The annual Ipsos MORI Veracity Index has been released for 2021, and against the odds, public trust in politicians has actually risen in the last 12 months. This year, a whopping 19% of the public say they trust both the government and politicians more widely, representing a four-point increase from 2020, and a return to the long-term trend after a two-year decline in the last two surveys. While Westminster will no doubt be overjoyed, it’s not all sunny skies: politicians are still among the five least trusted professions, alongside advertising executives, government ministers, business leaders and journalists.

The biggest drop this year, meanwhile, is with the police. Public trust in the force has nosedived by 8 percentage points, falling from 71% in 2020 down to 63% this year. Still, some good news for Guido: journalists managed to claw back five percentage points from a 2020 low, bringing their overall trust level back to its previous high of 28%. Merry Christmas…