Magna Carta and Press Freedoms Oliver Rowe, YouGov Research - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Research conducted May-June 2015 – Opinion Formers and General Public surveys

Magna Carta and Press Freedoms

Oliver Rowe, YouGov

How significant a role do you feel the Magna Carta plays in modern day politics and laws in the UK?

37% 54% 37% 40% 25% 6%

General Public Opinion Formers

Base: 725 Opinion Formers; 1,691 General Public

Significance and Understanding of Magna Carta

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SIGNIFICANT SIGNIFICANT NOT SIGNIFICANT NOT SIGNIFICANT

DON’T KNOW DON’T KNOW

15% 21% 72% 78%

12% 1%

General Public Opinion Formers

UNDERSTOOD UNDERSTOOD NOT UNDERSTOOD NOT UNDERSTOOD

DON’T KNOW DON’T KNOW

Do you feel that the values outlined in the Magna Carta are generally well understood in the UK?

Do you believe that the 1998 Human Rights Act has eroded the protections granted to British citizens that were set on the foundation

• f the Magna Carta?

23% 26% 52%

Opinion Formers

Base: 724 Opinion Formers; 1,691 General Public

Human Rights Act Eroding Magna Carta?

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29% 21% 49%

General Public

YES NO NOT SURE NOT SURE YES NO

Which of the following do you believe is guaranteed under the following: - Magna Carta / 1998 Human Rights Act – General Public

Guarantees under Magna Carta

4 45% 40% 29% 27% 26% 26% 24% 23% 14% 12% 4% Magna Carta

Base: 1,691 General Public

Which of the following do you believe is guaranteed under the following: - Magna Carta / 1998 Human Rights Act – General Public

Guarantees under Magna Carta vs HRA

5 45% 40% 29% 27% 26% 26% 24% 23% 14% 12% 4% 36% 29% 41% 42% 30% 36% 41% 44% 45% 52% 3% Magna Carta 1998 Human Rights Act

Liberties and customs of London and other cities Base: 1,691 General Public

Do you think there is a need for a ‘new Magna Carta’ to protect the people from abuse of executive power, or does the precedent set out by the original offer sufficient safe guards?

Base: 703 Opinion Formers; 1,691 General Public

A New Magna Carta

6 There should be a new ‘Magna Carta’ to reflect modern society’s concerns, 38% The precedent of the original Magna Carta, embodied in current laws, is sufficient, 47% Don’t know, 16%

Opinion Formers

There should be a new ‘Magna Carta’ to reflect modern society’s concerns, 40% Don’t know, 36%

General Public

The precedent of the original Magna Carta, embodied in current laws, is sufficient, 23%

Do you think that in the absence of a written constitution there should be a British equivalent of the US First Amendment that guarantees Freedom of Expression and therefore the Freedom of the Media?

31% 41% 40% 15% 29% 44%

General Public Opinion Formers

Base: 703 Opinion Formers; 1,691 General Public

US First Amendment?

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YES NO

DON’T KNOW

YES NO

DON’T KNOW

Thinking about the Police’s ‘Operation Elveden’ which probed inappropriate payments to police officers by journalists, which one of these statements, if any, most closely represents your view? 28% 2% 7% 8% 11% 44% 9% 0% 8% 10% 30% 43% Don’t know None of the above Operation Elveden was politically motivated The police overstepped their role by interfering with press freedoms and public interest It was right to investigate potential criminal practice but prosecutions should not have been brought in most cases The police were right to mount a case against those involved as these were criminal acts All Opinion Formers General Public

Base: 730 Opinion Formers; 196 Media/Journalists; 1,691 General Public

Premise of Operation Elveden

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Thinking about the Police’s ‘Operation Elveden’ which probed inappropriate payments to police officers by journalists, which one of these statements, if any, most closely represents your view? 7% 0% 8% 17% 41% 27% 28% 2% 7% 8% 11% 44% 9% 0% 8% 10% 30% 43% Don’t know None of the above Operation Elveden was politically motivated The police overstepped their role by interfering with press freedoms and public interest It was right to investigate potential criminal practice but prosecutions should not have been brought in most cases The police were right to mount a case against those involved as these were criminal acts All Opinion Formers General Public Media/Journalists

Base: 730 Opinion Formers; 196 Media/Journalists; 1,691 General Public

Premise of Operation Elveden

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Do you believe that the recent collapse of the journalism trials based on the Police's Operation Elveden probe into bribery was… Please select as many as apply 11% 27% 47% 27% 37% 10% 17% 41% 15% 16% 38% 39% Don’t know A victory for freedom of the press and investigative journalism Probably the right outcome A missed opportunity to set a precedent and clamp down on the bribing of public officials All Opinion Formers General Public Media/Journalists

Base: 729 Opinion Formers; 196 Media/Journalists; 1,691 General Public

Outcome of Operation Elveden

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The Leveson Report recommended that the Press Complaints Commission be replaced with a new “tough, independent regulator with teeth” based on legally enforceable contracts between publishers and the new body. Which one of the following, if any, do you most agree with? 3% 5% 13% 17% 12% 50% 23% 0% 5% 16% 30% 25% 2% 3% 8% 17% 27% 43%

Not sure Other The press should have a system of self-regulation, with responsibility for deciding complaints lying only (or mainly) with other media professionals The press should have a system of self-regulation but it should be

• verseen by a government-backed body which determines its

effectiveness There should be external regulation of the press, with the media itself not involved in deciding the parameters of the system The press should have a system of self-regulation but the majority of people determining complaints should be unconnected to the media

All Opinion Formers General Public Media/Journalists

Base: 725 Opinion Formers; 196 Media/Journalists; 1,691 General Public

Press Regulation post-Leveson

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Regarding freedom of the press, do you think... 3% 4% 4% 12% 45% 33% 18% 1% 9% 7% 19% 46% 1% 4% 7% 12% 29% 47%

Don't know Other There is no threat to freedom of the press from government The status quo between government and press freedoms is about right Freedom of the press is under threat from government Freedom of the press is not under threat from government, but does require more scrutiny, such as that from an independent body

All Opinion Formers General Public Media/Journalists

Base: 725 Opinion Formers; 196 Media/Journalists; 1,691 General Public

Government vs Press Freedom

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See the full Magna Carta & Freedom of the Press results:

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• Opinion Formers
• GB Adults

May-June 2015 – Opinion Formers and General Public Survey

Magna Carta and Press Freedoms

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