Who are we, the people Andy Burnham now governs? He inherits a miserable lot: grudging, angry pessimists, expecting the worst of all politicians, trusting no one to lead the country well, according to a long-running study. British folk feel the social contract is broken, they feel let down. Ignorant of basic facts, they are willfully misled by malevolents.

Over half a century of taking their pulse, Ipsos has collected data on shifting attitudes for the mighty Understanding Society, the largest longitudinal household study in the world, run by the Institute for Social and Economic Research. By chance, this latest national portrait will be the benchmark for Burnham’s era. Here are his people: can he make them feel better? In the end, that’s the great purpose of all politics: you can have good policies, make improvements, do your honest best, as Keir Starmer tried, but if you don’t make the people feel it, then it’s a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal, as Paul told the Corinthians. Can Burnham lift up their hearts, a bit?

Reading this survey, he may sink his head in his hands. Earning any trust is a Himalayan climb: it was bad enough back in 1989 when just 33% believed politicians were good people in general, but now that’s fallen to 20%.

The people’s contradictory desires are many: they want lower taxes and better services – a higher standard of living without paying for it. They admire Sweden above all other countries, yet show little sign they would accept Swedish taxes at 42% of GDP, while ours are about 33%.

Impossibilism is........

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