Trusting the Process? Public Confidence in the Brexit Process and Trust in MPs

Has confidence in the British government’s handling of the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union affected public trust in Members of Parliament? Public perception of government policy efficacy is a central aspect of democratic representation. Thus, understanding how government handling of major political issues, such as Britain’s exit from the European Union, affects public attitudes is highly important. I test this question using longitudinal data from the British Election Study Internet Panel (BESIP). I find that greater confidence in the way that the Brexit process has been handled leads to significantly greater trust among the public in Members of Parliament. This reflects the importance of a government’s ability to handle international relationships, processes, and negotiations in maintaining trust in legislative actors.