December 2016
7 out of 10 Brits do not know the number of MPs elected to House of Commons (21st December 2016)
Research by Sporting Index has found the vast majority of the British public has a worrying lack of basic political knowledge ahead a boundary review that could see nearly a tenth of constituencies abolished.
The leading political spread betting firm commissioned pollsters Opinium and found that 69 per cent of the British adult population failed to correctly identify that 650 is the number of Members of Parliament currently elected to the UK House of Commons.
When broken down by voting intention, the Scottish National Party has the most knowledgeable voters in the UK, although just 40 per cent answered correctly.
UKIP voters were just behind with 38 per cent responding 650, with 37 per cent of Tories and 36 per cent of Greens doing the same.
Only 30 per cent of Labour voters could identify the correct number, with the resurgent Liberal Democrats not faring too much better on 31 per cent.
Outside of voting intention, Brits aged 75 or older were by far and away the most knowledgeable age group, with nearly half (47%) responding correctly.
The disparity between the age groups were stark, with just one in five (21%) of those aged 25-34 giving the correct answer of 650 MPs elected under the current constituency boundaries.
Ed Fulton, political trading spokesman for Sporting Index, said: "With the close of one of the more remarkable years in political history, it's worth remembering that a significant proportion of the public remain uninformed about some of the most basic aspects of the British political system."
"The year ahead will see the boundary commission recommend the largest reduction in the number of MPs since 1922, but with 80 per cent of 25-34-year-old's unable to name the number of MPs currently elected, many will be wondering if it's even worth bothering."
Research by Sporting Index has found the vast majority of the British public has a worrying lack of basic political knowledge ahead a boundary review that could see nearly a tenth of constituencies abolished.
The leading political spread betting firm commissioned pollsters Opinium and found that 69 per cent of the British adult population failed to correctly identify that 650 is the number of Members of Parliament currently elected to the UK House of Commons.
When broken down by voting intention, the Scottish National Party has the most knowledgeable voters in the UK, although just 40 per cent answered correctly.
UKIP voters were just behind with 38 per cent responding 650, with 37 per cent of Tories and 36 per cent of Greens doing the same.
Only 30 per cent of Labour voters could identify the correct number, with the resurgent Liberal Democrats not faring too much better on 31 per cent.
Outside of voting intention, Brits aged 75 or older were by far and away the most knowledgeable age group, with nearly half (47%) responding correctly.
The disparity between the age groups were stark, with just one in five (21%) of those aged 25-34 giving the correct answer of 650 MPs elected under the current constituency boundaries.
Ed Fulton, political trading spokesman for Sporting Index, said: "With the close of one of the more remarkable years in political history, it's worth remembering that a significant proportion of the public remain uninformed about some of the most basic aspects of the British political system."
"The year ahead will see the boundary commission recommend the largest reduction in the number of MPs since 1922, but with 80 per cent of 25-34-year-old's unable to name the number of MPs currently elected, many will be wondering if it's even worth bothering."