Stay alert, control the virus, save lives: Elite and public response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in UK

Following the imposition of lockdowns in response to the first wave of Covid-19, governments experienced a high degree of trust and acceptance. However, with a downturn of cases, the acceptance of continued lockdown measures is coming under pressure and major political divisions are emerging on how to handle the crisis. The management of the pandemic requires an effort to coordinate the actions of government and society in a way unmatched in recent history; citizens need to voluntarily sacrifice some of their civil rights for an indefinite period to avoid contagion and governments need to carefully balance actions aimed at protecting the health and wellbeing of citizens while implementing policies aiming at economic development. Using two original surveys applied to a representative sample of individuals in the UK and local political elites, we show the dimensions in which political elites and the public agree, and identify those areas prone to polarization and unsatisfaction that will make the implementation of policies to protect citizens of a potential second outbreak difficult.