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A year ago 72 per cent of Liberal Democrat voters said that they were interested in politics but that has now fallen to just 50 per cent. The number of Conservative supporters interested in politics has fallen to 65 per cent while Labour support has dropped 12 points to 48 per cent.
The study also suggests there has been a striking decline over the past two years in the proportion of the public undertaking voluntary work. One person in five says they would be prepared to work for free in their communities, down from nearly 30 per cent in 2010 – a finding which the Hansard Society said represented a "worrying development" for the Big Society.
Many voters see a strong disconnection between what happens in Parliament and its effect on individuals lives. Only 24 per cent of people think the system of governing works "reasonably well" while just 38 per cent agree that the Government is held to account by Parliament.