Politicians are less trusted than bankers, journalists and car salesman, according to a new survey.
Over half of Britons (57 per cent) said they were more suspicious of MPs in Westminster than City bankers, widely blamed for the financial crisis, who received 43 per cent of the vote.
Joint in third place were car salesmen and journalists, receiving 41 per cent of the vote.
The poll, carried out by the Co-operative Bank, also revealed 54 per cent of Britons are less trusting than they were a year ago.
Reasons cited as the main factors for influence were the recession (24 per cent), poor service levels (40 per cent) and society becoming more selfish (42 per cent).
John Hughes, business leader, Retail Products at the Co-Operative Bank said the results were "very unsettling".
"For the sake of economic stability, it's imperative that the British public has confidence in its government, financial services sector and the housing market.
"It's vital that representatives working in each of these professions work hard to earn back the trust and respect of the general public."
Onepoll.com carried out the survey of 3,000 adults on behalf of the Co-operative Bank.
Earlier this year, the Hansard Society published its annual Audit of Political Engagement finding that the expenses scandal had "confirmed and hardened the public's widely held scepticism about politicians".
It revealed three quarters of people, 73 per cent, said they distrusted politicians, compared with 70 per cent in 2004, when the first audit was carried out.
Top 10 most distrusted professions in the UK:
1. Politicians
2. Bankers
3. Journalists
4. Car Salesmen
5. Estate Agents
6. Electricians
7. Plumbers
8. Builders
9. Car Mechanics
10. Footballers
