is on the rise among UAE residents

As economic activity gradually picks up in the country, residents seem positive about the future of their finances

With the economy gradually reopening, UAE residents are hopeful about their personal monetary situation and a third (33%) think their finances will get better in twelve months’ time while 23% expect them to remain in the same state. The number who think they will get worse stands at 25%.

residents-expect-personal-finances-to-improve

The proportion of residents who said their financial condition has deteriorated (compared to a month ago) during the crisis has reduced from 56% in May to 42% at the end of June. On the contrary, claims of their monetary situation improving or remaining unchanged has gone up from 6% to 11% and 33% to 41%, respectively.

In order to deal with the financial implications of the virus, a majority of residents were actively reducing their non-essential expenses, and still seem to be doing so. A third (34%) were relying on their savings to take care of their expenses but this number has come down from 34% to 27% since the initial wave of the survey.

reliance-on-savings-reduce

At an overall level, the proportion of residents who said the Covid situation in their country is becoming better has increased since May, and by the end of June, the majority feels UAE has made progress in this regard. The figures seem to align with the reopening of businesses in June and we see a gradual increase throughout the month.

Confidence in the recovery of the economy also seems to be growing. When asked about UAE’s economic situation in the future, 27% residents believe in the next twelve months the country’s economy will be growing or booming. This is up from 17% who said this in early May. However, 33% still believe the economy will be in a recession or depression, even though the number is down from 40% who said this in early May.

confidence-in-economic-recovery-grows

A similar trend is evident when it comes to job security where although a large proportion of public are still insecure about their jobs, the number seems to be declining week-on-week. 57% admitted to feeling less secure about their jobs when we first ran the survey in May. However, with the reopening of businesses, this figure has decreased and now (June-end) 47% said they are insecure about their jobs. A parallel movement is clear in the level of business activity, where the number of respondents saying they have experienced decreased level of business activity has fallen down (from 67% to 48%) while those saying it has increased (from 7% to 17% saying this) has trended upward between May and June.

(YouGov)

July 22, 2020

Source: https://mena.yougov.com/en/news/2020/07/22/optimism-about-personal-finances-rise-among-uae-re/

648-649-43-03/Poll

Resuming tourism will benefit the economy, but many worry about sharing public spaces with tourists

Concern is the highest about sharing shopping areas with tourists, followed by restaurants

When asked about their concerns of sharing public places with tourists, the majority of respondents (56%) claimed to be very or somewhat concerned about sharing shopping spaces with them. Among the different age groups, concern is highest among young adults (between 18-24 years) while it is the least among respondents aged 45+ (64% vs 44%).

residents-concerned-about-sharing-shopping-spaces

Just above half (53%) are worried about dining in at the same restaurant as these visitors, as well as being in the same tourist spots with them (52%). We see a notable difference between the level of comfort among the genders. Women are much more likely than men to be worried about eating in the same restaurants as tourists (60% vs 49%).

It is interesting to note that fear about being present in all the listed public areas along with tourists is higher among Asian expats than respondents from other nationality groups.

In general, these concerns are likely to be influenced by the country of travel origin, with seven in ten (69%) UAE residents agreeing with the statement ‘My concerns with international tourists depend on the country they are travelling from’.

Even though there is apprehension about welcoming international travellers, the majority (83%) believe opening up the country to tourists will have a positive impact on the economy. UAE residents think this decision is most likely to benefit Hotel and Airline industries (62% each). Respondents aged 45+ are most likely to believe in this possibility (at 72%) as compared to the rest of the age groups.

residents-think-hotels-airlines-are-likely-tobenefit

Some residents think Cultural destinations and Shopping malls (37% and 32%) will also benefit from this move, while fewer believe this step will prove advantageous to Restaurants (25%) and Leisure & Entertainment venues (24%).

(YouGov)

July 30, 2020

Source: https://mena.yougov.com/en/news/2020/07/30/resuming-tourism-will-benefit-economy-many-worry-a/

AFRICA

648-649-43-04/Poll

Majority of Angolans see risk of retaliation if they report corruption, Afrobarometer survey shows

Survey findings show that Angolans are divided in their views on other aspects of the fight against corruption, including whether corruption levels have increased or decreased, whether President João Lourenço is using the issue to get rid of political opponents, and whether corruption charges stemming from before 2017 should be dropped to promote the country’s political stability. But a majority agree that the government should recover all assets acquired by corrupt means.

Overall, a majority of Angolans say the government is doing a poor job of fighting corruption. Among key state institutions, the police are most widely seen as corrupt.

(Afrobarometer)

July 30, 2020

Source: https://www.afrobarometer.org/press/majority-angolans-see-risk-retaliation-if-they-report-corruption-afrobarometer-survey-shows

648-649-43-05/Poll

Majority of Sierra Leoneans like universal free education but call for greater investment, new Afrobarometer study shows

Sierra Leoneans largely support the FQSE policy for all grade levels, and many oppose the idea of limiting free education in order to save money. A large majority give the government positive ratings for its performance in addressing educational needs (at least before recent school closings due to COVID-19 presented a whole new set of challenges). But only about half of citizens say the quality of education has improved under FQSE, and a majority want the government to invest more resources to ensure a high-quality education for all.

Sierra Leone is making significant gains in school enrollment, but learning outcomes, literacy levels, and skills acquisition are among the lowest in sub-Saharan Africa. According to the United Nations Development Programme, Sierra Leone's Human Development Index values place close to the bottom – 181st of 189 countries.

(Afrobarometer)

July 28, 2020

Source: https://www.afrobarometer.org/press/majority-sierra-leoneans-universal-free-education-call-greater-investment-new-afrobarometer

EUROPE

648-649-43-06/Poll

For the majority of Germans, meat belongs on the grill

Summer is barbecue time - what do Germans put on the grill and what not? A YouGov poll found it out

MEN ARE MORE FIXATED ON MEAT WHEN GRILLING

When looking at the sexes, it is noticeable that men in particular cannot do without the meat when grilling. The clear majority of men say that they prefer to eat steaks (78 percent vs. 64 percent of women) and sausages (77 percent vs. 65 percent of women) from the grill. More than every second man likes to eat meat skewers (55 percent vs. 50 percent of women) and 29 percent like minced meat / meatballs. Women, on the other hand, prefer to eat vegetable skewers (40 percent vs. 22 percent of men) and cheese, such as halloumi (33 percent vs. 19 percent of men).

MEN AND WOMEN ARE EQUALLY OPEN TO VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN GRILL PRODUCTS

There is hardly any difference between the sexes in the proportion of Germans who would put meat substitute products on the grill. For example, 27 percent of both men and women say they try vegetarian or vegan grilled sausages. Vegetarian or vegan steaks would try 23 percent of men and 22 percent of women, and vegetarian or vegan burgers would have a chance with 28 percent of men and 29 percent of women.

(YouGov)

July 30, 2020

Source: https://yougov.de/news/2020/07/29/auf-den-grill-gehort-fur-die-mehrheit-der-deutsche/

648-649-43-07/Poll

One in six read all Harry Potter books

On July 31, 2020, the character Harry Potter celebrates his 40th birthday. YouGov asked the Germans about the fictional character and the books by British author JK Rowling.

Hogwarts, Quidditch, magic formulas and Platform 9 3/4 - such terms make the hearts of many people beat faster. The world of Harry Potter has charmed readers around the world for over 20 years. Every sixth German (15 percent) has read all seven Harry Potter books. 11 percent have read several, but two thirds of those surveyed (67 percent) have not read any of the British author's books. That the books exert a fascination on their readers is shown by the fact that 36 percent of those surveyed who have read at least one of the Harry Potter books have enjoyed reading it several times. This is what most respondents say between the ages of 18 and 24 (51 percent) and between 25 and 34 years (49 percent).

GERMANS DO NOT HAVE A FAVORITE MAIN CHARACTER

When asked whether Harry Potter, Ron Weasley or Hermione Granger were the favorite main characters of the German Harry Potter connoisseurs, it turned out that the majority have no favorite main character - 54 percent gave this answer. Harry's name was mentioned most often with 18 percent. Hermione said 15 percent and Ron said 5 percent. The 25- to 34-year-olds named him the most frequently (13 percent).

ALBUS DUMBLEDORE IS THE MOST COMMON FAVORITE SUPPORTING CHARACTER

The Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Albus Dumbledore is the number one favorite supporting character among Harry Potter connoisseurs (17 percent). The semi-giant Rubeus Hagrid follows in second place with 12 percent and Harry's godfather Sirius Black in third place with 10 percent. The opaque teacher Severus Snape and Harry's opponent Lord Voldemort are each named by 7 percent as a favorite supporting character. Half of the respondents have no favorite secondary character.

HARRY POTTER'S WORLD IS FASCINATING FOR ALMOST HALF

45 percent of Harry Potter connoisseurs find the magical world in which Harry lives fascinating. A majority of respondents (55 percent) believe that children can learn a lot about friendship, courage and solidarity from the stories. Women say this more often (58 percent) than men (52 percent).

(YouGov)

July 30, 2020

Source: https://yougov.de/news/2020/07/30/jeder-sechste-hat-alle-harry-potter-bucher-gelesen/

648-649-43-08/Poll

COVID-19: What are the French plans for 2021?

Has the state of mind of the French been altered following this unprecedented period? What new trends are emerging in terms of consumption for the coming months? What projects for 2021? Answers with YouGov RealTime .

The French want more "to enjoy life"

An impact on the projects planned for 2021?

In addition to having impacted the state of mind of the French, this health crisis has also had an impact on their projects, especially with regard to travel abroad. Thus, 21% of French people have already canceled travel plans abroad due to COVID-19 and 20% are postponing booking future trips. Only 6% plan to maintain their international travel plans.

In fact, the desire to travel abroad - expressed by 20% of the French - is logically at the top of the intentions for the projects planned for 2021, just ahead of the desire to buy a car (16%) and to buy or sell a house / apartment (10%).

New behaviors vis-à-vis brands

Also impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, brands have had to adjust their strategy in connection with this unprecedented situation. More than one in three French people (37%) say that brands have a greater impact for a “better future” than the government. In addition, nearly one in two French people (47%) want to buy only brands that share their values.

In terms of action to be taken, 61% of French people believe that brands should give priority to protecting the environment and 60% think that they should adopt localized production in France .

The desire to consume locally is also found in the desires of consumers after the COVID-19 period: 63% of the population declares that they will favor local products, and 34% organic products.

(YouGov)

July 29, 2020

Source: https://fr.yougov.com/news/2020/07/29/quels-sont-les-projets-des-francais-pour-2021/

648-649-43-09/Poll

More than half of office staff will work from home for the rest of summer while a fifth of bosses plan to bring employees back on a part-time basis, survey of 94 of UK's largest firms reveals

· Survey by Chartered Governance Institute found 52 per cent would continue to work from home with only 19 per cent heading back in to the office full time

· Only a quarter said they would return to the office for the same number of days

· Firms such as Google and Natwest have said workers will stay at home into 2021

· Data emerges as Prime Minister Boris Johnson urges the UK to go back into work

More than half of office workers will carry on working from home despite lockdown restrictions set to ease, a survey has found.

The Chartered Governance Institute and the Core Project interviewed 94 of Britain's largest employers and found that 52 per cent of them would continue to operate working from home.

The survey of company secretaries across a range of sectors found that only 19 per cent of workers would be heading back to the office full time when the Government's 'work from home' guidance eases next week.

More than half of workers will continue to work remotely despite restrictions being lifted next week, a survey by the Chartered Governance Institute and the Core Project has found

Another 19 per cent would be going back part-time while the remaining 10 per cent specified another option.

In a separate poll, which was carried out last month, the governing body found that just over a third of the respondents wanted to go back to the office - the same percentage as the number of those who wished to return.

Peter Swabey, Policy and Research Director at The Chartered Governance Institute said: 'It is clear from the responses that many respondents will continue to work remotely for the time being, but envisage having more flexibility about where to work when they do return to the office.

'Many see the benefits to remote working, such as a reduced commute time and more time to spend with family.

'One respondent felt so strongly about the advantages of home working that they said they would look for another job if denied the opportunity to do so.

'However, not all respondents are wedded to the idea of home working. One respondent to this latest poll mentioned that there are adverse consequences, including difficulties in collaborating, lack of social or informal networking, as well as difficulties in trainin.

'There are also many other factors that organisations need to consider when looking at this issue, such as mental wellbeing and physical discomfort if people are working from home in conditions that are less ideal than they might be in the office.'

A survey carried out by the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment (CISI) found that 46 per cent of their 2,000 members did not expect to return to the office for the same number of days.

Simon Culhane, CISI CEO said: 'These are truly challenging times for financial services business owners, firms and individuals working in our profession globally.

'Many firms have had an epiphany, including ourselves, as to the ease and benefits of working from home.

'Businesses are now re-evaluating what is the purpose of an office, with many focussing on using them primarily for creativity, collaboration and communication rather than a de facto place for work.'

The figures come after, earlier this month, Boris Johnson urged Britons to 'get back into work' where possible when working restrictions come to an end in August.

The PM suggested people should return to the office if it is 'safe' as he held an online Q&A session with members of the public on July 10.

Top firms employing 400,000 staff have only sent back about 40,000 to the workplace so far, after many switched to remote working during the virus crisis.

Unilever, BT, Royal Bank of Scotland, Rolls-Royce and GlaxoSmithKline are among those who still have no immediate plans to do so, despite official guidance giving the all-clear from August 1.

Google has said it will allow employees to work from home until at least next summer and investment firm JP Morgan has only brought back 15 per cent of staff which is expected to rise to more than 20 per cent when restrictions are lifted.

Natwest has said that an estimated 50,000 of its employees will work from home into 2021 while HSBC confirmed most of its staff would work from home until at least September.

Unite, the union, has also raised concerns about vulnerable workers returning to the office next week.

The union pinpointed key issues such as mental health as people were fearful of returning to a work environment over which they had no control and concerns about disciplinary procedures for those too worried to return to work.

Unite assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail said: 'As we ease back into the workplace, we need to pay special attention to the concerns of those who have been 'shielding' these last five months.

'There is an arbitrary ring to the 1 August date and we question whether ministers have thought through all the implications as thousands of 'shielding' workers gingerly return to their place of employment.

'The pandemic has shown that trade unions are the last line of defence when it comes to protecting employment rights and maintaining health & safety standards.

'There has been insufficient time allowed by this announcement for many individuals to mentally adjust to the proposed physical return to work, often on possibly crowded public transport; let alone sorting out with their employer risks associated with travel and workplace assessment.

'It should not be forgotten that Covid-19 is still prevalent throughout the UK.'

(Daily Mail)

July 30, 2020

Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8575345/Survey-finds-half-office-staff-work-home-rest-summer.html

648-649-43-10/Poll

Bingewatch Britain? Viewers more likely to finish a TV series if it’s released all at once

As more streaming services experiment with moving away from the “binge-watch” model, three in ten Britons say they’re more likely to complete a show when every episode is released at the same time - versus just 17% of those who watch weekly

In 2013 Netflix released every episode of House of Cards at once – fundamentally changing the way many people consume TV and motivating many other providers to follow their example. But it’s not a model that has been a success for every series or every streaming service: there have been arguments that the “binge” structure limits the buzz around certain shows and can even ensure they “disappear from the cultural conversation” earlier than they would otherwise.

With Disney+ using a week-to-week model for The Mandalorian – and with Amazon announcing that Season 2 of The Boys will transition towards weekly episode releases – it’s worth exploring how viewers feel about the way that TV shows are delivered to their living rooms.

When those who don’t mind how a series is released are combined with those who are more likely to complete shows they watch all at once, they amount to more than seven in ten (73%) viewers. What’s more, there’s evidence to suggest Brits actively favour TV series that make every episode available at the same time.

According to a YouGov Daily poll from September 2019 most (52%) would rather have access to a show that releases every episode at once compared to 38% who want to watch shows on a week by week basis. Our data indicates that the public certainly make enough time for binge watching TV: 55% of Brits watch more than 10 hours of TV a week, and three in ten (29%) watch more than 20 hours.

So streaming providers may have to strike a delicate balance between giving the majority who favour binge watching what they want – and extending the longevity of their content, which may have more opportunities to build an audience and a cultural conversation when episodes are released on a weekly basis.

(YouGov)

July 21, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/technology/articles-reports/2020/07/21/bingewatch-britain-viewers-more-likely-finish-tv-s

648-649-43-11/Poll

45% of Brits don’t trust TV ads

Data from YouGov Profiles reveals that 12% put no stock in commercials whatsoever

We publish a monthly “Ad of the Month” column on YouGov – recent winners have included KFC, EE, and M&S. These columns usually focus on increases in awareness and buzz for high-performing commercials. But how do audiences actually feel about these ads when they see them?

Our data shows that as Brits get older, they become more wary of TV ads. Those in the 18-24 and 24-39 age brackets are about as likely to trust commercials as they are to distrust them. Those between 40-54 are actually more likely to believe ads than disbelieve them.

But Brits over 55 are dramatically more likely to distrust TV commercials: 42% are sceptical compared to 34% who aren’t. Members of this group are more likely to be male than female: 62% of men distrust ads compared to 38% of women.

The hardcore sceptics are also more likely to hold a range of negative attitudes towards ads: seven in ten (69%) believe ads are annoying, two-thirds (64%) distrust poster/billboard ads as well as those they see on TV, and 52% believe ads are a waste of time.

They’re also less likely to watch TV in general than those who trust TV ads: 44% watch television against 62% of those who aren’t wary of commercials. A better way to reach them might be branded emails: a quarter (27%) of sceptics pay attention to these communications compared to just one in ten (10%) who pay attention to TV ads. It might also be worth making an effort with their favoured media channel: national newspapers. Six in ten (59%) read broadsheets and tabloids – so marketers might have better luck placing their ad next to a column instead of running a commercial.

(YouGov)

July 30, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/media/articles-reports/2020/07/30/45-brits-dont-trust-tv-ads

648-649-43-12/Poll

One in five Britons have given to charity in the last three months

We use YouGov Profiles to look at the kind of people who have been donating money in these straitened times

Despite the coronavirus crisis tightening many purse strings across the country, one in five Britons have donated to a charity in the past three months, according to data from YouGov Profiles.

Donors are especially likely to be older people, with 48% being aged 55 and above (compared to 38% of all Britons being this age. They are also more likely to be female (54%) than male (46%).

Charity-givers are most likely to have been donating money to health/medicine charities (30%) and animal charities (27%). A further one in five (20%) donate to children and youth charities.

(YouGov)

July 30, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/consumer/articles-reports/2020/07/30/one-five-britons-have-given-charity-last-three-mon

648-649-43-13/Poll

Conservative Party members stand by Boris, but would vote for Rishi if it came to it

Talk of changing leaders doesn't wash with Tory members, the vast majority of whom approve of Johnson's record to date

It has now been over a year since the Conservative Party membership delivered Boris Johnson a landslide victory over Jeremy Hunt in the leadership election, and ultimately the keys to Downing Street. To see what they think about that decision with the benefit of hindsight, YouGov has surveyed party members.

The polling shows the membership still overwhelmingly back the Prime Minister, with 85% thinking he is doing well in the job and just 15% believing he’s doing a bad job. Even 69% of those who voted for Jeremy Hunt are supportive of his performance.

Likewise, despite increased discussion about the Prime Minister potentially being replaced at some point in the future, there is currently no appetite for that among the membership. Just 9% think he should stand down and be replaced by someone else, with 89% thinking he should currently remain leader.

Even thinking into the future, the vast majority (76%) think he should lead the party into the next election, with just 17% thinking he should let someone else fight the campaign instead.

Ultimately that decision will not be made by Conservative Party members, but MPs in the House of Commons, who could be spooked over the coming years if polling turns against them and they start to fear losing their seats. If that were to occur they would then decide on two candidates who would be on the ballot paper for the full membership.

We modelled 36 of these head-to-head battles, with nine of the bookies' favourite candidates, to see how a hypothetical leadership election might play out.

One candidate stands head and shoulders above the others. Rishi Sunak would win by a landslide against all of the other eight candidates we tested. His strongest rival would be Dominic Raab, who stood in for the Prime Minister while he was hospitalised, but even then Sunak is currently 50 points ahead, beating him 75% to 25%.

Raab wins in seven of the matchups, with Michael Gove winning six, Priti Patel winning five, and Sajid Javid and Matt Hancock both winning three and drawing against each other. Penny Mordaunt wins in two and Jeremy Hunt wins in only one scenario. Tom Tugendhat, who is less well known that the others, is currently behind against all other candidates.

It goes without saying that there is a lot of room for these numbers to change before any future leadership election, and Boris Johnson spent most of his time behind in polls of Conservative Party members before going on to win last year. But such a significant lead for the current Chancellor marks him out as a very strong favourite as Johnson’s successor.

(YouGov)

July 23, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2020/07/23/conservative-party-members-stand-boris-would-vote-

648-649-43-14/Poll

How do Brits feel about reopened pubs?

Majority of Brits see pub visits as at least a moderate COVID-19 risk – but a fifth of regular pub-goers have already been back to their local

The iconic Great British pub has been back in business for a couple of weeks. But how many drinkers have returned – and what’s putting off those who haven’t.

Are Brits comfortable with heading to the pub?

In June most Brits told us that they felt uncomfortable about returning to pubs, and the headline figures have not drastically changed since then, despite doors opening again.

Overall, 49% of Brits say they would feel uncomfortable returning to a pub now, compared to 54% in June. Currently a quarter of Brits (25%) say they are fairly uncomfortable, and another 24% are very uncomfortable with the prospect.

Only 8% of Brits are very comfortable with the idea, the same level we saw in June. Another 20% are fairly comfortable doing so, compared to 18% who said the same in June. Men are the most likely to be comfortable returning, at 33%, compared to under a quarter (24%) of women.

However, for those diehard fans of the pub out there, not even the threat of a second wave of coronavirus will stand between them and their local. Approaching a quarter (24%) of Brits who are worried about a second wave of COVID-19 still say they would comfortable to some extent with returning to the pub, and many of that group already have.

What parts of the pub make Brits uncomfortable?

With the majority of Brits still not comfortable with the idea of hitting the pub, what is it that’s putting them off given all the safety measures put in place by landlords? We asked English pub goers which aspects of the pub concern them and, for nearly all the demographics we looked at, the problem is simply being indoors with others.

Of the activities we asked English pub goers about, the majority of the demographic splits are uncomfortable with the idea of sitting inside. Overall 58% of English pub goers said they would uncomfortable sitting inside a pub, rising to 69% of those who are worried about a second wave of COVID-19.

Pub goers are more than happy to eat and drink however, with 61% being comfortable with purchasing drinks, and half also comfortable purchasing main meals in pubs (52%) – important given that many pubs will surely take part in the “Eat out to help out” voucher scheme recently announced by Rishi Sunak.

Only those who are worried about a second wave of COVID-19 are more likely to be uncomfortable eating main meals at the pub (49%).

Some 58% of drinkers are also uncomfortable using toilets in a pub – the same proportion as those uncomfortable with sitting inside. A similar proportion (55%) would also uncomfortable ordering at the bar, something which many pubs currently aren’t allowing.

Brits say it’s a risk, but pubs will boost national morale

The threat of COVID-19 remains very real, despite the relaxation of some elements of lockdown. And as such the vast majority of Brits (79%) see going to the pub as presenting at least a moderate risk of catching the virus – with three in ten (31%) saying that popping into the local for quick pint presents a high risk.

Most Brits also say that reopening pubs will be good for the nation’s morale. Over half (59%) of Brits say that reopening pubs will have a positive impact on national morale – even 59% of those adults worried about a second wave of the virus say the same.

How many have returned so far?

So despite many still being uncomfortable with going to back to pubs, and even more seeing doing so as a risk, how many English adults have been back to the beloved boozer?

One in five (21%) English pub goers say they’ve been back to the pubs at least once since their grand reopening on July 4^th. This figure is highest among men, 25% of whom have been back to the pub so far with another 24% planning to go back before the end of August while summer is in full swing.

Despite being more likely to see it as a risk of catching COVID-19, those who are worried about a second wave are on par with those who are not in terms of visiting the pub – as 19% of those worried about a possible second wave of COVID-19 say they have visited the pub since they reopened.

Almost three in ten London-based pub drinkers (28%) have been back to the local since it reopened, the highest percentage of any region. Only 18% of pub-goers in the South and North of England have also done so.

Only 13% of English pub-goers concerned about another outbreak of COVID-19 say they’ve been put off pubs for the foreseeable future, compared to 11% of English pub-goers over all - this is despite many seeing visiting the pub as a substantial risk for catching the virus.

(YouGov)

July 24, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/food/articles-reports/2020/07/24/how-do-brits-feel-about-reopened-pubs

648-649-43-15/Poll

One in five Britons say they’ve done well out of coronavirus

Three in ten also seem to think the outbreak has benefitted key workers

With life in Britain slowly returning to normal now seems like a good time to ask Britons to take stock and assess how badly they think society has been affected by the coronavirus ordeal.

While a majority of Britons (57%) feel negatively impacted by the outbreak, staggeringly close to one in five Britons (18%) say that in spite of the stockpiling, lockdown and looming economic crisis, the pandemic has had a positive effect on them.

This figure is broadly consistent across social groups, although there is a slight gender divide (21% of men vs 16% of women) and age gap (19-20% of those aged 25-64 compared to 15% of 18-24 year olds and 16% of those aged 65 and above).

A further 20% of Britons say that the coronavirus outbreak has had no impact on them.

Who do Britons think COVID-19 has hit hardest?

If we rank groups by the number saying they think coronavirus has had a large negative impact on them then key workers come top. Three in ten Britons (30%) believe those in vital occupations who have worked through the outbreak have experienced the worst impact of the crisis.

However, if we rank groups by the total number saying they think coronavirus has had a negative impact of any severity on them then key workers fall as far as seventh out of the eleven groups we asked about.

Six in ten Britons (60%) think key workers will have had a negative experience of the pandemic, compared to the 73% who say the same of school-age children and parents of school-age children, who top the list.

In fact, three in ten Britons (29%) actively believe that coronavirus has had a positive impact on key workers, including 17% who think it has had a large positive impact. Older Britons (39%), Leave voters (35%) and Conservative voters (36%) are the most likely to thing key workers have benefitted from coronavirus.

In fact, Leave voters and Tories are consistently less likely to think that the coronavirus outbreak has had a negative impact on British society than their Remain- and Labour-voting counterparts.

What groups are Britons most likely to think are better off?

Aside from key workers and themselves, Britons are particularly likely to think that those who worked from home over the course of lockdown have benefited from the pandemic. In fact, at 38% the proportion of Britons who think this are effectively tied with the 35% who think it has had a negative impact (a further 17% think this group haven’t been affected).

Close to a quarter of Britons (23%) also consider furloughed workers to have come away with a good deal from the crisis.

How far do perceptions match up with reality?

To see how close the mark the public are we can compare attitudes against data from YouGov’s economic recovery tracker, which looked at the impact on Britons’ household finances.

It would appear that those Britons who thought workers had experienced no impact were closest to the reality – at least as far as money is concerned.

Among furloughed workers 50% say that the crisis has made no difference to their household finances. However, four in ten (39%) say their monetary situation has deteriorated over the past month, while just 7% say it has improved.

Britons who have had to work more hours as a result of the crisis – which we can use as a rough proxy for key workers – are as likely to say their household finances are better off than they were (21%) as they are to say worse off (21%). Again, a majority feel their accounts are much the same as they were a month previously 58%.

Among the large majority of workers whose employment has been unaffected by the outbreak, fully 70% say that there has been no impact on their household finances. Only 12% feel better off financially, and 15% feel worse off.

(YouGov)

July 27, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/health/articles-reports/2020/07/27/one-five-britons-say-theyve-done-well-out-coronavi

648-649-43-16/Poll

From home life to work and money: the impact of lockdown on the 50-70s revealed

Around a fifth of individuals aged 50 – 70 years have seen their physical health deteriorate during the pandemic and over one-third have said that is the case for their mental health. A trend which has been more acute among those who are more vulnerable.

Effect of pandemic on physical health

Concern over financial security is also evident with more than two in five (44%) fearing their finances will worsen in the year to come, a proportion which increases to 66% among those who are self-employed.

Effect of pandemic on financial circumstances

But there has been some positive changes, with many appreciating the time spent with family, helping their communities, a better work life balance and time to reflect on their careers and future.

Three in ten have been volunteering informally, such as running errands for neighbours, and the majority of those who have taken up volunteering expect to carry on doing so in the future.

Many have enjoyed spending more time with loved ones, and as a result are re-thinking their priorities: nearly half of those in work would consider changing their working pattern in future, and a quarter would consider a career change.

Pandemic effect on employment post-lockdown

(Ipsos MORI)

July 30, 2020

Sources: https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/home-life-work-and-money-impact-lockdown-50-70s-revealed

648-649-43-17/Poll

Face masks becoming normal but a flashpoint while ‘COVID-secure’ behaviours sticking

A new UK study by King’s College London and Ipsos MORI finds that while people are getting used to wearing face masks, they have been a source of tension for some.

The study also finds that precautionary “COVID-secure” behaviours are sticking, with reported compliance largely unchanged from May.

The study is based on 2,237 interviews with UK residents aged 16-75, and was carried out online between 17 and 20 July 2020. This was before the wearing of face masks became mandatory in shops in England, but after the measure was announced by the government.

Face mask wearing

There has been a marked increase in face mask wearing, with 70% now saying they have worn one in the last few weeks, up from 19% in April.

There is also widespread belief that wearing face masks helps stop COVID-19 from spreading, with 81% agreeing and only 9% disagreeing.

Face mask conspiracies

One in 10 people (10%) think wearing a face mask is bad for your health, which increases to 16% of 16-24-year-olds and 19% of those who think COVID-19 is a low risk to the UK.
Around a quarter of those who say they get a great deal or fair amount of their information on COVID-19 from WhatsApp (27%) and YouTube (23%) say wearing a mask is bad for your health.
One in eight people (13%) think the government only wants us to wear face masks as a way of controlling us, which increases to one in five 16-24-year-olds (21%) and a quarter among BAME groups (25%).
Again, there are even larger differences for those who draw on social media for information about the virus: a third (34%) of those use WhatsApp as a main source of information agree, as do 3 in 10 (30%) who rely on YouTube.

Face masks as a flashpoint

Confronting or reporting someone

One in 12 people (8%) have confronted others for not wearing a mask.
This increases to one in five people who think they’ve had coronavirus (20%), and a quarter of those who get a great deal or fair amount of their information from WhatsApp (24%). This will partly reflect the younger age profile of these groups, and their greater likelihood of leaving the home more regularly.
One in 20 (5%) have reported someone to the authorities for not wearing a mask.
This triples to 16% among those who think they’ve had coronavirus, and is four times higher among those who get their information on coronavirus from WhatsApp (20%).

Being confronted or reported

More than one in 20 people (6%) say they’ve been confronted by someone for not wearing a mask.
This again increases to around one in five of those who’ve had or think they’ve had coronavirus (21%), and a quarter of those who get their information from WhatsApp (25%) or YouTube (24%).
One in 20 people (5%) have been reported to the authorities for not wearing a face mask, which increases to 16% of those who think they’ve had coronavirus, 18% of those who get their information from YouTube and 20% of those who get their information from WhatsApp.

Overall, 13% of the population have either confronted or reported people about not wearing face masks, or been reported or confronted themselves.

But this varies hugely across the population, with the following groups much more likely to have been involved in confrontations or reports to the authorities:

Those who rely on WhatsApp (40%) or YouTube (37%) as a source of COVID-19 information.
People who think they’ve had the virus (33%).
16-24-year-olds (31%).

Living with face masks long-term

If a vaccine or treatment does not become available, 77% consider it acceptable that people will be required to wear face masks outside their home over the very long term – up from 67% in May.
However, half (47%) also say it would be acceptable for people to choose whether to wear face masks – although this is down significantly from 67% in May.
Views are fairly consistent across groups, though only 58% of those who think coronavirus is a low risk in the UK think it is acceptable to require people to wear them in the very long term.

Relaxing lockdown

48% of parents now say they will feel comfortable about sending their children back to school, up from 33% in the third week of May.
There has been a slight decline, from 54% to 50%, in the proportion thinking the UK government is relaxing the measures too quickly.
On a trade-off between fighting coronavirus and maintaining personal freedoms, the majority of the population (62%) give more emphasis to fighting coronavirus, while 18% are more focused on protecting civil liberties.

Aside from on children’s schooling, there has been only a limited change in views since the third week of May, with people still most likely to prioritise health over the economy and other impacts, but slightly less worried about relaxing the rules.

This stable picture may reflect largely unchanged financial experiences across the population since May.

“COVID-secure” precautionary behaviours

Despite the easing of the restrictions, a quarter of people (26%) still say they haven’t left their home for five or more of the last seven days – though this is down from 41% in May.
11% of parents now say their child has not left home at all in the past week, compared with 23% in May. Still, 30% of children are reportedly not leaving home on five or more days a week, down from 47% in May.
Claimed levels of behaviours such as hand-washing, covering your mouth when you cough and staying 2 metres away from people have hardly changed, remaining at around 90%.
And the proportions of those who say they are going further, by washing their clothes when they return home (40%) or washing or disinfecting items they bring into their home (52%), are virtually unchanged since May.

Finally, while the threat from COVID-19 has reduced and lockdown has been relaxed somewhat, there has been little change in the proportions who say they have been suffering in the past month:

46% say they have been more anxious and depressed, compared with 48% in May.
39% say they have felt more lonely, compared with 43% in May.

And a quarter (26%) still say they have drunk more alcohol than they normally would, down slightly from 29% in May.

(Ipsos MORI)

July 30, 2020

Sources: https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/face-masks-becoming-normal-flashpoint-while-covid-secure-behaviours-sticking

648-649-43-18/Poll

Get on board the (savings) equality train

Office of National Statistics (ONS) data reports more than 600,000 redundancies, with more to come, a 125% increase in unemployment claimants, a 60% drop in job vacancies between March and May 2020 and in-work poverty on the increase. So far, it is younger generations, women and low earners who have been most sharply affected, being several times more likely than average to have lost their job due to lockdown.

Lowest earners 7 times more likely than highest earners to have lost their job due to lockdown
Source: Institute of Fiscal Studies, Sector shutdowns during the coronavirus crisis: which workers are most exposed?

With the high street banks not desperate to increase savings deposits, this is a good opportunity for the sector to get on board the equality train and help the least affluent to save in a way that benefits them.

Singing in the rain – or drowning?

Although job losses due to the lockdown are rising and likely to continue, many workers have made some gains. Less commuting and less weighed out on leisure activities means that, according to Ipsos research, 63% of consumers have spent less during lockdown and 32% were able to put more away in savings. But this additional cash is not distributed evenly across the population.

According to the Financial Research Survey (FRS), the top 3% of savers hold 45% of the total aggregated cash savings wealth and this unbalanced distribution has widened during the COVID-19 crisis.

Between January and May 2020, the total aggregate cash savings wealth of the top 3% of savers went up by 9%, compared to only a 3% increase among the bottom 53% of savers.

COVID-19 deepened cash inequalities

Realistic and flexible savings products are needed

FRS data shows the most affluent savers tend to hunt down savings products and providers with the best rates, while the least affluent will tend to stick with providers offering rates well below inflation.

Nationwide has launched a new account aimed at this segment, but just how many of the least well-off can increase their balance by £50 per month to enter a prize draw for a £100 win remains to be seen. Overall, Nationwide’s Payday=Saveday mission to get people into the savings habit is a positive one.

NS&I’s Help to Save product provides a more radical solution for those on benefits – needing to save only £1 a month to receive a 50% tax-free bonus on deposits up to £50. Launched in September 2018, based on published data, by January 2020, 162,000 Help to Save accounts held a total of more than £53 million in deposits, which is £327 on average. However, this translates to a take up of roughly 5%, leaving up to 95% of those receiving tax credits or universal credits still available for a cash savings solution.

Credit Unions have long worked at a local level to provide ‘save to borrow’ schemes which allow savers to obtain credit as long as they have put something away in savings. Ipsos research for the Fairbanking Foundation shows this is a very appealing concept which works; but outside of Ireland credit unions are little known.

Raising equality in the savings market – foundations for success

There are more providers and products out there aimed at less affluent savers, but their success should be measured in terms of take-up, equality of opportunity to save and fair benefits to savers. Based on what we see through our FRS data, I suggest these cornerstones for success:

Set realistic minimum deposits: before setting any minimum saving deposit, ask whether the level is truly achievable for the least affluent. £1 has a very different value depending on who you are talking to. For the least affluent £1 may be more accessible than say £50.
Penalties, holidays and incentives: replace savings penalties with deposit holidays. Consider tiered interest rates to incentivise saving while not penalising withdrawals.
Holistic products that address everyday realities: The least affluent rely on access to credit but can benefit from building up savings in a manageable way. Hybrid products that provide access to a credit and savings vehicle are ideal. This can also help providers balance the costs of provision.
Promote: Specialist products need to be heavily advertised to promote take-up, to combat inertia to switching / opening an account. While a national TV campaign may be prohibitive, online advertorials and partnerships with relevant charities could be a realistic option.

Within all of this, the concept of social mobility should not be ignored. The least affluent can improve their financial situation. Combined with accessible financial advice and guidance, this could be a powerful combination to help vulnerable customers become more financially resilient.

(Ipsos MORI)

July 24, 2020

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/get-board-savings-equality-train

NORTH AMERICA

648-649-43-19/Poll

Republicans see China more negatively than Democrats, even as criticism rises in both parties

Below are five key facts exploring these partisan differences in more detail.

How we did this

Republicans have long held more unfavorable views of China than Democrats, but unfavorable views have climbed rapidly among both parties over the past year. In the new survey, 83% of Republicans and those who lean to the Republican Party say they have an unfavorable view of China, compared with 68% of Democrats and Democratic leaners – record highs for both groups. The 15 percentage point gap between the parties is also among the widest in Pew Research Center surveys dating to 2005. Republicans are also much more likely than Democrats to say they have a very unfavorable view of China (54% vs. 35%).

Republicans are much more critical of China’s role in the coronavirus outbreak. Republicans are almost 30 percentage points more likely than Democrats to say China has done a bad job handling the coronavirus outbreak (82% vs. 54%). They are also much more likely to say China contributed to the global spread of the pandemic. Around three-quarters of Republicans (73%) say China’s early handling of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan contributed a great deal to its global spread, compared with around four-in-ten Democrats (38%).

Republicans are twice as likely as Democrats to describe China as an enemy, though this is a minority position in both parties. Around four-in-ten Republicans describe China as an enemy (38%) rather than as a competitor (53%) or partner (8%). Among Democrats, 19% describe China as an enemy, while 61% call it a competitor and 19% say they consider the country a partner.

The share of Republicans who describe China as an enemy has increased 21 percentage points since 2012, compared with a more moderate increase of 8 points among Democrats.

When it comes to views of economic ties with China, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to describe them as bad (73% vs. 63%).

Republicans generally support taking a tougher policy approach to China than Democrats. When it comes to America’s economic and trade policy, U.S. adults overall are divided over whether it is more important to build a stronger relationship with China (51%) or get tougher with it (46%). But Republicans are twice as likely as Democrats to support getting tougher with China (66% vs. 33%). They are also about twice as likely (71% vs. 37%) to say the United States should hold China responsible for its role in the spread of coronavirus, even at the expense of worse relations.

Democrats, in turn, are more likely than Republicans to say that the U.S. should promote human rights in China over prioritizing economic relations with China. But at least seven-in-ten in both partisan coalitions hold this opinion.

Americans have little confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping, but Republicans are especially critical. Overall, around three-quarters of Americans (77%) have little or no confidence in President Xi to do the right thing in world affairs, including 55% who have no confidence at all in the Chinese leader. The share with no faith in Xi has increased by 10 points over the past four months and is more than double the share who said this in 2019. While Republicans and Democrats were equally likely to lack confidence in the Chinese leader in 2018 and 2019, there is a now a partisan gap: Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say they have little or no faith in Xi (82% vs. 75%). Republicans are also more likely to say they have no confidence at all in Xi (61% vs. 51%).

(PEW)

July 30, 2020

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/07/30/republicans-see-china-more-negatively-than-democrats-even-as-criticism-rises-in-both-parties/

648-649-43-20/Poll

Amid coronavirus outbreak, nearly three-in-ten young people are neither working nor in school

At the beginning of 2020, the share of Americans ages 16 to 24 who were “disconnected” from work and school mirrored rates from the previous year. But between March and April, the share jumped significantly, from 12% to 20%. By June 2020, 28% of youths were neither in school nor the workplace.

While not the highest on record, June’s 28% disconnection rate – which translates into 10.3 million young people – is the highest ever observed for the month of June, dating back to 1989 when the data first became available. This trend is one indicator of the difficulties young people are facing as they transition into adulthood during a global pandemic.

How we did this

It is important to note that some of the increase in the disconnection rate in June reflects the end of the school year around May. Even in a typical year, the share of students enrolled in school or college tends to fall between May and June because many young people do not enroll in summer school.

Most of the 8 percentage point increase in detachment from June 2019 to June 2020 can be attributed to coronavirus-related job loss among young workers, as the share enrolled in school has remained relatively stable, aside from seasonal patterns.

The steep increase in youth detachment from February to June is fairly widespread. It includes both men and women, each major racial and ethnic group, those living in metropolitan and rural areas, and high school and college-aged students (16 to 19 and 20 to 24, respectively).

The coronavirus has narrowed the gap in rural and metropolitan areas. In the last few years, young people in rural areas have been more likely to be out of work or school than their metropolitan counterparts. However, in 2020, the difference between rural and metropolitan youth has narrowed from a difference of 4 percentage points in February to less than 1 in June. One explanation for this might be that densely populated cities were hit first and have suffered higher infection and deaths rates than rural areas.

More than 4 million fewer youths were employed in June 2020 compared with a year earlier due to a large decline in employment. The share of youths enrolled in school or college in both 2019 and 2020 was 39%. Earlier Pew Research Center analyses have shown that young adults are among the most likely to have suffered virus-related job loss.

(PEW)

July 29, 2020

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/07/29/amid-coronavirus-outbreak-nearly-three-in-ten-young-people-are-neither-working-nor-in-school/

648-649-43-21/Poll

Four-in-ten who haven’t yet filled out U.S. census say they wouldn’t answer the door for a census worker

Among those who say they have not participated in the census, 40% say they would not be willing to talk to a census worker who came to the door; 59% say they would be at least somewhat willing. Those who have not responded to the census so far, according to the survey, are disproportionately likely to be from groups the census has struggled to count accurately in previous decennial census collections, including the Black and Hispanic populations.

The survey of 4,708 U.S. adults, conducted online June 16 to 22, finds that 76% say they or someone else in their household already responded to the census. Among the rest, 14% say their household has not responded and 10% are unsure. (The survey share who say they participated in the census is higher than the official Census Bureau response rate. See “How we did this” below for details.)

How we did this

Among adults in households that have not responded, 33% say they are very willing to talk with a census worker who knocks on the door, and 27% say they are somewhat willing. But 24% say they are not too willing, and another 16% say they are not willing at all.

Census Bureau follow-up visits to nonresponding households were originally scheduled to begin in early May, but they were delayed by a freeze on census field operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Workers began knocking on doors of these households earlier this month in six regional areas, and the bureau plans to expand its follow-up operation to communities nationwide in August. Those making the visits are required to wear masks and to stand outside when conducting interviews, according to the agency. The bureau also plans to conduct in-person interviews from late September through late December as part of other operations to improve or measure data quality.

The bureau’s nonresponse follow-up plan requires census workers to make at least one attempt to reach each household that has not responded. If no one answers the door, and the bureau determines the home is occupied, census workers may try to get information about people living there from proxy respondents, such as neighbors, or from other government records. As a last resort, the Census Bureau will use a statistical technique, called imputation, to count the occupants and list their characteristics.

Who says they have participated in the census?

White adults (79%) are more likely to say they have responded to the 2020 census than adults who are Hispanic (74%) or Black (66%). In part, this reflects current response patterns: Based on local-level response rates published by the Census Bureau, heavily Black or Hispanic neighborhoods have lower participation rates so far than heavily white neighborhoods, according to the Center for Urban Research at the City University of New York. U.S. Black and Hispanic populations have been undercounted in past censuses, according to the Census Bureau’s own research, while the white population has been overcounted.

Adults ages 18 to 29 also are less likely to say they have participated than adults in each older age group. A little over half of young adults (56%) say they or someone else in their household returned the census form, compared with 76% of adults ages 30 to 49 and even higher shares in age groups older than that.

Pew Research Center surveys earlier this year – before census mailings were received in most households – found that Black and Hispanic adults were less likely than white adults to say they planned to participate in the 2020 census. The same was true of young adults compared with older ones.

The new survey also finds clear educational attainment and income differences: Those who have at least a college degree and those with higher incomes are more likely to say they have participated. Midwesterners are more likely than residents of other U.S. regions to say they have participated, echoing Census Bureau numbers showing that Midwestern states mainly have response rates at or above the national average. Republicans (78%) are slightly more likely than Democrats (75%), including those who lean toward each party, to say they have responded – which at least in part reflects the racial makeup of each party’s followers.

Among those who say they have not participated, 70% say they or someone else in their household definitely or probably will respond to the census, and 26% say they definitely or probably will not.

Most expect the 2020 census will be at least somewhat successful

The decennial census, a count of everyone living in the United States as of April 1, is used to apportion the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives and guide the distribution of at least $1.5 trillion a year in federal funds. The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the count, forcing the Census Bureau to extend data collection by three months, to Oct. 31.

About seven-in-ten adults say they think the 2020 census will be very successful (8%) or somewhat successful (60%) in accurately counting the number of people living in the U.S., according to the Center’s new survey. An additional 31% say the census will be not too successful (26%) or not at all successful (5%) in doing so. In an earlier Pew Research Center survey, conducted in late February and early March, 75% said the census would be somewhat or very successful, and 24% said it would not be.

In the latest survey, women (34%) are more pessimistic than men (27%) about the census not succeeding. Republicans and GOP leaners (33%) are more likely to fall into the pessimistic camp than Democrats and Democratic leaners (29%).

(PEW)

July 29, 2020

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/07/28/four-in-ten-who-havent-yet-filled-out-u-s-census-say-they-wouldnt-answer-the-door-for-a-census-worker/

648-649-43-22/Poll

A look at the Americans who believe there is some truth to the conspiracy theory that COVID-19 was planned

Educational attainment is an especially important factor when it comes to perceptions of the conspiracy theory. Around half of Americans with a high school diploma or less education (48%) say the theory is probably or definitely true, according to the survey, which was conducted as part of the Center’s American News Pathways project. That compares with 38% of those who have completed some college but have no degree, 24% of those with a bachelor’s degree and 15% of those with a postgraduate degree.

How we did this

Partisan affiliation also plays a role in perceptions of the theory. About a third (34%) of Republicans and independents who lean to the GOP say the theory that powerful people intentionally planned the COVID-19 outbreak is probably or definitely true, compared with 18% of Democrats and Democratic leaners. It’s worth noting there is no significant difference in how likely partisans are to have heard at least a little about the theory: 72% of Republicans have heard of the claim, compared with 70% of Democrats.

Conservative Republicans are especially likely to see at least some truth in the theory: Roughly four-in-ten (37%) say it is probably or definitely true. This contrasts with 29% of moderate and liberal Republicans, 24% of moderate and conservative Democrats and 10% of liberal Democrats.

Roughly a third of Black (33%) and Hispanic adults (34%) say the theory is probably or definitely true, compared with about two-in-ten white adults (22%) and Asian Americans (19%). And women are slightly more likely than men (29% vs. 21%) to see at least some truth in the conspiracy theory that powerful people planned the outbreak.

There are some minor differences by age, too. About a quarter of adults under the age of 65 say the theory is probably or definitely true, compared with two-in-ten adults 65 and older.

(PEW)

July 24, 2020

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/07/24/a-look-at-the-americans-who-believe-there-is-some-truth-to-the-conspiracy-theory-that-covid-19-was-planned/

648-649-43-23/Poll

Most Americans Say Policing Needs 'Major Changes'

Americans' Views of the Need for Changes in Policing

Which of the following best describes your view about changes that may or may not need to be made to policing in the United States?

	Major changes needed	Minor changes needed	No changes needed
	%	%	%
All Americans	58	36	6
Black Americans	88	10	2
Asian Americans	82	17	2
Hispanic Americans	63	33	4
White Americans	51	42	7
Democrats	89	10	1
Independents	60	36	4
Republicans	14	72	14
18-34	81	16	3
35-49	61	33	7
50-64	43	50	8
65+	46	47	7
GALLUP PANEL, JUNE 23-JULY 6, 2020

Political party affiliation is also a significant predictor of Americans' likelihood to say major changes are needed. About nine in 10 Democrats (89%) respond this way, versus 14% of Republicans, with political independents in between at 60%. Most Republicans, 72%, say minor changes are needed.

Finally, younger Americans are most likely to say major changes are necessary. Eight in 10 adults younger than 35 give this response, compared with six in 10 adults aged 35 to 49 and less than half of those aged 50 and older.

Reform Proposals Have Varying Levels of Public Support

In the weeks after Floyd's death, several U.S. cities, including New York, Denver and Minneapolis, announced a variety of reforms, from banning chokeholds and "no-knock" warrants to diverting funds from police departments to youth development or social service programs -- or even (in the case of Minneapolis) disbanding the police force altogether.

The Gallup Center on Black Voices recently asked Americans whether they strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose or strongly oppose each of nine proposed approaches to solving the problem of police misconduct. The results can be divided into ideas that have broad support across demographic groups, those that have little support and those for which support is highly dependent on Americans' race, age and political affiliation. For reference, the tables at the end of this article list the percentage within each demographic group who strongly or somewhat support each idea.

Ideas With Broad Public Support

Requiring officers to have good relations with the community. This idea meets with little controversy, as almost all Americans (97%) support it overall, including 77% who strongly support it. Since the 1980s, some cities have adopted community policing techniques as a way to foster trust and positive relations with community members. Such techniques emphasize police officers' visibility in the community and proactive partnerships with community organizations. Black Americans are somewhat more likely to strongly support this requirement, at 83%, than are White (76%) or Hispanic Americans (77%).

Changing management practices so officer abuses are punished. Establishing greater accountability for officer misconduct within police departments also has broad public approval. Ninety-six percent of Americans support changing management practices so officer abuses are punished, with 76% saying they strongly support the idea. Nine in 10 Black Americans (91%) strongly support such a change, versus eight in 10 Hispanic Americans (80%) and just over seven in 10 White Americans (72%).

Changing management practices so officers with multiple incidents of abuse of power are not allowed to serve. Again, almost all Americans (98%) support this idea at least somewhat. Eighty-three percent strongly support it, including 92% of Black Americans, 87% of Hispanic Americans and 81% of White Americans.

Promoting community-based alternatives such as violence intervention. Some of those who advocate rethinking the role of police call for greater reliance on other community organizations, such as family services and programs that intervene with young people who are at high risk for violent crime (for example, Massachusetts' Safe and Successful Youth Initiative). Eighty-two percent of Americans overall support a greater role for community organizations, with 50% saying they strongly support it. Most likely to strongly support the idea are Black Americans (73%), Democrats (75%) and adults aged 18 to 34 (65%).

Ideas With Little Public Support

Abolishing police departments. This is the most extreme proposal in response to police misconduct: disbanding police departments in favor of different public safety models. The Minneapolis City Council voted in June to go this route, saying the problems that contributed to George Floyd's death are too deeply ingrained to reform the existing department. For most Americans, the idea of abolishing the police goes too far: 15% overall say they support it, with Black Americans (22%) and Hispanic Americans (20%) somewhat more likely than White Americans (12%) to do so. Almost no Republicans (1%) support the idea, versus 27% of Democrats and 12% of independents. However, there is also a sharp distinction between younger and older adults on this question; one-third of those younger than 35 (33%) support the idea, compared with 16% of those aged 35 to 49 and 4% of those aged 50 and older.

Ideas With Mixed Public Support

Ending "stop and frisk." In 1968, the Supreme Court ruled that the practice of stopping and frisking people without probable cause is not unconstitutional if an officer has a "reasonable suspicion" that a person has committed or is about to commit a crime, or may be armed. Stop-and-frisk policies have long been controversial from a racial justice perspective; in 2013, a federal district court found that it had become a "policy of indirect racial profiling" in New York City, and in 2014 Mayor Bill de Blasio scaled back its practice in the city. However, stop and frisk remains legal in the U.S. as long as racial or ethnic characteristics do not factor into officers' decision to stop people. Overall, 74% of Americans support the idea of ending stop-and-frisk policing altogether, with 58% saying they strongly support it. Though Black Americans are most likely to strongly or somewhat support ending stop and frisk at 93%, strong majorities of Hispanic (76%) and White Americans (70%) do as well. However, there is a much larger partisan divide; 94% of Democrats versus 44% of Republicans support ending the practice, with independents in between at 76%.

Eliminating police unions. In recent years, some who advocate police reform have accused police unions of blocking efforts to increase officers' accountability for their actions, such as forming independent offices to investigate allegations of misconduct. A majority of Americans, 56%, support eliminating police unions, with results relatively consistent among Black (61%), Hispanic (56%) and White (55%) adults. Despite much higher approval of labor unions in general among Democrats than Republicans, Democrats are significantly more likely than Republicans to favor eliminating police unions (62% vs. 45%, respectively). Political independents fall closer to Democrats, at 57%.

Eliminating officer enforcement of nonviolent crimes. This idea is a response to perceived overreaches of so-called "broken windows" policing, which is based on the premise that addressing low-level violations (such as minor traffic violations, sleeping in public or substance possession) is necessary to prevent more serious crimes. Critics say the idea, like stop and frisk, has resulted in aggressive "overpolicing" of minorities -- and some call for eliminating the enforcement of minor offenses. Half of Americans overall (50%) strongly or somewhat support this idea, including majorities of Black (72%) and Hispanic (55%) Americans, compared with 44% of White Americans. As with ending stop and frisk, there is also a huge partisan divide on this proposal; three-fourths of Democrats (75%) and about half of independents (49%) support the idea, but 16% of Republicans do.

Reducing police department funding and shifting the money to social programs. Since George Floyd's death, "defund the police" has become a common -- and controversial -- refrain among many Americans who are angry about police brutality. The idea could take many forms; some advocates would use defunding to disband the police altogether, while others would divert some portion of funds from police departments to social services like substance abuse and mental health treatment programs. This ambiguity in what defunding the police actually means may be a factor in Americans' lack of consensus on the idea. Overall, 47% say they support reducing police department budgets and shifting the money to social programs, including 28% who strongly support it. However, 70% of Black Americans strongly or somewhat support reducing police department budgets, versus 49% of Hispanic Americans and 41% of White Americans. Moreover, the partisan divide is wider for this idea than for any other police reform proposal: 5% of Republicans support it, compared with 78% of Democrats and 46% of independents.

Implications

George Floyd's death was a tipping point that elevated the national dialogue about racial injustice in law enforcement and other U.S. institutions. In subsequent weeks, Black Lives Matter protests spread to all 50 states and other countries around the world, books about racism dominated bestseller lists -- and police departments across the U.S. began to reevaluate their own procedures.

But as the ideas discussed above demonstrate, police reform is a complex issue with many possible goals and strategies. Further, like so many issues in American life, those that have to do with law and order have become highly politicized. Local communities may thus face considerable challenges in finding solutions that are both effective and acceptable to their residents.

However, the survey results reported here point to a set of commonly accepted principles -- strengthening positive community relations, establishing greater accountability within police departments, and striking a better balance between the role of police and other community organizations -- that reformers can use as starting points. The Gallup Center on Black Voices will help inform the national conversation on policing by tracking the systemic disparities and various reform proposals shaping the Black experience across the country.

Americans' Support for Policing Reform Options, by Race/Ethnicity

Percentage who "strongly support" or "somewhat support" each reform idea

	All Americans	Black Americans	Asian Americans	Hispanic Americans	White Americans
	%	%	%	%	%
Changing management practices so officers with multiple incidents of abuse of power are not allowed to serve	98	99	98	99	97
Requiring officers to have good relations with the community	97	97	98	96	97
Changing management practices so officer abuses are punished	96	98	99	96	95
Promoting community-based alternatives such as violence intervention	82	94	91	83	80
Ending stop and frisk	74	93	89	76	70
Eliminating police unions	56	61	68	56	55
Eliminating officer enforcement of nonviolent crimes	50	72	72	55	44
Reducing the budgets of police departments and shifting the money to social programs	47	70	80	49	41
Abolishing police departments	15	22	27	20	12
GALLUP PANEL, JUNE 23-JULY 6, 2020

Americans' Support for Policing Reform Options, by Political Affiliation

Percentage who "strongly support" or "somewhat support" each reform idea

	Republicans	Democrats	Independents
	%	%	%
Changing management practices so officers with multiple incidents of abuse of power are not allowed to serve	95	99	98
Requiring officers to have good relations with the community	96	98	98
Changing management practices so officer abuses are punished	91	99	96
Promoting community-based alternatives such as violence intervention	62	97	81
Ending stop and frisk	44	94	76
Eliminating police unions	45	62	57
Eliminating officer enforcement of nonviolent crimes	16	75	49
Reducing the budgets of police departments and shifting the money to social programs	5	78	46
Abolishing police departments	1	27	12
GALLUP PANEL, JUNE 23-JULY 6, 2020

Americans' Support for Policing Reform Options, by Age Group

Percentage who "strongly support" or "somewhat support" each reform idea

	18-34	35-49	50-64	65+
	%	%	%	%
Changing management practices so officers with multiple incidents of abuse of power are not allowed to serve	98	97	97	98
Requiring officers to have good relations with the community	97	97	97	97
Changing management practices so officer abuses are punished	98	95	95	95
Promoting community-based alternatives such as violence intervention	88	83	77	79
Ending stop and frisk	88	78	63	65
Eliminating police unions	65	58	49	49
Eliminating officer enforcement of nonviolent crimes	68	52	37	40
Reducing the budgets of police departments and shifting the money to social programs	70	50	32	32
Abolishing police departments	33	16	4	4
GALLUP PANEL, JUNE 23-JULY 6, 2020

(Gallup USA)

July 22, 2020

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/315962/americans-say-policing-needs-major-changes.aspx

648-649-43-24/Poll

K-12 Teachers Worried About COVID-19 on the Job

Teachers' Concern About COVID-19 Exposure at Work Much Higher Than Other U.S. Workers

How concerned are you about being exposed to coronavirus at your place of work?

	Very concerned	Moderately concerned	Not too concerned	Not concerned at all
	%	%	%	%
Jun 29-Jul 19
K-12 teachers	57	18	11	14
All other U.S. workers	21	29	25	25
Jun 1-28
K-12 teachers	40	27	24	10
All other U.S. workers	14	33	28	25
May 11-31
K-12 teachers	29	30	26	15
All other U.S. workers	13	33	29	25
GALLUP PANEL, 2020

These data are based on a subset of respondents from the ongoing probability-based online Gallup COVID-19 tracking survey who identified their occupation as a teacher of kindergarten through 12^th-grade students. The June 29-July 19 polling included a sample of 495 teachers, while more than 650 teachers completed the survey in both May and June.

The latest data marks an uptick in teachers' levels of apprehension since May and June when fewer (though still majorities) were concerned.

Teachers are currently about three times as likely as other U.S. workers to say they are very concerned about workplace exposure to the virus. This divergence in the views of teachers and workers in all other industries has grown since May. While concern about workplace exposure has been fairly steady among workers who are not teachers, this unease has risen sharply among teachers.

Line graph. Percentages of K-12 teachers and all other U.S. workers who say they are very concerned about being exposed to COVID-19 at their place of work between May and mid-July. Teachers have consistently been more concerned about exposure. Currently, 57% of teachers are very concerned while 21% of all other workers are.

Teachers Have a Particularly Gloomy View of Coronavirus Situation

In recent weeks, Americans as a whole have become more likely to think that the U.S. coronavirus situation is worsening, and the latest data show that although teachers and all other workers have become much more likely to say the situation has gotten worse, teachers' view of its trajectory is particularly grim.

This latest difference in the views of teachers and workers who aren't teachers is notable because, until now, they viewed the situation similarly.

Line graph. Percentages of K-12 teachers and all other U.S. workers who think the coronavirus situation in the U.S. is getting worse between May and mid-July. In July, teachers have become significantly more likely than all other workers to say the situation is getting a lot worse. Currently, 64% of teachers say so while 51% of all other workers do.

K-12 Teachers Increasingly Prefer Remote Work

In June, as the 2019-2020 school year was ending with most teachers engaged in remote learning, 57% of teachers said, if given a choice, they would prefer to work remotely as much as possible in the future. A follow-up question probing workers' reasons for preferring remote work finds teachers' current preferences are disproportionately related to concern about the virus. In contrast, non-teachers' reason for preferring to work from home tilt more toward a personal inclination for remote working as opposed to COVID-related concerns.

In June, teachers' preference for remote work trailed the rate among workers in other professions. Since then, however, the gap between teachers and those who work in other fields has narrowed as 71% of teachers, and 76% of all others have become more desirous of remote work.

U.S. Teachers Increasingly Prefer Remote Work

% Who, if their employer left it up to them, would prefer to work remotely as much as possible once restrictions on businesses and school closures are lifted

	Jun 1-28	Jun 29-Jul 12
	%	%
U.S. K-12 teachers	57	74
All other U.S. workers	68	73
GALLUP PANEL, 2020

Of the many issues that may fuel workers' concerns about going back to work, feeling vulnerable to experiencing severe symptoms from COVID-19 is likely paramount for those with certain health conditions. The Gallup data show that teachers are no different from other workers in reporting they are at risk.

Overall, 38% of both teachers and all other workers alike say that they or someone in their household has a medical condition such as diabetes, heart disease, lung disease or something else that is considered high risk for serious complications from the coronavirus.

Bottom Line

Governors, school officials, teachers and parents are grappling with difficult decisions about the upcoming school year as the coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt Americans' lives, and the number of cases is rising. The Trump administration continues to push for all U.S. children to return to in-person learning, and the American Academy of Pediatrics has also said in-person learning is preferable, although science should guide the decisions. A number of cities across the country have already announced that their school year will begin exclusively with virtual learning.

A broad majority of teachers express concern about possible exposure to COVID-19 at their workplace, and they are increasingly saying they prefer to work remotely almost entirely because of concerns about the virus. Even if districts decide to go fully in-person, whether they will be able to do so depends on teachers' willingness to go into work and parents' willingness to send their children to school.

(Gallup USA)

July 22, 2020

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/316055/teachers-worried-covid-job.aspx

648-649-43-25/Poll

U.S. COVID-19 Outlook Deteriorates as Infections Spike

Line graph. Percentage of Americans who believe the coronavirus situation is getting worse. In Gallup's July 13-19 survey, 73% of Americans said the coronavirus situation is getting worse and 55% believe it is getting a lot worse. Both are the highest recorded measures since trending began in April.

Notably, a majority of Americans (55%) now say the situation is getting "a lot worse," an increase of 46 percentage points since June 7. This coincides with the precipitous rise in coronavirus cases in recent weeks. On June 7, the seven-day average of new cases was less than 22,000 per day; by July 19, it had exceeded 66,000 cases per day.

As fewer respondents say they are confident that the country is successfully controlling the coronavirus, personal worry about becoming ill has also increased. The 58% of Americans who now say they are worried about being infected is the highest Gallup has recorded, by one point over the previous high from early April. It represents a 12-point increase since June 7 -- when the lowest percentage of Americans, 46%, expressed worry.

Line graph. Americans worries about contracting the coronavirus. Since early June, the percentage of Americans worried about being infected has risen 12 points to 58% as of July 19. This just surpasses the previous high of 57% on April 12.

Optimism and Level of Worry Vary Greatly by Party Identification

As with many questions surrounding the coronavirus, the largest gaps exist across partisan groups. Seventy-one points separate the 86% of Democrats who say the coronavirus situation in the United States is "getting a lot worse" and the 15% of Republicans who say the same. Meanwhile, just under half (48%) of independents believe the situation is "getting a lot worse."

Line graph. Americans' assessments of the coronavirus situation, by political party identification. 86% of Democrats say the situation is getting a lot worse, compared with 15% of Republicans. 48% of independents say the same. Each measure is the highest that has been recorded.

Partisans have not always been this divided: on June 7, 14% of Democrats believed the situation was "getting a lot worse," compared with 2% of Republicans and 10% of independents. Since then, this percentage has increased 72 points among Democrats, 13 points among Republicans, and 38 points among independents.

While the party groups are also divided when asked whether they are concerned about contracting the virus, one notable difference is the direction in which each party is trending: concern among Democrats (now 82%) and independents (58%) has increased by at least 14 points since June 7, but Republicans' worry (22%) has shown greater variation over that period. While Republicans' current level of concern is three points higher than it was on June 7 (19%), it also climbed as high as 30% during late June.

Line graph. Americans' worry about contracting the coronavirus, by political party. Democrats and independents have become at least 14 percentage points more worried about infection since June 7, compared with a three-point increase among Republicans. 82% of Democrats now worry about being infected, compared with 22% of Republicans and 58% of independents.

Expectations About Length of Disruption Shifts

As more Americans feel that the country is losing ground in its efforts to combat infections, they have also begun to shift their expectations about how long the pandemic will disrupt education, travel and work. In early April, 23% of respondents believed that these disruptions would persist through at least the end of 2020. This sentiment surpassed the majority level in mid-May, and is now 83%.

Line graph. Americans' opinions of how long disruptions related to the coronavirus will continue. 83% of Americans now believe the virus will cause disruptions through at least the end of 2020. On June 7, 18% of Americans believed the disruptions would last for a few more weeks. That has dropped to 3% as of July 19.

While it may be expected that more respondents would select "the rest of this year" or "longer than this year" in the second half of 2020, one indication that respondents are thinking about more than the calendar is in the percentage who believe disruptions will continue for "a few more weeks." While this figure previously held at or above 15% every week through June 14, this number has dropped precipitously to 3% since then. With more than "a few weeks" left in 2020, the data suggest that more Americans are preparing for an extended period of disruption than ever before.

(Gallup USA)

July 24, 2020

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/316202/covid-outlook-deteriorates-infections-spike.aspx

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Two in Three Americans Support Racial Justice Protests

Americans' Reactions to Protests After George Floyd's Death

Do you support or oppose the recent protests that have taken place around the country following the death of George Floyd? To what extent do you feel connected to the cause of those protesting?

	Support protests	Feel connected to protests
	% Support	% Feel very/somewhat connected
U.S. adults	65	50
Black adults	92	84
Asian adults	89	73
White adults	59	43
Hispanic adults	70	55
18 to 29	87	72
30 to 49	72	57
50 to 64	53	39
65+	54	39
Democrats	95	78
Independents	69	50
Republicans	22	14
GALLUP PANEL, JUNE 23-JULY 6, 2020

The latest results are based on a June 23-July 6 survey conducted by web using the Gallup Panel, a probability-based panel of U.S. adults, in English. Learn more about the findings from this survey and others at the Gallup Center on Black Voices.

Majorities of most subgroups support the protests, with Republicans (22%) a key exception. Republicans are also least likely to report feeling connected to the protests, with 14% saying they feel very or somewhat connected to the cause.

While small majorities of White Americans and adults aged 50 and older support the protests, fewer in these groups report feeling connected to them.

Most Say the Protests Have Changed Their Views on Racial Justice

U.S. adults are mixed in their reports of how the demonstrations have affected their views on racial justice and equality. A slim majority say the protests have changed their views on racial justice "a lot" (21%) or "a little" (33%), while nearly half (47%) say the protests haven't changed their views "at all."

The groups most likely to report being influenced include Asian Americans (74% a lot/a little), adults under the age of 30 (66%) and Democrats (66%).

While most Republicans say their views haven't changed as a result of the protests, about one in three (36%) say they have.

Americans' Reports of How Protests Have Changed Their Views on Racial Justice

How much, if at all, have the recent protests, marches and demonstrations changed your views on racial justice and equality?

	A lot	A little	Not at all
	%	%	%
U.S. adults	21	33	47
Black adults	31	22	47
Asian adults	26	48	26
Hispanic adults	24	29	47
White adults	18	35	47
18 to 29	22	44	33
30 to 49	20	34	46
50 to 64	19	26	55
65+	21	30	49
Democrats	26	40	34
Independents	20	35	45
Republicans	14	22	64
GALLUP PANEL, JUNE 23-JULY 6, 2020

More Than One in Four Young Adults Report Participating in a Protest

While most Americans support the racial injustice protests, 11% report they have actively participated in them. Young adults (26%) are the group most likely to say they participated, while about one in five self-identified Democrats (20%), Asian Americans (20%) and Black Americans (18%) have done so.

Relatively few adults aged 50 and older report having attended protests, possibly reflecting these groups' lower levels of support for the cause, but also likely having to do with their higher risk of getting COVID-19, as these events coincided with a pandemic.

Reported participation in protests is lowest among Republicans (1%).

Participation in Racial Justice Protests, by Subgroup

In the past 30 days, have you participated in a protest about racial justice and equality?

	Yes	No
	%	%
U.S. adults	11	89
Black adults	18	82
Asian adults	20	80
Hispanic adults	13	87
White adults	10	90
18 to 29	26	74
30 to 49	13	87
50 to 64	7	93
65+	3	97
Democrats	20	80
Independents	9	91
Republicans	1	99
GALLUP PANEL, JUNE 23-JULY 6, 2020

Most Americans Say Protests Will Help Public Support for Racial Equality

Americans are more likely to say the protests "will help" (53%) rather than "hurt" (34%) public support for racial justice and equality, while 13% say they will "make no difference."

While Black Americans are among the most likely to support and feel connected to the protests, they are also the most likely to say the protests will make no difference (21%). This may reflect the fact that many Black adults experience mistreatment so regularly -- even after past protests against racism that have occurred throughout U.S. history.

Most groups lean toward saying the protests will help public support for racial justice, though views on their effect are mixed among older adults. Meanwhile, a solid majority of Republicans (74%) say the protests hurt the cause.

The most optimistic groups for the demonstrations' effect on public opinion include Democrats, Asian Americans and young adults.

Views on the Protests' Effect on Public Support for Racial Justice, by Subgroup

Overall, do you think the recent protests, marches and demonstrations will help, hurt or make no difference to public support for racial justice and equality?

	Help	Hurt	Make no difference
	%	%	%
U.S. adults	53	34	13
White adults	49	39	11
Black adults	70	9	21
Asian adults	83	9	7
Hispanic adults	56	31	13
18 to 29	78	14	8
30 to 49	58	29	13
50 to 64	40	46	14
65+	42	43	14
Democrats	84	4	12
Independents	53	33	14
Republicans	13	74	13
GALLUP PANEL, JUNE 23-JULY 6, 2020

Bottom Line

Despite the health pandemic that has kept many Americans at home, roughly one in 10 say they participated in the protests that followed Floyd's death in late May. Even greater numbers personally supported the demonstrations and report having reconsidered their previous ideas about racial justice and equality.

The vast majority of Black Americans feel connected to the protests' cause, but still, a sizable one in five do not believe these events will result in any meaningful change.

Time will tell what the larger outcomes of the protests will actually be, but Americans are more likely to say they will be helpful than harmful to racial equality. Young adults -- the biggest participators in and supporters of the protests -- will live long enough to see what the long-term legacy of the movement will ultimately be.

(Gallup USA)

July 28, 2020

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/316106/two-three-americans-support-racial-justice-protests.aspx

AUSTRALIA

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Melbourne enters “Lockdown 2.0” but movement in the CBD higher than during initial stages of first lockdown

A special analysis of movement data in the Melbourne CBD shows few people moving around in the CBD and a plunge in movement in Melbourne in the week ending July 13 as “Lockdown 2.0” began – but movement still significantly higher than during the initial stages of the first lockdown in late March.

The interactive dashboard below tracks the movement data for those visiting the Melbourne CBD during 2020 excluding the residents who normally live there. Movement data from a number of key locations around Melbourne, and Sydney, is also available to view by using the interactive dashboard on the website.

The number of devices of visitors seen in the Melbourne CBD during the second week of July averaged 35% of the levels seen earlier in the year during the summer months. However, during the first lockdown in late March movement in the Melbourne CBD crashed to an average only 28% in a matter of days.

The higher degree of movement seen thus far as the second lockdown in Melbourne has begun suggests a level of ‘fatigue’ for residents who have been subjected to the most stringent restrictions of any Australian city over the last four months, although now the challenge appears greater than ever.

Late last week (Thursday July 23) a new measure of mandatory mask wearing was introduced for all Melburnians when outside the home and this is expected to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus although its projected impact on movement levels is uncertain.

Michele Levine, CEO of Roy Morgan, says the second lockdown of Melbourne which began on Thursday July 9 has not had the same immediate impact on people’s movement as the first in late March which suggests a level of lockdown ‘fatigue’ among Melburnians:

“Roy Morgan has been tracking movement data in the Melbourne CBD throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdowns, and periods of relaxing restrictions, over the last four months since late March.

“The first lockdown in late March produced an immediate and sharp drop in the movement of devices in the Melbourne CBD to an average of 28% of earlier movement levels in a matter of days, and well below 20% of movement levels during early April.

“The epidemiological experts have suggested that for the spread of COVID-19 to be flattened and suppressed a compliance rate of 80% plus is required to get on top of the virus. This was achieved during the first lockdown and the curve was flattened quickly in Melbourne and around Australia.

“The early movement data from “Lockdown 2.0” shows Melburnians haven’t been as quick to restrict their movement the second time round with movement during the first week of the second lockdown at 35% of the average levels seen during the summer months.

“Unfortunately, this level of movement is unlikely to be enough to suppress the spread of COVID-19. The introduction of mandatory mask wearing in Melbourne last week has introduced an additional measure designed to halt the spread of the virus but it’s impact on movement levels is uncertain.

“Will the seriousness indicated by mandatory mask wearing result in a further decline in movement for Melburnians or will the perceived safety of wearing a mask provide comfort for Melburnians who might want to nip out quickly to pick something up at the local shops?”

(Roy Morgan)

July 28, 2020

Source: https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/8476-roy-morgan-ubermedia-covid-19-movement-melbourne-july-28-2020-202007270623

648-649-43-28/Poll

Satisfaction of Australia’s banks improves amid COVID-19

New data from Roy Morgan shows the customer satisfaction scores for Australia’s banks improved in May as much of Australia was in lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In May, customer satisfaction with Australia’s banks was at 79.5%, up 0.2% points on April, and up 1.1% points from a year ago in May 2019.

The biggest improvement in customer satisfaction over the last year was from Australia’s four major banks, with satisfaction up 1.4% points to 77.2% in May. Commonwealth Bank has the highest satisfaction of the four majors in May closely followed by NAB, ANZ and Westpac in fourth.

Mutual Banks continue to have the edge in customer satisfaction and are up 0.7% points from a year ago to 89.2%. The leading Mutual Bank for satisfaction is Bank Australia closely followed by Bank First, Beyond Bank Australia and Teachers Mutual Bank ahead of Heritage Bank, Greater Bank and RACQ Bank.

The foreign banks operating in Australia have a high customer satisfaction of 85.5% in May, but this is down slightly, by 0.3% points from a year ago. Of the foreign banks ING is a clear leader for satisfaction ahead of HSBC and Citibank.

Satisfaction with Australia’s mutual sector including credit unions and building societies remains impressive at 88.6%, up 0.1% points on a year ago. Newcastle Permanent Building Society, People’s Choice Credit Union and Credit Union Australia all maintain a high level of customer satisfaction in this sector.

These are some of the latest findings from Roy Morgan’s ‘Customer Satisfaction report on Consumer Banking in Australia’. This report is based on in-depth interviews conducted face-to-face with over 50,000 consumers per annum in their homes. This large sample of bank customers over many years enables an accurate understanding of long-term trends rather than being distracted by what often turns out to be short-term events. The latest data in this release is for the six months ended May 2020.

Bank Customer Satisfaction

Banking Satisfaction - May 2020

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source (Australia). Dec. 2018 – May 2019, n=23,199, Dec. 2019 – May 2020, n = 20,766.
Base: Australians 14+. *Total Mutual sector includes Mutual Banks, Building Societies and Credit Unions.

Michele Levine, CEO Roy Morgan, says:

”Australia’s banks are responding swiftly to the COVID-19 pandemic and the supportive reaction of banks to the tough situations faced by many Australians is paying off with customer satisfaction in May at 79.5% up 1.1% points on a year ago.

“Satisfaction was up for Australia’s four major banks, mutual banks, and the mutual sector as a whole including credit unions and building societies. The quick reaction of Australia’s financial institutions to extend support for their customers during this period has been a big help for many who have been put into financial hardship through no fault of their own.

“In the last few weeks a renewed outbreak of COVID-19 in Victoria has prompted banks to announce they will extend mortgage loan deferrals through to as late as March 31, 2021 for customers heavily impacted by the pandemic.

“As well as mortgage loan deferrals other support measures include access to excess funds in redraw and offset facilities, reductions in repayment amounts, decreasing standard variable home loan rates and more. The suite of measures offered by banks depending on the financial situation of their customers is providing significant support to customers as well as the economy more broadly.

“The data used here is only a small part of the consumer finance data available from Roy Morgan. During a time of immense uncertainty about the immediate future it’s more important than ever to have a truly complete and in-depth understanding of consumer’s financial behaviour and trends gathered from 50,000 consumers per annum, across more than two decades.

“To find out more ask Roy Morgan.”

(Roy Morgan)

July 21, 2020

Source: https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/8471-bank-satisfaction-nps-may-2020-202007200620

MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES

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A major YouGov study of citizens in 13 member countries looks at attitudes to the EU

In April of this year YouGov conducted a major international survey for the European University Institute’s European Governance and Politics Programme.

We surveyed more than 21,000 people across 14 European countries: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. With the exception of the UK, all of these countries are EU member states.

The data provides key insights into the kind of vision people across the EU have for the body’s future. YouGov has now taken a detailed look at whether people think the EU should be…

What should the EU be: a protective Europe, global Europe or market Europe?

We asked people in each of the three countries which of the following types of Europe they would prefer to live in:

a protective Europe that defends the European way of life and welfare against internal and external threats;
a global Europe that acts as a leader on climate, human rights and global peace; or
a market Europe that stresses economic integration, market competition and fiscal discipline.

In 10 of the 14 countries people tended to opt for the ‘protective Europe’ option, including a majority of Greeks (57%).

Only four opted for the ‘global Europe’ option, including Germany (37%) and the UK (40%). Swedes were most likely to back this option, at 42%.

No country opted for ‘market Europe’. The highest score it achieved was in Italy, at 25%.

What should the EU be: a source of solidarity?

From time to time it is likely that individual EU member states may face a crisis and require assistance from their neighbours.

People in all 13 EU countries tend to support giving “major help” to another EU country that had been stricken by natural disaster, an epidemic or public health crisis, or military attack. Additionally, all countries except Finland would be willing to help in the event of a climate change-related problem.

The picture is more mixed when it comes to helping countries affected by a refugee crisis or left behind technologically, while people in most countries tend to be against helping out when it comes to unemployment or a debt crisis.

Southern and Eastern European nations are noticeably more likely to be willing to help than their Northern and Western counterparts. Almost all Southern/Eastern countries were willing to help in all circumstances (except Hungary for major debt or unemployment crises).

By contrast, in none of the Northern/Western countries are people willing to offer assistance in the event of a major debt crisis. With the exception of Lithuania, they are similarly unwilling to help in the event of a major unemployment crisis.

Most are also reluctant to help neighbours left behind by technological advancement.

It is clear that Europeans think that the EU should serve to co-ordinate activity on behalf of members to assist other member states. In all examples, people would vastly prefer to give assistance through an EU-led initiative, rather than their country acting unilaterally.

Likewise, in all cases almost all countries prefer to assist via a permanent system set up to help EU members finding themselves in these kinds of crises, instead of providing help on a case-by-case basis. The Dutch and the Danes were often closely split on this issue.

There is a notable division between the countries surveyed on whether they would expect to be net beneficiaries of such structures. In Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands, people expect that their country will end up paying in more money than they get out. In Greece (66%) and Spain (63%) in particular people believe these structures would hand back more in assistance to them than they had contributed.

All of these questions were asked about a hypothetical EU member state. But there is reason to believe that sentiment will differ wildly depending on which country becomes stricken by catastrophe.

For instance, while people in almost all of the EU countries surveyed (Finland being the exception) would be willing to give financial help to Italy and Spain – and by wide margins – people are much more reluctant to help countries like Romania and Hungary.

These results also demonstrate quite how far the UK has alienated its European neighbours. Of the 35 countries we asked people whether they’d be willing to assist, the UK comes joint 33^rd – tied with Tunisia and above only Colombia.

Only in Greece, Denmark, Poland and Romania do more people than not say they would be willing to give the UK financial aid in the event of a major crisis.

This is not simply the case that the UK is a rich country and so people won’t donate on the basis that the UK can afford to look after itself: people are far more willing to provide financial assistance to the other top wealthy European countries Germany and France.

All of the data described above has been on people’s opinion about offering assistance in exceptional circumstances. When it comes to doing so as a matter of routine, i.e. through redistributing money raised through taxation across the EU, Europeans are far less reluctant.

When asked whether or not they would want some of their tax money being spent on helping people in other EU countries, almost half or more in every country (48-72%) said no.

By contrast, when asked the same question about some tax money being spent helping people in places like Africa, the results were more mixed. In seven of the 13 EU countries the most common response was that people would be happy for the government to use their tax money in foreign aid.

This could indicate that people see Europeans as too well-off to be worthy of financial assistance, in contrast to poorer places across the globe.

None of this to say there is no appetite for a redistributive EU. When asked on a 0-10 scale how far money should be spent exclusively by member states or pooled by the EU, the proportion answering “10 - Spend resources equally on all countries and all people in the European Union” was fairly substantial – as high as 27% in Romania, 23% in Greece and 22% in Italy and Poland.

Nevertheless, in France, Germany, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries in the study, only 5-9% of people felt the same way.

At the same time, however, there is very little appetite to exclusively hoard resources: only 5-11% of people in each country answered “0 - Spend resources only on own country and own people”.

What should the EU be: more active?

Asked what areas they would like to see the EU be more or less active, in net terms the most welcome areas for greater EU activity are immigration and “the economic situation”, as well as climate change and health and social security.

The areas in which people tended to be want the EU doing less were taxation, housing and energy supply.

Only 1-5% answered “none of these” for areas where the EU could be more involved, while 11-24% didn’t want the EU less involved in any area.

It is perhaps no surprise to see people most likely to want greater involvement when it comes to the economic situation and climate change, given that these are the areas where countries trust in the EU performs most favourably when compared with trust in national governments.

In seven of the 13 EU countries people are more likely to say they trust the EU on climate change than they are to say they trust their national government, with Greeks also exactly tied. This is also the case for five countries when it comes to “the economic situation”.

This is less obviously the case for immigration, the area Europeans most commonly want the EU to be more involved. This could possibly indicate a perceived failure of EU attempts to help in this area so far, or a recognition that the EU’s pro internal migration stance runs counter to many peoples’ own stance on immigration.

What should the EU be: raising taxes and spending?

In only five of the 13 EU nations surveyed do people tend to want to see the EU raising and spending more money: Greece, Italy, Poland, Hungary and Romania.

While Europeans are reluctant for greater EU involvement in taxation, it could be that they’re thinking more of taxes that directly impact themselves, such as income and consumption taxes.

Because when asked about four additional areas in which the EU could impose taxes that wouldn’t directly impact citizens, people across the 13 EU nations were often strongly supportive. In every country people support new EU taxes on business profits and carbon emissions.

In all countries bar Sweden there is also support a tax on financial transactions (like trading shares), and people everywhere except Sweden and Denmark supported a tax on the revenue of large internet companies.

What should the EU be: more flexible with its members?

Ever since the EU started to expand into Eastern Europe the prospect of a ‘two-speed Europe’, whereby some states are allowed to move more slowly towards integration, has been debated as a way of helping accommodate the needs of a larger and more varied EU membership.

The most staunch Europhiles strongly oppose the concept, seeing it as an impediment towards “ever closer union”, the key concept underlying the EU.

The results show that there is little opposition to a two-speed Europe across the EU countries surveyed. Opponents are most numerous in Greece, where one in five (21%) are against the principle. This is nevertheless far lower than the 37% who support allowing integration at various speeds. Opposition in other countries is lower still, standing at just 5-14%.

On the issue of opt-outs – again anathema to ever-closer-unionists – people in all EU countries except Germany were more in favour of allowing them than not.

Support is highest in Denmark at 52%, unsurprising given the nation has itself opted out of joining the Euro. By contrast only 21% of Germans support opt-outs for members, compared to three in ten (31%) who are opposed.

Regarding the common currency, most countries agree that all EU should members should have to join the Euro eventually – even in Hungary and Romania which are not currently members of the Eurozone. However, Denmark and Sweden – both not currently Eurozone members – are strongly against, while Poland (also not a member) is split 32%/33%.

What should the EU be: a military power?

Nevertheless, it is clear that people across Europe see NATO as important to national defence. In most countries a majority of people say NATO is still very or fairly important to their country’s defence. The only country where people tended to see it as unimportant was Finland, which is not a NATO member.

There is, however, division on whether a stronger NATO or greater EU defence integration is the best path to take. Given their opposition to an EU army, the British and Danes are unsurprisingly more pro-NATO on this question. In this they are joined by Romania, Lithuania, Poland, the Netherlands, Hungary and Sweden (even though this latter country is not a NATO member).

Greece, Germany, France, Spain, Finland and Italy all prefer to develop European Union defence systems further.

This breakdown mirrors that from a separate question asking how countries should respond in the event of an attack on an EU member state. The only exception is Germany, where 50% said they should help via NATO compared to 27% who said an EU-led response should take place.

As with the willingness to help in other crises, opinion is heavily subject to the country requiring aid. In none of the countries do people particularly want to come to Turkey’s aid (despite the legal requirement of most to do so as NATO members). Most countries likewise aren’t willing to help Albania (another NATO member), and opinion is mixed when it comes to Romania (both an EU AND a NATO member).

The prospect of defending Greece, Latvia and Norway (the latter a NATO member but not in the EU) is far less controversial, with a large majority of the countries studied being willing to stand alongside them. Hungarians proved the only exception, saying they would not support sending forces to defend any of the countries named.

What should the EU be: the top global power?

Currently the two greatest world powers are the USA and China. In all countries people would prefer the USA to be the more powerful, although the level is not as emphatic as it may once have been – between 30% and 54% in each country couldn’t pick between the two nations.

But what if the EU was in contention? When asked to choose between the EU and China the answer is universal: every country would prefer the EU to be the greater power.

This is generally the case when contrasting the EU and USA, with two exceptions: the French and Lithuanians would prefer the USA to be the more powerful entity.

In all countries surveyed people were more likely to see China as the more powerful economic rival to the EU, while the US is seen by more as the stronger cultural or political rival to the EU (although in almost all cases people were more likely to say that both the US and China are major rivals).

(YouGov)

August 04, 2020

Source: https://yougov.se/news/2020/08/04/what-should-eu-be/

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Most European travellers would rather cancel their holiday than go into quarantine

Fewer than a third of people in Britain, France, Germany, Denmark and Sweden would still continue with their holiday plans if they had to quarantine on their return

British holidaymakers were caught by surprise two weeks ago when it was announced that Britons holidaying in Spain will need to quarantine for two weeks on their return.

With the travel industry already reeling, new YouGov Eurotrack polling conducted in Britain, Germany, France, Denmark and Sweden uncovers the impact COVID-19 restrictions have on people’s holiday plans. The results shown are as a % of people in each country who ever travel abroad – i.e. those who the travel industry might consider to be their customer base.

While having to quarantine upon your return from holiday would cause most people who ever travel abroad to cancel their plans (65-84%), having to do so upon arrival at your destination is even more off-putting. Nine in ten travellers in Britain, Germany, Denmark and Sweden would either ‘probably’ or ‘definitely’ cancel their plans if they had to quarantine when they got there, as would 76% in France.

Being told by the government that they shouldn’t travel to a particular country – even if there was not an outright ban – would also be enough to dissuade most people from travelling there. Eight in ten holidaygoers (80%-85%) in Denmark, Sweden and Britain would cancel if their government advised against it, as well as almost three quarters in Germany (74%) and 70% in France.

The measure least likely to trouble potential tourists would be having to wear a mask in places like shops and hotels at their destination. Nevertheless, this would still put off most tourists from Denmark (61%), Sweden (65%) and Germany (51%) as well as four in ten Britons (43%) and a quarter of French travellers (26%).

French holidaymakers are consistently least likely to cancel, while the Danes and the Swedes are the mostly likely to do so.

(YouGov)

August 04, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/travel/articles-reports/2020/08/04/most-european-travellers-would-rather-cancel-their

648-649-43-31/Poll

U.S. Leadership Remains Unpopular Worldwide

After tumbling to a record-low 30% during the first year of Trump's presidency, the image of U.S. leadership was not much better in the third year of his term. The median global approval rating for U.S. leadership across 135 countries and areas edged up to 33% in 2019. This rating is slightly higher than the previous low under Trump, but it is still one percentage point lower than the previous low of 34% under former President George W. Bush in 2008.

GlobalLeadership

Line graph. In the third year of Donald Trump's presidency, the image of U.S. leadership was not much better than in his first year. The median approval rating across 135 countries and areas was 33% in 2019.

For the second consecutive year, approval ratings of U.S. leadership increased in more countries than where they declined -- helping to nudge global numbers upward. Out of the 135 countries and areas, approval ratings declined by 10 points or more in just five countries - Lebanon, Iraq, Italy, Sierra Leone and Zambia.

Ratings improved by at least this much in 12 countries or areas that span the globe, but notably, there were few free, democratic countries on the list and few long-time allies. Worldwide, approval ratings of the U.S. improved most in Turkmenistan, rising 32 points from 30% in 2018 to 62% in 2019.

Map@2x

Map. This map shows the gains and losses in approval ratings of U.S. leadership in each of 135 countries and areas between 2018 and 2019. The biggest gain was 32 points in Turkmenistan and the biggest loss was 19 points in Zambia.

U.S. Ratings Remain Mired at Record Lows in Europe, Asia

The image of U.S. leadership fared worst in Europe, where people remain as disenchanted with U.S. leadership as they were in 2017. The 24% median approval rating in 2019 was unchanged from 2018 and essentially the same as the 25% rating in 2017. However, the median 61% who disapproved of U.S. leadership was a new high.

The U.S attained majority approval in three countries or areas in Europe: Kosovo at 82%, Albania at 67% and Poland at 59%.

Europe

Line graph. The 24% median approval rating in Europe in 2019 was unchanged from 2018 and essentially the same as the 25% rating in 2017. However, the median 61% who disapproved of U.S. leadership was a new high.

Ratings of U.S. leadership in Asia also remain near lows not seen since the George W. Bush administration. The median approval rating of 32% in 2019 was unchanged from the previous year, and not too different from the 30% rating in 2017.

Majorities in six Asian countries approved of U.S. leadership. This included Israel (64%), Mongolia (62%), Turkmenistan (62%), the Philippines (58%), Nepal (54%), and Myanmar (53%).

Asia

Line graph. Ratings of U.S. leadership in Asia also remain near lows not seen since the George W. Bush administration.

Ratings Stable in Africa, Improve in the Americas

As it has every year that Gallup has been tracking approval ratings, the image of the U.S. remained strongest worldwide in Africa. Bolstered by majority approval in 21 sub-Saharan African countries, median approval of U.S. leadership stood at 52% in 2019 -- unchanged from the previous year. This rating is notably still on the lower side for ratings since 2007.

As in the past, those in North Africa do not feel the same way about U.S. leadership, and this is where the U.S. typically gets the lowest leadership ratings.

Africa

Line graph. Bolstered by majority approval in 21 sub-Saharan African countries, median approval of U.S. leadership stood at 52% in 2019, unchanged from the previous year.

The Americas are the only region of the world where ratings of U.S. leadership improved in 2019. In 2017, they were the worst in the world at 24%, but have slowly improved since then and stood at 34% in 2019. The increase mostly came because of small increases in approval in most countries except Mexico, Nicaragua and Paraguay.

But the news wasn't all positive. Residents in most countries in the Americas continue to be more disapproving than approving of U.S. leadership. The median disapproval rating for the U.S. is 51%.

Americas

Line graph. The Americas are the only region of the world where ratings of U.S. leadership improved in 2019.

Germany Solidifies Top Leadership Status

Germany in 2019 remained the top-rated global power for the third consecutive year, albeit on firmer footing than in the past several. After dropping below 40% approval for the first time in a decade in 2018, Germany's median approval rating rebounded to 44% in 2019.

GlobalMedian

Line graph. Germany in 2019 remained the top-rated global power for the third consecutive year, with a median approval rating of 44%.

The approval ratings of the U.S., China and Russia continue to cluster closely together in the lower 30s. Although China edged slightly ahead of the U.S. in 2018 with an approval rating of 34%, China's 32% rating in 2019 places it on par with the rating for the U.S. Russia's approval rating of 30% in 2019 was unchanged from the previous year and now stands slightly lower than that of the U.S.

Implications

While Gallup will not release another global measure of U.S. leadership approval before the next U.S. election, the next leader -- Trump or former Vice President Joe Biden -- clearly has a lot of work to do to advance the U.S. image around the globe.

(YouGov)

August 04, 2020

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/316133/leadership-remains-unpopular-worldwide.aspx