The least trusted professions league headlined politicians for years. Journalists, car sales people and estate agents also featured prominently. The 2025 Ipsos Veracity Index paints a new picture. Politicians are now in second place, just behind social influencers.

Why are politicians so mistrusted? Many people I spoke to during the Senedd Elections campaign said, “Politicians are all the same.” I disagree but listened to their arguments. One reason was, “Politicians never answer a question.” I concur to a point. Another one is, “They line their own pockets, are only in it for themselves.” I can’t deny that there are a few rotten apples. Bad behaviour gets into the news much more than decent actions.

Why are journalists still so deeply distrusted, even BBC stalwarts? BBC Verify uses sophisticated technology to share the truth with us where they can. Journalists ask pertinent questions, carry out detailed research, and put themselves in danger for instance in warzones with many killed or injured especially journalists from the Global South.

I’m careful to say some or many rather than just people. Plenty of politicians use the word people as if we all experience the same, saying things like, “People are struggling with the cost of living crisis.” I see supermarket trolleys overflowing and traffic hasn’t eased despite the price of oil. How many households are actually struggling? With a true picture of who they are, their problems may be easier to solve.

World politicians dominate the news. We hear them declare ceasefires between the US and Iran, between Israel and Iran, Israel and Lebanon, Israel and Gaza, and yet the bombing and the killing goes on. A ceasefire has become a meaningless concept. The problem doesn’t lie with the word but with the politicians who fling terms around without a thought for the truth.

I mentioned estate agents and car sales people being high up on the mistrust list. However, local politicians and the police have risen up the ranks significantly. The police is unsurprising, judging by the awful event in Southampton. Yet, when there’s an accident or a serious crime, our instant response is to contact the police. Members of the UK police force are members of the public and, as within the political establishment, there are flawed individuals. I’ve dealt with many and by and large find most police officers to be sympathetic and understanding. Those few who’ve not fitted that mold shouldn’t make me mistrust all police officers.

Local politicians is an interesting category. Ceredigion’s councillors have been heavily criticised over the years for taking too much pay and not delivering for the people who pay them. We are right to demand bangs for our bucks, not accept that officers at the council make the decisions while the councillors simply nod. Do we call Senedd members local? The three Plaid members who represent us and live amongst us have promised all sorts of things. Their language during the Senedd Elections has frequently been full of obfuscation and prevarication. Take the pylons issue. They blithely told us that they will bury cables underground that are under 132kV. What they didn’t tell you is that the Senedd has no responsibility for cables over 132kV. So we can expect plenty of pylons to be going up but it will be Westminster that gets the blame.

Is it the case that politicians tell the electorate what the electorate wants to believe? And so they come out with simplistic messages that ultimately have no chance of becoming reality. It makes no difference which politician delivers it. In which case we, Joe Public, should be better prepared for unpalatable truths. Populism leads to bad decision making.

The least trusted though are the social influencers, unsurprising. We’re all bombarded with information; it’s hard to see the wood for the trees. These influencers have mastered the art of storytelling, something I’ve had explained to me is what politicians need to do. Rather than offering up facts, tell a story as voters won’t believe facts or can’t take in the information. Of course scientists are distrusted too. They can quote years of research on climate change, soil degradation, El Nino or immigration, still, those who don’t like such facts get their social media messages out to easily manipulated members of the public. Simplistic messages have become the norm, like “Take back control.” But our world is complicated; it’s the responsibility of politicians to explain details.

Truth and trust are connected. Police officers wear body cameras and by-standers take footage of arrests, all shown on social media, at times very disturbing. What’s also disturbing is how a society can easily morph into a dystopian police state or into total anarchy. The riots in Southampton and Belfast should serve as warnings. So, while many don’t trust social influencers, plenty take their cue from them. Let’s all watch our words.