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SPEAK NOW OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE
84% of those surveyed in the
North West readily give their opinion on a wide range of topics from
politics to gardening, 89% are interested in hearing other people’s
opinions and 60% are always or quite often open to changing their
opinion after hearing someone else’s views, reveals new research
from Yahoo! Answers. The research marks the launch of the Yahoo!
Answers campaign to recruit experts willing to share their opinions
and knowledge with others across the UK.
Music is the number one topic that gets people swapping opinions in
the North West. 44% of people who readily give their opinion chose
music as their favourite soapbox subject. Whilst 48% say they are
not afraid to discuss their opinions on politics with their mates,
now there’s a meaty subject to get your teeth into. It also looks
like the North West has quite a few agony aunts as the no.3 topic is
relationships with 31% of opinion-giving people saying they readily
give their opinions on matters of the heart.
The openness of British society seems to be the main driver behind
this trend:- one in three Britons believe it is our democratic duty
to share our opinions and only 3% believe it is not important to
have an opinion. Only 9% are never or rarely open to changing their
opinion on a subject after hearing someone else’s views.
Jeff Revoy, European Director of Yahoo! Search and Local Search
said:- “It is testament to the UK’s open minded-ness that
there is a huge desire to share opinions and knowledge on a whole
host of topics from politics to the best places to eat. We have set
up Yahoo! Answers to allow people to find answers, exchange
knowledge, experience and opinions with people everywhere. We are
hosting a nationwide search to find experts in all different topics
from all regions across the UK.”
The public figures considered to have the greatest influence on the
opinions of British people are those striving for social change or
those with expert knowledge. Bob Geldof [57%], Jamie Oliver [49%]
and Tony Blair [40%] are seen as the top three public figures that
have the greatest ability to influence public opinion. Experts in
science, Stephen Hawking, and business, Alan Sugar, came in fourth
and fifth with 31% and 29% respectively.
However, it doesn’t bode well for prime minister in waiting, Gordon
Brown, as he is seen to have less influence [24%] on people’s
opinion than Jeremy Clarkson [27%]. Celebrities not famed for their
expert knowledge come lowest: Coleen McLoughlin is bottom with 3%
and followed by Jordan with 4%. The biggest shock is new England
manager Steve Maclaren who tied with Colleen for last place (3%)
perhaps showing he still has a long way to go to capture the England
fan’s trust!
The UK tends to value most the opinions of those people who know us
best. Almost half [42%] value our partner’s opinion the most,
followed by our parents: mums 20%, dads 13%. It seems very few of us
value the thoughts of celebrities and politicians as both scored
zero in the survey when asked whose opinion we value most.
Interestingly, the Victor Meldrew stereotype appears to be on the
decline as Britain’s over 65 year olds tend to be less opinionated
than the younger 18 to 24 year old generation:- 78% v 85%
respectively regularly voice their opinions. Surprisingly, the older
generation tend to be more open minded with 82% interested in
hearing other people’s opinions compared to 75% for the 18 to 24 age
group.
Yahoo! Answers has launched a nationwide campaign to recruit the
public to join Yahoo’s! new community website, Yahoo! Answers (yahoo.co.uk/answers).
Here you can ask and answer
questions as well as share your knowledge with other interested
Brits or ask questions in areas of which you know little. From 4
September 2006, Yahoo! will be running a promotion will be running
on Yahoo! Answers for 8 weeks, with a ‘drive for 5 million
answers’. So join the drive for knowledge.. |
MERSEYSIDE FIRE CREWS HOPEFUL IN ADVANCE OF TALKS
MERSEYSIDE fire crews say they
are hopeful about talks between Assistant Chief Fire Officer Bill
Evans and Merseyside FBU brigade secretary Les Skarratts. The two
are the leading industrial relations officials in Merseyside. The
venue of the talks was not announced to ensure the two could meet
and concentrate on resolving the dispute free from public glare.
On Friday 1 September 2006 Les Skarratts said:- “We’re
optimistic in advance of these talks although we’re sorry they did
not start 3 days ago. If both sides enter them willing and able to
genuinely negotiate then there is no reason for them to fail.
Our priority is securing the long-term future of the Merseyside fire
and rescue service which is having additional demands being placed
on it all the time. It is to ensure the safety of our members and
that of the public is not compromised by job cuts and reduced fire
cover. A crude slash and cut approach has nothing to do with
modernisation or protecting our communities.
We are not mindless militants, we are Merseyside fire fighters and
emergency control staff determined to protect the emergency service
we provide. The public fully understand that and their support has
been welcomed by those on strike.
Every dispute ends with a settlement. We are willing to do what we
can to ensure that happens sooner rather than later and equally
determined to protect the long-term future of the Merseyside fire
service.
We fully back the calls of councillors Joe Anderson and Warren
Bradley for assistance to be provided at national level to help
resolve this dispute. The intervention of both these senior
councillors is timely, welcome and must not be simply dismissed out
of hand.
The strike remains solid and claims of a return to work are untrue.
Those working at Formby worked yesterday at different stations, they
were not on strike and so have not returned to work.
We will get more of this spin and nonsense. It is also astonishing
that office staff who have never been to a fire are dressing up as
fire fighters, but at least the fire authority has reluctantly
admitted they are doing this.”
FBU press officer Duncan Milligan told us by phone that:- "We
would like to thank the public for the support. Public are clear on
what is going on and are behind us all the way. Public support is
fantastic and they know that it is about the service they receive
and not about our pay or any other issue."
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