Little appetite for celebrities airing political views, polling suggests

By Aine Fox, PA Social Affairs Correspondent

Most people do not pay attention to celebrities expressing their views in support of political causes, according to new polling.

While just over half of people think it is acceptable for celebrities to raise awareness about such causes, the vast majority say they are not interested in hearing more about these issues from famous people, according to a recent survey.

The polling, commissioned by the PA news agency, was carried out over a weekend which saw a string of bands pull out of a UK music festival after Irish folk music group The Mary Wallopers claimed they were “cut off” for displaying a Palestinian flag.

Organisers of the Victorious music festival in Portsmouth later issued an apology to the band over what had happened and pledged to make “a substantial donation to humanitarian relief efforts for the Palestinian people”.

Increasing numbers of artists have spoken out over the war in Gaza in recent times, including singer Madonna and rock band U2, with many performers using social media or the stage as their platform.

Online polling by Ipsos for PA of just over 1,000 people across Great Britain suggested 60 per cent have not paid attention to a celebrity expressing their views in support of a political cause.

Those polled were most likely to say they either trusted family and friends or no-one (32 per cent for each) when it comes to hearing views on political issues, with just five per cent saying they trust celebrities on such matters.

Asked about which groups they would be interested in hearing more from on political issues, eight per cent said celebrities.

This came below the royal family (10 per cent), politicians (13 per cent) and academics (20 per cent).

More than half of people felt it was acceptable for celebrities to raise awareness about political causes (55 per cent) and to encourage people to write to their MP about a political issue (57 per cent).

But 52 per cent said it was unacceptable to encourage protest which might break the law such as supporting a banned organisation.

Just over a fifth (22 per cent) felt this was acceptable.

Award-winning author Sally Rooney recently hit the headlines for saying she will donate her earnings from her books and BBC adaptions to support Palestine Action, a group recently proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK.

The Irish author of Normal People said that if backing Palestine Action “makes me a ‘supporter of terror’ under UK law, so be it”.

While the group was recently proscribed in the UK, it is not banned under Irish law.

Ms Rooney currently lives in the west of Ireland.

Writing in the Irish Times earlier this month, she said: “I want to be clear that I intend to use these proceeds of my work, as well as my public platform generally, to go on supporting Palestine Action and direct action against genocide in whatever way I can.”

:: The Ipsos polling was carried out between August 22nd and 25th and was of 1,100 people aged 16-75 across England, Scotland and Wales.