By Steve Taggart
David Cameron tops poll, but almost two thirds believe British politicians don’t know enough about technology
Twitter fan David Cameron is the UK’s most tech-savvy politician with Nigel Farage polling in a distant fifth place, according to new research released today by Crucial.com. However, the insights also show that almost two thirds (64%) of people do not believe that Britain’s top politicians boast sufficient knowledge of technology to help boost the economy.
Last year, Boris Johnson vowed to make London the “tech capital of the world” and according to the new research, young voters are placing their faith in the ever-entertaining London Mayor, with almost a quarter (23%) of 16-34 year olds nominating him as the most tech-savvy British leader.
Poll results: Who is the UK’s most tech-savvy politician?
| David Cameron | 28% |
| Boris Johnson | 22% |
| Ed Miliband | 21% |
| Nick Clegg | 18% |
| Nigel Farage | 11% |
Almost three quarters (72%) of Brits think it is important for political leaders to be tech-savvy because it is a fundamental part of everyday life – for example it allows you to fix or upgrade tech devices when they break, which can make them run faster and save money in the long run.
“When it comes to technology, it’s important that our political leaders know how to get simple jobs done, as a poor knowledge of technology could have a big impact on the way in which the country is run,” said Roddy McLean, a computer upgrade expert from Crucial.com. “Something as simple as not remembering to logout of social networking sites or accidentally sharing confidential information could open the door to hackers and be detrimental to a politician’s reputation.”
Over half of those surveyed (52%) believe that being knowledgeable about technology helps politicians to understand the industry and how it encourages economic growth. Similarly, over half believe it will keep Britain from being left behind as a nation and 30% believe it will improve our global reputation.
Technology and social media are sure to play a key role in this year’s General Election, as 45% of Brits believe that being tech-savvy allows politicians to connect with the public. Half of Brits believe that being good with technology simply makes a political leader more effective at their job (49%).
