Project SUSA has released the results of an opinion poll on the subject of the integrity and religion of Members of Parliament.
The survey was conducted by ComRes by telephone among a representative sample of 1,000 British adults aged 18 and over between 22 and 24 January 2010.
A press release about the poll’s findings, including a link to the full set of data tables, will be found at:
http://www.susa.info/news/susa-poll
In the lead up to the forthcoming general election the poll found that 19 per cent believed that politics in the UK would be improved if more MPs read the Bible, with 76 per cent disagreeing.
25 per cent said that they would trust an MP who is a practising Christian more than one who is not. However, 16 per cent would trust a practising Christian less.
39 per cent thought that their MP is a believer in some religion, 27 per cent that their MP is of no religion, with 34 per cent unsure.
72 per cent of the sample said that the personal integrity of their MP was more important to them than the party to which the MP belonged. 71 per cent claimed that the expenses scandal of 2009 had heightened their concerns about perceived integrity issues.
Project SUSA was formally launched at the House of Commons on 3 February, with a vision ‘to encourage and equip Christians in the UK to become more extensively and effectively engaged in politics and government’.
The initiative is led by the Bible Society with support from 24-7 Prayer. It is endorsed by Christians in Politics, the official cross-party organization for Christian groups in the main UK political parties.